Luxury line Crystal Cruises has launched its 2009 world cruise on Crystal Serenity, offering maiden calls at five ports and two-night stays in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and Hong Kong.
For 2009, the world cruise will start and end in Los Angeles for the first time in seven years. The 105-day voyage, departing January 21, sails east to the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia, before returning to the US via Asia, China, Japan, Russia and Alaska.
Maiden ports include Rangiroa in French Polynesia, Napier in New Zealand, Komodo in Indonesia, Sihanoukville in Cambodia, and Petropavlovsk, Russia. It will also be the first time Crystal has returned to Bali since 2000 and Alaska since 2005.
As well as the two-night stays, the ship will be staying overnight in Auckland, Sydney, Singapore, Bangkok, Shanghai, Osaka and Yokohama.
Fares for the entire world cruise and for seven segments ranging from 12 to 22 nights will be available from October 15.