Hi there!  The following is one of a multi-part series on 2009 gay cruises.  The purpose of each page is to give you useful information about the cruise at a glance.  Please feel free to discuss these cruises in the forums!  -Ed.

Cruise: Caribbean and Amazon

When: November 22^nd to December 5^th, 2009

Company/Offered Through: Crystal

Type: All-Gay

Departs: Miami, Florida

Visits: Grand Turk, Antigua, Barbados, Devil’s Island, Alter do Chao, Parintins, Manaus

Basic Itinerary:

Pricing Info:

Detailed Itinerary:

Miami, Florida, USA

Cruise: 9227

Arrival Date: November 22

Departure Time: 9 pm

It has the largest city population in Florida, is the third most visited American city among international travelers and showcases an Art Deco Historic District encompassing one of the largest neighborhoods entered on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Miami certainly boasts its share of impressive characteristics, even before adding to the list its gorgeous beaches, spirited Cuban population and ritzy enclaves of Coral Gables and Coconut Grove.

Miami wasn’t always the glamorous and energetic city you see today. Until the late 1800s, it was mostly swamp, disconnected from the rest of the country thanks to its position on the edge of the continent and lack of the essential link of the day: a railroad. All that changed in 1896, when the railroad in northern Florida was extended to the latent tropical paradise of the south.

The rest, as they say, is history, as Miami has since seen recurrent booms fueled by surges of immigration, perennially good weather and an insouciant refusal to do anything halfway. Admire the full glory of Miami Beach with a stroll along South Beach’s famous Ocean Boulevard, where splendidly restored art deco buildings compete with fashion models and sun worshipers for attention. For a taste of Cuban cuisine and culture, visit Little Havana on the mainland (Miami Beach is separate both in its municipality and its geography: it sits on a barrier island four miles off the coast, and is reached by a causeway). Also outside mainland Miami are the acres of rare tropical plants nurtured to their fragrant and beautiful best in Fairchild Tropical Gardens. The aforementioned slice of heaven known as Coral Gables lies to the southwest. A gem of 1920s city planning, the city unfurls impressive boulevards and features the alluring Venetian Pool, where waterfalls and underwater caves offer the chance for a uniquely refreshing dip.

Cruising the Atlantic Ocean

Cruise: 9227

Your Day at Sea, Enrich. Entertain. Escape.

Adjust the compass of your mood and design your day exactly as you wish: pamper yourself at the Feng Shui-inspired Crystal Spa, work-out at our state-of-the-art fitness center or Walk-on-Water along our 360^o Promenade Deck; teach yourself something new with complimentary language lessons by Berlitz or piano instruction with Yamaha; enhance your computer skills at our Computer University@Seaor learn about art, history and worldly destinations with our engaging lecture series; sneak away to watch recently-released movies in the Hollywood Theater, shop our luxury boutiques, or simply relax by one of our tranquil pools. From Tai Chiand yoga to PGA golf instruction and paddle tennis on full-size courts, today is all about you. As evening arrives, dine on the inspired cuisines of Nobu Matsuhisa, Piero Selvaggioand Crystal’s own acclaimed chefs, enjoy special wine-makers dinners, lavish Broadway-style productions, intimate lounges, a pulsing dance club or our action-packed Crystal Casino. The choices are yours.

Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos

Cruise: 9227

Arrival Date: November 24

Arrival Time: 8 am

Departure Time: 5 pm

Although there are numerous spots on land that invite relaxation and exploration, the Turks and Caicos are really all about the water. More specifically, they’re all about what’s beneath the water. These islands have some of the best diving and snorkeling anywhere, courtesy of one of the world’s largest network of coral reefs, easily accessible off the islands’ shores. One reef, aptly called the Wall, is particularly spectacular; it drops 7,000 feet-straight down. Between the shore and the reef, the water is only waist deep, providing a perfect place for beginning snorkelers to get their feet wet.

Antigua/St. John’s, West Indies

Cruise: 9227

Arrival Date: November 26

Arrival Time: 8 am

Departure Time: 5 pm

Antigua’s sunny climate and easy-going Caribbean ways are alluring attractions for visitors. It boasts 365 superb white beaches and is home to a beautiful National Park that stretches for ten square miles. Found within this park are the famous English Harbor and Nelson’s Dockyard. Horatio Nelson was posted here early in his career and the harbor was the headquarters for the British fleet during the 18th century. Although Antigua achieved its independence in 1981, it continues to bear the unmistakable imprint of centuries of British rule.

Barbados/Bridgetown, West Indies

Cruise: 9227

Arrival Date: November 27

Arrival Time: 9 am

Departure Time: 5 pm

Barbados offers sun-drenched beaches, clear blue-green waters and cool trade winds. Inland are lovingly preserved plantation houses, lush sugar cane fields and fragrant gardens. This charming former British colony is one of the most stable independent Caribbean nations. Reminders of British rule abound, from cricket fields to Lord Nelson’s statue and the original Trafalgar Square.

Don’t miss Bridgetown’s bustling Careenage and the shops on Broad Street, which offer exceptional deals on luxury imports from Britain.

Devil’s Island, French Guiana

Cruise: 9227

Arrival Date: November 29

Arrival Time: 8 am

Departure Time: 1 pm

Devil’s Island (Ile du Diable or Les Iles de Salut, the Islands of Salvation), is one of the three “Safety Islands” off the northern coast of French Guiana; the others are Royale (the largest) and St. Joseph. The “desolate” Devil’s Island became a penal colony of the French government in the late 1800s; it was abolished in 1938.Tides permitting, a visit to Devil’s Island may be possible. Here you can view 13 cottages once used for political prisoners, such as Alfred Dreyfus, the Jewish French officer convicted of treason and banished here from 1895 to 1906, when his innocence was finally proven.

Alter do Chão, Brazil

Cruise: 9227

Arrival Date: December 2

Arrival Time: 10 am

Departure Time: 5 pm

The beach resort of Alter do Chão along the Amazon River is on a beautiful bay flanked by two hills, one of which resembles the shape of a church altar, which gives the place its name. The other cone-shaped hill is easily climbable (after hiking through a thick forest), offering a spectacular view of the meeting of the Amazon and Tapajós Rivers.

The bay is lined with white sand beaches on the deep blue Tapajós River; the beaches feature rows of simple stalls that sell fried fish and cold beer. The primary sight in Alter do Chão is the Center for the Preservation of Indian Art, a spectacular collection of Amazon Indian artifacts, housed in one of the village’s largest buildings.

Parintins, Brazil

Cruise: 9227

Arrival Date: December 3

Arrival Time: 8 am

Departure Time: 5 pm

This small village located on Tupinambarana Island is situated in the largest river archipelago of the mid-Amazon. This two-century old village is rich in Indian culture, as celebrated with an annual “Boi Bumba” festival, an event that has been taking place in the Parintins for over 80 years, and that is a ritual of magic, mystery, passion and faith. Enjoy the exotic appeal of the Amazon via this fascinating area.

Manaus, Brazil

Cruise: 9227

Arrival Date: December 5

Arrival Time: Disembark am

The capital of the State of Amazonas, the belle époque splendor of Manaus is still evident in the graceful mansions and the Teatro Amazonas opera house. This city, resting on the Rio Negro, was created by the rubber boom of the mid-19th-century, when steam navigation opened up the Amazon to entrepreneurs and the social elite. Today, stroll down the Parisian-styled boulevards and Italian piazzas, or watch the fisherman at Municipal Market unload their catch of the day on the river’s edge.

Other Info:

Cruise 9227 – Amazon Thanksgiving Adventure aboard Crystal Symphony

Theme: Crystal Wine & Food Festival

Captain – Egil Giske

Hotel Director – Josef Matt

Cruise Director – Scott Peterson

Maître D’ – TBA

Crystal Society Host/ess – Kellie Hachten

Cruise Sales Consultant – Paula Jean Pfitzer

Headline Entertainers – Lewis Dixon, Vocalist – Rustem Hayroudinoff, Classical Pianist – Clare Langan, Flautist – Penny Mathisen, Vocalist – Mark Merchant, Ventriloquist – Kenny Smiles, Comedian

Lounge Pianists – David Williams, Avenue Saloon – Bruce Johnson, Crystal Cove

Production Shows – Featuring the Crystal Ensemble of Singers and Dancers: Cole!, Curtain Call, Million Dollar Musicals, Route 66, The Envelope Please (Please note: not all shows are performed on all cruises).

Crystal Visions Enrichment Program

Destination Lecturer – TBA

Special Interest Lecturer: Hollywood

Jim Jimirro (Los Angeles, CA) 
Creator and founding president of The Disney Channel and Walt Disney Home Video.

Special Interest Lecturer: World Affairs

Charles Peña (Washington, DC) 
A defense policy expert, Charles Peña is a senior fellow with the Independent Institute, Coalition for a Realistic Foreign Policy, and George Washington University Homeland Security Policy Institute, and an adviser on the Straus Military Reform Project. The author of Winning the Un-War: A New Strategy for the War on Terrorism, he has appeared on MSNBC, Fox News, and CNN and written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and the Financial Times.

Special Interest Lecturer –

Rex Ziak (Naselle, WA) 
Rex Ziak is an outstanding public speaker with many great stories to tell and a uniquely engaging speaking style that never fails to rivet his audiences. His adventurous mind has led him into a wide array of ventures, including his study of endangered indigenous cultures, his successful preservation of ancient rainforest, and his work as an Emmy-winning documentary cinematographer. Most recently, his research into the Lewis and Clark expedition revealed overlooked sites of such importance that the federal government created a new National Park to commemorate them.

*Theme Presentations: Wine & Food

Festival

Guest Chef –

André Rochat 
André is Las Vegas’ original celebrity chef. At five years old he began learning about food from the family charcuterie in France, apprenticed at Leon de Lyon, cooked at prestigious East Coast hotels including Washington’s Mayflower, and opened the first French boulangerie in Vegas in 1973: Savoy French Bakery. Since then, André has opened renowned French gourmet restaurant, André’s, in Vegas, a second André’s at the Monte Carlo, and Alizé on the top of the Palms in Dubai. André is President of the Gastronomy Management Group, and maintains one of the most extensive and exclusive collections of wine, armagnacs, cognacs, vintage ports and spirits in the world.

Guest Chef –

Claude Troisgros 
Owner of 3 restaurants in Rio: Olympe, 66 Bistro, and CT Brasserie, and CT in New York City. Claude has the TV show in Brazil named Menu Confiança and is the grandson of renowned French chef Jean Baptiste Troisgros, who invented nouvelle cuisine in the 1970s.

Wine Expert –

Kris Margerum 
Head sommelier, Auberge du Soleil, and developer of wine lists for a number of other Auberge Resorts’ properties. His wine list has been awarded Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence for the past five years. Kris also created the Napa Valley Sommelier Society.

Modern American Mixologist –

Tony Abou-Ganim 
Currently featured on the ‘Iron Chef America’ competition with Mario Batali, Battle Mango. Tony created the DVD, Modern Mixology: Making Great Cocktails at Home. He was on the Fine Living Network program Raising the Bar: America’s Best Bar Chefs. He was hand-picked by Steve Wynn to create the cocktail program at his Bellagio Resort. Tony is National Ambassador of the US Bartenders Guild; Associate Member of the Museum of the American Cocktail; and operates his own beverage consulting firm specializing in bar staff training, product education and cocktail development.

The Crystal Cruises Creative Learning Institute

Our innovative series of complimentary interactive classes created to enhance our guests quality of life in the areas of Arts & Entertainment, Business & Technology, Lifestyle, Wellness and Wine & Food. Guests receive a certificate of completion at the end of the curriculum.

Arts & Entertainment –

Passport To Music presented by Yamaha and Crystal Cruises: Instructor Sophia Greenberg (Scottsdale, AZ) teaches an innovative and fun course as an introduction to keyboard playing for adults. Tradition and technology meet in harmony to create this progressive piano-style program. With an emphasis on hands-on learning using Yamaha’s exciting portable keyboards supported by the Clavinova digital piano, guests learn nearly a dozen songs during the cruise. An overview of general musical skills, including listening skills and note reading is included, as well as fun group activities such as music trivia and name that song. Passport To Music is designed for those with little or no previous keyboard experience.

Odyssey Art At Sea Instructor – Sonia Grineva (New York, NY)

Computer University@Sea –

Senior Attendant TBA plus Instructor Rick Berg (Cedar Crest, NM). Our popular Computer University@Sea program: expanded curriculum of complimentary lectures and classes on a variety of computer-related topics, plus e-mail instruction in our computer center, equipped with 25 state-of-the-art workstations, all equipped for e-mail and Internet access (fees apply).

Lifestyle –

Berlitz Foreign Language Instruction: Portuguese classes, focusing on basic vocabulary and phrases to help guests communicate in foreign countries, are taught by certified Berlitz Language instructor TBA.

Guest Master Photographer –

John Parris 
John Parris’ passion for photography becomes clear in the images he captures with his portraiture commissions. His portraits range from traditional to informal to contemporary, but most importantly they capture the character of the individual or couple. Through his creativity and professional excellence, John’s portraits are appreciated by all who have commissioned him. John was named the Scottish Wedding Photographer of the Year, Scottish Portrait Photographer of the Year, British Fashion Photographer of the Year and has also won countless awards of Merit & Excellence. A Fellow of The British Institute of Professional Photography and of the Master Photographers Association, John is the only professional photographer in Scotland to hold a portrait fellowship and is a UK National Qualifications Judge. John will be setting up reservations to have exclusive portrait sessions with guests. Selected images from these portrait sessions will be presented in a hand-crafted, custom-bound album. Guests may also make pre-reservations by emailing Paragon Pixels in advance of their cruise at info@paragonpixels.com.

Wellness –

Crystal Cruises’ exclusive Walk-on-Water program features The WALKVEST® Training System which revolutionizes walking simply by adding resistance (added weight) to your walk.

Golf Teaching Professional –

TBA Conducts our exclusive program featuring TaylorMade, the best performance golf company in the world and #1 driver in golf.

ACBL Bridge Instructors – Cassandra Mani (Reno, NV) and Michael Nistler (Petaluma, CA) Beginner and intermediate bridge classes, and afternoon games.

Catholic Clergy – TBA

Dance Team/Instructors – Mark Sasnovski and Lizl Jooste (Houston, TX) 
Daily dance classes on sea days, and private lessons by appointment.

Ambassador Hosts – Luke Daniel (University Place, WA) 
Ray Ghannad (Wilmington, NC) 
Gene Keesy (Greenville, OH) 
Ted Pobud (Apple Valley, CA)