Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) announced that Norwegian Pearl recently received the Port of San Francisco’s Cruise Ship Environmental Award. In 2007, Norwegian Sun was honored with the same award. The Port’s program recognizes annually those cruise ships whose on-board environmental systems help decrease air and water pollution. The three categories evaluated are air emission reduction, wastewater treatment and recycling and disposal programs for solid waste.

“It’s an honor for Norwegian Pearl  to be recognized by the Port of San Francisco for the environmental standards and practices we have in place to protect the waters on which we sail and earn our livelihood,” said Colin Veitch, NCL’s president and CEO. “We have shown our commitment to maintaining the highest level of environmental protection standards by using low-sulfur fuels, reducing air emissions, efficiently and effectively treating our wastewater and recycling and disposing properly of solid waste while in port.” The Cruise Ship Environmental Award was created by the Port of San Francisco’s Cruise Terminal Environmental Advisory Committee (CTEAC). Established in 2003, CTEAC advises the Port Commission on cruise ship-related water and air quality issues. Committee members include regulatory agencies, environmental organizations, organized labor, community groups and maritime industry representatives.

“The Port of San Francisco is pleased to acknowledge the officers and crew members of Norwegian Pearl  for going above and beyond the existing regulations to preserve and protect the air and water quality of San Francisco Bay and beyond,” said Peter Dailey, maritime director for the Port of San Francisco. “We sincerely appreciate Norwegian Cruise Line’s commitment to safeguarding the environment.”

Norwegian Pearl  accommodates more than 2,400 guests and includes a world of innovative features and amenities, including 10 restaurants, 13 bars and lounges, two swimming pools and a casino. The ship also features an industry first - a four-lane, ten-pin bowling alley at sea and an impressive 30 foot rock climbing wall. Norwegian Pearl offers five- and nine-day sailings to the Western and Southern Caribbean, seven-day Alaska and nineteen-day Panama Canal itineraries.

NCL Corporation Ltd. is the holding company for various subsidiary companies involved in owning and operating the ships of Norwegian Cruise Line. NCL is building two new third generation Freestyle Cruising ships for delivery in 2010. NCL today has the youngest fleet in the industry, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy the flexibility of Freestyle Cruising on the newest, most contemporary ships at sea, and has recently added its latest new ship, the 2,400 passenger Norwegian Gem.

Los Angeles, CA, - More than two dozen jazz legends and contemporary jazz artists will dazzle music lovers aboard Crystal Cruises 2008 Jazz voyage this fall. With a complement of talent to rival the hottest shore side festivals, Crystal Symphony will depart roundtrip from Los Angeles November 30, 2008, on a seven-day musical journey to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

The acclaimed Harry Allen Quartet, Pieter Meijers Quartet, Bob Wilber Quintet and a variety of solo headliners will fill the ship with the swinging sounds of jazz in the classic styles of the ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s, with more than six jazz pianists, eight brass musicians and seven on drums and strings.

Among the 24 featured performers are Grammy Award-winning instrumentalist Bob Wilbur, noted for arranging Hollywood film scores including Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Cotton Club”, renowned saxophonist Harry Allen who has performed with Rosemary Clooney, Tony Bennett, and James Taylor, acclaimed vocalist and award-winning bass player Nicki Parrott and jazz pianist Johnny Varro whose music is informed by five decades of playing with the greatest names in the jazz world.

Also scheduled is guest lecturer Loren Schoenberg, a fixture in the jazz world for his encyclopedic knowledge of jazz and author of The NPR Curious Listener’s Guide to Jazz.

“The amount of high-caliber talent and the breadth of Crystal Symphony’s intimate performance venues make this an exceptionally rich opportunity for jazz fans,” says Bret Bullock, Crystal Cruises‘ vice president of entertainment.

The jazz programming was created in partnership with respected Jazzdagen Tours and is timed to coincide with the San Diego Jazz Festival. Special savings fares for the cruise begin at $1,999 per person, double occupancy.

The Crystal Difference

Aboard the ultra-luxurious Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, refined elegance meets casual simplicity. With an emphasis on innovative product differentiation, the renowned Crystal experience is distinguished by classic service, abundant space, extensive choices and superior quality, providing worldwide vacations of seven to 100+ days that bridge the best of land and sea. Grounded in more than a decade of accolades, Crystal has been voted “World’s Best” by the readers of Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler more than any other cruise line, hotel or resort in history.

For additional information and Crystal reservations, please contact  877-325-7522. Visit us at www.chtravel.com.