If you book a cruise on Crystal Serenity, you’ll mostly find the same butlers, room stewardesses, wait staff and front desk workers that have wowed customers for years with their next-level service - a service level so exquisite and intuitive that it has long been the talk of the cruise world. And the big news for Crystal fans as the line restarts is that more than 80% of the crew has returned. There was always something special about the crew on Crystal ships. What I loved about Crystal Serenity The remarkable crew These are the building blocks on which true luxury cruising is built. With its passenger count down, its crew-to-passenger ratio is also through the roof at around 1-to-1. Specifically, it’s at 93, far above the 60 to 75 that is typical for luxury ships.
That means its “space ratio” - a fancy cruise world term that refers to the amount of space on the ship per passenger - is at an almost unprecedented level for a cruise vessel. Originally built for 1,080 passengers, Crystal Serenity is now configured to hold just 740 passengers - even as the size of its public areas (lounges, bars, restaurants, etc.) hasn’t changed. As a result, the ship now has far fewer but far bigger cabins than it once did. This was on top of an overhaul of other cabin areas several years ago. Unveiled in 2003, the 68,870-ton Crystal Serenity has been made even more luxurious during an overhaul in dry dock that was so long - around six months - that it allowed for an almost complete rebuilding of significant parts of the ships.įor starters, two whole cabin decks were completely gutted to rip out relatively small cabins and replace them with much bigger suites. Still, it’s a reincarnation that comes, as noted above, with a massive transformation for Crystal Serenity and the other former Crystal Cruises ship that is relaunching - Crystal Symphony. The old soul of Crystal Cruises is back in a new form. If it’s not a rebirth of Crystal Cruises, it’s at least a reincarnation.
You’ll also find many of the same senior staff and crew on those ships as before.įor cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG’s cruise newsletter. Its name is just slightly different (note it’s just Crystal, not Crystal Cruises), and it’s operating the same two main ships that once sailed for Crystal Cruises.
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts.Īnd yet the new owners of Crystal Serenity and the rights to the Crystal Cruises brand are creating a new cruise line that is about as close to the old Crystal Cruises as can be. Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter If you’re a luxury cruise lover (or a Crystal fan), that’s exciting news. But Crystal Serenity is back to rule hers, and she is looking better than ever. King Arthur may not yet have returned to rule his kingdom. But not before it poured millions of dollars into a massive overhaul of the ship that has left it sparkling - almost as if it were new. The company that bought Crystal Serenity and the rights to the Crystal brand name from the liquidators of the former company has relaunched the vessel.
Now, after an 18-month absence from the luxury cruising scene, Crystal Serenity is back and - dare I say - better than before. Some would even say it was at the pinnacle of luxury cruising: The ship that delivered the ultimate luxury cruise experience.īut then, in early 2022, it was unexpectedly gone - a victim of the collapse of the parent company of Crystal Cruises. Call it the once and future queen of luxury cruising.įor years, Crystal Serenity was one of the world’s most beloved luxury ships.
0 kommentar(er)
