Luxury cruise line also showcased plans to renovate interiors on Crystal Serenity
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Crystal Cruises revealed that Crystal Endeavor will feature some of the line’s signature onboard offerings, as well as new innovations designed specifically for expedition cruising, when she debuts in 2020.
Speaking at Seatrade Cruise Global in Florida, US, Crystal president and CEO Tom Wolber showcased some of the dining, enrichment, entertainment and wellness activities guests can expect onboard the 19,800gt, all-suite, purpose-built polar-class Crystal Endeavor, which will be the largest, most spacious expedition yacht in the world.
Signature Crystal venues will include The Promenade; the Apropos and Facets boutiques; Connoisseur Club cigar lounge; Crystal Cove, which will host guest speakers, pre-dinner cocktails and late-night entertainment; and Palm Court, a hub for afternoon tea, cocktails, evening entertainment, enrichment presentations and classes. Enrichment venues will include the Captain’s Lounge, the Expedition Lounge, the Helicopter Lounge and the Library. Crystal Endeavor will also boast the only casino on an expedition yacht.
Speciality dining venues will include Italian eatery Prego, European-inspired Bistro Café, Waterside, sushi restaurant Umi Uma (which will offer signature sushi from renowned chef Nobu Matsuhisa), and Asian-inspired Silk Kitchen & Bar, which will be located in the two-storey solarium during the evenings.
Wellness options will include a fully equipped fitness centre, and Crystal Life Spa & Crystal Life Salon with three treatment rooms, separate men’s and women’s steam and sauna facilities, a relaxation room, expansive mud rooms and salon services. The two-storey solarium pool deck will be enclosed under a glass-domed roof.
“Crystal’s entrance into the expedition cruising industry is a natural response to the demand from an increasing segment of travellers, craving more immersive and active experiences in lesser known destinations around the world,” said Tom Wolber, Crystal president and CEO. “Our guests will enjoy a truly unforgettable adventure onboard Crystal Endeavor, without sacrificing the standard of excellence and luxury of the Crystal brand that they know and love.”
Crystal also used to the Seatrade press conference to unveil plans to transform the interiors onboard existing luxury ocean cruise ship Crystal Serenity this October.
Set to be the most extensive redesign in the ship’s history, the three-week dry dock will see the veranda staterooms on the ship’s Penthouse Deck being fitted with 36 new Penthouses and two Penthouse Suites. Although this will reduce the ship’s capacity from 1,070 to 980 guests, the accommodation will be more spacious and offer Crystal’s signature personal butler service, walk-in closets and spa-like bathrooms.
Dining venues will also be overhauled to offer open-seat dining, updated décor, globally inspired cuisine, and new restaurants. The Marketplace and Churrascaria will be the new daytime and evening restaurants replacing the current Lido Café, offering an open-kitchen concept with dishes made to order. Meanwhile, Chinese eatery Silk Kitchen & Bar will be relocated to the current Tastes venue, which will be redecorated with new fabrics, lighting and illuminated columns and screens to create an al fresco ambiance. The Crystal Dining Room will be replaced with Waterside, which was made popular on Crystal River Cruises’ vessels and Crystal Symphony with its daily menus of international classic and modern cuisine. More intimate seating with tables for two and four will be added to the restaurant, slightly increasing the overall capacity to 500 guests.
Palm Court will also be upgraded with more intimate lounge seating, fresh carpets, new finishes and a modernised bar area. The stage will also be removed and relocated in an ‘in-the- round’ concept. Similarly, Stardust Club will receive new finishes, seating, tables, a dance floor and dynamic lighting to enable the venue to be used for multiple entertainment purposes.
Elsewhere, both the multi-purpose Studio and The Computer University@Sea and its adjoining classroom will receive new carpets, seating and equipment. This will include 70-inch TVs to enhance Crystal’s Creative Learning Institute and Crystal Visions Lecture Series.
“Our ocean vessels are the heart of the Crystal brand and represent the pillars of our company that our guests have embraced for more than 27 years,” said Wolber. “We will continue to invest in their success and with an eye to innovation and a design aesthetic that is pleasing to our guests of today and tomorrow.”