Cruising the skies in high style
Crystal AirCruises’ luxury aircraft, Crystal Skye, recent‑ ly landed in Manila to give guests a sneak peek of what it’s like to cruise the skies in style.
A Boeing 777, the Crys‑ tal Skye is the largest pri‑ vately owned tour jet in the world. At the front of the plane is a lounge, complete with a well‑stocked bar and bartender. Guests can enjoy drinks and company at an actual dining table – with seats that are fitted with seatbelts, of course.
The well‑appointed cabin has been retrofitted from the over 300 seats of a com‑ mercial plane to 88‑seating capacity with the luxury of generous space. The seats are upholstered with handcrafted leather and are fully‑reclin‑ ing. They even have massage chair features.
The cushions are far from the usual throw‑away air‑ plane pillows. These are said to be worth $500 each.
Guests will never have a dull moment with a personal interactive, touch screen in‑ flight entertainment system featuring a 24‑inch screen, the largest on all private jets. Wifi connection is available on board and when it’s time to sleep, guests can slip on their Bose noise cancelling head‑ phones.
Crystal Skye boasts of the highest staff‑to‑guest ratio of any private jet experience as well, so the needs of pas‑ sengers will surely be well‑ attended to.
“She’s really, really spe‑ cial,” says Dream Cruises and Crystal AirCruises president Thatcher Brown, discussing the plane’s special features.
Crystal Skye is available for AirCruise adventures or as chartered service.
Since their launch, Crystal Skye has brought travelers on luxury trips around the world, from Tahiti and Fiji to the Maasai Mara National Re‑ serve in Kenya.
Joining an AirCruise, guests will enjoy a pre‑planned, all‑ inclusive itinerary handled by Genting Hong Kong, whose Star Cruises, Dream Cruises and Crystal Cruises often port call in the Philippines.
One of their most memora‑ ble flights according to Brown is the double New Year’s cel‑ ebration at the beginning of the year.
“What’s luxury?” he asks. “It’s time.” Crystal Skye in‑ deed offered their guests the special luxury of time by cel‑ ebrating New Year’s first in Sydney, Australia, where they where the first plane to fly out on Jan. 1, 2018 and reaching Honolulu, Hawaii in the last moments of 2017, just in time to celebrate New Year’s Day allover again on the other side of the globe.
When hired for charter, every detail of an AirCruise itinerary can be tailored to the client’s specifications, in‑ cluding personalized menus prepared by an executive chef and paired with a selection of wines, champagnes, beers and spirits. Chartered flights can go to virtually any desti‑ nation – as long as the airport and runway can accommo‑ date the plane.
“We see great growth po‑ tential in the Philippines as a key emerging market in the Asia Pacific,” says Brown. “It’s really great to be here in Manila. Manila has shown us immediately that it’s a great airport for us. The Philippines is a rich destination, a rich culture – the smile of Asia. There’s so much to offer. I’m very encouraged... the econo‑ my is growing.”
Hoping to cultivate a regu‑ lar clientele in the country, just like its success with the sea cruises, Brown proclaims, “With Crystal Skye, we have truly taken Crystal’s award‑ winning service philosophy to flight – where the sky is no longer the limit!”