For more than 30 years Crystal has been offering an unwavering, unparalleled standard of excellence and luxury making it the ‘world’s most awarded luxury cruise line’. Since 1990, the company has been committed to providing industry-leading standards in service, space, quality, choices and destinations, and today it is the only cruise line to offer experiences by ocean, river, yacht and expedition.
Discover Crystal… Where luxury is personal
Founded in 1989 as Crystal Cruises, the company established the first true luxury travel experience at sea with the launch of its first ocean ship, Crystal Harmony. Since Crystal Harmony’s maiden voyage in 1990, it has been the Crystal Cruises credo to continue to best itself with exceeding levels of service, space, quality and choices aboard its ocean ships. Sailing innovative global itineraries to virtually every corner of the earth, the luxury cruise line offers travelers unforgettable vacation experiences highlighted by the company’s unique brand of personal touches and attention to detail.
Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity
At 51,044 and 68,870 tons, respectively, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity are approximately half the size of mass-market mega-ships, yet large by luxury cruise ship standards. The two ships focus on considerable personal and public space throughout, with among the highest space and crew-to-guest ratios in the industry.
Guest accommodations are appointed with plush amenities and state-of-the-art conveniences in all categories, with no inside staterooms and nearly all staterooms and Penthouses featuring private verandahs.
In 2017, Crystal Symphony underwent her most comprehensive dry dock redesign in her history, which added more butler-serviced Penthouses and Penthouse Suites and effectively reduced her guest capacity to 848, thereby increasing the crew-to-guest ratio even further. The newly added Seabreeze Penthouse with Verandah and Seabreeze Penthouse Suite with Verandah were converted from pre-existing verandah staterooms.
In 2018, Crystal Serenity emerged from an extensive redesign with the addition of 36 new Seabreeze Penthouses and two Seabreeze Penthouse Suites, effectively reducing the ship’s capacity from 1,070 guests to 980 guests. The new accommodations offer the same personal butler service, specialty services, walk-in closets, spa-like bathrooms and spacious square footage as the other Penthouses on board.
The newly added Seabreeze Penthouse categories on both ships also feature unique entries, which are shared between two suites and recessed from the hallway. This enables a seamless design for connecting two suites for larger families upon request.
Penthouse accommodations offer guests enhanced all-inclusive Crystal amenities, including butler service and in-room specialty dining, and unlimited complimentary dining at the onboard specialty restaurants. The suites also feature full sofas, walk-in closets, separate showers and Jacuzzi tubs and sophisticated sound-systems. The most lavish accommodations – the Crystal Penthouse – feature separate living rooms, dining areas, and guest bathrooms. Larger verandahs are completely private and are furnished with comfortable chairs and an outdoor table, and master baths with full-sized Jacuzzis have ocean views.
All guest accommodations aboard Crystal ships feature queen-size or twin beds with 100% Egyptian cotton sheets, plush duvets, and feather bed toppings upon request. Large closets with both padded and wooden hangers, ample drawer space, designer ETRO bath products and bathrobes, fresh fruit and flowers, unlimited complimentary bottled water and soft drinks, plush slippers, umbrellas, tote bags, and English mohair lap blankets are standard with every stateroom. A Pillow Menu offers a choice of four different pillow types, each designed to cater to the individual wishes and comforts of guests.
High-tech amenities include unlimited free Wi-Fi, state-of-the-art HD flat-panel TVs, an ondemand system with a vast library of blockbuster films and entertainment, laundry and dry-cleaning service (or guests can use complimentary guest laundry facilities), twice-daily housekeeping, and complimentary 24-hour in-stateroom dining.
Globally-Inspired Culinary Experiences
Creativity, the freshest ingredients, ambiance and choices are at the heart of the extraordinary Crystal culinary experience. From elaborate multi-course feasts to casual small bites meant to be shared, Crystal Cruises’ talented chefs showcase the ships’ global itineraries through artfully prepared Michelin-inspired cuisine in diverse venues throughout the ships.
During her 2017 redesign, Crystal Symphony enjoyed a dining evolution, as brand new restaurants and an open dining concept debuted, affording guests new choices of global cuisine and the freedom to dine at their leisure with more flexibility. Crystal Serenity followed suit during her 2018 makeover.
Waterside, the main central dining venue on board, serves menus of classic specialties and modern twists on beloved favorites, elaborate desserts and fine wines and premium spirits and cocktails. Remarkably, the venue never repeats a menu – even on the 100+-day World Cruise – meaning fresh choices each day and evening for guests.
Marketplace and Churrascaria. The daytime and evening options feature an open kitchen concept with dishes made to order. Marketplace features a vast buffet style breakfast and lunch service. In the evening the space is transformed to Churrascaria, a Brazilian-style grill with traditional tapas, ceviche, salads and grilled meats presented tableside by Crystal “gauchos” on sword-like skewers.
Umi Uma & Sushi Bar. The rebranded specialty restaurant from Master Chef Nobu Matsuhisa serves his signature inspired cuisine prepared by chefs personally trained by Nobu. Umi Uma remains the only Nobu restaurant at sea.
Prego is inspired by the famous cuisines of Venice and Rome, and offers a charming and romantic spot for dining over Black Angus beef carpaccio, signature mushroom soup and an array of handmade pastas.
Silk Kitchen & Bar serves full service lunch and dinner of modern Chinese comfort food. The family-style plates are ideal for sharing, with self-service options available for breakfast.
Trident Bar & Grill. The daytime grill with full bar serves breakfast options for late risers until 11:30, then transforms into a casual lunch and early evening venue, serving burgers, veggie and chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, tuna melts and gourmet pizzas. The adjacent ice cream bar (called Scoops on Crystal Serenity) is the go-to spot for sweets on demand, serving Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and soft serve, with an array of toppings and freshly baked cookies.
The European-inspired Bistro is a centrally located, all-day hub for freshly brewed espresso drinks, variety of teas and wine as well as an evolving selection of light breakfast and lunch options and pastries and indulgent desserts in the evenings.
Palm Court is where guests can enjoy traditional afternoon tea with canapés in sunlit elegance, with sweeping views and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Stardust Supper Club on Crystal Serenity is a brand new dining experience reminiscent of the era of the Rat Pack. It debuts on black-tie-optional evenings in the Stardust Club and features a four-course menu, live musical performances from Crystal’s Ensemble and string quartet. Cuisine reflects specialties served in Waterside, with wine pairings and desserts as well as a vegetarian menu.
The Vintage Room, which is offered by reservation only, hosts just 12 or 14 guests (on Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, respectively). It is a private dining room which sets the scene for elaborate winemakers’ dinners. Specially selected wines are paired perfectly with multiple courses for an extravagant dining adventure. This only non-inclusive dining option on board can be reserved in advance for approximately $200 per person, depending on the wines featured.
In August 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Crystal cancelled all cruises as its parent company Genting Hong Kong had suspended payments to creditors. Following the insolvency of Genting Hong Kong, Crystal suspended operations in January 2022. In June 2022 A&K Travel Group Ltd., or Abercrombie and Kent, a luxury travel company based in Great Britain, bought the former Crystal Cruises and two of its ships. A&K Travel Group is owned by Geoffrey Kent and Heritage (chaired by Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio who is the former owner of Silversea Cruises). The group plans to relaunch the luxury cruise line in 2023.
To discover the world-renowned Crystal Experience on board Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity visit crystalcruises.com.
