Crystal honours heroes past and present

Crystal Cruises is honouring heroes past and present with onboard get-togethers for veterans and loved ones of all nations on every cruise. Activities planned for the upcoming American Memorial Day weekend promise to be extra special, with a unique Crystal Adventure to the WWII landing beaches of Normandy, and each ship remembering those who have died in service of their nation, as follows: !!! Crystal Symphony: Four-Star Marine General Anthony Zinni, former Commander in Chief of U.S. Central Command, will host an open forum at sea on May 26. On Memorial Day itself, Crystal president Gregg Michel will escort guests to the French site of D-Day. The shore excursion includes visiting the former German fortification at Pointe du Hoc, historian-guided military truck transport to Omaha Beach, and a memorial ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery. All attendees will receive a commemorative medallion for the day. !!! Crystal Serenity: Memorial Day will begin with a morning veterans’ get-together in Palm Court, led by foreign policy author Dr. Robert Freedman, and featuring refreshments and a poetry dedication. Like with Crystal Symphony’s shipboard gathering, the event will be open to anyone wishing to attend, with participant introductions, personal observances, and sharing of stories. Regular veterans’ get-togethers, led variously by Cruise Directors and special guest presenters, are a new staple on board the fleet, providing opportunities to recognize soldiers’ sacrifices and share past experiences, no matter what role or country they served. Both ships will be sailing the western coast of France over the US holiday weekend, with Crystal Symphony spending the rest of the summer in the Baltic region, and Crystal Serenity cruising the Mediterranean area until December.