Feb. 7-23, 2011: From the vibrant cities of Buenos Aires and Rio to the tropical beauty of the Caribbean, with whole days at sea to learn and play.

You'll visit the vibrant cities of South America, the historic Devil's Island prison and the sun-drenched beaches of Barbados and Turks & Caicos. This is the perfect time to be in South America when the weather is ideal. Best of all, there are SIX uninterrupted days at sea, allowing plenty of time for Gail and Jeff's enjoyable and rewarding bridge progra, as well as time to take advantage of the fabulous amenities of the deluxe Crystal Symphony.

Optional pre-cruise stay in Buenos Aires. Call for details.

Your Hosts

Gail Greenberg - 5-time World Gold Medallist: Ranking Grand Life Master; Author of three books on bridge; Founder of the Honors Bridge Club (NYC) and Hartes' Club (White Plains, NY).

Jeff Hand - National and international champion player; World Bridge Federation World Master; Current national leading master point winner; Teacher at the Honors, Hartes' and Union Clubs.

Gail and Jeff are known both as teachers and as a successful tournament team. A recent triumph was their thrilling National Mixed Pairs win at the North American Bridge Championships, March 2008.

• Private get-togethers with Gail and Jeff
• Separate lectures daily for different levels of play
• Supervised play and duplicates between ports
• Time to play in port

The Itinerary

Feb. 7 and 8: Buenos Aires.Until the 1880s, Buenos Aires was a mere village. However, it has now prospered into one of Latin America's most sophisticated centers, with a population of over 11 million. Buenos Aires has also frequently been dubbed the "Paris of the Southern Hemisphere," due to its superb restaurants, art galleries, museums and European-influenced architecture. And, of course, there’s the tango!

Feb. 9 and 10: Cruising the Southern Atlantic.

Feb. 11 and 12: Rio de Janeiro. Vibrant Rio lies cradled in the outstretched arms of the Christ the Redeemer Statue, which stands atop Corcovado Mountain. At the feet of this magnificent landmark lies one of the world’s most magnificent bays. Golden beaches with such alluring names as Copacabana and Ipanema stretch as far as the eye can see.

Feb. 16: Cross the Equator.

Feb. 17: Devil’s Island. The penitentiary was first opened by Emperor Napoleon III’s government in 1852, and became one of the most infamous prisons in history before closing in 1946. On the almost inaccessible Devil’s Island, political prisoners such as Alfred Dreyfus were held in isolation. Henri Charriére, immortalized in the movie Papillon, was supposedly the only convict ever to have escaped from the “green hell”.

Feb. 18: Cruising the Atlantic.

Feb. 19: Barbados. Barbados offers sun-drenched beaches, clear blue-green waters and cool trade winds. Inland are lovingly preserved plantation houses, lush sugar cane fields and fragrant gardens.

Feb. 20: Cruising the Caribbean Sea.

Feb, 21: Turks & Caicos. The Turks and Caicos are really all about the water. More specifically, they’re all about what’s beneath the water. These islands have some of the best diving and snorkeling anywhere, courtesy of one of the world’s largest network of coral reefs, easily accessible off the islands’ shores.

Feb. 22: Cruising the Atlantic.

Feb. 23: Disembark Miami.

Aboard Crystal Symphony: This award-winning vessel features a lavish Feng Shui-inspired spa, extensive exercise facilities, complimentary golf, yoga and Pilates instruction, acclaimed cuisine in the Crystal Dining Room, the intimate Vintage Room, the Sushi Bar, and Italian specialty restaurant Prego, the Crystal Casino, the popular Computer University@Sea, offering 24-hour e-mail and internet access, as well as hands-on instruction. So there's plenty to amuse and delight when you're not playing bridge, or taking in the incomparable sights on this cruise.

Crystal Cruises has been voted "World's Best Large-Ship Cruise Line" for 13 consecutive years by the Travel & Leisure Reader's Poll.