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Crystal Cruises

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Crystal Cruises fleet

Crystal serenity, crystal symphony, review of crystal cruises.

Crystal Cruises (1988-founded/1990-launched/2023-relaunched) is a top-luxury travel brand and a premium passenger shipping company. It currently operates only ocean voyages with two smaller-sized vessels (full-scale refurbished in 2023) with all-inclusive travel package deals. Both Crystal ships (Serenity and Symphony) are top-ranked in numerous categories and provide 5-star hotel amenities and superior services, as well as an intimate cruising experience marked by elegance and perfection in every detail.

New Crystal Cruises (2022-reestablished company)

After being acquired by Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group in 2022, the company was officially relaunched in February 2023 as just "Crystal", opening bookings for past guests on February 13th, and for the general public on February 22nd. The relaunched cruise company started with the maiden voyages of its (for now only) two ships - Crystal Serenity (debut on July 31st) and Crystal Symphony (debut on September 1st).

Until 2022, the company's chief officers were Tom Wolber (President and CEO) and Karl Muhlberger (COO / Chief Operating Officer). On July 24, 2020, the company celebrated its 30th anniversary. In June 2022, the company was quired by Abercrombie & Kent Ltd.

In July 2022, to manage the new company were appointed Jack Anderson (President) and Bernie Leipold (Senior VP of Hotel Operations). In November, the A&K Travel Group's management team joined Andrew Burrett (Group CFO/Chief Financial Officer), Fernando Delgado Vintimilla (CPO/Chief Product Officer), Camille Drevillon (Chief of Staff), Martin Froggatt (Chief Destination Officer), Kerry Golds (Chief Tour Operating Officer), Fabio Agostini (CIO/Chief Information Officer), Kim Robins Berman (Chief Legal & People Officer). In December were appointed Jacqueline Barney (Senior VP of Global Marketing), Spyros Almpertis (Director of Port Operations), Roberto Fazi (Senior VP of Marine Operations) and Julio Solvas  (Finance Director).

In August 2022 were hired Matias Lira (as Senior VP) and Brandon Townsley (as VP of Sales and Trade Partnerships).

In September 2022 were hired Monique Ross (as Director of Strategic & National Accounts/previously employed by Crystal and Seabourn ), Paul Girouard (as East North America's Regional Sales Director for USA and Canada/previously employed by Crystal and Mystic Cruises' Atlas Ocean Voyages ), Melissa Nightingale (as West North America's Regional Sales Director for USA and Canada/previously employed by Crystal) and Jeff Herzfeld) and Jeff Herzfeld (as Director of Reservations, Sales Support & Guest Relations/previously employed by MSC and Virgin Voyages ).

In November 2022, A&K Travel Group appointed Jack Anderson as Crystal Cruises' President.

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 February 2023 were rehired four veteran Hotel Directors - Hubert Buelacher and Scott Peterson (Crystal Serenity) and Herbert Jaeger and Josef Matt (Crystal Symphony). In March 2023 was contracted GMT-Global Marine Travel (2001-founded/London UK-based, part of the V.Group Marine Services Division) to provide access to specially negotiated net-fare airline contracts (including for crew members) allowing Crystal Cruises to create more affordable "flight+cruise" packages as well as additional itinerary planning services/flight charter options.

In April 2023 were rehired two veteran Cruise Directors - Rick Spath (for Crystal Serenity/with the company since 2004) and Russ Grieve (for Crystal Symphony/with the company since 2018).

In June 2023 was announced that Crystal has retained ~80% of the staff/crew who served the brand under the previous ownership.

Currently, both travel companies "Crystal Cruises Inc" and "Abercrombie & Kent Ltd" (now sister-brands) are managed by Cristina Levis (A&K Travel Group's CEO).

Abercrombie & Kent company's management team includes Geoffrey JW Kent (President, CEO, Co-Chairman), Ronald Veno (Vice President), Brett Fichte (CFO-Chief Financial Officer), Stephanie Witmer (VP of Finance), Ann Epting (Senior VP Product Development), Robin Warne (Senior VP Finance), David Vass (Senior VP Global Cruise Business and Operations), Gillian larkin (Senior VP Consortia Relations), Stefanie Schmudde (VP Product Development and Operations), Marett Taylor (VP Sales), Jennifer Leska (VP Tour Sales), Courtney Reagan (VP Marketing), Keith Sproule and Norma Cooke (Executive Directors of A&K Philanthropy), Stephanie Papaioannou (VP Private Travel and Guest Relations), Scot Anderson (VP IT), Linda Wischmeyer (VP Private Jet Division).

Geoffrey Kent is A&K's Founder, as well as Co-Chairman of A&K Travel Group and Crystal Cruises Inc.

A&K cruises are offered on time-chartered boats (from the fleet of Ponant ) with passenger capacity 150-200 per ship. The voyages visit polar destinations (Arctic and Antarctica), as well as Pacific Ocean islands (Japan, Australia), Europe (Greek Isles, Mediterranean, Baltic), Africa. A&K's Ponant-chartered voyages are inclusive of A&K Expedition Team (18 experts on every sailing), all English-speaking staff, butler service, luggage packing/unpacking and laundry service, WiFi Internet.

Note: This CruiseMapper page also contains information on the brand's three former (until 2022) subsidiary companies - Crystal OCEAN ,  Crystal RIVER  and  Crystal YACHT , their fleets (liners, riverboats, superyachts), cruisetour itineraries, destinations, homeports, as well as live cruise tracker. We have listed Crystal ships' schedules (itinerary calendars with prices) and current position tracking maps based on satellite AIS data.

On May 9, 2024, A&K Travel Group signed a partnership with Adriana Granato from Studio ibsen (Milan-based architecture and interior design firm) and a long-term contract with Studio GEM - Design for Cruise Ships (Genoa-based naval architecture firm run by Giacomo Mortola and his son Lorenzo) for the design of Crystal's new ships and riverboats, as well as for A&K's camps and lodges.

Company History

Crystal Cruises LLC (CrystalCruises.com) was founded in 1988 (headquartered in Los Angeles' Century City neighborhood) as a subsidiary of NYK Line Japan (abbrev "Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha") - one of the world's largest container shipping companies .

In March 2015, NYK Line sold Crystal Cruises to Genting Hong Kong Ltd/GHK (Malaysian corporation/1993-2022) for USD 550 million. Until 2022, GHK also owned the subsidiaries/Asian travel brands "Star Cruises" and "Dream Cruises" and was a shareholder in NCLH/Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings .

Note: At the following link are listed all CruiseMapper's news related to Crystal's previous owner/parent company GHK/Genting Hong Kong .

Following GHK's acquisition and up until 2022, the company (renamed Crystal Ltd) grouped the brands "Crystal Cruises" (2x ocean-going ships), "Crystal River Cruises" (5x Europe-based newbuild riverboats ), "Crystal Yacht Cruises" (2x mega-yachts), "Crystal Luxury Air" (an aircraft) and "Crystal AirCruises" (flight operator/airline).

For its premium service and overall superb product, the brand consistently received "World's Best" readers awards from prominent and influential magazines like "Travel+Leisure" and "Conde Nast Traveler". Crystal's ships were at top positions in the Conde Nast's votes for "Top 10 cruise ships" ("mid-sized ships" pole) and in "Top 10 luxury cruise ships in the world" (votes for all-inclusive vessels).

The company's sustainable travel policy (part of the Crystal Cares program) was implemented on June 8, 2019. By this fleetwide initiative, all plastic straws were completely eliminated and replaced with paper straws. Crystal Cares comprises various fleetwide environmental efforts and sustainable practices. In 2019 was signed the partnership deal with the global conservation organization ORCA (Organization for Respect and Care for Animals). By this partnership and as part of the OceanWatch Master Fisherman program, on select Alaskan cruises, Crystal ships are boarded by "Cruise Conservationists" for training, research and marine data collection.

In 2020 was the company's 30th anniversary, which had planned a special program with themed voyages, unique events, commemorative gifts, 30th Anniversary savings on bookings fleetwide. 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.

In September 2021, Crystal Esprit was sold to Lindblad Expeditions .

In June 2022, Crystal Endeavor was sold to Silversea .

In November 2022, Crystal Mozart was sold to Seaside Hotels (Riverside Collection).

Company changes in 2022 (bankruptcy and reacquisition by A&K/new ownership)

On January 19, 2022, Crystal's parent company GHK-Genting Hong Kong Ltd (Malaysia) filed for bankruptcy. On Jan 10th, for insolvency filed two GHK-owned shipbuilding companies in Germany - MV Werften and Lloyd Werft. GHK also owned Genting Cruise Lines grouping two Asian subsidiaries (Dream Cruises, and Star Cruises).

On February 11, 2022, each of the subsidiaries "Crystal Cruises LLC" (California), "Crystal Holdings USA LLC" (Delaware) and "Crystal AirCruises LLC" (Florida) filed an "Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors" (insolvency proceeding by Chapter 727 of the Florida Statutes). The filings were addressed to Mark C. Healy in the Florida 11th Circuit Court (Miami-Dade County, Complex Business Litigation Division). The cases were assigned to Judge Alan S. Fine and Judge Michael A. Hanzman.

• The assignee (Michael Moecker & Associates Inc/Florida-based insolvency firm) developed a liquidation plan to maximize the company assets' value and minimize expenses and administrative costs, as well as to establish a procedure to allow customers and creditors to file claims.
• In March, attorney Healy's list of potential creditors showed 30,000+ names, including booked customers, travel agents, vendors, suppliers.

As a result of the January-February shutdown process, Crystal's Miami office (at Suite 501/"1501 Biscayne Boulevard") permanently laid off a total of 238 shoreside employees.

In June 2022 were auction-sold Crystal Serenity , Crystal Symphony and Crystal Endeavor .

• On June 15th, Bahamian sources announced that both vessels are sold in the auction - Symphony to CSY Ltd for USD 25 million (EUR 24M / GBP 20,5M) and Serenity to CSE Ltd for USD 103 million (EUR 99M / GBP 84,6M).
• Reportedly, both shipowning companies (CSY and CSE) were owned by Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio de Clunieres di Balsorano (1953-born multibillionaire, co-owner of Silversea, Chairman of Heritage Group, Co-Chairman of A&K/Abercrombie and Kent, and the Executive Chairman of Crystal Cruises).
• The financiers were presented by the Bahamian law firm Alexiou Knowles & Co.

On June 22nd was announced that both vessels are now owned by A&K Travel Group Ltd - a joint venture of Abercrombie & Kent Ltd (owned by Geoffrey Kent) and Heritage Group Monaco (Lefebvre family-owned private equity specializing in luxury travel, VIP tourism, medical technologies).

Company changes in 2024

In January, Crystal signed a partnership with Ensemble Travel Group (1968-founded consortium, member-owned and run organization of ~850 independent travel agencies in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand). Under this deal, Crystal provides an onboard amenity program, Ensemble Travel-hosted voyages, and access to discounted cruises for travel agents.

In February, Crystal signed a partnership with Beefbar (Monte Carlo-based restaurant brand with 20+ locations globally) to enhance the shipboard culinary program. Beefbar menu (available during lunches and dinners) features vegetarian and vegan dishes as well as specialty cocktails.

In April was launched the Crystal Referral Program encouraging past guests (loyalty program members) to refer their family, friends, and colleagues to travel with Crystal Cruises. For every first-time Crystal cruiser a past traveler refers, the new customer receives 5% cruise fare discount, while the past guest receives the 5% value in OBC/onboard credit applicable towards a future cruise. The number of guests one can refer is unlimited.

Company changes in 2023 (relaunch)

Following extensive drydock refurbishments , in 2023 both ships (Serenity and Symphony) restarted operations for the Cristal Cruises brand, which was fully acquired by A&K (brand name, customer list, websites, social media accounts, other assets) from the Bahamas-based "Crystal Cruises Ltd" for USD 13 million.

For the ship management, A&K contracted the Monaco-based company "V.Ships Leisure Ltd" (part of V.Group Holdings Ltd).

In June 2023 Crystal announced the Aurora Spa - the new onboard wellness concept through the company's collaboration with TDoS (Tillberg Design of Sweden) and partnerships with the premium cosmetic brands ELEMIS and KERASTASE. On both ships, the Spa facilities were completely redesigned, modernized and expanded with new treatments and services. Crystal also renewed its 2019-signed partnership with OneSpaWorld Holdings Ltd (2018-founded, Bahamas-based company) for staffing and managing the fleet's shipboard wellness (spa and fitness) facilities and services.

In July 2023, as Head Nutritionist was appointed Dalila Roglieri. She works with the fleet's culinary teams to develop balanced menus catering to different types of diets and meal requirements.

In a presentation onboard Crystal Serenity in late July (during the preview cruise/for VIP guests only from Trieste), Cristina Levis announced that A&K has plans to sign an MoA (memorandum of agreement) with two shipbuilders (Fincantieri-Trieste, and Meyer Werft-Papenburg) for ordering a total of four sea-going vessels (to be delivered by 2029), including two standard (max 650 passengers each) and two smaller/expedition-type (max 220 pax).

Crystal OCEAN Cruises

The company's most special itinerary is the "Crystal World Cruise ". These regularly scheduled voyages visit each year some of the world's most exotic vacation destinations, among which are Hawaii, South Pacific Islands, Australia New Zealand, Southeast Asia, Alaska. Crystal Ocean cruise ships call on over 180 ports in 60 different countries worldwide.

Crystal's clientele is mostly wealthy couples (50+ years old), who prefer Crystal's onboard environment of sophistication, style, impeccable, highly personalized service, gourmet cuisine, unique destinations. The ocean-going Crystal ships feature:

• Spacious, exquisitely appointed accommodations (most of them with verandas), with in-room Internet access, complimentary in-room dining (24 hours a day), penthouses with personal butler service.
• An abundance of dining options, excellent alternate dining venues, with specialty restaurants like "Prego" (signature of "Valentino Restaurants), "Silk Road" and the "Sushi Bar" (overseen by Nobu Matsuhisa). Wine cellar with a selection of over 200 vintages, and more than 20,000 bottles.
• The lavish Feng Shui-inspired "Crystal Spa" center. State-of-the-art fitness facilities with panoramic sea views, Yoga- and Pilates classes, the "Walk on Water" fitness program by Debbie Rocker.
• Crystal special lounges: "Caesars Palace" at Sea Casino, "Galaxy Lounge" (with its state-of-the-art sound- and lighting systems), "Crystal Dining Room" and "Vintage Room", "Avenue of the Stars" (with its shops and boutiques), "Trident Grill and Ice Cream Bar", "Palm Court" (daily served afternoon tea), "Connoisseur Club" (also offering a selection of fine cigars), "Avenue Saloon" (jazz lounge).
• Broadway-style productions, variety shows, indoor- and outdoor pool, paddle tennis courts, a casino (with complimentary cocktails), movie theater, nightclub, bingo.
• Since 2017, onboard Wi-Fi on all Crystal ships - ocean, yachts, and riverboats - is complimentary (unlimited and free of charge).
• "Creative Learning Institute" program (series of interactive classes) include: "Computer University@Sea", Keyboard lessons (Yamaha), Language classes (Berlitz), Wellness lectures (the Cleveland Clinic), Tai chi instructions (the Tai Chi Cultural Center), Professional ACBL Bridge instructors, Dance lessons (including ballroom dances) with professional instructors, Golf lessons (Callaway golf equipment and PGA golf professionals), the "Crystal Visions Enrichment Program" (in which attend lectures renowned authors, culinary stars, journalists, historians, etc.)
• "Ambassador Host Program" (for single travelers).
• Themed cruises , many onshore activity options.

In 2018, Crystal contracted Jean-Michel Cousteau (oceanographic explorer, environmentalist, educator, film producer, founder of Ocean Futures Society) to host onboard lecturers and interactive media presentations on the fleet's 3 ocean ships. The three "Jean-Michel Cousteau"-themed voyages were scheduled for:

• March 12, 2018 (themed "Far East Vistas", a 15-day itinerary from Manila to Singapore) on Crystal Serenity
• November 8, 2018 (themed "Amazon Discovery", 24-day roundtrip itinerary from Fort Lauderdale Florida to Caribbean and Brazil Amazon) on Crystal Symphony
• December 9, 2018 (themed "West Indies Yachting Explorer", 7-day Caribbean roundtrip itinerary from Marigot / St Martin Island) on the superyacht Crystal Esprit/now Nat Geo Islander 2 .

Crystal's both ocean ships (Serenity and Symphony) are Bahamas- flagged , 5-star rated, with some of the highest space-per-guest ratios at sea. They are also among the industry's most expensive (as cabin rates) and generally operate longer itineraries (2+ weeks in length). The clientele they serve is affluent and mainly mid-aged. Life on board is marked by superior style and sophistication, impeccable service, tranquility, perfection in every detail, one of the best enrichment programs at sea.

Cabin amenities include complimentary beverages, Jacuzzi/bathtub, stationery, Wi-Fi Internet, smart UHDTV (satellite reception), electronic safe box. The boats have several dining venues, 2 swimming pools, wellness facilities (Spa and Fitness, Beauty Saloon, treatment rooms, sauna, steam room), golf simulators (and instructors), wraparound Promenade Deck, Crystal Theater (indoor show entertainment venue), Bar Lounge, Library (movies, music, books), Observatory Lounge (top-deck).

Crystal RIVER Cruises

Crystal River Cruises was a division of the old Crystal Cruises (managing 4x newbuild riverboats ) and a separate branch offering fully all-inclusive deals. The product was marked by gourmet dining, expert enrichment, high-class entertainment, top-luxury amenities and impeccable service. In each port along the itinerary were offered culture-themed tours and excursions. In some of the ports, the river ships had overnight stays allowing tourists to enjoy high-class gourmet dining experiences at Michelin-starred restaurants ashore and also exclusive evening events and entertainment on board.

In January 2016, Genting bought the remaining 30% stocks of Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven . The deal also included ~50% stake in the shipbuilder's real estate subsidiary company "Investitions und Verwaltungs". The acquisition plans were first announced on September 18, 2015.

The announcement said that Star Cruises together with the German companies Petram Beteiligungs, Ehlerding Beteiligungs, and BLG Logistics Group entered into a stock purchase agreement that allows GHK to acquire a majority stake in Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven GmbH. Before the agreement's announcement, Genting signed a letter of intent with the shipbuilding company for Crystal's new polar-class ships scheduled for deliveries in 2018-Q4 (later pushed back to 2019).

• To start operations, Crystal River Cruises purchased an existing riverboat that was fully refurbished and renamed "Crystal Mozart" (launched in July 2016). Additionally were ordered 4 new luxury "river yachts" (by Lloyd Werft) to be launched in 2017. Crystal Mozart is currently Europe's largest river ship, except, of course, the old-design Russian ships on Volga River. Mozart has capacity 160 passengers, large accommodations (sized 19-80 m2 / 200-860 ft2), multiple restaurants, an indoor swimming pool.
• In July 2016, Crystal River launched fleet's first boat Crystal Mozart . The newbuilds debuted in 2017 ( Crystal Bach , Crystal Mahler ) and in 2018 ( Crystal Debussy , Crystal Ravel ).
• In October 2016, ALMACO Group (specializing in the construction of offshore accommodations, staterooms, newbuilding galleys) won its ever first river cruise ship contract to supply galley/kitchen areas and suites for the 4 new "river yachts". The contract included 220 top-luxury cruise suites, corresponding hallways and corridors, turnkey delivery of the ship's galleys and pantries (equipment and lining). Earlier in 2016, ALMACO refurbished the crew cabins and catering areas of Crystal Mozart.
• Crystal Bach and Crystal Mahler cruised on Main, Danube and Rhine rivers. Crystal Ravel and Crystal Debussy cruised in France - on Dordogne, Garonne, Gironde and Seine rivers. Crystal Mozart cruised only on Danube due to its size.

Crystal riverboats were Malta- flagged and provided dedicated (per cabin) butler service, Egyptian cotton linens, King-size double beds facing toward French Balcony windows, full-length mirrors, walk-in closets, ETRO robes and slippers, Nespresso machines, wall-mounted TVs.

Onboard dining options included Waterside Restaurant (dining room/open-seating), Vintage Room (wine bar / private dinner/party venue), Palm Court (show lounge), Cove Bar, Bistro (casual cafe). The river yachts have Fitness Center, full-service Spa, indoor infinity pool (resistance swimming pool), top-deck Vista Bar & Grill.

Onboard dining menus were based on food prepared with the freshest, locally sourced ingredients and cruise itinerary-based traditional specialties - fresh seafood and fish (Holland), seasonal fruits and vegetables (Holland, Germany), meat and poultry (Austrian Alps and Bavarian farms), local draught and craft beers, regional wines and cheeses. Specialty coffees and teas were served complimentary by the Vienna Austria-based company Julius Meinl.

Crystal river cruise deals

The all-inclusive Crystal river cruise deals (as cruise price inclusions) offer the following complimentary amenities and services:

• Gratuities for all the ship's staff, including housekeeping, bar, dining, butlers
• All meals (featuring 6-star gourmet cuisine and regional specialties)
• Unlimited soft drinks, premium beverages (including champagne, fine wines, spirits, beers, bottled water)
• 24-hour self-service pantry (specialty coffees, teas, wines, non-alcoholic drinks)
• 24-hour room service
• 24-hour Wi-Fi access, free WiFi and satellite Internet (60 min pp per day)
• interactive TV (infotainment system) with movies on demand and music library
• Airport-to-ship group transfers - luxury coaches transport the passengers from the airport to the riverboat on embarkation day.
• Ship-to-airport group transfers (on disembarkation day).
• Onboard daily yoga and fitness classes, daily choice of digital international newspapers
• Onboard entertainment and enrichment programming (destination / itinerary-focused), including lectures, destination expert (on each cruise), local experts and tour guides.
• Self-service guest laundry
• Twice daily housekeeping services (evening turndown service)
• In-cabin dining (hors-d'oeuvres)
• Butler service for each cabin
• Two complimentary "Crystal Adventures" shore excursions in every port (curated). Additional excursions are available for purchase.
• Complimentary culinary tours to renowned local establishments
• Complimentary Atlanta eBikes, Nordic walking poles and audio headphones on all "Crystal Adventures" (land tours).

In 2018, Crystal River had 200 shore excursions (~80% complimentary) and themed on culture, cuisine, adventure. The new "Design Your Time" excursion option allowed tourists to use concierge service on their private tours.

Every Crystal river cruisetour itinerary included food-and-wine themed excursion to Michelin-star restaurants in major European cities.

Crystal YACHT Cruises

In March 2016, Crystal revealed plans to build the world's first purpose-built polar class megayacht - Crystal Endeavor . The brand's first-ever expedition ship was initially planned to enter service in August 2018 but due to shipyard issues, the construction was delayed and the delivery was rescheduled for 2021. The superyacht has max passenger capacity 200 and 100 passenger suites.

The yacht as technology features 8 electric amphibious Zodiacs/RIBs, two 7-person minisubmarines, 2 helicopters, 2 helipads. It also offers complimentary jet skis, sea kayaks, wave runners, paddleboards, fishing facilities, snorkeling, and scuba diving equipment.

The yacht is fitted with offshore dynamic positioning technology and computer-controlled navigation systems allowing it to automatically maintain position using its own propulsion (thrusters and propellers). This allows the vessel to stay above coral reefs without using anchors, which could damage the seabed. The ship is similar to the "discovery yacht'" Scenic Eclipse (2018) built for Scenic Cruises .

In November 2016, Crystal announced a yacht fleet expansion - from 1 to 3 new vessels, with scheduled deliveries in 2021 (Endeavor), 2021 (TBN1) and 2022 (TBN2). The sisterships were designed to have as "standard" the "megayacht cruising" industry's first mini-subs, helicopters and ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles).

Crystal's yacht fleet had to operate in polar and coastal regions - European Arctic (during summer), migrating whales route (sailing along the coasts of Europe and the Americas), down to Antarctica (during winter). The bold decision for 3 new polar ships followed a 3-year research that found that nearly 70% of Crystal's customers are highly interested in polar expedition travel.

new DIAMOND-Class ships (2022-2025/canceled)

In January 2018, Crystal Yacht Cruises announced significant changes to the new ship design, downsizing the initial "EXCLUSIVE Class" (Genting Cruise Lines ships) and removing from the original design the top-deck private residences.

The first vessel's delivery was initially scheduled for 2018, then pushed back to 2019, and finally set for 2022.

In 2018, the EXCLUSIVE-Class design was changed to DIAMOND-Class. The vessel's size/volume was reduced (from 100,000 to 67,000 GT-tons) and the max passenger capacity was decreased by 20% (from 1000 to 800).

Staterooms included 48x "Crystal Residences" - ultra-luxury suites sized between 600-4000 ft2 (56-372 m2) each, but these were later removed from the design.

DIAMOND-Class megayachts were also with ice-classed hulls and propulsion based on 4x AzipodXO units (by ABB Marine). The gearless propulsion system comprised 1x electric drive motor (per unit) contained in a submerged pod (outside the hull). AzipodXO units are specifically designed for high ice-class navigation. ABB Azipods reduce the vessel's lifecycle costs and guarantee optimum efficiency operations. Of all 4 units per ship, 2 had power output 22 MV (each), and 2 had 19 MW (each).

The new ships had to be also fitted with the "ABB 800xA DCS" (distributed control) system, EMMA Energy Management System (historical data analysis, with a comparison to current sea conditions) and fleet management suite (fleetwide benchmarking).

Crystal AirCruises

"Crystal AirCruises" was GHK's newest venture of Crystal Cruises. This travel division (established also as a subsidiary company) was served by two aircraft - Boeing 777-200LR (building cost USD 296 million per unit) and the planned for purchasing Boeing 787 Dreamliner (building cost USD 225 million per unit).

Crystal AirCruises operations were via partnership with Comlux Aruba (subsidiary of Comlux) - 2003-founded as a private-plane management company headquartered in Zurich Switzerland).

Boeing 777-200LR

The airplane operates on 14-, 21- and 28-day "fly-cruise" itineraries. It has capacity 88 passengers (down from the aircraft's original capacity of 300 pax) and serves all Crystal cruise itineraries' air-and-land portions.

The top-luxury aircraft features lay-flat seats (reclining to 73,5 inches / 1,87 m) positioned in clusters of 2, 2 aisles, dining lounge (with 4 dining tables), 24-seat bar lounge (with stone veneers, color-changing LED lighting), 2 galleys (kitchens). All passenger seats can convert to 180-degree lie-flat beds.

Onboard complimentary amenities include free Wi-Fi, premium wines, meals prepared by an executive chef, use of iPads and noise-canceling headphones (by Bose), power outlets and USB ports (at each seat), on-demand movies and music, custom-made plush bedding (for onboard sleeping), premium bath amenities (by ETRO).

Crystal Skye "air cruise ship"

Officially named "Crystal Skye", the aircraft Boeing 777-200LR ("Longer Range", aka Worldliner) was introduced in 2006 as one of the world's longest-range commercial airliners. The plane is able to continuously fly between almost any 2 airports in the world, holding the record for longest nonstop flight done by a commercial aircraft - 15844 km (9845 mi).

Crystal Skye aircraft was officially delivered to Crystal AirCruises on August 1, 2017. The ceremony was held at the Boeing Field in Seattle WA . The new airplane was delivered by Greenpoint Technologies to Edie Rodriguez (Crystal's President and CEO). It became known as the world's largest privately owned tour jet. The airplane was officially christened in Las Vegas Nevada on August 12, 2017.

Crystal Skye's inaugural "flight cruise" (9-night itinerary, September 29 through October 8, 2017) was themed "Golden Week Holiday AirCruise" leaving out of Hong Kong . The voyage visited Nairobi Kenya and Tahiti.

Boeing 777 model 200LR has an increased MTOW (maximum takeoff weight) and 3 auxiliary fuel tanks allowing up to 19 hours non-stop flight. The plane also features raked wingtips and additional structural strengthening, wingtip extensions (3,9 m / 13 ft). As of June 2017, this aircraft was ordered by 11 different customers (a total of 59 units).

In addition to the Boeing 777, GHK's brand "Crystal Luxury Air" has plans to double its fleet by purchasing a second Boeing aircraft - the 787 Dreamliner. This plane is a long-haul, twin-engine jet airliner with a passenger capacity of 242 to 335 (3-class seating). The aircraft was the world's first built with composite materials as the primary construction material for the airframe. The aircraft was introduced in 2011.

At the end of 2015, Crystal AirCruises announced planned purchase of two more aircraft - Airbus ACJ319 (corporate jet with removable extra fuel tanks) and Bombardier Global Express XRS (Canada-manufactured ultra-long-range business jet). Bombardier Global Express XRS is an epitome of luxury and comfort with a spacious 2-cabin configuration (up to 13 guests), 4 executive wide seats (with foldout tables), a 4-seat conference space (opposite a 1-seat workstation and cabinet), cabin HD monitors, surround sound, high-temperature oven, even an aft lounge with large LCD screen. Airbus ACJ319 jet's capacity is 30 guests and features 16 lay-flat seats.

Crystal Cruises planes provide private charters (1- to 28-night charter deals) and transportation for customers with booked Crystal cruises (regardless ocean, river or yacht). Private charter jet service is of superior quality and caters to corporate executives, small groups, wealthy families and discerning travelers looking for flexible and private luxury travel.

Crystal's fly-cruise deals are inclusive of all hotel stays (at the world's most luxurious hotels), top-quality gourmet dining (at premium restaurants with Michelin star-level cuisine) and local cultural entertainment.

(Coronavirus crisis) passenger shipping pause 2020-2021

Due to the COVID pandemic, Crystal suspended its ocean fleet's passenger shipping operations by canceling all voyages with pre-scheduled departures in the period March 14, 2020, through July 2021.

• Crystal River resumed in late August 2021, but season 2022 (planned to start in April) was canceled thru early June due to GHK's bankruptcy.
• Crystal Yacht restarted on September 15 (Crystal Endeavor/Maiden Voyage)​.
• Crystal Ocean restarted on July 3 (Serenity/Caribbean from Nassau and North Bimini Island ) and August 5 (Symphony/Caribbean from St Johns Antigua).

All affected bookings received full monetary refunds including on prepurchased through Crystal Cruises packages and services. With rebooking, all fully paid reservations received 125% refund in FCC (future cruise credit) of the fare paid, plus a full monetary refund of prepaid port charges, Gov taxes-fees, any flight and hotel packages (if prebooked through Crystal Cruises). Not fully paid reservations received FCCs based on the deposits. All FCCs are valid on any Crystal cruise (Ocean, Yacht, Expedition, River) with departure through December 31, 2023.

Itinerary of Crystal Cruises

Now being fully owned by A&K/Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group, the "new Crystal Cruises" brand was officially relaunched in February 2023 - as just "Crystal".

Bookings (2023-2024 itinerary program) for the ships Serenity and Symphony were opened on February 13th (for past guests), and for the general public on February 22nd (2023). The relaunched company started operations with the maiden voyages of Crystal Serenity (July 31st) and Crystal Symphony (September 1st).

Grand Voyages 2025

In October 2023, Crystal announced five Grand Voyages/world cruise itineraries. Ranging from 40 to 70 nights, the voyages visit exotic destinations, offering multiple overnight port calls, and optional overland experiences in collaboration with A&K/Abercrombie & Kent (Crystal's sister company).

The longest itinerary (70-night, on Crystal Symphony ) starts on January 7, 2025. The roundtrip from Mumbai India visits 15 countries and 32 destinations.

On January 18, 2025, Crystal Symphony starts a 47-night roundtrip from Singapore that visits destinations in Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong China , and Japan.

On March 5, 2025, Crystal Serenity starts a 44-night voyage from Rio de Janeiro to Mumbai. Call ports include St Helena Island UK , Walvis Bay Namibia , Cape Town South Africa , Zanzibar, Mombasa, the Seychelles, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka.

On March 20, 2025, Crystal Serenity starts a 51-night itinerary from Cape Town to Barcelona , visiting destinations in South Africa, Zanzibar, India, the Seychelles and Maldives, the Middle East, Greece, and Italy.

The last Grand Voyage (scheduled for Crystal Serenity) is a 40-night itinerary from Stockholm to Liverpool (leaving on July 29, 2025), with call ports in Northern Europe/Baltic, including Tallinn , Visby , Riga , Copenhagen , Kristiansand , the UK's Shetland and Orkney Isles, Iceland, Norway, and Amsterdam .

Early bookings (made before January 12, 2024) received benefits like 5% savings (Crystal Society members only), allowances for business class flights (OBC/onboard credit for the first two guests), 2x A&K one-day ashore experiences (during the voyages), up to US$1500 "As You Wish Credit", private land transfers, free shipboard laundry service, a free-of-charge first Infirmary visit/medical consultation.

Crystal Serenity's World Cruise 2024

In April 2023 was announced World Cruise 2024 scheduled for Crystal Serenity.

The 141-night itinerary is a roundtrip from Miami (Florida USA) departing on January 18th and ending on June 8th, 2024. The grand voyage visits 70 destinations/ports in 35 different countries and features a Panama Canal transit followed by a Transpacific crossing to French Polynesia, Australia, and New Zealand. Follow ports/islands in the Indian Ocean, Suez Canal transition , European/Mediterranean destinations (Israel, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain, France), and Transatlantic crossing from Europe to the USA/Miami.

An alternative option allows the voyage to be booked as a 125-night segment from California USA ( San Diego /Feb 3-Jun 8) to Miami, as well as a 141-night roundtrip from San Diego (Feb 3-Jun 24).

Prices for the full/roundtrip voyage started at US$67800 (EUR 61280/GBP 54190) per person with double occupancy.

Grand Voyages 2024

In May 2023 Crystal unveiled four Grand Journeys/extended voyages scheduled for 2024.

The 68-night itinerary (from Sydney NSW Australia to Singapore) on Crystal Symphony departs on January 4, 2024, and visits destinations across Asia, Australia and New Zealand, including the Great Barrier Reef, Pulau Komodo Indonesia, island hopping in the Philippines. Overnight stays are offered in Benoa Bali, Singapore, Bangkok Thailand, Saigon and Hanoi Vietnam, Hong Kong China, Manila Philippines. Prices started from US$50600 pp (US$744 per night).

Also are offered several European excursions, a Mediterranean itinerary (Lisbon to Monte Carlo/May 20th, 2024) visiting ports in Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Turkey (overnight in Istanbul). Prices started from US$37700 pp.

In Northern Europe, Crystal Symphony has scheduled a 38-night Baltic voyage (Stockholm to London) visiting Finland, Sweden, Latvia, Germany, Holland, the UK and Iceland (Reykjavik overnight followed by more Icelandic ports before the Faroes). Fares started from US$30100.

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. This journey also visits ports in Central and South America, with stops in Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, the Caymans, follows Florida and East Coast USA (Miami, New York City, Portland ME) and Canada (Halifax NS and Quebec City). Fares started from US$29900.

Itineraries 2025

In September 2023, Crystal announced that its 2-ship fleet's deployment in 2025 would feature 281 ports/destinations (including 144 new) in 112 countries.

Ending its World Voyage in May (2025), Crystal Serenity starts voyages in Europe (first in the Mediterranean, then in the Baltic. In September, Serenity has a Transatlantic crossing to North America for Canada and New England voyages (through November) between Quebec City and NYC. Follows a Caribbean and South American deployment for the winter, featuring a full Panama Canal transit.

Crystal Symphony's 2025 program starts in Southeast Asia. Follows a Suez Canal transit repositioning to Europe/Mediterranean, and 2025 ends in the Middle East.

Crystal Serenity 2025 Itineraries

Crystal Serenity 's 2025 Itinerary Highlights include:

After concluding the World Cruise in May 2025, Crystal Serenity departs from Marseille and cruises the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas, visiting places like Malaga (Pablo Picasso's hometown), the picturesque Ronne , Latvia's capital Riga , and more.

Guests will have a unique opportunity to explore Longyearbyen in Svalbard Norway , known for its stunning Northern Lights displays.

Visits to the Faroe Islands and Iceland showcase the dramatic landscapes and stunning Nordic destinations such as Torshavn , Djupivogur , and Reykjavik .

For those seeking fall foliage, September to November 2025 voyages include iconic North American ports like Quebec City , Gaspe , Newport , Boston , Portland , and New York City .

Sun-filled holiday voyages feature Caribbean and South American destinations like Montego Bay , Aruba , Cayman Islands, Cartagena , the Panama Canal , and more.

Crystal Symphony 2025 Itineraries

Crystal Symphony 's 2025 Itinerary Highlights include:

Starting the year in Southeast Asia, the newly refurbished ship explores remote destinations such as Sihanoukville (known for Cambodia's best beaches), Sabang , and Weh Island (an active volcanic island near Sumatra).

Extended port calls to urban centers like Ho Chi Minh City , Halong Bay , Laem Chabang , and Shanghai allow for in-depth cultural experiences.

Guests can also visit Palawan , the Philippines' ecological gem with pristine beaches, and Brunei , famous for its lush rainforests.

Timed with the Grand Prix, the ship visits Monaco and Villefranche-sur-Mer , offering guests the chance to witness the iconic race in two European destinations.

Mediterranean highlights include visits to Haifa , Dubrovnik , Cyprus, and Greece's popular destinations like Zakynthos , Corfu , and Santorini .

The latter part of 2025 sees voyages to the Middle East, with stops at Safaga (Luxor) in Egypt, Dubai (known for luxury shopping and modern architecture), and Salalah , Oman's third-largest city, renowned for its marine life.

OLD Crystal Cruises itineraries

In mid-March 2021 were announced plans for restarting passenger shipping with "Bahamas Escapes". Starting on July 3, 2021 (first departure), Crystal Serenity had scheduled 16x 7-night roundtrips from Nassau . Another 16x 7-night roundtrips from North Bimini Island (Bailey Town) were scheduled for Serenity beginning July 4, 2021.

The "Luxury Bahamas Escapes" itineraries included the call ports Harbour Island , Great Exuma Island (Georgetown) , San Salvador Island and Long Island . In August, to the itinerary was added Miami as both call port and homeport/departure port. The expanded itinerary's first departure was on August 7 (from Nassau) and August 9 (from Miami). This way, the 7-night itinerary offered 3x embarkation ports - Nassau (Saturdays departures), North Bimini (Sundays), Miami (Mondays).

In mid-April 2021, Symphony ship's entire 2021 program in Europe-Mediterranean (June 6 through December 21) was canceled and replaced with 10-night "Luxury Caribbean Escapes" (roundtrips from St Johns Antigua/Aug 5 through Dec 23). The new itinerary (first-time for Crystal) included as destinations Barbados (Bridgetown), St Lucia (Castries), Trinidad (Port-of-Spain), St Maarten (Philipsburg), BVI Tortola (Road Town). Bookings opened on April 20, 2021.

Crystal Serenity's World Cruise 2023

The themed "Wild Kingdoms and Exotic Discoveries" world voyage of Crystal Serenity visits 73 destinations in 40 countries and includes 5 maiden ports and 16 overnights. Featured destinations include Seychelles, Maldives, Tahiti, Africa (Serengeti safaris), PNG-Papua New Guinea, Indonesia (Bali, Java, North Maluku), Sri Lanka, Zanzibar; Ephesus, Bagan, Petra, Machu Picchu, beach sites along the Adriatic's Dalmatian coast, Yasawa-I-Rara, Saint-Tropez, Bora Bora, St Barthelemy.

The 140-night-long itinerary starts from Miami Florida (January 11, 2023) and ends in Barcelona Spain (May 31). Two alternate disembarkation options are offered - Venice (128-night itinerary) and Piraeus-Athens (119-night itinerary). Crystal offers a total of 9 separate itinerary segments ranging from 9- to 23-nights.

The voyage's highlights included:

• Visiting the Pyramids of Giza (Egypt), the ruins of Mausoleum of Halicarnassus (Turkey) and Ephesus' Temple of Artemis (Turkey).
• 70x UNESCO Sites
• 5 maiden port calls - Gladstone QLD Australia, Madang PNG, Wewak PNG, Ternate Indonesia, Haa Alif Atoll Maldives.
• Overnights in Panama City, Callao, Easter Island, Bora Bora, Papeete Tahiti, Sydney NSW, Rabaul, Bali (Benoa), Singapore, Chennai/Madras, Colombo, Mahe/Victoria, Barcelona, plus double overnights in Yangon, Mombasa, Venice.

Signature destinations include South America, Caribbean, South Pacific, and French Polynesia, Australia, PNG, Indonesia; India, Southeast Asia; Indian Ocean islands, Africa's east coast, Arabian Peninsula, and Egypt, Adriatic Sea (Dalmatian Coast).

Fares for Crystal Cruises 2023 World Voyage started at USD 46,700 per person (double occupancy).

Crystal Cruises 2023-2024 Global Itineraries

The complete 2023 deployment for Crystal Serenity includes 32 voyages ranging in length 7-23 nights, including a 140-night World Cruise (themed " "Wild Kingdoms and Exotic Discoveries"). Signature regions and destinations include South Pacific Islands, Africa (Egypt), Canada and New England, the Americas, Caribbean, Mediterranean.

Highlights of Crystal Serenity's deployment planned for 2023 include:

• "Wild Kingdoms and Exotic Discoveries" world voyage - 73 destinations (40 countries), 5 maiden ports, 16 overnights
• (June through August) Mediterranean, Black Sea and Western Europe - Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Black Sea ports (Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Turkey), Adriatic Sea/Dalmatian Coast (Croatia and Montenegro), Iberia (Spain-Portugal)
• (September through October) Canada - New England ports - Bar Harbor, Newport, Quebec City, Manhattan, Boston
• (November through December) Caribbean islands - St Johns Antigua, Gustavia St Barthelemy, Basseterre St Kitts, Philipsburg St Maarten

Outside the full World Cruise, itineraries can be combined for up to 100 days of cruising without repeating a port.

Crystal YACHT Cruises 2023-2024

Note: In September 2021, Crystal Esprit was sold to Lindblad and all planned for the superyacht voyages (reviewed below) were canceled.

The second yacht - Crystal Endeavor was sold to RCG-Royal Caribbean Group and transferred to Silversea in July 2022.

In November 2020 was announced a new 9-night "Iconic Passages: Corinth and Suez " itinerary on Crystal Esprit. The 62-passenger superyacht departs (on April 1, 2021) from Dubrovnik Croatia and sails to Aqaba Jordan. The voyage offers to visit UNESCO-listed sites like Saint Catherine’s Monastery (from Sharm El-Sheik), Luxor and the Valley of the Kings (from Safaga Egypt) and Petra City, Jordan (from Aqaba). Highlights also include Itea (Delphi), Santorini Island, the transition of both the Corinth and Suez canals.

In April 2021, Crystal announced a new partnership with the COA-California Ocean Alliance, an organization dedicated to "cutting-edge marine research to safeguard oceans for the protection of marine mammals worldwide." COA scientists were due to join Crystal Endeavor for a series of 5 remote expedition voyages to collect data on the behavior of whales utilizing submergible acoustic recorders, suction cup tags, drones, and remote biopsy sampling, as well as engage passengers to assist with the research efforts while traversing the Antarctic.

Ranging in length from 11 to 19 nights, the company also had planned roundtrip departures from Ushuaia Argentina , between December 2021 and February 2022.

Crystal's partnership with COA expands upon the wildlife conservation efforts of the company, including its partnership with ORCA, the leading marine conservation organization dedicated to the protection of whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Wildlife experts from ORCA traveled on Crystal Symphony in Alaska in 2019 to train Crystal's Navigation Bridge crew in the protocol for collecting scientific data about the behavior of animals and treated passengers to hours of whale watching. ORCA experts were to join Crystal Endeavor for 3 destination- and culture-themed expeditions in April-May of 2022, including a 13-night journey of the isles and coastal cities of Spain, Portugal, and Africa, a 14-night voyage to Seville and Bordeaux, and 14-night British Isles.

Crystal Endeavor's Antarctic Expedition program featured:

• 11-night Expedition Antarctica (December 10-21, 2021) roundtrip from Ushuaia, fares start at US$14,650 pp
• 15-night Antarctic Holiday Expedition (December 21, 2021-January 5, 2022) roundtrip from Ushuaia, fares start at US$22,050 pp
• 11-night Expedition Antarctica (January 5-16, 2022) roundtrip from Ushuaia, fares start at US$16,000 pp
• 19-night Falklands, South Georgia, & Antarctic Wildlife Expedition (January 16-February 4, 2022) roundtrip from Ushuaia, fares start at US$28,900 pp
• 11-night Expedition Antarctica (February 4-15, 2022) roundtrip from Ushuaia, fares start at US$16,000 pp

Crystal Endeavor's "Spring Destination & Cultural Voyages" (with ORCA Experts) included:

• 13-night Expedition Africa (April 16-29, 2022) from Dakar to Malaga, fares start at US$10,600 pp
• 14-night River Discovery: Heart of Seville & Bordeaux (April 29-May 13, 2022) from Malaga to Bordeaux, fares start at US$13,000 pp
• 14-night Exploration: Springtime in the British Isles (May 25-June 8, 2022) from London to Edinburgh, fares start at US$13,600 pp.

Crystal OCEAN Cruises 2023

On August 1, 2020, were opened bookings for Crystal Symphony's 2023 program - 36 itineraries (6- to 15-night) with 23x of 10-days or fewer. Signature regions include India, Southeast Asia; Holy Land , Egypt, Middle East; Baltic, Mediterranean, Australia.

March and November itineraries are through India and Southeast Asia. March, April and October itineraries are through Egypt, Holy Land, Middle East. Spring, summer and autumn voyages are in Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea (Dalmatian Coast).

Crystal Symphony’s 2023 program features 5 maiden port calls (Kampot, Khor Fakkan, Bristol, Malmo, Gisborne), new homeport (Eilat Israel), return to Skagen Denmark (first time in 9 years), overnight in Antwerp Belgium. Boutique ports include Bordeaux’s downtown, Antalya, Port Vendres, Paphos.

A turnaround in Rouen France features a land tour to Paris City. The overnight in Le Havre brings passengers to Seine River, Paris, Giverny. The overnight in Edinburgh allows them to enjoy the Military Tattoo festival. New routes include Scandinavia-Paris (Copenhagen-Le Havre), Iceland-Baltic, London-Bordeaux. Visited UNESCO Sites include Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux, Rioja Wine Region (Spain), Israel's Old City of Acre and Western Galilee, Egypt's Giza Pyramids, Luxor and the Valley of the Kings and Queens.

In 2023, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony sail a total of 68 itineraries (6 to 23 nights) with B2B (back-to-back) options for longer voyages. The program has 216 call ports (10 maiden) in 92 countries on 6 continents. Crystal Serenity in 2023 is deployed in North America (Caribbean, Canada and New England USA). Both ships have extended summer seasons in Western Europe and the Mediterranean.

Crystal RIVER cruise itineraries

In July 2015, Genting announced its expansion plan to build new ships for its river cruise line (brand). The new boats feature larger staterooms and a bigger space-to-guest ratio in comparison to other riverboats. Their itineraries are planned to maximize port times for quality tour experiences ashore.

Crystal's new river brand started operations in 2016 and exclusively on European waterways. The company’s product is well known worldwide for its exceptional quality and fully all-inclusive deals. Itineraries are on the rivers Rhine, Main, Danube, Moselle, and intentionally deviate from traditional routes to avoid congestion in call ports. The list of destinations (visited countries along the itinerary) includes Germany, Switzerland, Holland, France, Belgium, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary.

On Grand European itineraries (between Baltic Sea and Black Sea) are additionally included river ports of call in the Balkan countries Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania.

Crystal River Cruises operated a fleet of all 5 ultra-luxury "river yachts" - Crystal Bach (2017), Crystal Debussy (2018), Crystal Mahler (2017), Crystal Ravel (2018) and Crystal Mozart (2016, fka MS Mozart / 1987-built).

The riverboats were eventually acquired by Riverside Collection Cruises (part of Riverside Hotels). Crystal's river cruisetour itineraries included:

• Crystal Mozart (maiden voyage July 13, 2016) - Danube itineraries (10 or 11 nights) visited Wachau Valley (Vienna, Passau, Bratislava) or Eastern Danube (Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade).
• Crystal Debussy (maiden voyage June 4, 2017) - offers 5-, 7- and 10-day Seine River itineraries with multiple overnights in Paris. Visited port city destinations included Honfleur, Normandy beaches, Deauville, Rouen.
• Crystal Bach (maiden voyage June 18, 2017) - the 14-day inaugural cruise (on Rhine and Moselle rivers) visited Amsterdam, Basel, Antwerp,
• Crystal Ravel (maiden voyage August 8, 2017) - cruises on Garonne (also Gironde Estuary) and Dordogne Rivers in France on 7-day itineraries with 2-days (overnight stay) in Bordeaux and visiting Pauillac, Blaye, Libourne.
• Crystal Mahler (maiden voyage August 29, 2017) - cruises on Rhine, Main and Danube rivers. The Inaugural Cruise (16-day "Grand Europe") included overnights in Budapest, Vienna, Passau, Amsterdam.

All riverboats also offered themed Christmas and New Year's Eve voyages . "Crystal River Getaways" itineraries included:

• (Crystal Bach) 7-day "Romantic Rhine" between Amsterdam and Mainz, 7-day "Rhine Serenade" between Mainz and Frankfurt, plus 3 previously announced Getaways to Belgium and Holland, highlighting region's springtime tulips (high-season) in April-May.
• (Crystal Mahler) 7-day "Delightful Danube" between Regensburg and Budapest, 9-day "European Escape" between Amsterdam and Regensburg
• (Crystal Ravel) 8-day "European Treasures" between Nuremberg and Basel, 6-day Danube Getaway, between Vienna and Nuremberg.

River cruises 2022 itineraries (canceled)

River cruise prices on 2020 itineraries started at USD 2550 per person (double occupancy cabin rates). In January 2020, Crystal announced its collection of 2022 itineraries. The 4 riverboats (Bach, Debussy, Mahler, Ravel) operate 7- to 10-night itineraries through Holland and Belgium. Itineraries 2022 include:

• 7-night "Tulips and Windmills" (April-May) and "Dutch and Belgian Waterways" (July and August) cruises, both beginning and ending with overnight stays in Amsterdam. Ports of call include Kinderdijk, Hoorn, Rotterdam, Middleburg, Ghent, and Antwerp.
• 7-night "Legendary Rhine" cruise from Basel to Amsterdam with calls in Cologne, Rudesheim, Mannheim, and Strasbourg.
• 7-night "Romantic Rhine" from Amsterdam to Basel with overnights in Koblenz and Amsterdam, and calls in Cologne, Rudesheim, Mannheim, and Strasbourg.
• 9-night "Revel on the Rhine" holiday cruise roundtrip from Amsterdam with stops in Cologne, Rudesheim, Mannheim, Koblenz, and Arnhem.
• 7-night "Treasures of Southeast Europe" from Giurgiu to Budapest or the reverse with overnights in Budapest, Vidin (westbound only), and Novi Sada (eastbound only), and stops in Mohacs, Vukovar, and Belgrade.
• 7-night "Danube Dreams and Discoveries" cruise roundtrip from Vienna with overnights in Vienna and Budapest, and calls in Esztergom, Bratislava, Krems, Melk, Linz, including sailing through the Wachau Valley.
• 7-night "Delightful Danube" from Vilshofen to Budapest featuring overnights in Vienna and Budapest, and calls in Durnstein, Melk, Linz, Bratislava, Passau, and Wachau Valley sailing.
• 9-night "Joyous Danube Celebration" cruise roundtrip from Vienna. It features overnights in Budapest and Vienna, calls in Bratislava, Krems, Melk, and Linz, and Wachau Valley sailing.

Note: You can see CruiseMapper's list of all river cruise ships and riverboats in the "itinerary" section of our River Cruises hub. All river passenger shipping line companies and their fleets are listed there.

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Crystal Cruises Launches New Itineraries for 2023

“Always with an eye to offering our guests multiple choices, we intentionally planned voyages that explore travelers’ favorite places outside the traditional seasons, as this allows them to glean a different perspective on the destinations and their cultures and seasonal traditions,” says Carmen Roig, Crystal’s senior vice president of marketing and sales. “Voyage durations have also been planned with guests’ calendars in mind, from convenient, 6-night options to elaborate 2-week-plus options, and everything in between. Like every part of the Crystal Experience, selecting and planning a voyage should perfectly suit each traveler’s needs.”

• Southeast Asia and India , with six-, seven-, eight- and nine-night sailings visiting Chennai, Goa and Mumbai, India; Yangon, Myanmar; Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, Vietnam; Ko Samui, Phuket and Bangkok, Thailand; Singapore, maiden call Kampot (Cambodia); Port Klang and Penang, Malaysia; and Colombo, Sri Lanka and others offered January through March; longer 13- and 15-night sailings offered in November.
• The Middle East, Holy Land and Egypt, with March and April sailings of six, eight, nine and 11 nights and seven-, 10- and 13-night options in October exploring Aqaba, Jordan; Manama, Bahrain; Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas Island and Khor Fakkan, as well as Kuwait City, Kuwait; Doha, Qatar; Salalah and Muscat, Oman; Ashdod and Eilat, Israel; and Safaga, Sharm el Sheikh and Sokhna, Egypt.
• The Mediterranean, with a 12-night April Black Sea exploration throughout Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Greece and Italy; and seven-, nine- and 11-night May and June voyages along the Dalmatian Coast, Mediterranean and Western Europe, including Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, Morocco and more. The ship returns to the region in September and October for fall itineraries of seven and 10 nights.

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Crystal Cruises releases Serenity’s 2023 voyages

Luxury line releases deployment.

Crystal Cruises, the ultra-luxury travel company, has released details of the 2023 programme for its ocean-going ship Crystal Serenity.

The ship will sail a range of cruises between seven and 23 nights plus a world cruise that ranges from 140 nights through to 100 nights. Destinations include the Black Sea, Dalmatian Coast, South Pacific, Africa, New England & Canada as well as the Caribbean. Those looking to book will benefit from a reduced deposit until June 30, 2020.

“At a time when so many travellers are eager to return to exploring and seeking out new experiences and cultures, we’re happy to offer more than three full years of global itineraries to inspire their next journeys,” said Carmen Roig, Crystal’s senior vice president of marketing and sales. “The anticipation of an incredible holiday is one of the best parts of travel – the wonder about places one has never seen or the way that favourite destinations pull at the heart to return. The 2023 voyages planned for  Crystal Serenity  encompass all of this and are designed to inspire that sense of joyful anticipation for our guests.”

Highlights of  Crystal Serenity’s  2023 deployment include:

Wild Kingdoms & Exotic Discoveries World Cruise, embarking January 11 – 140 nights from Miami to Barcelona, with alternative disembarkation options in Venice and Athens for 128- and 119-night itineraries, respectively. The voyage visits 73 destinations in all, including five maiden ports and 19 overnights across 40 countries on six continents – with a focus on the world’s greatest wonders and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Destinations range from the South Pacific and Papua New Guinea to Myanmar, the Seychelles, African safaris and Egypt’s ancient wonders.

A connoisseur’s collection of the Black Sea, Mediterranean and Western Europe, from May 10 through September 16 – explore artistic and cultural heritage in Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal, plus the Black Sea calling in Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia and Turkey; along the Dalmatian Coast to Croatia and Montenegro.

Autumn beauty in New England & Canada, from September 27 through October 28 – when the foliage of the region reaches its brilliant best, these sailings explore bastions of American history in places such as Newport and Bar Harbor, the forests and wilderness trails that cloak the coastline, and the contrasting big city life found in Manhattan, Boston and Québec City.

  Cruise only fares for  Crystal Serenity’s  2023 sailings start from £1,993 per person for a seven-night ‘Caribbean Interlude’ cruise round trip from Miami departing 4 th  January.  Crystal Symphony’s  2023 deployment will be announced in July.

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Crystal Cruises has announced a 141-night world cruise a year after its dramatic shutdown — see what it'll be like

• Crystal Cruises unveiled a 125 to 141-night 2024 world cruise starting at $61,600 per person.
• In 2022, the cruise line faced serious financial issues amid the arrest of two ships and the shutdown of US operations.
• Crystal is now being operated by luxury travel company Abercombie and Kent Travel Group.

Crystal Cruises made a big splash last year with serious financial issues, the arrest of two of its vessels over unpaid fuel bills, and the shutdown of US operations.

Source: Insider

But that was the Crystal Cruises of the past, then owned by Genting Hong Kong.

Now, a revived Crystal has emerged under its new parent company, Abercrombie and Kent (A&K) Travel Group.

In 2022, A&K Group acquired the brand and its two ships, the Crystal Serenity and the Crystal Symphony.

A&K is also known for its luxury "small group" tours, which include world trips by private jet.

Source: Abercombie and Kent Travel Group Insider

And a little over a year after Crystal's choppy waters, the renewed cruise line is ready to sail again with 2023 and 2024 itineraries, including a recently announced 2024 world cruise.

Over 125 nights, the Crystal Serenity and its passengers would sail to 62 locations across 29 countries, the cruise line says.

For passengers who want an even longer sailing, there's also the option to tack on an additional leg through the Panama Canal …

… extending the cruise by 16 days and the number of destinations to up to 70 across 35 countries.

Throughout these months at sea, Crystal says the Serenity would sail to destinations like Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, and the French Riviera.

Source: Crystal Cruises

Travelers have three itinerary options: sailing from San Diego, California to Miami for 125 nights or roundtrip from either Miami or San Diego for 141 nights.

The roundtrip Miami itinerary will stop in 70 destinations across 35 countries, the most destinations of the three options …

… while the shorter California to Florida leg will hit 62 locations in 29 countries.

Prices for the latter itinerary start at $61,600 per person for a 215-square-foot ocean-view stateroom.

This then shoots up to $245,600 per person for the 1,265-square-foot — not including the balcony — penthouse suite on both roundtrip itineraries.

But even the least expensive stateroom still has luxury amenities. Think of complimentary wine, fruits, and a pillow menu.

The 740-guest Crystal Serenity is currently being refurbished in Italy.

When it's complete in July, the refreshed ship will have an upgraded spa and gym, larger suites with new finishes …

… and of course, the hottest new amenity aboard cruise ships: a pickleball court.

Source: Forbes

The 820-foot-long floating luxury hotel also has a restaurant by the famed Nobuyki Matusuhisa of Nobu, several bars and lounges with views of the water, and what the cruise line calls "Broadway-style" shows.

Unveiling a world cruise shortly after resuming operations may be a big undertaking. But there's no better time to unveil a months-long cruise.

Extended and around-the-world cruises have been seeing "record-breaking" booking success over the last few years.

From one-month transoceanic crossings to nine-month world cruises, travelers have been quickly booking up or selling out these longer itineraries despite their heftier price tags.

For those who can tolerate months at sea, these extended sailings allow travelers to visit dozens of destinations without complicated logistical planning or having to constantly unpack and repack.

• Main content

Crystal Cruises Announces Summer 2023 Return

• February 1, 2023

Crystal Cruises has officially relaunched under a reimagined name and vision: Crystal – Exceptional at Sea.

Guest capacity on the Serenity has been lowered to 740 passengers, while the Symphony will carry just 606, with both ships restarting operations this summer.

Crystal has also announced its 2023 and 2024 voyages aboard the newly refurbished Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, reimagined with larger updated suites that include artisanal finishes, cutting-edge-onboard wellness, and world-class dining and entertainment, according to a press release.

“I am delighted to announce that Crystal is reborn, with Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony reimagined and enhancements made to every part of our guests’ journey,” said Crystal President Jack Anderson. “Palatial suites, spacious verandas and guest rooms have been rolled out on both ships, reducing overall guest capacity. Personalized service – long a Crystal signature – has been elevated further. Dining is a journey through culinary specialties, with authentic food from around the globe. Local experts at Abercrombie & Kent have planned memorable experiences in each destination to guarantee beyond-the-guidebook access.”

The first sailings will be a Mediterranean cruise of Crystal Serenity on July 31 from Marseille and Crystal Symphony, scheduled to depart September 1 from Athens.

Of note, Crystal said that suites and guest rooms are more spacious, with elevated detail and contemporary craftsmanship. Suites feature marble quarried from Italy, with modern furnishings and fine cotton linens.

Both the spa and the gym will be revamped, and the Wimbledon courts will host both paddle tennis and pickleball. A refreshed approach to e ntertainment and events programming has been developed with more information to follow.

On shore, a seamless experience with unparalleled levels of service continues with Abercrombie & Kent ground arrangements. A&K is well known for their ability to open doors closed to most, with exclusive access, the world’s leading guides and meticulous organization. Operating on every continent, they have been regarded as the gold standard for even the most discerning traveler for more than 60 years.

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Crystal Cruises Review — Ships, Destinations, Dining, and More

Katie Seemann

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Table of Contents

Basic information, departure ports, private ships/islands, onboard activities, dining and beverages, accommodations, crystal society, final thoughts.

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Crystal Cruises has been offering luxury cruise vacations since 1990. This all-inclusive cruise line doesn’t have a large fleet, but what they do have focuses on total luxury and intimate, small ship sailings.

With Crystal Cruises you won’t find mega-ships like Royal Caribbean or discount party ships like Carnival . What you will find are luxury ocean and river ships along with a yacht and an expedition ship.

Let’s explore what makes Crystal Cruises a unique experience.

Name: Crystal Ltd.

Parent Company: Genting Hong Kong

Number of Ships: 8

Destinations: 800+

Loyalty Program: Crystal Society

Credit Card: None

Crystal Cruises operates 2 ocean ships, 4 river ships, 1 yacht, and 1 expedition ship.

Crystal Cruises Ocean Ships

• Crystal Serenity
• Crystal Symphony

Crystal Cruises River Ships

• Crystal Bach
• Crystal Debussy
• Crystal Mahler
• Crystal Ravel

Crystal Cruises Yacht

• Crystal Esprit

Crystal Cruises Expedition Ship

• Crystal Endeavor

Crystal Cruises sails to over 800 destinations on all 7 continents from 84 departure ports.

Crystal Cruises does not have a private island or port.

Here are some of the activities you may experience on a Crystal Cruises ship (not all activities are available on every ship).

• 360 Degree promenade deck
• Afternoon tea
• Computer University@Sea
• Crystal Life Sauna
• Crystal Life Spa & Salon
• Fitness center
• Golf driving nets
• Junior activities program (seasonal)
• Paddle tennis courts
• Personal training
• Photography workshops
• Resorts World at Sea Casino

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.

Crystal River Ships Dress Code

• Comfortable and casual attire is appropriate during the day, however, swimsuits, cover-ups, and baseball hats are not permitted in the dining rooms.
• Crystal Casual attire is appropriate for evenings on board. This is a slightly dressed up version of daytime wear.

Crystal Esprit (Yacht) Dress Code

• Tasteful swimwear, sandals, shorts, casual short sleeves, and cover-ups are appropriate during the day.
• Stylish resort wear should be worn for nights on board. This includes capri pants, blouses, sundresses, and sandals for women. Men should wear khakis, Bermuda shorts, short-sleeve button-down shirts, or golf shirts.

Hot Tip: Be prepared for your cruise’s action-packed days and fun-filled nights — check out our printable cruise packing list!

Dining is a little different on Crystal Cruises because everything is included . There are 3 specialty restaurants across the fleet and each guest is entitled to dine at each of these once or twice per cruise (depending on cruise length) at no extra cost. All beverages in the restaurants, including alcohol, are included as well.

Complimentary Dining

Look out for these restaurants on your next cruise; not all locations are available on every ship.

• 24-hour room service
• Bistro Bach
• Bistro Debussy
• Bistro Endeavor
• Bistro Mahler
• Bistro Ravel
• Churrascaria
• Marketplace
• Scoops Ice Cream Bar
• Silk Kitchen & Bar
• Sunset Grill
• The Vintage Room*
• Trident Grill
• Umi Uma & Sushi Bar*

*Denotes a specialty restaurant that requires reservations.

All locations with the exception of specialty restaurants Umi Uma, Prego, and The Vintage Room have open seating. That means you can dine anytime (usually between the hours of 6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. for dinner) you wish without reservations.

Specialty Restaurants

Umi Uma & Sushi Bar, Prego, and The Vintage Room are considered specialty restaurants and require reservations. You can dine at each of the specialty restaurants once per cruise for free. Each additional reservation you make at a specialty restaurant will incur a $30 per person fee.

For any cruise that is 14 days or longer, each guest is allowed 2 complimentary visits to each specialty restaurant before the $30 fee is charged. The Vintage Room wine pairing dining experience is also subject to additional charges.

Bars and Beverages

All beverages are included on your Crystal cruise. Wine, Champagne, premium spirits, and specialty coffees? Yes, they’re all included!

Look out for these bars and lounges on your next cruise; not all locations are available on every ship.

• Avenue Saloon
• Connoisseur Club
• Crystal Cove
• Galaxy Lounge
• Starlite Club

Bottom Line: Crystal Cruises goes the all-inclusive route. Beverages (including wines, Champagne, and specialty coffees), specialty restaurants, Wi-Fi, and gratuities are all included.

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 Ocean Cruises

Every stateroom on a Crystal ocean cruise comes with standard amenities including:

• Sitting area
• Double-vanity bathroom
• Full bathtub/shower
• Bathrobes, kimonos, and slippers for onboard use
• Luxury bath products
• Twice-daily housekeeping
• Evening turndown service

Here are some of the highlights:

The Seabreeze Penthouse with Verandah features butler service, a walk-in closet, private verandah, in-suite tea or cocktails, plus canapés and dining from specialty restaurants Umi Uma and Prego.

For the ultimate in luxury, choose the Crystal Penthouse with Verandah. This amazing room features over 1,300 square feet of living space. You’ll find a separate living and dining area featuring a custom entertainment center. The master bathroom includes a Jacuzzi tub, flat-screen TV, heated floor, and bidet. There’s also a guest bathroom with a shower.

Crystal River Cruises

Sailing on a river cruise is so different than a more traditional ocean cruise. Crystal river cruises are a great way to travel if you’re looking for luxury because every room on each river ship is a suite!

The “basic” room on a Crystal river cruise is anything but basic. The Petite Suite with Panoramic Balcony-Window features a king-size bed with Egyptian cotton linens, glass shower with 2 shower heads, single vanity with halo-lit mirror, and a huge panoramic window so you won’t miss the spectacular views.

The Two-Bedroom Crystal Suite with Panoramic Balcony-Window sleeps up to 5 guests and comes with butler service. This elegant room features 2 bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, a fireplace with ambient lighting, a separate dining area, and an extra powder room.

Crystal Yacht Cruises

Cruising on a yacht is a special treat. Crystal Cruise’s yacht, Crystal Esprit, accommodates only 62 guests, so you’ll enjoy personalized service along with deluxe accommodations.

The Yacht Suite features a king-size bed, bed-side iPads, and large picture window. The bathroom has a glass-enclosed shower, double sink, and a natural stone floor. Personalized butler service and twice-daily housekeeping will round out your luxurious experience.

The 500+ square foot Owner’s Suite features a living area with sofa and chairs, flat-screen TV, and dining table. The bathroom includes a glass-enclosed rain shower and double vanity with a backlit mirror and integrated TV.

Crystal Expedition Cruises

On the Crystal Endeavor Expedition ship, all rooms are suites and every suite has a private verandah.

The Penthouse Suite with Verandah features a king-size bed, living area, and a heated storage closet for expedition gear. The bathroom features a glass-enclosed shower with dual shower heads, double vanity, and a separate water closet.

For even more space and luxury, check out the Expedition Suite with Verandah. This expansive suite features 2 bedrooms in over 1,200 square feet of space. Each bedroom features a king-size bed, bedside iPads, and interactive TVs. Each bedroom has an en suite bathroom with dual sinks, heated floors, Jacuzzis, and separate water closets.

The Crystal Society is Crystal Cruise’s loyalty program. It’s free to join , and you’ll be automatically enrolled after you complete your first full-revenue cruise. As a member, you’ll receive special offers, upgrades, onboard credits, special events, and savings on future cruises.

Every member receives benefits including:

• 2.5% savings on all voyages
• 2.5% onboard booking savings when you book your next cruise on board
• Exclusive onboard cocktail party

Plus, you’ll earn cruise credits each time you sail. Each time you hit a new milestone, you’ll be eligible for even more benefits like unlimited free reservations at specialty restaurants, credits towards future sailings, and recognition pins.

Hot Tip: Not sure which credit card to use to get the most bang for your cruise buck? Check out our guide to the best credit cards to book cruises for some guidance.

Crystal Cruises is a luxury cruise line offering ocean, river, yacht, and expedition cruises. Each of its 8 ships is designed for the luxury traveler and includes elegant accommodations and exquisite cuisine.

On Crystal Cruises, everything is included. You won’t pay extra for specialty restaurants, beverages, gratuities, or Wi-Fi.

If you’re looking for mega-ships with endless activities, check out other lines like Disney Cruises , Norwegian , or Princess. However, if you prefer smaller ships or the intimacy of a river or yacht cruise, Crystal Cruises has a lot to offer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a crystal cruise all-inclusive.

Yes, Crystal Cruises is an all-inclusive line. You won’t have to pay extra for beverages like wine, Champagne, spirits, or specialty coffees. The specialty restaurants are included as is Wi-Fi, room service, and gratuities.

Do Crystal Cruises include excursions in the price?

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.

Are children allowed on Crystal Cruise ships?

Yes, children aged 6 months and older are welcome on any Crystal Cruises ship with a few exceptions. When traveling on the Crystal Esprit, children younger than 7 are not allowed on the Zodiacs. Some ports require Zodiac transportation to disembark the yacht, so young children would have to stay on board with an adult in those situations. Children under 6 years old are not allowed on Crystal Endeavor expeditions to the Arctic or Antarctic.

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About Katie Seemann

Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure, Forbes Advisor, and Fortune Recommends.

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Crystal Serenity cruise ship review: What to expect on this transformed luxury vessel

Call it the once and future queen of luxury cruising.

For years, Crystal Serenity was one of the world's most beloved luxury ships. Some would even say it was at the pinnacle of luxury cruising: The ship that delivered the ultimate luxury cruise experience.

But then, in early 2022, it was unexpectedly gone — a victim of the collapse of the parent company of Crystal Cruises .

Now, after an 18-month absence from the luxury cruising scene, Crystal Serenity is back and — dare I say — better than before.

The company that bought Crystal Serenity and the rights to the Crystal brand name from the liquidators of the former company has relaunched the vessel. But not before it poured millions of dollars into a massive overhaul of the ship that has left it sparkling — almost as if it were new.

King Arthur may not yet have returned to rule his kingdom. But Crystal Serenity is back to rule hers, and she is looking better than ever.

If you're a luxury cruise lover (or a Crystal fan), that's exciting news.

Overview of Crystal Serenity

Crystal Serenity is the new flagship for Crystal, a luxury cruise brand that is at the same time all-new and decades old.

Crystal is technically a start-up luxury cruise company — one that just debuted this year and is being built from the ground up. Its owners have nothing to do with the old owners of Crystal Cruises. That company ceased to exist when its parent company, Genting Hong Kong, collapsed in early 2022 and was liquidated.

And yet the new owners of Crystal Serenity and the rights to the Crystal Cruises brand are creating a new cruise line that is about as close to the old Crystal Cruises as can be. Its name is just slightly different (note it's just Crystal, not Crystal Cruises), and it's operating the same two main ships that once sailed for Crystal Cruises. You'll also find many of the same senior staff and crew on those ships as before.

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If it's not a rebirth of Crystal Cruises, it's at least a reincarnation. The old soul of Crystal Cruises is back in a new form.

Still, it's a reincarnation that comes, as noted above, with a massive transformation for Crystal Serenity and the other former Crystal Cruises ship that is relaunching — Crystal Symphony.

Unveiled in 2003, the 68,870-ton Crystal Serenity has been made even more luxurious during an overhaul in dry dock that was so long — around six months — that it allowed for an almost complete rebuilding of significant parts of the ships.

For starters, two whole cabin decks were completely gutted to rip out relatively small cabins and replace them with much bigger suites. This was on top of an overhaul of other cabin areas several years ago. As a result, the ship now has far fewer but far bigger cabins than it once did.

Originally built for 1,080 passengers, Crystal Serenity is now configured to hold just 740 passengers — even as the size of its public areas (lounges, bars, restaurants, etc.) hasn't changed. That means its "space ratio" — a fancy cruise world term that refers to the amount of space on the ship per passenger — is at an almost unprecedented level for a cruise vessel. Specifically, it's at 93, far above the 60 to 75 that is typical for luxury ships.

With its passenger count down, its crew-to-passenger ratio is also through the roof at around 1-to-1.

These are the building blocks on which true luxury cruising is built.

What I loved about Crystal Serenity

The remarkable crew.

There was always something special about the crew on Crystal ships. It was what made the line. And the big news for Crystal fans as the line restarts is that more than 80% of the crew has returned.

If you book a cruise on Crystal Serenity, you'll mostly find the same butlers, room stewardesses, wait staff and front desk workers that have wowed customers for years with their next-level service — a service level so exquisite and intuitive that it has long been the talk of the cruise world. It is the interplay of this crew with Crystal's regular customers — and 80% of Crystal's customers are regulars, according to its new owners — that creates an onboard experience that many luxury cruise lovers find unrivaled.

For longtime Crystal fans, one of the great joys in returning to the brand's ships, again and again, is to see the same crew members they have come to know and love over the years. I experienced this myself upon boarding Crystal Serenity in July as I bumped into one crew member after another with whom I had sailed before and, at times, developed deep bonds.

In fact, one of the first staffers I met after boarding, the butler for my room, was Prince Jose, who I called out by name for his great service in the last story I wrote from a Crystal ship in 2021. That was nearly two years ago, but he recognized me, and I recognized him, and we immediately got to talking as if no time had gone by.

My all-time favorite bartender from any ship at sea, Ana, also is on board, now promoted to a position at the front desk. We hugged when we saw each other — it's that kind of crew.

The spacious suites

The old knock on Crystal ships was that many of their cabins weren't big enough — at least for an ultra-luxury ship. Newer luxury ships in recent years have been built with more big cabins and suites, which put Crystal's older vessels at a disadvantage.

That's no longer the case, thanks to the overhaul of the cabin decks mentioned above. The two decks were completely gutted, with smaller cabins replaced by suites that are twice as large. I'll go into more detail on this below in the cabins section, but the result is a game-changing transformation for Crystal Serenity's accommodations that give it some of the best luxury cabins in the business.

The promenade

It's a little thing, but the promenade on Crystal Serenity is gorgeous. It wraps all the way around the ship — something that is increasingly rare on cruise vessels. It's lined with beautiful teak boards that have been refinished to look almost brand new.

On Deck 7, not far above the waterline, the promenade also is wide and blissfully uncluttered. If you end up on board Crystal Serenity, do not miss a morning walk around it — 3.35 laps equals a mile — or an evening stroll to soak in the salty air and watch the waves. It's what promenades used to be in the grand old days of cruising.

What I didn't love about Crystal Serenity

The lack of a casino.

I am not a gambler, and you won't ever find me in a cruise ship casino. For me, personally, a lack of a casino is no loss at all. But Crystal has traditionally drawn a lively crowd that likes to stay up late drinking, dancing and soaking in the onboard entertainment, and for some, at least, that includes dropping a little money at a casino.

Crystal Serenity used to have a modest casino area just outside the main theater on Deck 6. Theatergoers would spill out of the theater into the casino on their way to the ship's other entertainment venues on the opposite side of the deck, with some lingering for a game or two. But the casino was taken out during the 2023 overhaul.

For now, the old casino space has been revamped as a lounge. However, it's a lounge without a bar, and it comes off as a dead space on the ship — a room that is rarely used. Over six days on board, I hardly saw a soul sitting in it.

Crystal executives say they still are figuring out what to do with the space, and it could become something different over time. One proposal called for it to become a cooking classroom, though executives said that would be hard to do properly in the space. One Crystal executive mentioned to me there was talk of using the space for an onboard distillery.

Whatever happens, my take is that the casino's removal was one of the rare misses of the ship's overhaul.

Sapphire suite storage space

It's difficult to find fault with much on Crystal Serenity in the wake of its makeover. It's that great a ship. A relatively minor quibble is that the many big (and lovely) new Sapphire Verandah Suites the line added to Crystal Serenity don't have quite as much storage space as I would have expected. These are huge suites at more than 500 square feet, so there is no lack of space to add shelving, drawers and other storage units. But the amount of storage space put into the rooms seems modest, given their size.

That isn't to say that there isn't a good amount of storage in these rooms. There's enough for a typical seven-night cruise, but this is a ship that will often sail longer cruises where you will want extra storage.

Crystal Serenity cabins and suites

Crystal Serenity's array of cabins and suites is relatively simple to understand. It features just nine categories of rooms, with just two of those categories accounting for the vast majority of accommodations.

About 40% of the ship's accommodations (151 out of 377) are Sapphire Verandah Suites. Measuring a whopping 537 square feet including balcony space, these are unusually spacious suites for a main cabin category on a cruise ship. Each of these suites, notably, has a separate sitting room and bedroom, a walk-in closet and a large bathroom, as well as a 107-square-foot balcony.

The somewhat smaller but still spacious Aquamarine Verandah Suites make up another 28% of the ship's accommodations (106 suites). Measuring 409 square feet, including balcony space, these suites lack the separate sitting rooms found in Sapphire Verandah Suites but still are impressively large.

Add in four more Aquamarine Verandah Suites with balconies that are ADA compliant and four Aquamarine Suites without balconies that are ADA-compliant (both sets of which are considered their own cabin categories), and that's 70% of all accommodations on the ship.

The remaining 30% of accommodations include a handful of larger penthouse and junior penthouse suites, and roughly 100 smaller double and single rooms (more on these in a moment).

For longtime Crystal fans, the thing to know is that a large percentage of all these accommodations were massively overhauled and enlarged in advance of the line's relaunch this year. In fact, two of Crystal Serenity's four main cabin decks — decks 8 and 9 — were essentially gutted and rebuilt, with nearly all their smaller cabins ripped out and replaced with the much larger Sapphire Verandah Suites.

It was a massive undertaking that involved knocking out dozens of walls — and one that has profoundly changed the vessel. Once criticized for not having big enough rooms, Crystal Serenity now offers one of the most impressive arrays of big suites of any luxury ship.

My own cabin was one of these all-new Sapphire Veranda Suites on Deck 9, and it was among the most lovely cruise ship suites I have stayed in in recent years. In addition to being wonderfully spacious, it had a sophisticated, contemporary vibe with soothing light gray and beige furnishings, fabrics and wall coverings sprinkled with ocean-inspired blue velvet accents.

As one would expect on a luxury ship, the bedding on my Sapphire Veranda Suite bed was ridiculously luscious, with super-high-end, embroidered Italian-made Jesurum 1870 sheets that were so soft and comfortable that I just wanted to snuggle under them all day. Generously sized, Fior di Pesco marble-topped nightstands flanked the bed, with perfectly placed task lighting floating off the wall just above them.

I also appreciated the tidy cluster of electrical outlets (both U.S.- and European-style) and USB ports on both sides of the beds. On some ships, you only find these on one side of the bed — if at all.

In addition, the bathroom in my Sapphire Verandah Suite was spacious and elegant, with a Fior di Pesco marble-topped vanity embedded with two upscale Duravit sinks on one side and an unusually large walk-in shower on the other side. The shower itself was a showpiece, with high-end Grohe fixtures that spouted water from three directions. These included a massive rain shower head on the ceiling that shot water straight down, two back-wall shower heads that shot out horizontally (hitting you midbody) and a separate hand-held wand. There were separate controls for each of these, so I could mix and match the water delivery devices to my liking.

One small gripe: In a perfect world, the hand-held wand would have been placed higher on the shower wall, so it could double as a main shower head for those who aren't fans of ceiling-mounted rain showers.

The bathroom toiletries, too, were high-end, made by Italian luxury purveyor Ortigia Sicilia with scents of Italian wildflowers.

I particularly liked that the bathroom had an unusually large amount of storage space, with two long open shelves built into the marble vanity under the sinks and a floor-to-ceiling tower of matching marble shelves next to the shower (some of which house the bathroom's towels).

All that extra storage space in the bathroom was in contrast to what some may consider a lack of enough storage space outside the bathroom. While the suite featured a walk-in closet for storage, as I mentioned above, I found it oddly small for a suite of this size, at around six feet by six feet.

The storage available in Sapphire Verandah Suites is surely adequate for the storage needs of a couple on one of the ship's occasional week-long sailings. But this is a vessel that often does much longer sailings of 10 nights or more, including around-the-world trips that last more than four months.

Given that, there would have been logic to using more of the suite's ample room for storage. I might have tucked another built-in storage unit along the wall in the seating area that currently houses a television, with the television inset into it, or in the narrow inset area at the entrance to the room where there currently is a second door to the bathroom (a door that is a "nice to have" for those rare times when a guest is visiting but not critical).

Notably, the walk-in closet is so small that the four pull-out drawers along one of its walls can't be opened all the way unless the inward-swinging door to the closet is at least partially closed. This makes for an awkward time trying to access items put in these draws.

The walk-in closet also is tucked away in an odd location in a corner of the sitting room instead of adjacent to the bedroom. Still, that's just another small quibble.

Overall, the new Sapphire Verandah Suites are a delightful addition to Crystal Serenity, which has long needed a bigger array of suites to please its well-heeled passengers.

Those who want something even bigger than a Sapphire Verandah Suite will find four massive, 1,372-square-foot Crystal Penthouses on the vessel and six 806-square-foot Junior Crystal Penthouses. The latter is an all-new category of cabin for the line.

The four Crystal Penthouses, one of which I toured, are truly over-the-top. Each has an elegant bedroom, an enormous bathroom with mosaic-inlaid floors and walls that evoke a Roman bath, two separate living room areas, a dining area and a butler's pantry that is essentially a miniature private kitchen with its own sink, dishwasher and microwave.

The six Junior Crystal Penthouses offer separate dining and living areas looking out over a private balcony, a bedroom with a large walk-in closet, a spacious primary bathroom, and a half-bath near the entrance for visitors.

Rounding out the ship's accommodations are 46 smaller cabins for two with balconies that measure 269 square feet. There are also 42 cabins for two without balconies that measure 215 square feet. Both cabin categories are officially called Double Occupancy Suites, though, in my book, cabins of that size aren't really suites and shouldn't be labeled as such.

The final cabin category on Crystal Serenity is its 14 Classic Staterooms, which are sold as solo cabins. At 215 square feet, they're essentially the same layout as the Double Occupancy Suites without balconies but only meant for one passenger.

The solo cabins, which I wasn't able to see, are also an entirely new category of cabin for the ship.

Other Crystal Serenity cabin tidbits:

• Every cabin has a small hair dryer and a personal safe in the closet.
• There are flat-screen televisions on the walls in bedrooms that offer a wide range of movies on demand for no extra charge. The televisions also receive live feeds from a limited number of cable networks, including CNBC, MSNBC, BBC World News, Fox News, HGTV, Food Network and Travel Channel.
• Every cabin and suite on Crystal Serenity comes with butler service (a change with the new line, as previously only higher-level cabins received butler service).
• Cabins come with pull-out minibars stocked with beer, wine, water and sodas.

Crystal Serenity restaurants and bars

As is typical for a (relatively) small luxury vessel, Crystal Serenity doesn't have a huge number of eateries. Nor are there so many bars that you won't have time to get to them all on a typical cruise. That sort of too-much-is-never-enough excess is the realm of the big mass-market ships.

But what Crystal Serenity lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. The vessel has one main dining room and two main specialty restaurants that each are about as classy and upscale as you'll find at sea — all included in the fare. There are also several casual eateries in the vicinity of the main pool on the Lido Deck. Crystal Serenity's handful of bars and lounges also are classy and refined.

In general, Crystal's cuisine and drinks offerings are high-end, as you'd expect for a luxury product, and served with the sort of elegance and flair that is only found at the best luxury resorts on land or sea.

Restaurants

While I was only on Crystal Serenity for six nights, I was able to visit every food outlet on board — something made possible by the ship's relatively intimate size.

The main dining room on the vessel, and the spot where you'll eat at least a few, if not most, of your dinners, is Waterside. On Deck 5, just off the ship's central plaza, it serves up what the line calls modern international cuisine for dinner in an elegant setting.

We're talking such dishes as sauteed tiger prawns with creamed orzo, broccolini and candied bacon; or broiled lemon sole floating in a shallow dill-and-cockles chowder with snow peas and confit potatoes. More traditional items, such as grilled black Angus sirloin steak with Bearnaise sauce, also appear on the menu, which changes nightly.

Waterside is also open for breakfast and lunch — the place to go when you want something a little more formal for breakfast or lunch than a quick bite at one of the casual eateries on the Lido Deck. The breakfast menu offers everything from eggs Benedict, Belgian waffles and other breakfast classics to a crab omelet (a Waterside breakfast signature). Lunch brings its own enticing array of mouth-watering dishes, from pan-fried rainbow trout with almond-caper butter to lamb kofte.

Still, as wonderful as Waterside is (and for a main restaurant on a cruise ship, it truly is wonderful), the culinary star of Crystal Serenity always has been and remains Umi Uma, the innovative Japanese-Peruvian restaurant created by legendary master chef Nobuyuki (Nobu) Matsuhisa. It's an eatery that was on Crystal Serenity for many years before its overhaul, and it has thankfully made a comeback under the ship's new owners — albeit with an all-new look.

Luckily, the overhaul did not extend to the menu. All of the insanely fabulous, melt-in-your-mouth Nobu specialties, such as Matsuhisa's signature Nobu-style black cod marinated in Saikyo miso, baby peach and young ginger, and Wagyu beef filet steak, are all still there.

Note that while unlimited dining at Waterside on Crystal Serenity is included in the fare, passengers only get to visit Umi Uma once per cruise for free for sailings of 11 days or fewer. For sailings of more than 11 days, two complimentary reservations are included.

If you want additional reservations at Umi Uma, you can sign up for another turn, on a space-available basis, for $50 per person. This is basically a crowd-control measure, as otherwise, everyone on board would want to eat there every night. It's that good. If you can get a second or third reservation, grab it. Matsuhisa's restaurants on land can easily set you back $300 or more a couple, so even a $50 per person charge here is an incredible bargain.

The new entrant to Crystal's scene is Osteria d'Ovidio, a high-end Italian eatery that takes the place of Prego, another Italian restaurant that was in the same location for years leading up to the line's shutdown in 2022. Like Umi Uma, it was completely gutted and rebuilt during the ship's overhaul in early 2023 and looks brand new. It also has a new menu focused on Northern Italian cuisine.

I sampled half a dozen of Osteria d'Ovidio's new dishes during a special night of tastings, and there wasn't a bad item in the bunch. The standout, if I had to choose, was the tortello di stracotto di manzo, a wrapped pasta filled with braised beef, fig vincotto (a type of fig molasses) and gorgonzola cheese. It may be my new favorite pasta.

Also, whatever you do if you dine here, order the caffe nocciola e caramello salato dessert. Run that through the Google translator if you must know what it is in advance — or trust me. It'll melt in your mouth.

Crystal Serenity trivia: Osteria d'Ovidio is named after Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio, the new controlling owner of Crystal. A familiar name in the cruise business, Lefebvre d'Ovidio owned luxury line Silversea Cruises for many years, until he sold it to Royal Caribbean Group (the parent company of Royal Caribbean).

Notably, Lefebvre d'Ovidio already has a series of restaurants on ships named after him, but not on Crystal or Silversea ships. Lefebvre d'Ovidio's friend Torstein Hagen, chairman of upscale cruise line Viking , has named the high-end Italian eateries on all of Viking's ocean ships Manfredi's in honor of him.

My take: Any restaurant with at least a portion of Lefebvre d'Ovidio's name in it must be destined to be a star. The Manfredi's eateries on Viking ships (which Lefebvre d'Ovidio had a hand in creating with Hagen) were until now my favorite Italian eateries at sea. Now the new Osteria d'Ovidio on Crystal Serenity joins them atop my pantheon of all-time great Italian restaurants on ships. It's an Italian eatery that even my judgy Italian grandmother would have loved.

Like Umi Uma, Osteria d'Ovidio only can be visited once per cruise for free for sailings of 11 days or fewer. After that, there's a $50 per person charge to dine there on a space-available basis. Again, this is mostly for crowd control.

Other eateries on Crystal Serenity include Marketplace, a casual buffet, and The Trident Grill, serving cooked-to-order burgers and hot sandwiches. Both are steps away from the ship's main pool on Deck 12, as is Tastes Kitchen & Bar. The latter serves a mix of classic lunch dishes from around the world at lunchtime — everything from stir-fried egg noodles and a grilled Reuben sandwich to chicken quesadillas and a shrimp Caesar salad. Dinnertime is when the eatery really shines, though.

Designed as a casual alternative to the more formal dining spots on the ship, Tastes offers a dinner menu of elevated, globally inspired dishes in a relaxed, top-of-the-ship setting. All of the dishes, which include ahi tuna poke, hamachi crudo, oven-roasted cauliflower, ricotta gnocchi, California street tacos and chimichurri steak, are placed in the middle of the table and meant to be shared.

There's also a nearby counter serving handmade Italian gelato.

Trident Grill and Tastes are side-by-side on a top deck covered with a glass magrodome that can slide open when the weather is pleasant.

In addition, on Deck 6, just off the central atrium, passengers will find a Parisian-inspired cafe serving espresso drinks and light snacks throughout the day (this is the place to get your coffee fix). In the morning, there's a self-serve continental breakfast here, arrayed along a buffet on one end of the room. The afternoon brings a spread of cold cuts, scrumptious cakes, cannoli and other desserts, and fruit.

Finally, Crystal Serenity has a special 14-seat dining room called the Vintage Room that guests can book for exclusive private dinners that combine an elegant set menu of five to seven dishes with wine pairings for each course. Seven-course meals in the room, including wines, are presented over about three hours in the room and cost $300 per person.

A shorter five-course food and wine pairing in the Vintage Room is available for $220 per person. Occasional seven-course meals overseen by celebrity chefs that sail on the ship cost $1,100 per person, including wine pairings.

Bars and lounges

Some cruise ships have so many bars and lounges that you have trouble visiting them all on a typical seven-night cruise. Crystal Serenity isn't one of them. If you're out for a drink on Crystal Serenity, you're probably heading to just one of three places: Crystal Cove, Avenue Saloon or the Palm Court & Sunset Bar.

At the base of Crystal Serenity's two-deck-high atrium, Crystal Cove is the ultimate social hub for the ship, the place you go when you want to meet all the new friends you're making on board for a pre-dinner cocktail or a nightcap afterward. Open from late morning until the wee hours, it offers live music for much of the day, starting as early as lunchtime and continuing through midnight. The entertainment is low-key enough that you can maintain a conversation with your companions.

On a typical night at Crystal Cove, you might find a saxophonist playing in the early evening, followed by a pianist and a violinist and then a pianist and a singer, capped off by a singer with a guitar.

Avenue Saloon, at the back of the ship on Deck 6, is a cozy venue. Its dark wood and leather-lined walls, heavy red-upholstered barrel chairs and turned-down lights create the air of a speakeasy. You feel like you want to order a whiskey drink here, and indeed, it's home to both a special Manhattan menu and a Negroni menu. It also serves as the ship's piano bar, with a pianist playing most nights.

If you're a cigar smoker, the adjacent Connoisseur Club is the place for you. The clubby hideaway is the cliche of a cigar and pipe smoking den with dark-wood paneling, leather sofas, paisley fabric-covered wingback chairs and high-end single-malt Scotch, Armagnac and Cognac for sale as well as hand-rolled cigars from around the world. Sinatra plays in the background. It is, notably, the only place on the ship you can smoke a cigar or pipe.

For a bar with a view, you'll want to head up to the faux palm tree-filled Palm Court & Sunset Bar, which is at the top of the ship on Deck 12 overlooking the bow.

While not staffed nearly as many hours as the other bars (on my voyage, bar service was only available from 5 to 10:30 p.m.), the Palm Court offers sweeping views of the ocean from floor-to-ceiling windows that wrap around 270 degrees. Palm Court also is where Crystal offers a formal afternoon tea service on sea days accompanied by a pianist and a violinist.

Home to one of the ship's biggest dance floors, the Palm Court often has live entertainment and dancing at night. One night on my sailing, an old-timey crooner sang Sinatra tunes for a half hour, accompanied by a pianist.

Crystal Serenity activities and shows

Among the major luxury lines, the original Crystal Cruises was always known for a stepped-up level of entertainment (it's long been a Crystal thing), and the new Crystal is no different. From the day of its relaunch, Crystal Serenity has been a ship that gets lively at night in a way that many luxury ships don't.

The entertainment hubs on Crystal Serenity include Galaxy Pavilion, a full-blown theater at the front of the ship on Deck 6 that offers all sorts of relatively big entertainment productions in the evening. During my sailing, for instance, it was the site of a Billy Joel tribute concert and a show by a comedian who flew in for the performance.

At the back of the same deck is yet another major entertainment venue, the Stardust Club. It's a more versatile entertainment lounge with a stage and large dance floor that offers a mix of dancing, cabaret performances and other themed events. Additionally, on select nights, Stardust opens its doors as a reservations-only Supper Club that offers an evening show with both dining and dancing.

Speaking of dancing, Crystal is one of the few cruise lines in the world that still sails with "ambassador hosts" — older gentlemen who are on hand to dance with single ladies on board. The word is they're always in hot demand. If only I knew how to dance, this would be my retirement plan.

A third entertainment space on the same deck as the Stardust Club, the Hollywood Theatre is a traditional cinema playing recently released movies and also broadcasting live sporting events at times. It's also used as a lecture hall.

For the late-night crowd, there's a small nightclub with a semi-circular bar tucked back behind the Stardust Club. Called Pulse, it doesn't get going until around midnight, assuming anyone on board is still up for it.

Combine all that with the live music at bars and lounges mentioned in the section above, and Crystal Serenity is a luxury ship where passengers can — and do — head out for a big "night on the town," so to speak. Guests usually get quite dolled up when they hit the entertainment areas of the ship at night, looking glamorous and expensive.

On plenty of luxury ships, nearly everyone is in bed by 9 o'clock in the evening. Crystal Serenity isn't one of them.

During the day, the onboard scene is more laid back. As is typical for luxury ships, the top decks of Crystal Serenity aren't loaded with the amusements you'll find on large mass-market ships. You won't find climbing walls or waterslides. Instead, what you get atop Crystal Serenity is a stylish, refined pool deck experience. If you're the kind of person who likes to lounge next to a Four Seasons hotel pool, you know what I'm talking about.

At the center of the top of the ship, a main pool area sports a large pool (the Seahorse Pool — a nod to Crystal's seahorse branding), two large hot tubs and rows of plush loungers of the sort you'd expect on a luxury vessel. Elegant modern white rattan sofas and chairs are sprinkled around under shading umbrellas.

This main pool deck was completely redone during the overhaul of the ship in 2023, with its classic teak flooring resanded, and its pool refurbished with new mosaic tile work. When you're up top on Crystal Serenity, as at so many other areas of the ship, you'll feel like you're on an all-new vessel.

The top decks of Crystal Serenity also are home to two paddle tennis courts that can double as pickleball courts, a complex known as Wimbledon Court. Six decks down, hidden at the back of the ship, you'll also find a golf lover's hideaway with driving nets, a small putting green and table tennis. Even if you don't want to use it, go in search of it, just as a game. It's tucked away so well that it's a bit of a treasure hunt to find it.

Other activity areas on the ship include a large library staffed throughout the day, a computer classroom, a shopping area that wraps around the central atrium on Deck 7 and a bridge lounge for bridge playing, tournaments and classes. (Bridge is big on Crystal ships.) The ship's entertainment staff also offers dance classes at times.

While Crystal Serenity isn't particularly focused on families, it does offer a small teen center and children's playroom on Deck 12, just off the main pool area.

In addition, the ship has a luxurious spa with 12 treatment rooms that was completely revamped in 2023.

Renamed Aurora, the spa has been recast with light-bright neutral colors, an illuminated fiber optic starlight ceiling and organic materials such as Selenite (a natural salt crystal) and silk-brushed slate stone to create a serene feel.

In addition to treatment rooms, the spa is home to a hair salon, men's and women's saunas and steam rooms, and a relaxation room.

Crystal Serenity itineraries and pricing

From September 2023 through January 2024, Crystal Serenity will be based in North America for sailings to New England, Canada and the Caribbean. After that, it'll set off on an epic, 141-day, around-the-world cruise from Miami that will continue through June 2024.

The ship will then spend the summer of 2024 sailing to Alaska out of Vancouver, British Columbia, and Seward, Alaska, before returning to the East Coast of North America for another season of sailings to New England, Canada and the Caribbean.

The 2023 and 2024 sailings to New England, Canada and the Caribbean will depart from various North American home ports, including Quebec City, Quebec; New York; Miami; Bridgetown, Barbados; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

As of the publishing of this guide, fares for Crystal Serenity sailings were starting at $3,200 per person for the least expensive cabin on a six-night sailing from Vancouver to Los Angeles. Nine-night Caribbean sailings were starting at $3,900 per person. These fares are based on double occupancy — that is, they are valid when two passengers share a room. Solo passengers pay a higher amount.

Unlike many cruise lines, Crystal doesn't charge extra for taxes, fees and port charges assessed by government agencies and port authorities (to which we say: Bravo, Crystal). Such charges are folded into its base fares.

What to know before you go

Required documents

All passengers must have valid government-issued citizenship documentation to sail. For U.S. residents, that would mean either a U.S. passport or a U.S.-issued Permanent Resident Card (also known as an Alien Registration Card). You'll also need visas for any country you'll be visiting that requires one.

Passports must be valid for at least six months and have blank pages available for entry and exit stamps. Note that it is important that the name on your reservation be exactly as it is stated on your passport or other official proof of nationality.

Crystal includes gratuities for housekeeping staff (including butlers) and bar and restaurant staff in its fares. No additional tipping is expected.

Wi-Fi service on Crystal Serenity is relatively fast for a cruise ship and included in the fare.

Carry-on drinks policy

Unlike many cruise lines, Crystal does not restrict the amount of alcoholic or nonalcoholic drinks passengers can bring on board for personal consumption. That said, some restrictions may apply based on specific countries that the ship visits.

Smoking policy

Cigarette smoking (including electronic cigarettes and personal vaporizers) is only allowed outdoors in designated areas at the back of decks 8, 9, 10 and 11; in a small corner of the main Seahorse Pool area on Deck 12; and at the Connoisseur Club on Deck 6.

Cigar and tobacco pipe smoking is only permitted at the Connoisseur Club on Deck 6.

Smoking is forbidden in cabins and on cabin balconies.

Crystal Serenity has self-serve launderettes on every cabin deck with washing machines, dryers, irons and ironing boards. You also can pay to send out your clothes to be washed and/or pressed. As of the publishing of this guide, the cost of washing and pressing a men's dress shirt was $7; the cost of cleaning a women's long-sleeve blouse was $6. The cost of dry-cleaning slacks or pants was $9.

Electrical outlets

Crystal Serenity's cabins and suites offer both U.S.-style 110V outlets and European-style 220V outlets and USB ports at built-in cabin desks. You'll also find both types of outlets and USB ports above the nightstands on both sides of cabin beds. Americans may want to bring an adapter for charging devices in public rooms where the outlets are all European-style.

The onboard currency is the U.S. dollar.

As is typical for cruise ships, Crystal Serenity operates on a cashless system, with any onboard purchases you make posting automatically to your onboard account. You'll receive a plastic keycard upon embarkation that you can use to make charges. This same card also gets you into your cabin.

Drinking age

You generally must be 21 or older to consume alcohol on Crystal Serenity. One exception: During sailings in Europe, passengers as young as 18 are allowed to consume beer and wine.

During the day, the dress code is "day casual," which for Crystal means sundresses, elegant shorts, jeans; T-shirts, polo shirts or blouses; or linen clothing. Swimsuits with cover-ups also are acceptable when dining near the pool at the Trident Grill, Tastes and Marketplace eateries.

Note that swimwear on its own, wet swimwear, revealing clothing, bathrobes, bare feet, tank tops, baseball caps, and clothes bearing any offensive messages are not permitted.

During the evenings, the official dress code steps up to what Crystal calls "evening resort." For women, that means dresses, skirts, pants, blouses or sweaters, dark-wash jeans with no rips, or tailored dress shorts. For men, it's button-down shirts, collared polo shirts, sweaters or smart designer sweatshirts, dark-wash jeans with no rips (only when accompanied by a jacket), chinos, and a sports jacket or blazer (the latter being optional). In addition, men can wear tailored shorts but only when dining in the casual Tastes restaurant.

Flip-flops, swimwear and hats are not allowed in the evenings.

In addition, on cruises of seven nights or more, there will be at least one optional ship-wide formal night where women are expected to turn out in cocktail dresses, gowns, pantsuits or elegant skirts and blouses. For men, the formal night dress guideline is a suit or tuxedo, with a tie being optional.

Related: The ultimate guide to packing for a cruise

Bottom line

Crystal Serenity isn't the newest luxury cruise ship on the market. But after a major overhaul in early 2023, part of a relaunch of the Crystal brand under new owners, it's back to being one of the leading luxury ships at sea.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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10 Luxury Cruise Lines That Will Make You Want to Ditch Plane Travel Forever

Posted: May 30, 2024 | Last updated: May 30, 2024

Thinking about booking your next dream vacation? As stunning as land-locked adventures and beautiful hotels can be, there’s something to be said about sailing the seas. Fortunately for us, nowadays, there are cruise ships that far exceed the family-fun agenda of the classic companies so often advertised on TV. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with those cruise liners, there’s something special about not only traversing the ocean but doing so decked out to the nines. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up the best luxury cruise lines of 2023. Ahead, uncover the company that best aligns with your idea of the ultimate water-bound getaway.

Silversea is the “jewel in the crown” of the Royal Caribbean Group, not to mention the original luxury cruise line, first entering the space in 1994. The company touts 12 all-inclusive ships with destinations all over the world. Whether you want to explore the American West Coast, South America, Northern Europe and the British Isles, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, or even Antarctica, Silversea has a cruise to fit your fancy.

Speaking of fancy, the most luxurious cruise that Silversea offers is its 125-Day Chile to Norway sail, which rings up at $94,700. You don’t have to invest that much to enjoy a Silversea cruise, though. No matter which type of suite you book, you can expect butler service, optional 24/7 in-suite dining, endless access to premium beverages and craft cocktails, and complimentary caviar around the clock.

Explore Silversea Cruises

Paul Gauguin

Paul Gaugin stands out for its single-ship escapade into the luxury cruise space. With a variety of cruises that explore French Polynesia and the South Pacific, Paul Gauguin is a small-ship cruise line with 7-, 10-, 11-, and 14-night itineraries that focus on intimate experiences, delectable cuisine, stunning stateroom balcony views, butler service, and more. With a 1:1.5 crew-to-guest ratio, you can rest assured knowing that all of your needs will be met aboard the m/s Paul Gauguin.

Explore Paul Gauguin Cruises

Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours

Scenic is unique in that it not only offers luxury ocean cruises but river cruises, too. The brand prides itself on operating and innovating with guest experience in mind. As such, all of its cruises have so much to offer voyagers, from extensive dining, leisure, and wellness options to striking design elements that will make you want to stay aboard for much longer than your itinerary.

Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours has nine ships with oceanic destinations spanning from the Arctic and Europe to the Caribbean and Australia. Meanwhile, if you find yourself in France, you may want to check out Scenic’s beloved river cruises, in which you can tour the Seine in the utmost style.

Explore Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours

Ponant has a fleet of 13 luxury cruise ships with destinations dotting the globe. The award-winning French cruise line is beloved for its tailor-made voyages, in which guests have access to myriad bespoke experiences both on and off board, from in-room dining to once-in-a-lifetime immersive excursions.

Since Ponant ships offer smaller capacity—more akin to a private yacht experience—they’re able to navigate private ports and preserved locations that large-scale cruise ships are unable to access. While aboard Ponant’s all-inclusive ships, you can anticipate exceptional French cuisine, delicious fine wines, complimentary Champagne and spirits, room service, and more.

Of course, if you need further inspiration to look into the cruise line, perhaps the fact that three-mast yacht, Le Ponant, is part of the Relais & Châteaux portfolio will do the trick.

Explore Ponant Cruises

Crystal is renowned for its personalized voyages all over the world, not to mention its palatial suites that will leave you picking your jaw up off the floor. In addition to well-appointed design, the cruise line offers an impressive dining experience, with authentic cuisines from all over the world. So whether you’re in the mood for American, Italian, Peruvian, or Japanese food, you’ll have ample options to choose from.

It’s also worth mentioning that the luxury cruise line took it to the next level with its spa, Aurora Spa. The gorgeous, sea-view spa offers a variety of face, body, salon, and healing treatments, including massages, facials, acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and even IV drip therapy—so you won’t have to worry about feeling hung over at sea (especially considering the cruise line offers complimentary Champagne, fine wines, and premium spirits).

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Windstar Cruises

Windstar Cruises operates a six-ship fleet dedicated to extraordinary sailing experiences. With small ships that carry less than 350 passengers, Windstar prides itself on offering guests intimate, aesthetic, unforgettable voyages spanning from Asia and Australia to Italy and Iceland.

While the staterooms and suites are stunning and the shore excursions are aplenty, it’s the food that really stands out aboard Windstar. As the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation, Windstar offers a number of themed culinary cruises with food and bev from some of the most notable chefs of today, including Maxime Bilet (The Cooking Lab) and Jose Mendin (Pubbelly Noodle Bar, Habitat, Baja Bao).

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The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

The Ritz-Carlton is synonymous with luxury, so it’s no surprise that the company extended into oceanic adventures with a fleet of three superyachts. Where the Evrima was built in 2021, the Ilma and Luminara yachts are forthcoming in 2024 and 2025.

While classic cruise lines have a capacity in the thousands, often edging upward of 4,000, the Ritz-Carlton superyachts offer a more curated experience to 500 passengers or less. From the outside, the yachts are sleek and serene, fitting in beautifully with the sea. Within Evrima’s walls, though, moody modern interiors with magnificent ocean views await.

Guests can look forward to soaking tubs, expansive private balconies complete with sun beds and a whirlpool, walk-in wardrobes, and more. As far as destinations are concerned, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection embarks on oceanic adventures in the Mediterranean and Caribbean.

Explore The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Cruises

Seabourn is a luxury cruise line that speaks to our soul—and for more reasons than the simple fact that it touts a “Veranda Suite Upgrade.” The luxury cruise line sets sail in the Arctic, Canada and New England, the Amazon, Arabia, Africa, and India, and more.

Each of the fleet’s yachts, which carry between 458 and 600 guests, is outfitted with ocean-view suites only, so no matter what excursion you book, you can anticipate traveling in luxury style with a picturesque backdrop. You can also look forward to mouth-watering cuisine courtesy of renowned chef Thomas Keller.

Explore Seabourn Cruises

Cunard is known for its iconic black funnels, yes, but more so for its unparalleled large-scale onboard experiences. Although each of the cruise line’s ships carries upwards of 1,500 passengers, the four-ship fleet is adored for its luxury itineraries, stylish design, tranquil spa offerings, delectable cuisine, and unmatched comfort at sea.

Truly, if your goal is to book an unforgettable, Instagram-worthy cruise, Cunard is the way to go. From the stunning suites (decked out in pops of rich color, sumptuous textiles, and spectacular lighting) to the picturesque destinations, Cunard has it all.

Explore Cunard Cruises

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

If you want to get the most bang for your buck when booking a luxury cruise, Regent Seven Seas Cruises is a prime pick. The all-inclusive cruise line crafts a new definition of the category with complimentary roundtrip airfare, free unlimited shore excursions, include 2- to 3-night land programs, on-the-house bar and lounge experiences, and more.

The six-fleet cruise line is also known for its gorgeous interiors, complete with modern aesthetics, Art Deco embellishments, stunning chandeliers, and more. When traveling with Regent Seven Seas Cruises, guests can traverse the seven seas, with destinations in Africa and Arabia, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the Caribbean and more. And if you don’t want to pick a single destination, there’s always the option to book a grand voyage or world cruise, which can last up to 168 days and cost upwards of $100,000.

Explore Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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Three oceans in 149 days: Silversea's new world cruise features its most destinations ever

Silversea Cruises is known for epic globe-spanning itineraries. But the luxury line’s 2027 world cruise will take guests to more destinations than ever.

The voyage will feature highlights of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans over about five months. Passengers will visit 80 destinations – many of which the line has not previously included on a world cruise – in 35 countries.

“Calling in more destinations than any voyage in Silversea’s history, we proudly unveil The Three Oceans World Cruise 2027, which broadens our industry-leading offering of extended voyages,” the line’s president, Bert Hernandez, said in a news release . “Traveling aboard Silver Dawn, one of the smallest ships to embark on a World Cruise, our guests will venture off the beaten path to 80 destinations on five continents over 149 days, with the longest stays in port of any World Cruise.”

When is Silversea’s 2027 world cruise?

The cruise will depart on Jan. 8, 2027, from Los Angeles. Silver Dawn, which can accommodate 596 guests, will end the voyage on June 7 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Where will the cruise sail?

Passengers will first spend 46 days sailing from Los Angeles to Brisbane, Australia, stopping in ports like Hilo and Kahului in Hawaii, Moorea and Bora Bora in French Polynesia and more along the way.

“As well as having the opportunity to visit the UNESCO-listed Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, guests will enjoy a bespoke World Cruise event on this beautiful archipelago, honoring ancient Polynesian seafarers at a sunset ho'olaule'a in Honolulu, with traditional fare, tropical libations, and a night of stargazing,” Silversea said in the release.

From Brisbane, the ship will head to Cape Town, South Africa. The ship will visit destinations like Singapore and the Maldives before guests spend a week on a “deep dive” into South Africa. On the final leg of the journey, passengers will explore other parts of Africa and the Mediterranean on their way to Northern Europe.

Other programming includes safari experiences, an overland trip to southern Africa’s Victoria Falls and a night of music at St. Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The itinerary features 11 overnight stops in ports such as Cairns, Australia; Colombo, Sri Lanka; and Bordeaux, France, as well.

Short vs. long cruises: Which one is right for you?

How much does the cruise cost?

Pricing info will be available on June 10. Silversea’s 2026 world cruise – which will sail for 140 days, also on Silver Dawn – currently starts at just under $89,000 per person based on double occupancy.

The cruise will be available for presale to members of Silversea’s Venetian Society loyalty program on June 20. Bookings will open for the general public on June 27. Passengers will receive perks like laundry service, spa treatments and more.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach him at [email protected].