Japanese cruiseship
sets new standards

FOR THE first 60 years of
this century — interrupted
only by global warfare —
passenger shipping was the
venue for an extravagant
and extraordinary competi-
tion.

Nations and corporations com-
peted to build the fastest, largest
and most opulent passenger ship.

Symbolizing the power and ma-
jJesty of a nation, the race Jaunch-
ed a succession of ships:
Deustchland, Rex, Mauretania,
Normandie, Queen Mary, Queen
Elizabeth, Ile de France,
Michelangelo, S.S. France and the
fastest of all, S.S. United States.
There were many others.

Ship stories were page one
news, Travel editors had little to
do with the first announcements
about a new ship: the editorial
board of the newspaper would sit
in judgment before declaring a
vessel’s proper place in the sun.
And through the process, one ship
would be declared ‘*The
Monarch.” Until surpassed, she
would reign supreme.

Those whose rear view vision is
obscured by romantic fantasy,
wistfully remember ornate wood-
work and chandeliers, two and
three-storey ballrooms and a
refined clientele.

Photos tell the history, but they
also tell a lie: 80 per cent of pas-
sengers never saw these things.
Packed like sardines below decks,
they shared communal washrooms
and cafeterias.

And even in first class, there
wast much to do except sit in a
leather armchair. A veteran
Cunard steward, Chief Petty Of-
ficer Harry Little remembers
Queen Mary in her glory: “‘It was
a grand night when we had
bingo.”

eee

Some of these thoughts were in
my mind earlier this month when
we set sail from Acapulco aboard
the most expensive and luxurious
ship ever built: the first significant
Japanese entry in the modern
vacation cruising industry.

Constructed by Mitsubishi at
Nagasaki for the 300-ship cargo
fleet of NYK, M.V. Crystal Har-
mony sets new standards of opu-
lence for the industry.

S 16th & Lonsdale, NORTH VANCOUVER 985-9161

Gary
Bannerman

OPEN LINES

The 50,000-ton ship accommo-
dates 960 passengers, at least 300
fewer than similar sized com-
petitors. She is fifth or sixth larg-
est in the world.

Crystal Harmony matches
Royal Viking in luxury, amenities
and dining, and manages to lift
the weight of refinement into an
atmosphere of comfortable enter-
tainment. She matches the flair
and panache of P&O’s trium-
phantly successful Princess
Cruises.

eee

We sailed from Acapuico to
Costa Rica, and then through the
Panama Canal, via Caribbean
ports to San Juan.

Among the remarkable things
about Crystal Harmony is that
there is only the slightest evidence
aboard of Japanese ownership.

There is a Japanese petty officer
and two cooks for a specialty res-
taurant. The rest of the 540-
member crew, led by Norwegian
Captain Kai Julsen, come from
anywhere but Japan.

Despite the investment and
determination to be best, there are
few new ideas on this ship.

Crystal Cruises is a direct steal
from Royal Viking and Princess
Cruises.

The president of Crystal Cruises
(Art Rodney) and many of his key
executives are Princess veterans.
The style of entertainment and the
casual professionalism of the ser-
vice is pure Princess.

Aboard ship, the hotel manager
(nee purser), executive chef and

YES = we wWiLt STILL OFFER OUR FANTASTIC SERVICE

NO

vo MAILS OR EXCHANGES ON BOXING DAY

the policy of Scandinavian
bedroom stewardesses and mixed
European dining attendants are
from Royal Viking.

Crisp, attractive, meticulously
pressed uniforms, and generous
use of fresh flowers are unmistak-
able Royal Viking touches.

The ship itself is just a more
luxurious version of P&O's Royal
Princess.

Yet having cruised recently on
both ships, it is rather obvious
that the P&O vessel is far behind
in standards of comfort and Jux-
ury.

There is one unique touch to
the new ship.

When Royal Princess sailed in
1986, her Lido deck buffet set a
new standard. A large cheerful
atmosphere created a breakfast
and lunch ambience somewhere
between the formality of the din-
ing room and the burgers by the
swimming pool.

Crystal Harmony copies this,
but doesn’t do it as well. Half of
the Lido buffet operates. As an
afterthought and perhaps a useful
marketing ploy, the new ship lop-
ped off half this panoramic room
to create two small specialty res-
taura: .: Kyoto (Japanese) and
Prego (Italian).

The lattec is quite good. Kyoto,
jammed in a noisy corridor en
route to Prego, simply doesn’t
come off. A Japanese Canadian
friend in our group was unim-
pressed by the food.

The idea behind these small res-
taurants is to provide a deluxe
change from the dining room. A
passenger lines up to reserve a
night. There is no charge except @
gratuity.

Unfortunately, it is simply a
needless queue, a source of confu-
sion and redundant to the splen-

did fare offered in the regular din-

ing room. The Lido buffet suf-
fers.

Kyoto is supposed to deliver an
imprint of the owners. Amid such
perfection on this ship it was
comforting to discover a flaw.
The enthusiastic owners ordered
10,000 bottles of sake.

But a wine steward asked us:

**Do you know how Iong it
takes to give away 10,000 bottles
of sake to an American clientele?
About 10 or 20 years, I guess.’’

SKIERS

YES - WE ARE OPEN BOXING DAY (12-5 PM)

YES = THERE WILL BE MANY GREAT SAVINGS

= YOU WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED

HEAD TAX
(Before Jan. 1/91)
NORTH PARK MEN'S HAIR

PARK ROYAL NORTH

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