Table Of Content
Crystal Society members (loyalty program) benefited from double regular savings (totaling 5%), while first-time customers enjoyed 2% savings on select voyages. These savings were in addition to 2-for-1 prices and "Book Now Savings" that reward early booking with up to US$5000 per stateroom. All these special offers (30th Anniversary Collection) were offered on bookings made by June 30, 2019. The Crystal brand was officially launched on July 24, 1990, when Crystal Harmony (now Asuka 2) departed San Francisco CA on a 12-day inaugural cruise to Alaska.
It offers the ultimate in service
If they don’t want to go on a destination experience, there is the movie theatre, dance classes, bridge classes, art classes, the golf cage, pickleball courts... And we had full-size courts on our ships, long before the craze began. Still, as is typical for cruise lines at the high end, Crystal is including a lot in its base price.
Crystal Symphony Welcomes Kids
Operating on every continent, they have been regarded as the gold standard for even the most discerning traveler for more than 60 years. Both the spa and the gym will be revamped, and the Wimbledon courts will host both paddle tennis and pickleball. A refreshed approach to entertainment and events programming has been developed with more information to follow. Outside the full World Cruise, itineraries can be combined for up to 100 days of cruising without repeating a port. Crystal Serenity's 42-night Canada to the USA voyage (Vancouver to Quebec City) traverses Alaska, continues through Canada, then along the US Californian coast and Baja California Mexico.
Night San Diego To VancouverDetails
Bookings for Crystal's 2026 World Cruise to Open March 19 - Luxury Travel Advisor
Bookings for Crystal's 2026 World Cruise to Open March 19.
Posted: Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Don’t miss dessert, especially the Coffee Foam, Hazelnut Ice Cream, and Salted Caramel. Onboard Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, guests can reserve a table at the chicly redesigned Umi Uma to enjoy exceptional sushi and sashimi as well as Nobu-style Black Cod (marinated in miso, peach and ginger), Wagyu beef, and an array of Japanese-Peruvian dishes. On the Crystal Endeavor Expedition ship, all rooms are suites and every suite has a private verandah. Crystal Cruise’s yacht, Crystal Esprit, accommodates only 62 guests, so you’ll enjoy personalized service along with deluxe accommodations. You’ll be able to find the dress code for your ocean or expedition voyage, either Crystal Casual or black tie optional, for each day at sea in your Personal Cruise Calendar.
The Crystal name was revived with the 2023 relaunch of the refurbished ocean ships Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony after they were acquired by the A&K Travel Group. Explore our two beautifully reimagined ships, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, and discover a world of timeless elegance at sea. Warm, intuitive service; spacious and comfortable suites and social areas… all that’s left for you to do is relax.
Appealing to the line's more affluent clientele, there are also exclusive experiences such as a private catamaran sailing. The onboard concierge is also available to assist guests with bespoke experiences. The cruise line’s new owner is London-based A&K Travel Group, whose majority stakeholder is luxury cruise pioneer Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, the founder of Silversea, which was sold to Royal Caribbean Group several years ago. The new Crystal currently features just the two luxury ocean ships (the former Crystal Cruises’ river ships and an expedition vessel were acquired by different buyers), but A&K Travel Group has revealed plans to build four additional ships by 2029.
Intro cabins are all found on Deck 7; these are the smallest rooms and have large picture windows. You’ll also find several suites, ranging from the Aquamarine Suite all the way to the over-the-top penthouse suite. Rooms on Crystal Serenity are a bit of an anomaly because of the ship’s approach to the refurbishment. Some cabins were updated in 2018, some in 2023 and others not for a number of years. Regardless of whether they were updated, all cabins are well-appointed and well-thought out.
Crystal January 2025 Cruises
Personally, though, I would come on Crystal with a spouse, longterm travel partner, grown-up family members, close friends, or even solo. While I had slight FOMO just hearing about travelers slipping off to Machu Picchu for an A&K adventure before rejoining the cruise in Lima, my travel envy dissipated as soon as I went on my first excursion. When we docked in Livorno, Italy, I joined a small group on a truffle-hunting excursion, following a sweet pup, Bianca, through a cluster of oak trees at Vialto Farms, a 1,000-year-old farmhouse in Tuscany. After glasses of cold vermentino, we dug into pasta in a light cream sauce topped with freshly grated truffles, followed by a truffle-covered fried egg. A few days later, on Corsica, a bus whisked a group of us to Domaine Orsini, for a wine tasting and a relaxing stint on the covered patio overlooking the island. And before I disembarked the ship in Barcelona, I crashed an evening excursion to the trendy El Born neighborhood, where our 10-person group shared a barrage of Spanish tortilla, patatas bravas, and croquetas at Tapeo.
The A&K Travel Group was founded by Geoffrey Kent in 1962 as Abercrombie & Kent. Kent grew up in Kenya and pioneered luxury adventure travel with the company's first African safaris. The Monaco-based private equity firm Heritage is the parent company of the A&K Travel Group and is chaired by Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio, founder and former executive chairman of Silversea.
No matter which room type you choose or what type of ship you’re sailing on, you’ll find luxury accommodations across the Crystal Cruises fleet. Crystal Cruises sails to over 800 destinations on all 7 continents from 84 departure ports. I remember, years ago, when a friend of mine got a job on Crystal and I said, “Oh man, how do I get that gig?
If, however, you want a bathtub, skip the newer rooms and aim for those Classic cabins. Last year, the A&K Travel Group acquired the Crystal brand and its two most beloved vessels, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, ushering in a new era of Exceptional Suites, Exceptional Service, Exceptional Dining, and Exceptional Experiences. Ranging in length from 11 to 19 nights, the company also had planned roundtrip departures from Ushuaia Argentina, between December 2021 and February 2022. The second yacht - Crystal Endeavor was sold to RCG-Royal Caribbean Group and transferred to Silversea in July 2022.
I’ve already been lucky enough previously to work alongside Fernando (Barroso, Crystal’s World Cruise Ambassador). Both Fernando and I have backgrounds in different companies so we know cruising, but what has really stood out to me is how well-trained and welcoming the crew is. Perhaps this is down to the size of the ships, or maybe that the crew stay on the same vessel so they really take the time to get to know the guests, or who knows, but the crew is really exceptional.
If you’re sailing on Crystal Cruises’ yacht, Crystal Esprit, Crystal Cruises’ Expedition ship, Crystal Endeavor, or a Crystal Cruises river ship, some shore excursions are included. However, if you’re sailing on a Crystal Cruises ocean ship, shore excursions will come with an additional charge. You won’t pay extra for specialty restaurants, beverages, gratuities, or Wi-Fi. It’s free to join, and you’ll be automatically enrolled after you complete your first full-revenue cruise.
In December 2022 were rehired four veteran Captains - Birger Vorland (with the company since 2003), Nenad Willheim (with Crystal since 2006), Tonci Hladilo (with Crystal since 2006) and Vincent Taillard (former Silversea employee). In August 2022 were hired Matias Lira (as Senior VP) and Brandon Townsley (as VP of Sales and Trade Partnerships). Suites on Decks 7 and 8 were entirely refitted in 2023; no matter where you are on these decks, your room will have been completely redone prior to Crystal Symphony's return to service. As for bars, I was partial to the Avenue Saloon — where Joel Spire plays piano every night and there’s a great Manhattan menu. Worth noting, there’s also an extensive non-alcoholic and low-ABV cocktail menu at Avenue Saloon, for those looking for booze-free nightlife. Beloved brand Crystal Cruises came to an ignominious end during the pandemic.
Guests can learn about technology with Crystal's Computer University@Sea. The enrichment programs are quite diverse and provide a unique enhancement to the Crystal Cruise Experience. The staterooms on all Crystal ships are spacious and elegant and are a haven of serenity.
Men generally wear a dark suit with tie or a tuxedo; for women, it means a formal cocktail dress, evening gown or dressy evening separates. Our 3,000+ square-foot Fitness Center, Weight Room and Aerobics Studio feature an extensive line of professional weights and Technogym® exercise equipment, along with panoramic views. We also offer Wellness program with classes in yoga, mat pilates and spinning classes. Our ships' full-time Fitness Director offers fitness advice and a variety of stretch and aerobic instruction.
No comments:
Post a Comment