LOS ANGELES, April 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Crystal Cruises' largest ultra-luxe ship, Crystal Serenity, has won its seventh award since undergoing a $25 million "Extreme Makeover" redesign last year: Hospitality Design (HD) magazine's "Judges Award for Distinctive Cruise Design."  This is the first time a cruise line has ever been recognized in the premier trade publication's annual awards.  The esteemed judges were so impressed with the ship's new look, they created a brand-new category to honor it.  A two-page spread in the May/June issue profiles the work by Crystal and Toronto's II BY IV Design Associates.

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"Because design is such a key sensibility of discriminating travelers, we have always been committed to creating ultra-stylish spaces in which our guests can feel at home," says Alexandra Don, Crystal's vice president hotel services and design.  "It's incredibly gratifying to have the industry confirm that our latest vision was something markedly different from an archetypal cruise ship look, and in good company with the most beautiful of esteemed luxury hotels on land."

Additional honors recently bestowed upon Crystal Serenity include #1 Cruise Ship (Mid-Sized) from Conde Nast Traveler and Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships, the Association of Retail Environment's Crystal design award, and three Travel Weekly Magellan Awards, for luxury ship, suite and stateroom designs.  All 535 staterooms, retail spaces, outdoor pool deck, corridors, and more received a chic "Fifth Avenue"-style facelift during two weeks at Hamburg's Blohm + Voss shipyard last May.  Crystal Symphony will be undergoing her own "Extreme Makeover" there this June, completing a five-year plan to redesign the entire vessel.

Crystal Serenity will be embarking on her first all-inclusive voyage May 8, after which she'll sail 19 seven- to twelve-day luxury European cruises through December.  All-inclusive voyages sailing around the world through early 2014 are now on sale, with early bookings receiving the best "Book By" fares.  Special offers are available for family or friend groups, back-to-back cruise combinations, and new-to-Crystal guests sponsored by Crystal Society members.

Crystal Cruises' ethos of warm and friendly attentiveness, proffered by top-trained service staff from around the world, has earned the line a reputation for elevating hospitality to an art form.  With no guest request left untended, Crystal Cruises has been the perfect choice for luxury travelers for over two decades, earning more "World's Best" awards than any other cruise line, resort, or hotel in history. 

For more information and Crystal reservations, contact a travel agent, call 888-799-4625, or visit www.crystalcruises.com.

CONTACT:  Mimi Weisband or Susan Wichmann 310-203-4305, [email protected]
VISIT:  Crystal's Media Center

SOURCE Crystal Cruises