TWO TRIPS, ONE TICKET
Getting a holiday out of a business trip
Last weekend Crystal Cruises made one of the biggest luxury travel announcements I can recall. It went from a two-ship luxury line to a four-brand world of luxury travel with just one announcement.
Crystal is now the brand name for three new divisions: Crystal Yacht Cruises, Crystal River Cruises, Crystal Luxury Air.
The ocean cruise line will more than double its fleet by adding three 1,000-passenger ships. The first cruise on one of these ships is scheduled for 2018.
I was stunned. Most of us in the cruise industry anticipated the announcement to outline further details about the one new ship Crystal is building — but three new brands plus three ocean ships was far beyond anybody’s expectations.
When a luxury line builds ships, it sets higher standards. With the July 19 announcement, Crystal appears to be raising a bar for its competitors like Regent Seven Seas, Silversea and Seabourn.
Adding 1,000-passenger ships may define a new level of luxury on the oceans. What really stands out is this: There’s one crew member for every passenger — a first at sea.
The ships are big and, considering what’s planned, they need to be. Want a second home? Forget that mansion in the desert ... each new ship will have 48 suites for sale on the top deck, ranging in size from 600 to 4,000 square feet, and they come with all the private amenities one would expect. If you’re just going on a cruise, the size of the suites you’ll rent will start at 400 square feet.
There’s something else unique about these ships. They will have polar-rated hulls, which means they’ll be capable of cruising just about anywhere in the world, including parts of the Arctic and Antarctic. In warmer climates, if there’s not enough on board to keep you entertained, small passenger submarines and a helicopter will be available.
Part 2 of this story allows the wealthier cruisers to pick and choose their luxury brand. Crystal’s new high-end yacht division will start with one ship, the 62-passenger Crystal Esprit, formerly the Megastar Taurus, now in dry dock awaiting the Crystal treatment. The yacht — or yachts, as there will surely be more — are meant for soft adventures with a 10-metre boat for tours, jet skis, kayaks, zodiacs and another two-passenger submarine.
The first sailing will be in December and bookings are now available at crystalyachtcruises.com.
River cruise lines that refer to their ships as luxury brands are also going to get more competition. Crystal River Cruises, which plans to launch its fleet with two ships in the spring of 2017, intends to set itself apart by offering more amenities and larger suites to fewer passengers.
And finally, there’s Crystal Luxury Air.
The capacity of Air Canada’s Boeing 787 Dreamliners is 251 passengers. Crystal’s 787 Dreamliner(s) will carry 60 passengers. Too much? Listen to what President and CEO Edie Rodriguez says:
“Stand by. There is more to come.”
PHIL’S PICK OF THE WEEK
Here is a two-week cruise that will give you an idea of what Crystal luxury will cost. It’s from Athens to Venice on the Crystal Esprit. Departs: April 10, 2016 Duration: 14 days Ports: Athens, Navplion, Hydra, Parga, Corfu (Greece); Kotor (Montenegro) twice; Split overnight, Dubrovnik, Opatija (Croatia); Piran (Slovenia); and Venice overnight
Starting price: $11,172 US See crystalcruises.com. Prices were correct at time of writing.