Felicity Long
Reluctant cruisers who worry that cruise lines only offer cookie-cutter experiences haven’t been paying attention to changes in the industry in recent years. In fact, passengers can choose from an ever-expanding menu of special interest excursions and themes tailored to a range of interests.
One example is the interesting cross-pollination of faith-based travel and cruising aboard Crystal Cruises. The line is debuting a new program of Christian heritage tours in Europe this year and expanding its Jewish heritage tours by nearly a third.
The Christian heritage tours allow passengers to explore important religious sites, as well as attend mass and even make pilgrimages. Examples of tours available from April to December include a pilgrimage to Medjugorje Apparition Hill in Bosnia, a private mass in Antoni Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, a service excursion at the 400 year-old charity brotherhood of Pio Monte della Misericordia in Sorrento and a visit to the nearly 1,000-year-old Winchester Cathedral in London.
The impetus for the creation of the tours was the popularity of the line’s Jewish heritage tours, according to John Stoll, vice president of land and port operations.
“Religious-related shore excursions are just one more way our guests can experience the unique history and culture of a destination, and perhaps even connect with their own personal ancestry,” Stoll said. He added that the tours have been a hit with non-practitioners of the faith because of the tours' inherent cultural and historical components.
Highlights of the Jewish Heritage tours include a visit to the Jewish quarter in Girona, Spain; a cemetery in Dublin; synagogues in Stockholm; a concentration camp in Berlin; and a museum in Athens.
Half- and full-day excursions start at $75 per person, with private tours also available.