News Crystal: Exceptional at Sea

Table Of Content

• MEET THE CREW: INTRODUCING VICKI VAN TASSEL, CRYSTAL'S NEW CRUISE DIRECTOR
• Port Seattle strengthens anti-trafficking efforts with major cruise lines
• Crystal Yacht Cruises
• Cruises
• Night Athens Round TripDetails
• Dining and Beverages
• New Crystal Cruises Itineraries Available By End of Year; Crew Remains Key to Restart

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Crystal’s loyalty program is known as Crystal Society and guests who have cruised with Crystal in the past are entitled to a number of onboard benefits. Details of the revamped Crystal Society are expected to be announced shortly. Guests shouldn’t expect splashy, multi-media extravaganzas, but the consistently excellent musical and comedy entertainment that happens nightly onboard both Crystal ships is well-suited to its Baby Boomer and Gen X clientele.

MEET THE CREW: INTRODUCING VICKI VAN TASSEL, CRYSTAL'S NEW CRUISE DIRECTOR

Crystal ships sail everything from short, seven-night cruises to Alaska to 141-day globe-circling voyages. Unlike mass-market lines, the company generally doesn't offer sailings of six nights or fewer. Between now and early 2025, the line has only a single voyage shorter than seven nights on its schedule — a six-night sailing from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Los Angeles.

These Cruise Lines Are Temporarily Departing the Red Sea - TravelAge West

These Cruise Lines Are Temporarily Departing the Red Sea.

Posted: Mon, 26 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Port Seattle strengthens anti-trafficking efforts with major cruise lines

Both ships carry fewer than 750 passengers in spacious rooms and suites, each of which comes with butler service. Given the ships' small sizes, the vessels are able to visit both larger ports and more off-the-beaten-path ones, giving guests a wide range of destinations to visit during their sailings. In the meantime, Crystal has announced itineraries through early 2025 for Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, including sailings in Europe, the Caribbean, Alaska, Asia, Africa, Australia & New Zealand and Canada & New England, as well as 2024 and 2025 World Cruises. Both ships underwent extensive refurbishments before their relaunch, with newly redesigned specialty restaurants and spa and fitness areas and a reconfiguration of its staterooms to create a larger number of more spacious suites. This reduced the guest capacity of Crystal Serenity to 740 from 980 and Crystal Symphony to 606 from 848. In this new era for Crystal, the cruise line’s medium-sized ships are now sailing with passenger counts typically found on small-luxury vessels.

Crystal Yacht Cruises

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. 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.

Crystal Symphony, meanwhile, will restart operations on September 1, with a sailing from Athens to Istanbul. Afterward, it’s off to Asia, Australia, and New Zealand for the rest of 2023 and into early 2024. The two vessels, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, are just the beginning for the reincarnated Crystal brand. With the tagline, "Exceptional at Sea," Crystal will sail to destinations around the world, including the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Alaska, Canada and New England and more.

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. One of the things I love about Crystal is the creativity that's offered to guests – take the art classes for example. They get very full, but no one needs to be a Picasso or a Van Gogh to attend. Guests come along and the classes become a real social gathering spot onboard, which of course leads to friendships being made.

Dining and Beverages

Long-time Crystal cruisers are greeted with hugs by crew members they’ve sailed with before—and even first-timers will feel the genuine warmth as they’re welcomed aboard. The atmospheric Avenue Saloon, where bartenders mix flavorful craft cocktails, also features nightly piano entertainment. Rather than just one musical production in the Galaxy Lounge, Crystal offers several nightly options in a variety of venues, including the cozy Crystal Cove cocktail lounge, the elegant Palm Court and the cabaret-style Stardust Club.

Crystal Cruises unveils exclusive Crystal Chairmen's Cruise for newly ferurbished Symphony

On shore, a seamless experience with unparalleled levels of service continues with Abercrombie & Kent’s 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.

For starters, they begin and end in a wide range of ports including Miami and Fort Lauderdale in Florida; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Bridgetown, Barbados. They also typically are nine to 13 nights, which is relatively long for Caribbean sailings. In some cases, these itineraries can be combined to create even longer Caribbean itineraries that are 20 nights or longer. These Caribbean voyages are considerably different, in many cases, than the typical seven-night Caribbean sailings offered by most mass-market lines.

Royal Caribbean Group also acquired another former Crystal Cruises ship, Crystal Endeavor, which joined the Silversea Cruises fleet as Silver Endeavour. "That's equally demonstrated by Geoffrey Kent over on the A&K side, with 60 years of creating the most luxurious land experiences. I can't imagine a better new ownership. They certainly have the experience and the motivation. "There will be much more to come in terms of particulars about the ships, but that's what I can tell you today," Anderson said. "There will be more of the very largest staterooms and more larger staterooms on average, which concurrently reduces the guest capacity of the ship. "Several years ago, Crystal took a deck of staterooms where there were three and converted them into two," Anderson said. " So, they became suites. Part of the current plan is to go much further in the conversion of three rooms into two. And in some cases, four into two or two into one."

A gourmet food and wine pairing restaurant that offers some of the best vintages at sea. After departing San Diego, Crystal Serenity will follow a westward path around the globe, starting with a Pacific crossing to Hawaii and French Polynesia on the way to New Zealand and Australia. From there, the vessel will head to various countries across Asia, including Indonesia and India, before sailing through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean.

Our 3,000+ square-foot Fitness Center, Weight Room and Aerobics Studio feature an extensive line of professional weights and Technogym® exercise equipment, along with panoramic views. ​We also offer Wellness program with classes in yoga, mat pilates and spinning classes. Our ships' full-time Fitness Director offers fitness advice and a variety of stretch and aerobic instruction.

The onboard concierge is also available to assist guests with bespoke experiences. Crystal Cruises' Perfect Choice Dining invites guests to reserve a table in the dining room whenever they prefer to dine. Traditional dining is also available for those who prefer eating at the same time each day during their cruise. Once guests arrive they will experience extraordinary cuisine and service that is unmatched. Crystal is renowned for their innovative menus and fresh ingredients which showcase the world's unique flavors. From regionally inspired dishes to classic favorites, their chefs will impress even the most discriminating palate.