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EXPLORE THE WORLD AND
THE WORLD WIDE WEB
Added Internet Service Enables Crystal Cruisers to Stay
Connected
Would you like to surf the Internet, cruising between
Casablanca and Agadir? Send digital photos of your dog-sledding adventure while
sailing through the Inside Passage? Or monitor your stock portfolio, crossing
the South China Sea from Hon Gai to Kampong Som? With its new enhanced
satellite capabilities, Crystal Cruises is enabling its guests to explore the
world and the World Wide Web.
Effective May 2000, several of the computers aboard Crystal Harmony and Crystal
Symphony have been configured for Internet access. In addition to searching cyberspace, cruise guests can
now send or retrieve e-mail instantly via their own Internet e-mail system or
Internet service provider, including MSN, Yahoo, Earthlink and America Online.
Guests also retain the option of sending/receiving e-mail through the ships’
e-mail service. With
22 CompaqTM laptops and desktops in its Computer University
@ Sea labs plus laptops for rental, Crystal Cruises features more computers for
guests’ general usage than any other cruise line. Since the launch of its innovative Computer University @
Sea, Crystal Cruises has continually expanded the scope of its communications
services and enrichment workshops available on its luxury ships. The luxury
line became the first cruise line to offer regularly scheduled computer
instruction and e-mail capabilities when CU@Sea debuted on its 1997 World Cruise. Due to
the program’s enormous popularity, Crystal Harmony and Crystal Symphony added
dedicated computer labs to each ship and the program was soon offered on all
sailings. Depending on the length of the cruise, there are 3 to 9 instructors
teaching curriculums ranging from Microsoft Windows and e-mail classes to more
advanced subjects such as manipulating digital images and using a personal data
assistant. When the line first introduced e-mail, messages were
transmitted once per day to and from the radio room, then printed and delivered
to guests’ staterooms, similar to faxes. Before long, the line established a
system that allowed private e-mail and transmissions were increased to four
times a day. In 1999, Crystal Cruises began printing a personal e-mail address
on each guest’s cruise ticket, which enables a traveler to leave personal
contact information with family, friends and business associates before setting
sail. Today, with the real time Internet connection, e-mails are sent
instantly from Crystal Harmony and Crystal Symphony. Crystal's new Internet
capabilities augment many other on-board information services that keep guests
fully up to date. Guests can watch CNN and ESPN 24 hours a day in most
destinations, read daily summaries of The
New York Times, receive free delivery of USA Today in most ports, or follow their investments via a
personalized stock-tracking e-mail service. Computer University @ Sea charges
depends on the guest’s service preference. Guests accessing their
Internet-based e-mail or exploring cyberspace will be charged $1.25 a minute,
with a 10-minute minimum. As an alternative, e-mails sent or received via a
guest’s personal shipboard e-mail address provided by Crystal Cruises cost $3
each. For both services, there is a
one-time set-up fee of $5. Printing, workshops and group instruction are
complimentary. For added convenience, guests may rent laptop computers, on
which they can create and read e-mail in the comfort of their staterooms.
Private instruction is also available. “Many of our guests today find it
necessary to stay in close touch with their world back home, for both business
and personal reasons,” says Adam Leavitt, Crystal Cruises’ vice president,
marketing. “Crystal Cruises’ broad array of communication services illustrates
how we meet, and exceed, the expectations of the changing cruise market.” For a complimentary brochure, call (800) 820-6663. The
luxury line’s web site is located at www.crystalcruises.com Edited by Kerry Cohen |
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