First look: Crystal Endeavor, the stylish new expedition cruise ship from luxury line Crystal Cruises
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Normally, when a ship first starts up operations, there are lots of little (and sometimes big) kinks in the way it operates to work out. But just a few weeks into Crystal Endeavor's operations, the service level already is about as flawless as can be. These guides will include topic experts such as geologists, ornithologists and biologists who will lecture on board as well as lead guided outings.
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Crystal sets 2026 world cruise to 27 countries on luxury ship: See the itinerary - Business Insider
Crystal sets 2026 world cruise to 27 countries on luxury ship: See the itinerary.
Posted: Thu, 07 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
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Crystal Cruises presents Themed Voyages and Special Discounts for 2024 and 2025
And that's right in the sweet spot of what luxury travelers are craving these days. Bookings open Wednesday for travel advisors and travelers who have made $500 open deposits. Other past passengers can book a cruise starting on Feb. 13, and bookings will open to the general public Feb. 22.
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On some sailings, there will be more than 20 such guides and experts on board. It's a trade-off and one that I personally wouldn't make if I was in charge of building the perfect expedition ship. Anderson said the line's eateries – there are nine on each ship – would serve "authentic food from around the globe," while Abercrombie & Kent's local experts would offer destination-specific experiences. The relaunched line's first sailing on July 31 will be a 12-night voyage from Marseille, France, to Lisbon, Portugal, on Crystal Serenity.
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 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. 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).
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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. Cabin amenities include complimentary beverages, Jacuzzi/bathtub, stationery, Wi-Fi Internet, smart UHDTV (satellite reception), electronic safe box. In June 2023 was announced that Crystal has retained ~80% of the staff/crew who served the brand under the previous ownership.
Are children allowed on Crystal Cruise ships?
"Palatial suites, spacious verandas and guest rooms have been rolled out on both ships, reducing overall guest capacity," Anderson said in the release. "Personalized service – long a Crystal signature – has been elevated further." 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.
new DIAMOND-Class ships (2022-2025/canceled)
Personally, though, I would come on Crystal with a spouse, longterm travel partner, grown-up family members, close friends, or even solo. In 2023, Serenity will sail in North America, along the New England coast in the fall and into Canada, exploring Quebec’s Saint Lawrence River. In the winter, the ship will cruise the Caribbean, stopping in ports like St. Thomas, Grand Cayman, and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Looking ahead to 2024, the ship will begin a five-continent world cruise — the first since A&K bought Crystal — cruising French Polynesia, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Africa, South America, and in Europe, winding up in the Mediterranean Sea again next summer. The 2025 lineup was just announced, too; learn more about the sailings here. The 140-night-long itinerary starts from Miami Florida (January 11, 2023) and ends in Barcelona Spain (May 31).
During July and August, Crystal Serenity will offer both round-trip sailings to Alaska out of Vancouver, British Columbia, and one-way sailings between Vancouver and Seward, Alaska. The 12-night Istanbul-to-Monaco voyage is part of a longer, 45-night itinerary from Lisbon to Monaco with stops in Spain, Morocco, France, Italy, Greece, Croatia and Turkey. Among its many offerings, Crystal has a particularly large footprint in Europe, with both vessels spending at least some time each year in the region. More than a third of Crystal's departures are to the Mediterranean, the Baltic and Northern Europe. Also of note are the educational seminars, held daily, with guest speakers who lecture on upcoming destinations and give in-depth talks into their industries — whether that’s sports, media, or “even the occasional astronaut,” per Crystal’s website.
In almost every venue, a server greeted me within minutes, asking if they could get me a drink or a snack. Wait staff circulated the pool, even on a day so windy, the water had to be drained. Servers in the restaurants were quick with recommendations, taking time to ask us about our food preferences before helping us with selections. Crystal did a yeoman’s job at hiring back its former staff, and almost every crew member we met had been with the company in its original iteration. That included our butler, who excelled at being intuitive and proactive, as opposed to reactionary. In short, Crystal is still Crystal – there’s no mistaking that you’re on a luxury cruise.
Crystal’s core clientele is solidly age 60 and older and comprises a mix of affluent professionals, cruise-loving retirees, and multigenerational families (grandparents, who are Crystal loyalists, introducing their kids and grandkids to the brand). The majority are English-speaking (Americans, Canadians, Brits, Australians) with a mix of Europeans, Asians, and South Americans, depending on the itinerary. While Crystal is a luxury cruise line, with prices that start around $4,000 per person for a seven-night sailing, the onboard vibe isn’t stuffy at all. In October 2023, Crystal announced five Grand Voyages/world cruise itineraries.
As noted above, you won't find the diverse array of restaurants and lounges on Crystal Endeavor that you'll find on the line's bigger luxury ships. Crystal Endeavor, by contrast, is much smaller -- and offers fewer venues (though maybe not as few as you might think). At just 20,200 gross tons, it's less than a third the size of the Crystal Serenity, and it holds barely a fifth as many passengers (200 versus 980). The 141-night itinerary will depart Miami on January 18, 2024, sail through the Panama Canal, then cross the Pacific to French Polynesia, Australia, and New Zealand.
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