Crystal Cruises announces unprecedented brand expansion

Crystal Cruises is charting a new route after 25 years of cruising, as the company has announced significant expansion with three new luxury brands.

Aboard the line’s annual President’s Cruise on Crystal Serenity and Chairman’s Cruise on Crystal Symphony respectively, Crystal’s president and CEO, Edie Rodriguez and Chairman Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay announced last week plans that will see the cruise line introduce new ships, as well as its own Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, by 2018.

Rodriguez and Tan Sri Lim emphasized the investment Crystal's new parent company, Genting Hong Kong, is making in maintaining the brand’s award-winning reputation.

The ambitious timeline of new Crystal products begins at the end of 2015, as the Crystal Esprit embarks on her maiden voyage on Dec. 23. Esprit is the first expansion of the Crystal Cruises fleet, a 62-guest, 3,000-tonnage yacht. It is outfitted with notable features such as 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, in addition to water skis, wake boards, kayaks, jet skis, fishing, scuba, and snorkel equipment.

Crystal Esprit marks the debut of the new all-inclusive Crystal Yacht Cruises program, which will sail regional, warm-water itineraries of seven days. The first voyage will explore the Seychelles Islands, followed by an inclusive, post-cruise New Year’s Eve celebration at the Taj Dubai Hotel.

Effective immediately for Crystal Society members (the line’s repeat guest loyalty program), 2015 – through early 2018 Crystal Yacht Cruises itineraries are exclusively available for booking through Aug. 31, 2015.  

For 2016 and 2017, and early 2018, Crystal Esprit routes for the Seychelles Islands, Dubai and Adriatic Coast.

Ocean, river, yacht and...air

The spring of 2017 brings more growth with Crystal River Cruises, taking the Crystal experience into a new space with six-star service, world-class dining, and spacious suites.

Also in 2017, the company will launch Crystal Luxury Air, offering around-the-world trips on the world’s most advanced twin-aisle Boeing 787 Dreamliner. 

The aircraft, which typically seats 300, will fly 60 guests in fully reclining Business Class seats to 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.

The final announcement will see 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 cruise line to deliver expedition-capable ships with all the signature features and amenities of a luxury ship or private yacht. 

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.

Additionally, for the first time, guests will have the opportunity to call a Crystal ship “home,” with 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 (nine 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.

Other features being introduced on Crystal’s new vessels are: a 400 square feet minimum for the suites, nearly doubling the size on other luxury vessels; increased ceiling heights by one foot to eight feet in all suites and decks; 1,000 crew members on the ships to provide one-to-one crew-to-guest ratio; the expertise of Michelin-starred and celebrity chefs; and yacht-like amenities including submarines, helicopters and zodiacs.