Luxury in Style

Extreme luxury from Crystal Cruises with fast cars, private yachts and helicopters

Luxury specialist Crystal Cruises is raising its own shore-side bar with lavish, over-the-top Crystal Adventures in Europe. New “extreme luxury” tours, designed for a discerning few, boast European sports cars, helicopters and private yachts to explore European destinations in extravagantly different ways. 

Crystal guests can manoeuvre Monaco in a Maserati, motor through Umbria in a Ferrari or have a pro do the driving at the Porsche factory racetrack. They can also fly to Florence, soar over the Cote d’Azur or navigate the Greek islands in a private 50-foot yacht. 

The new tours are priced from $1,000 per person to $19,500 per couple for the ultimate Ferrari plus five-star spa fling in Italy. Available on most Crystal Serenity Mediterranean itineraries from May to October, the “extreme luxury” tours were not designed to amass as many travellers as possible, but rather to offer truly luxurious, singular travel experiences.

The new collection of excursions includes: 

A Need for Speed – Ferraris, Maseratis, Lamborghinis and Porsches…

• Race through Italy in a Private Ferrari – slip behind the wheel and follow your guide through the spectacular Umbrian countryside or the winding roads of Livorno and Tuscany at your leisure, lunching at a five-star restaurant along the way.
• Motor through the French Riviera and the Monaco’s dramatic hills in a Maserati, Lamborghini or a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, one the world’s fastest GT’s.
• Test the Speed Limits in Germany – via a private chartered plane, fly to the Porsche factory in Leipzig and drive a 350-horsepower Porsche Cayenne on the factory’s racetrack, or let a professional driver take you on the ride of a lifetime.
• Explore the Birthplace of Speed – at the village of Automobili Lamborghini, explore the assembly line on a private tour and catch a glimpse of new models.
• Extreme Luxury: 2-Day Overland to Florence & Pisa by Private Ferrari – from Civitavecchia, via private sports car, navigate the roads of Lazio and Tuscany, Florence and Pisa and overnight at the five-star Fonteverde Natural Spa resort.

Luxury Yachting and Aerial Tours…

• Sail the Greek Isles by Private Yacht – from Athens’ port of Piraeus, sail a luxury 50-foot yacht to the uninhabited island of Moni and the lively island of Aegina. Or, from Santorini, sail to the “Lost City of Atlantis” for a dip in the natural hot springs.
• Côte d’Azur Helicopter Exploration & Monaco – the breathtaking views of the French Riviera are at their most dramatic when seen from the windows of a helicopter.  Admire the majestic Maritime Alps, spectacular aerial views of the Rock of Monaco and the Neo-Romanesque cathedral where Prince Rainier III married Grace Kelly.
• Fly to Florence in Style – via helicopter, fly from Livorno to Florence where a private car and driver await you for independent exploration of the city.

2008 Mediterranean prices start from £2,239 per person based on two sharing a deluxe stateroom with picture window including return scheduled flights, transfers, seven night cruise with all meals and soft drinks onboard, port taxes and basic gratuities.

Contact Crystal Cruises on 020 7287 9040 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk

Report by Chitra Mogul