Photo tour: Inside the cruise ship starting year-round Cuba sailings
Thinking about a cruise to Cuba? Our latest Cruise Ship Tour, in the carousel above, offers a deck-by-deck look at the 960-passenger Celestyal Crystal, which will operate voyages around the island nation year-round starting in 2017.
Operated by Cyprus-based Celestyal Cruises, the 25,000-ton vessel has been sailing to Cuba out of Montego Bay, Jamaica during winters for the past three years. At first, the sailings only were available to non-Americans due to the U.S. embargo of Cuba. Now anyone can book them.
In service since 1980, Crystal will be familiar to Norwegian Cruise Line fans, as it sailed for the company in the 1990s under the name Leeward. Celestyal began operating the ship in 2007 after several years where it sailed for Norwegian's former parent company, Star Cruises, and the Baltic-based Silja Line. It also has sailed for the Baltic-based Viking Line and Sally Cruises in what amounts to one of the most unusual histories of any cruise vessel now at sea.
Designed as a research tool for vacationers considering a voyage, the Crystal photo tour -- by veteran cruise writer and ship photographer Peter Knego -- is the 155th in our ongoing series of ship galleries. For previous photo tours, click on the links below.
Alaska Marine Highway System (ferries): Kennicott
Alaskan Dream Cruises: Admiralty Dream
American Cruise Lines: Queen of the Mississippi; American Eagle
American Queen Steamboat Company: American Queen; American Empress
Azamara Club Cruises: Azamara Journey; Azamara Quest
Avalon Waterways: Avalon Panorama; Avalon Expression; Avalon Angkor; Avalon Tapestry II; Avalon Myanmar; Avalon Passion
Celebrity Cruises: Celebrity Eclipse; Celebrity Constellation; Celebrity Century; Celebrity Reflection; Celebrity Solstice; Celebrity Silhouette
Carnival Cruise Line: Carnival Magic; Carnival Breeze; Carnival Sunshine; Carnival Breeze, Magic compared; Carnival Destiny (before transformation into Carnival Sunshine); Carnival Ecstasy; Carnival Splendor; Carnival Inspiration; Carnival Liberty; Carnival Valor; Carnival Dream; Carnival Imagination; Carnival Miracle; early icons of the Carnival fleet; Carnival Vista
Celebration Cruise Line: Bahamas Celebration (out of service)
Costa Cruises: Costa Favolosa; Costa Deliziosa; Costa Diadema; Costa Atlantica; Costa Luminosa
CroisiEurope:Elbe Princesse
Cruise & Maritime Voyages: Marco Polo; Discovery
Crystal Cruises: Crystal Symphony; Crystal Serenity
Cunard Line: Queen Mary 2; Queen Elizabeth; Queen Victoria; Queen Mary (retired)
Disney Cruise Line: Disney Wonder; Disney Fantasy and Dream compared; Disney Fantasy; Disney Dream; Disney Magic
Emerald Waterways: Emerald Sky
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines: Braemar
Hapag-Lloyd: Europa; Europa 2
Holland America Line: Nieuw Amsterdam; Westerdam; Eurodam; Oosterdam; Statendam; Veendam; Koningsdam
Hurtigruten: Midnatsol; Lofoten; Nordstjernen; Fram; Kong Harald
Lindblad Expeditions: National Geographic Sea Lion
Celestyal Cruises: Louis Majesty; Louis Olympia; Orient Queen
MSC Cruises: MSC Fantasia; MSC Divina; MSC Preziosa
Norwegian Cruise Line: Norwegian Jade; Norwegian Breakaway; Norwegian Sky; Norwegian Epic; Norwegian Gem; Norwegian Getaway; Norwegian Escape
Oceania Cruises: Riviera; Marina; Nautica; Sirena
Paul Gauguin Cruises: Paul Gauguin
P&O Cruises: Britannia
Ponant: Le Boreal; Le Soleal
Princess Cruises: Ruby Princess; Crown Princess; Grand Princess; Emerald Princess; last look at the 'Love Boat'; Royal Princess under construction; Royal Princess; Sapphire Princess; Regal Princess; Diamond Princess; early icons of the Princess fleet; Star Princess; Golden Princess
Regent Seven Seas Cruises: Seven Seas Mariner
Royal Caribbean International: Oasis of the Seas; Voyager of the Seas; Grandeur of the Seas; Jewel of the Seas; Allure of the Seas; Quantum of the Seas; Anthem of the Seas; Freedom of the Seas; Harmony of the Seas
Scenic Cruises: Scenic Gem
Seabourn Cruise Line: Seabourn Sojourn and Seabourn Odyssey; Seabourn Quest
SeaDream Yacht Club: SeaDream I
Semester at Sea:World Odyssey
Silversea: Silver Spirit; Silver Shadow; Silver Galapagos; Silver Cloud
Star Clippers: Star Flyer; Royal Clipper
Tauck: Inspire; Savor
Un-Cruise Adventures: Safari Explorer; Safari Endeavour (in Mexico's Sea of Cortes); Safari Endeavour (in Alaska); Wilderness Discoverer; S.S. Legacy
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection: S.S. Catherine; S.S. Maria Theresa; River Countess; Ganges Voyager II
Vantage Deluxe World Travel: River Discovery II; River Splendor
Viking River Cruises: Viking Odin; Viking Bragi; Viking Heimdal; Viking Skirnir; Viking Vili
Viking Ocean Cruises: Viking Star; Viking Sea
Voyages to Antiquity: Aegean Odyssey
Windstar Cruises: Wind Surf; Wind Star; Star Pride; Star Breeze; Wind Spirit
Yachts available by charter: Christina O
Retired ocean liners: SS United States; SS Rotterdam
Theme galleries: The most spectacular suites at sea; the last of the great ocean liners; ship christenings with Queen Elizabeth II; Royal ship christenings through the years