Ever wondered how the other half fly? Sometimes (read: when you are jammed between two other passengers trying to drown out the sound of a crying baby and sleep) it’s hard not to.
Well, wonder no more. Luxury cruise line, Crystal Cruises, has decided to launch its own airline. With the aim of replicating the luxury cruise ship experience at 30,000 feet they have created two private Boeing jets to fly the rich and famous around the world, in first class luxury of course.
Launching with the Boeing 777-200LR jet, an aircraft that would usually carry at least 300 passengers, Crystal AirCruises has modified the plane to accommodate just 84 guests. Featuring Executive Class seats that convert into fully-flat beds, passengers are attended to by butlers and concierge staff.
With a sit down restaurant, featuring four dining tables and a lounge complete with cocktail bar, cuisine is Michelin Star-inspired and accompanied by wine from “the world’s largest in-flight wine cellar”, according to Crystal AirCruises.
And the luxury doesn’t stop there with passengers provided with Bose noise-cancelling headphones, Apple iPads and free inflight internet. For the curious, guests also have the option to listen to a live feed of the cockpit-to-ground radio channel.
With flights commencing in late 2017, the Boeing 777 with be followed by a Boeing 787, which will be an even more intimate experience, accommodating only 52 passengers. Operating as all-inclusive tours, the posh planes will fly on 14-, 21- and 28-day itineraries, touching down in 10 destinations around the world, including a couple of coveted ones where major airlines don’t fly direct. With prices expected to start around US$50,000 per person, a sneak peak behind closed cabin doors in pictures is likely to be as closely as you get to experiencing such luxury.
If money was no object, would you want to test out the sky high cruise ship equivalent?
Read more at Australian Business Traveller.
