One of the world's premier cruise ship lines will be making Bermuda a port-of-call beginning in 2005.

Serenity, the newest Crystal Cruises cruise liner, will visit Bermuda next year en route to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a press statement from Meyer-Franklin Travel said yesterday.

"Those wishing to sail the seas can begin the trip in Lisbon or board in Bermuda and travel to the Turks and Caicos," Meyer vice president of corporate development and travel Cheryl Hayward-Chew said.

"It is our pleasure to work with Crystal Cruises. They are truly a first-class cruising company. A testament to that is the fact that they won World's Best Large Cruise Ship Line for the ninth consecutive year."

Meyer-Franklin Travel has arranged cruises on board Crystal Cruises for approximately 50 Bermuda residents over the past five years. Travellers have sailed to such far off places as Alaska, Panama, Asia and the Mediterranean.

"We are very pleased to have maintained a long-time relationship with Meyer-Franklin Travel, who is such a respected travel company in Bermuda," Crystal Cruises senior sales and marketing Vice President Bill Smith said.

"Meyer-Franklin continually seeks the best travel products for its market. While Crystal's world-wide itineraries and luxury product have great appeal for the sophisticated travellers of Bermuda, we are particularly excited about our 2005 maiden call of Crystal Serenity to this gorgeous destination."

"Bermudians love to cruise, and we love to help them find the excursion tailored to meet individual expectations," leisure travel manager Kim Every said.