While only a small cruise line operator, Crystal Cruises have earned a reputation of providing some of the best cruises available. The Japanese-owned company has its headquarters in Los Angeles, and the reason so many people regard them so highly is that their cruise liners are fairly small and carry fewer passengers in comparison to many of the ships run by larger companies. This enables Crystal Cruises to offer a more personal and individually tailored service. While their ships are fairly small, passengers still have plenty of amenities and facilities available to them, but because there are fewer passengers, the ships have a less crowded atmosphere, which is preferred by some people, who would rather have a more limited choice and more personal service, than travel on the bigger and busier cruise liners.
Crystal Cruises is a small operator and only has two vessels and each of these can only carry about 1,000 passengers. However, this exclusivity is what has earned them a reputation for providing one of the best ocean going voyage experiences in the industry. In fact, over the last 16 years, readers of several popular travel magazines have named Crystal Cruises as the best operator in the world. Of course, the limited number of ships and space means that the prices of a voyage with Crystal tends to be higher than from other operators, but as they are a Japanese cruise liner, the facilities and onboard d?cor is quite unique compared to much larger companies. Despite the limited number of ships, Crystal Cruises still manages to cover a lot of destinations, although obviously, intended locations are restricted on what time of year you want to travel.
The two ships run by Crystal Cruises perhaps cover more miles than other passenger ocean liners do, and considering the limited number of vessels, the amount of locations they visit each year is quite staggering. With cruises to Alaska, Antarctica, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the Caribbean, Hawaii and the South Pacific, the Mediterranean, Mexican Riviera, New England and Canada, and South America, choice is certainly wide. Of course, destinations are going to be restricted to certain times of the year. Because of their exclusivity, Crystal Cruises attracts plenty of honeymooners, anniversary couples, and people wanting a once in a lifetime vacation, although the ships do cater for families with children and there are a number of junior activities to keep younger passengers occupied.
Because Crystal Cruises are a Japanese operator their ships are slightly different in d?cor and amenities compared to other operators that are more familiar to American and European travelers. As well as the usual cuisine from around the world, Crystal Cruises have a sushi bar and Japanese restaurant. The cabins are extremely comfortable and luxurious, and while the ships are much smaller than some other ocean going passenger vessels, Crystal Cruises have all the amenities one would expect on a modern cruise ship, with numerous restaurants, shops, spas, a casino and various bars, lounges and entertainment rooms.
