In what it claims is a luxury cruise industry first, Crystal Cruises has created an iPhone app to help travelers share custom postcard images of their journeys via social media, email and even “snail mail.” Incorporating the personalized memoir look and feel of the line’s just-launched “Begin a New Story” brand campaign, “The Storyteller” photo-customization app is available for free download from iTunes.
The user-friendly app invites both tech-savvy and tech-timid travelers to snap a memorable moment, stunning view, or new friend with their iPhone, and then use the app to add professional-style effects and share the image on one’s own Facebook page, Crystal Cruises’ Facebook page, or via email. The “Storyteller” even provides an option to create an actual paper postcard that can be personally signed and mailed to friends and family with the tap of a touchscreen.
Users can customize their photos with: Color Filters in black and white, sepia, high-contrast, or de-saturated; Frames, with different black and white clean, classic, or more artistic border options; and Captions, with choice of handwriting-style typeface, font color (white or black), and word positioning on the photo.
“This app provides the perfect venue for contemporary storytelling, combining photography, technology and creativity in an easy and intuitive way,” commented Crystal’s Vice President of Marketing, Nitsa Lewis. “It’s also a lovely nod to classically vintage travel correspondence and photos past, while celebrating the modern era of vacation storytelling…not to mention the added benefit of expanding communication channels for our loyal Crystal community.”
Crystal’s Facebook fan page will have a “Never Ending Journal” section, compiling all photo submissions into an online group journal. Categorized by cruise, the images will serve as emotional, peer-to-peer testimonials and rich visual depictions of the many adventures offered on a Crystal cruise.
A video with step-by-step app instructions can be viewed on Crystal’s website and Facebook page. The application is compatible with 3GS, 4, and 4S iPhones. Upcoming guests will receive app brochures with their cruise tickets, so they can be ready to share their travel stories as soon as their trip begins. Crystal fans can also look forward to other extensions of the “Begin a New Story” campaign soon, including animated Aurasma videos.
Crystal’s passion for taking care of guests in an inviting environment of extraordinary space, quality and choices has earned the company more “World’s Best” awards than any other cruise line, resort, or hotel in history.
