By
Rebecca Gibson |
Crystal Yacht Cruises officially christened its first vessel, Crystal Esprit, during a ceremony at Eden Island Marina in Mahé, Seychelles, on 20 December.
Lady Gaenor Meakes – the fiancée of champion sailor Mark Richards – officially named the new yacht according to maritime tradition, breaking a bottle of champagne against her hull.
The christening ceremony, which culminated in a fireworks display at sea, was attended by Edie Rodriguez, Crystal’s president and CEO, local dignitaries, yacht guests, travel partners and professionals and executives from the line’s new parent company, Genting Hong Kong.
“To say today is a special day is an understatement,” said Rodriguez. “Since joining Crystal just over two years ago, a personal goal of mine has been to see Crystal realise the next step in continuing to pioneer luxury travel and hospitality; and today I am seeing that dream fulfilled.”
Crystal Esprit departed on her sold-out inaugural voyage on 23 December.
While onboard the ship, Rodriguez also unveiled Crystal’s new ‘All Exclusive’ advertising campaign and shared its plans to expand Crystal Luxury Air – which currently has a Boeing 777-200LR and Boeing 787 Dreamliner – with an ultra-long-range ACJ319 jet and a Bombardier Global Express XRS. The new planes will service private charters and transport guests from any point in the US to the start of their Crystal ocean, river or yacht cruise destinations in the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and the Pacific.
Crystal’s private charter jet service, which will start this March, will cater to corporate executives, small groups and travellers with a preference for flexible and individual travel. The Bombardier Global Express XRS will accommodate up to 13 guests in a two-cabin configuration and feature four executive wide club seats with foldout tables, a four-place conference space opposite a single seat workstation and cabinet, laptop imagery on cabin monitors, surround sound, a high-temperature oven and an aft entertainment cabin with a 31.5 inch LCD screen.
The ACJ319 jet, which features 16 lay-flat seats, will take up to 30 travellers to Crystal destinations from summer 2016.
“With our vast choice of aircrafts, we are confident Crystal Luxury Air will deliver the fast and hassle-free requirements our guests and discerning travellers have been wanting with global air travel,” said Rodriguez.