New Thrills Await Active Travelers in Crystal's Northern Europe

LOS ANGELES, March 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Hike, drive, ride, fish, climb, sail, row, bob, fly or surf in locales from western France up to the Arctic Circle and over to Iceland with Crystal Cruises in Northern Europe from May to September.  The ultra-luxe line has set more than 100 new boutique Crystal Adventures to take maximum advantage of the region's abundant outdoor opportunities and stunning natural beauty.  

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120329/LA79220)

On new outings, outdoor enthusiasts can:

• River Raft Iceland's glacial Hvita River (outside Reyjkavik).
• Rock Climb Ireland's Mourne Mountains (CS Lewis's Narnia-inspiration) outside Belfast, or rappel down a Dalkey quarry after taking in the view of Dublin.  
• Surf in Biarritz, with Quicksilver's world-class surf school instruction (from St.-Jean-de-Luz).
• Tank-Drive a vintage WWII battle tank for two miles near Portland.
• Helicopter over Paris and Versailles (from Honfleur), Bordeaux wine country, or Iceland's recently-erupted Eyjafjallajokull volcano (from Reykjavik).
• Olympic Wheelbob down Lillehammer's Olympic Bob & Luge Track outside Oslo.
• Horseback Ride through the "Garden of Ireland"/County Wicklow outside Dublin, Finnish countryside and forest near Helsinki, or mountains outside maiden call Akureyri, the latter on the back of Icelandic horses descended from the Viking Age.
• Kayak past colorful Copenhagen via its harbor and canals or the natural beauty of coastal northern Norway (from Tromso).
• Hike the chalky Dorset coastline in Portland, England or Norway's highest mountain, Mt. Ulriken (in Bergen).
• Fish the Finnish Archipelago, Geirangerfjord or near Reykjavik (sea angling).
• ATV or 4x4 Drive through North Cape's gateway, Mageroya Island (Honningsvag) or past glacial Icelandic landscape to either a lobster lunch or snowmobile adventure (Reykjavik).
• Boat past Helsinki's seaside villas and lighthouses by catamaran; discover caves and orkas in maiden call Heimaey, Iceland by RIB or motorboat; spot puffins on a RIB sea safari to Runde Island (near Alesund, Norway);  or scout for sea eagles by Zodiac in Lofoten, Norway (maiden call).
• Soak weary, post-activity bones in a natural geothermic/volcanic lagoon en route to stunning Godafoss, a.k.a. "Waterfall of the Gods" (from Akureyri).

Other new boutique excursions that focus on the arts and off-beat experiences (and require less adrenalin!):

• Blown Glassmaking near Saint-Malo: Fashion your own blown glasswork at a local studio.
• Venturing Off-the-Beaten-Path in Berlin: Explore living as the locals do, with shopping at the fruit and vegetable market, riding the Underground, and going inside a typical local apartment.
• Painting in St. Petersburg: Take a painting master class at Russia's largest private modern art gallery.
• Evening Walking with a Night Watchman in Copenhagen: Take a different type of walking tour, at night, with a traditional uniformed, and informed, local "night watchman."
• "Titanic Experience" in Belfast: Visit the new Titanic museum on the centennial anniversary of the ship's sinking.
• Gourmet Dining and Wine Tasting in Bordeaux: From slow food to Medoc wine, join local experts in exploring the region's legendary estates, including a gala dinner at Chateau Haut-Bailly.

Many Crystal Adventures offer new Private Options for couples.  For even more intimate time ashore, guests can also custom-craft a Crystal Private Adventure or take an Overland Adventure, such as a two-day trip to Moscow from St. Petersburg. 

Until April 30, "Book Now" fares for Crystal's Northern Europe cruises start at $2,965 per person/double occupancy for eleven days sailing from London to Hamburg.  Additional savings are available for combining select voyages, groups of six or more, or sharing the experience with someone new-to-Crystal.  Attractive air add-ons are also available from more than 90 North American airports. 

Crystal's passion for creating exclusive, eye-opening luxury shore-side experiences are cornerstones of its Crystal Adventures program, earning the line top ratings for two decades. 

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