You probably remember CRYSTAL CRUISES from their first iteration. They went bankrupt during the pandemic and were resurrected from the dead by Abercrombie & Kent along with Manfredi Lefevre D’Ovidio (of SilverSea and Sitmar Cruises fame). They are definitely back:
WHAT CRYSTAL CRUISES Does So Well
- FEWER GUESTS. The 2023 refurbishment reduced capacity : Crystal Serenity used to carry over 1000 guests, and now has 730. Crystal Symphony carries only 600.
- SPACE: As a result, your room will be larger, and there is more public space, and a near-absence of line ups on board.
- REFRESHED RESTAURANT options: BEEF BAR and UMI UMA by Nobu, are world-famous land restaurants that are included in your fare on Crystal Cruises. Osteria d’Ovidio by the Michelin rated Alajmo brothers from Italy, is a new addition to your inclusive dining.
- PRE & POST cruise options: The ownership by A & K comes through MOST strongly here. On many voyages you can do luxury pre or post cruise packages with A&K.
- SERVICE: A butler for every room, and service ship-wide is polished and thoughtful.
- NEW BUILD. Crystal’s ocean fleet has been limited to two ships for over two decades. There are 3 more ships on order of similar size, crew and guest complement as Serenity.
Where Do CRYSTAL CRUISES Sail?
- They aren’t in the polar regions, but are everywhere else.
- Crystal Cruises does long and short legs — so NOT everyone is coming and going the same day. You can stitch together segments to create your own itinerary.
Why are Crystal Cruises clients SO loyal, and what are the cherished aspects of the brand?
- CREW: All the cruise lines say this, but Crystal Cruises is clearly doing something right: it managed to get 90% of the crew to return after a two-year hiatus.
- ITINERARIES: Crystal schedules its itineraries with a series of 6 to 10 day itineraries that don’t repeat ports, so you can stitch together an itinerary that works best for you.
- BUTLERS in every suite – this personalized service is available to everyone on Crystal.
- GUEST to CREW Ratio: Crystal has only 1.1 guests to every crew member.
Who’s a Good Fit for CRYSTAL CRUISES?
- People that like attentive, intuitive service with butlers.
- Those that value space where the staterooms feel more like luxury hotel suites.
- GOLFERS: There’s a PGA Pro on every sailing, and lots of golf-related shore excursions.
- Those that like ALL-INCLUSIVE. You are given the choice of what to spend on shore excursions. Everything else is included in your base fare.
- People that prefer LAND JOURNEYS. The A&K partnership will appeal to non-cruisers.
I was incredulous when A&K decided to resurrect this brand. I thought it was badly damaged during the pandemic, and that they had old ships that wouldn’t appeal to people. I was very clearly wrong… they must be doing some things very well to inspire such loyalty by past guests.
The PODCAST: Dream-Travel-Share UNPACKED
Why do Crystal Cruises guests keep coming back—and what makes Crystal different from other luxury cruise lines?
In this episode of UNPACKED, Kim interviews Bob to take a closer look at Crystal Cruises, including Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, and explain why this revived luxury cruise brand has developed one of the most loyal followings in cruising.
In Case You Missed It:
HOW TO CHOOSE A RIVER CRUISE LINE: There’s lots of choices (particularly in Europe). Which one is best for YOU?
https://pamperedcruiser.com/how-do-you-choose-a-river-cruise-line/
COACHING YOUR YOUNGER SELF? Bob found himself contemplating the advice he’d give his younger self on a trip back to AUSTRALIA – where he lived and worked for a while as a young guy:
https://pamperedcruiser.com/reconnecting-with-my-21-year-old-self/
JAPAN: The interest and demand for JAPAN sees no signs of abating. So — what’s the best way to see it?
https://pamperedcruiser.com/japan-destination-focus/
Featured YOUTUBE Video:
CRYSTAL SERENITY SHIP TOUR: Walk around Serenity with Bob:
Remember to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel while you’re there. It really helps us, and we can produce more content for you!
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Today’s Travel Opportunities
CRYSTAL CRUISES – The Luxury of Space
CRYSTAL deploys their ships around the world, and you can stitch together itineraries without repeating ports. Best of all, they have the highest space per guest in the industry.
ALASKA: from Vancouver to Seward departing June 7 for 7 nights
- Start in Vancouver, and cruise the Seymour narrows, visit Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, the Hubbard Glacier, and finish in Seward.
- Fares from $3900
SOUTH AMERICA: from Buenos Aires to Santiago departing November 11, 2027 for 18-nights
- South America ENCOMPASSED! Visit Uruguay, Puerto Madryn, Falkland Islands, Ushuaia, Punta Arenas (overnight), 2-days in the Chilean Fjords, and then 4 port stops in Chile before finishing with an overnight in Santiago.
- Fares from $10,600
JAPAN: Hong Kong to Yokohama departing April 23 for 15-nights
- Start in Hong Kong and visit Xiamen, Shanghai, Busan, Hiroshima, Kyushu Island, Wakayama, Nagoya, and end in Yokohama (Tokyo).
- Fares from $10,000
NEW ZEALAND/AUSTRALIA: Auckland to Brisbane departing March 3 for 15-nights
- Visit Auckland, Tauranga, Napier, Wellington, Lyttleton, Dunedin, Milford Sound, Melbourne (overnight), Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane.
- Fares from $12,100
- OR stay on board for 29-nights, travelling up the Australian East Coast towards Bali, and stop in at Airlie Beach, Cairns (overnight), Papua New Guinea, Darwin, and Komodo Island before arriving in Bali for an overnight stay for an additional $9400.
ICELAND, SCOTLAND & NORMANDY: Reykjavik to Le Havre departing August 21 for 7-nights
- Start in Reykjavik and visit Faroe Islands, Kirkwall, Edinburgh, and finish in Le Havre.
- Fares from $5400
PORTUGAL & SPAIN: Lisbon to Barcelona departing April 12 for 7-nights
- Start in Lisbon and visit Gibraltar, Motril, Alicante, Valencia, Porto Mahon, and finish in Barcelona.
- Fares from $3,800
- Or stay on board for 14-nights, and also visit Saint Tropez, Monte-Carlo, Ajaccio, Portofino, Tuscany, and finish in Rome with a fare from $7,700
PACIFIC RIM: San Diego to Vancouver departing January 8 for 139 nights
- Circumnavigate the Pacific: Start in San Diego and visit the Mexican Riviera, Central America, the Pacific Coast of South America, the South Pacific and Polynesian Islands, New Zealand, Australia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Alaska, and finish in Vancouver.
- Fares from $76,200
CRYSTAL has the most loyal clientele in the industry, and is working hard to attract new clients:
- STATUS MATCH: If you’re a loyalty member on one of Crystal’s competitors, Crystal will offer 5% OFF for new guests.
- REFERRAL DISCOUNT. If you’re previous Crystal guest, and you refer someone else, those new-to-Crystal guests get 5% off their cruise AND you get the equivalent discount off YOUR next Crystal Cruise.
ABERCROMBIE & KENT – Luxury Land Vacations
A&K offers luxury land experiences all over the world, many of which are designed to pair with a CRYSTAL CRUISE.
ALASKA LAND: Fairbanks to Anchorage with DENALI for 9-days
- Start in Fairbanks, pan for gold and learn about Alaskan indigenous culture, and take deluxe dome rail car to Denali National Park for a guided hike, board a helicopter for a glacier landing, Valdez to paddle a glacial lake, cruise amid ice blue glaciers in Prince William Sound, and finish in Anchorage.
- Fares from $12,495
COSTA RICA: Family Journeys round-trip from San Jose for 10-days
- Explore in comfort and style, and take along kids or grandkids in a private group.
- Waterfalls, volcanoes, snorkelling, kayaking, jungle walks, coffee plantations, horse back riding, bird watching, surfing, nocturnal jungle walk, whale watching: It’s ALL available in Costa Rica.
- Fares from $7595 per person
UNIWORLD Boutique River Collection
Uniworld likes to experiment with different itinerary ideas, so why not try a train and riverboat experience in ITALY:
ITALY by Train & Riverboat: Sicily to Venice departing September 7, 2027 for 13-days
- Start in Taormina and visit Ragusa, Palermo, Maratea, Verona, Venice, Mazzorbo, and Chioggia
- Fares from $22,799
TULIP CRUISE: Amsterdam to Antwerp for 10-days
- Start in Amsterdam and visit Zaandam, Hoorn, Nijmegen, Rotterdam, Dordrecht, Ghent, and finish in Antwerp.
- Departures March through April from $3999
REMOTE EXPLORATIONS with HX
Outdoor ALASKA: Vancouver to Anchorage for 10-days
- You’ve been to ALASKA, but not like this. If you prefer a nature walk, or sea kayaking to the souvenir shops on the pier, this is the right choice for you. This is also a great way to check out an Expedition Cruise, not too far from home.
- Depart Vancouver, sail the Inside Passage, then to Misty Fjords, Klawock, Fjords of the Alaskan panhandle, Icy Strait Point, Glacier Bay, Valdez, Prince William Sound, and then on to Anchorage
- 2027: Departures May through July from $6153
OR – if you prefer a warm-water destination:
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS and Quito for 7-days
- 2-nights in Quito, then fly to Galapagos (included in fare) for 5 nights. Visit Mosquera Inlet, Santa Fe, South Plaza, Santa Cruz, Charles Darwin Research Station in Port Ayora, Espanola Island, Eden Islet.
- 2027: January through December from $5442
- See our video blog from when we did this trip: https://youtu.be/3F38Km2EEjQ
A NOTE on ETAs?
ELECTRONIC TRAVEL AUTHORIZATIONS (ETAs) are already in place for many countries, and there will be more. We get lots of questions about these, and they are really NOT a big deal. IT IS NOT A VISA.
COUNTRIES / REGIONS REQUIRING ETAs for US Passport Holders:
- Australia
- European Union – ETIAS (implementation delayed indefinitely)
- New Zealand
- United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales)
THE PROCESS
- Go to the website of the government of the country you are visiting, and download their official APP. There are lots of knock-offs, so make sure you’re using the official one
- Answer the required questions. You’ll need your passport number, and you’ll be asked about the purpose of your trip, and some other questions.
- Pay the fee. This is usually around $20 USD (New Zealand is more).
VIDEO RESOURCES
We’ve documented our experience when applying for these ETA’s
- United Kingdom: https://youtu.be/6NGfCqOsDKk
If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here or call 800-876-0168 to get in touch today.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
