Crystal Cruise Ship to Host NPR Program

Crystal Cruises in March will welcome National Public Radio's "Selected Shorts: A Celebration of the Short Story" program of performance narratives aboard Crystal Serenity. Series director and radio personality Isaiah Sheffer will host actors including stage and screen personalities Keir Dullea ("2001: A Space Odyssey" and "The Good Shepherd"), Mia Dillion ("Gods and Generals"), and Stephen Lang ("Gods and Generals"), as they perform works of classic and contemporary fiction and participate in interview sessions.

The entertainment program debuts on Crystal Serenity's March 20 cruise from Dubai to Istanbul, the fifth segment of Crystal Cruises' 2007 World Cruise. Recorded live at Manhattan's Symphony Space and heard each week in 155 cities nationwide, Selected Shorts features stars of theater, film and television bringing short stories to life. Guests aboard Crystal Serenity will be treated to theatrical readings of stories about wine and cuisine, love with a twist, and the short stories radio listeners found the funniest, including selections from Anton Chekhov, Kate Chopin, John Cheever, M.F.K. Fisher, Garrison Keillor, Thomas Meehan and more. The March 20 cruise begins in Dubai with an overnight stay aboard ship.

From there, the itinerary includes Salalah, Oman; Luxor and Karnak/Safaga, Egypt; Aqaba, Jordan; Ashdod, Israel; Alexandria/Cairo, Egypt; Athens; and Istanbul, Turkey. Fares begin at $9,680 per person, double occupancy. The March 20 voyage also features other speakers, including Sports Illustrated writer and NPR sports commentator Frank Deford; former FBI profiler Clint van Zandt; dramatist and book reviewer Barbara Rinella; sleep researcher and author of the best-seller "Power Sleep" Jim Maas; and veteran journalist Joe Kita.  To book, call Cruise Planners Today! 800-913-7245