Crystal Cruises To Cover All The Bases in Luxury Travel

Crystal Esprit

A quarter of a century after Crystal Cruises set its course at sea with the launch of its first ship, the luxury cruise line is charting a new, much more vast, route. Crystal's president and CEO, Edie Rodriguez and Chairman Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay have announced Crystal's plans for the most significant brand expansion in the history of luxury travel and hospitality. Over the next three years, Crystal Cruises will introduce new ships—effectively establishing three brand new classes of Crystal-style cruising—as well as its own Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. In their announcement, Rodriguez and Tan Sri Lim made it clear that the line's new parent company, Genting Hong Kong, is investing in maintaining Crystal's reputation and writing a new chapter in the continuing story of Crystal Cruises. The Chairman stated, "Our intent is to make Crystal Cruises the core of what will become the world's premier luxury hospitality and lifestyle brand portfolio, not only for the immediate future but for years to come."

In her announcement, Rodriguez shared her enthusiasm about the expansion of Crystal Cruises, saying, "We continue to think bigger, aiming to create unparalleled luxury experiences and adventures for our loyal and new guests, who—like Crystal—continue to seek broader horizons and new perspectives on the world." She added, "We are ecstatic to continue pioneering new areas of luxury travel. Crystal's newly expanded fleet will truly be travelers' passport to virtually the entire world." The stunningly ambitious timeline of new Crystal products begins at the end of 2015.

Crystal Yacht Cruises—December 23, 2015
Late this year, Crystal Esprit, Star Cruises' former MegaStar Taurus, will embark on its maiden voyage as the first expansion of the Crystal Cruises fleet. The vessel is an extravagantly appointed yacht, delivered to Crystal Cruises by Genting Hong Kong (GHK), and extensively redesigned to reflect the stylish elegance for which Crystal is renowned. The 62-guest, 3,300-tonnage yacht will offer intimate, exclusive, and immersive experiences with a boutique ambiance. The all-suite yacht will feature high-end finishes and modern technology, and is outfitted with some decidedly extreme features, like a two-passenger submarine, four 10-passenger zodiacs for special excursions, and a 12-passenger Wider 32-foot super yacht tender for special boating adventures. Additional water toys include water skis, wake boards, kayaks, jet skis, fishing, scuba, and snorkel equipment

Set for delivery in November 2015, Crystal Esprit marks the debut of the new all-inclusive Crystal Yacht Cruises program, which will sail regional, warm-water itineraries of seven days and offer thrilling experiences on water and ashore. The first voyage sails Dec 23, 2015, exploring the Seychelles Islands, followed by an inclusive, post-cruise New Year's Eve celebration at the Taj Dubai Hotel. For 2016 and 2017, and early 2018, Crystal Esprit routes will explore the Seychelles Islands, the Dubai region, and the Adriatic Coast.

Crystal River Cruises—2017
The spring of 2017 brings more growth with Crystal River Cruises. Featuring expertly curated itineraries, Crystal River Cruises will offer the hallmarks of the all-inclusive Crystal experience—six-star service, world-class dining, and enriching shore-side adventures. Spacious suites with exquisitely designed interiors and elegant public rooms will punctuate Crystal's entry into worldwide river cruising.

Crystal Luxury Air—2017
Also in 2017, Crystal's brand of Six-Star luxury will soar to new heights with the launch of Crystal Luxury Air, becoming the first in the luxury travel industry to offer extravagant around-the-world trips on the world's most advanced twin-aisle Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The plush aircraft, which typically seats 300, will fly 60 guests in fully reclining business class seats to coveted destinations to which major airlines do not offer nonstop service. Each approximately 28-day itinerary will visit 10-12 remote and/or sought-after locales, with accommodations at some of the world's finest hotels and resorts; cuisine prepared by celebrity chefs inspired by the destination; and world-class cultural entertainment.

Ocean Vessels: "Crystal Exclusive Class"—Late 2018

Crystal Exclusive Class Cruise Vessel

Crystal Cruises also returns its focus to the seas, with three new "Crystal Exclusive Class," cruise ships, with the first expected for delivery in late 2018. Genting Hong Kong has signed a letter of intent with Lloyd Werft in Germany to build the polar ice class vessels.

With the introduction of these new vessels, Crystal will be the first-ever cruise line to deliver expedition-capable ships with all the signature features and amenities of a large luxury ship. The all-suite, all balcony ship will accommodate 1,000 guests, similar to the capacity on Crystal Symphony (922) and Crystal Serenity (1,070), and weigh more than 100,000 gross tons with an extremely high passenger-to-space ratio.

Additionally, for the first time ever, guests will have the opportunity to call a Crystal ship "home," with innovative Crystal Residences. Situated on the top deck of the new ships will be 48 unique homes, boasting their own private restaurant, reception and facilities, and much higher ceilings (9 feet) than residences on any other cruise ships or yachts; and equal to most land apartments. Residences will start at 600 square feet and go to more than 4,000 square feet of interior living area, which will be the largest on the high seas.

Other revolutionary features being introduced on Crystal's new vessels are: a whopping 400 square feet minimum for the guestroom suites—nearly doubling the size on other luxury vessels; increased ceiling heights by one f00t to 8 feet in all suites and decks; raising the bar on personal attention and service with 1,000 crew members on the ships to provide an unheard of one-to-one crew-to-guest ratio; an abundance of mouthwatering options centered on the art and expertise of Michelin-starred and celebrity chefs; and intrepid yacht-like amenities including submarines, helicopters and zodiacs.

Sounds like a very ambitious plan to capture the attention of the luxury market. We wish them well and look forward to seeing if they succeed on the seas, rivers, and land, as well as in the air.

Images Courtesy Crystal Cruises