As a child of the 70s and 80s, one of my all-time favorite TV moments is from an otherwise unremarkable episode of The Love Boat. This particular show featured guest stars Florence Henderson and the late Robert Reed--better known to the world as Mr. and Mrs. Brady. The two actors played characters in unrelated storylines, but for one brilliant moment, the two happened to cross paths at a salad bar. The both did double takes, sneaking "do I know you?" glances at each other. It lasted only an instant, and then both actors slipped back into character. It was one of those deliciously surreal moments, where the lines between make-believe and reality, and between celebrity and anonymity are bent and blurred.
Luxury cruising is kind of like that. You never know where or when a star might pop up. You might see one sunning on the Lido deck, surrounded by handlers. But you might also have the chance to chat and hobnob as if he or she were just a regular person--or you a star. Many cruises offer lectures, classes, and events presided over by experts in the field. But on the luxury lines, the ante is upped and you'll find that the talent is not just knowledgeable, but might even be world-famous.
Crystal Cruises
Crystal Cruises has always prided itself on elegance and class. And it shows in the cruise line's impressive list of past guest luminaries. Julie Andrews, for example, a classy Dame if ever there was one, personally cracked a bottle of champagne against the hull of the Crystal Serenity when it was inaugurated in July of 2003.
Crystal also has an extensive lineup of professional guest speakers as part of its Crystal Visions Enrichment Series. Stars from fields as diverse as entertainment, professional sports, journalism, and the space program have shared their experiences with passengers. Past speakers have included, among others:
- Regis Philbin
- Mary Lou Retton
- Walter Cronkite
- Buzz Aldrin
- Kirk Douglas
- Linda Ellerbee
- Caspar Weinberger
- Jonathan Winters
- Rita Moreno
Crystal also boasts an impressive lineup of personalities who are there purely to entertain you, including Joel Gray, John Davidson, Jim Nabors, and Debbie Reynolds.
Another way you might find yourself hobnobbing with celebrities is with Crystal Cruises' famed Food & Wine sailings. Every few weeks (there will be a total of 16 Food & Wine sailings in 2003), one or more of the biggest names in food takes to the seas on a Crystal ship. Recent celebrities include Jacques Pépin, the French Laundry's Thomas Keller, and Luciano Parolari, of Italy's world-renowned Villa d’Este. Passengers on these sailings get to partake in four-course meals prepared under the guidance of celebrity chefs, and accompanied by wines selected by decorated sommeliers. In between meals, the celebrity chefs offer cooking demonstrations and Q&A sessions.
The onboard experience is complimented by food-themed shore excursions that change depending on the destination of the cruise. You might be treated to a tour of an Italian dairy farm producing artisan mozzarella cheese, a salmon-fishing trip culminating in a chef hand-preparing your catch for you, or any of dozens of other culinary adventures.
Radisson Seven Seas Cruises
Radisson, too, elevates onboard entertainment a notch or three above the usual karaoke and lounge singers. As an example, in 2004, the Radisson Seven Seas Voyager will host legendary singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa on one leg of its marathon 94-day Asia/Pacific sailing. Dame Kiri will perform for cruise guests in her hometown of Auckland, New Zealand. Afterward, passengers traveling the full 94 days of the cruise will be invited to a reception and dinner in the performer's honor.
Several times a year, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises hosts antique-themed cruises. A highlight of the 2003 season is the October "Antiques Boatshow" cruise on the Radisson Diamond. This particular sailing explores Europe from Nice to Rome. Along the way, antique experts from the popular BBC program Antiques Roadshow will present lectures for guests. At the conclusion of the cruise, guests will have the opportunity to have any pieces they may have picked up during the voyage examined by the experts.
Windstar Cruises
Windstar has always been about making your own fun--not that there aren't activities provided; there certainly are. It's just that entertainment on Windstar is more about active adventures like snorkeling, exploring exotic ports, and even trying your hand at sailing the ship, if you so desire. As a result, you're far more likely to see a major celebrity sipping a mai tai next to you at the bar than you are to be entertained or lectured by one on a Windstar cruise.
Nevertheless, Windstar does host the occasional superstar--usually leaning toward the gourmet end of the celebrity spectrum. Examples include 2002 sailings with vintner Gary Eberle and "Queen of Lean" guru Jeanne Jones. Tastings and demonstrations are open to all passengers--the kind of inclusiveness you're much more likely to encounter on a line with smaller ships like Windstar.•
