The biggest opening single day in the company’s history signals the comeback of luxury cruising
MIAMI, MARCH 19, 2021 – Luxury cruise travel is back! Recording its biggest single day of bookings in company history, Crystal reports an extraordinary response in the first 24 hours of reservations opening for its new Luxury Bahamas Escapes aboard Crystal Serenity debuting July 3rd. Nearly 4,000 enthusiastic travelers reserved staterooms or suites on at least one of the seven-night voyages that cruise from Nassau or Bimini roundtrip booking more than 25 percent of the 16 voyages combined availability. Almost 200 guests reserved back-to-back voyages with some planning to spend 42 days on board the company’s flagship. The luxury line realized a 2,024 percent increase in online bookings and received reservations from the biggest number of distinct travel agencies in Crystal’s 30-year history.
“We are thrilled by the wonderful response to these new sailings. It’s clear that travelers have been eagerly looking forward to exploring again and are as excited to see Crystal Serenityreturn to sailing as we are,” said Jack Anderson, Crystal’s interim president and CEO. “We are incredibly grateful to our loyal Crystal guests and our valued travel partners for their support as we begin to emerge from what has been an unprecedented year for everyone.
“I want to thank our employees around the world whose passionate dedication and professionalism in navigating the last year has allowed us to resume cruising this summer. We are looking forward to welcoming our wonderful officers and crew back on board where they are eager to reconnect with our guests.”
Thursday’s bookings demonstrate travelers’ pent-up desire to take to the seas once again to enjoy the award-winning Crystal luxury experience. With 80 percent of Crystal Serenity’s butler-serviced Crystal Penthouses – the biggest suites — already reserved for the Bahamas season, Crystal also saw tremendous interest in its other top suite categories including Penthouse Suites and Seabreeze Penthouses.
Anderson added, “After a year of uncertainty, our new Luxury Bahamas Escapes mark an important return to service for Crystal, but also a significant step forward for travel and tourism overall in the Americas. The all-Bahamas cruises means there is no risk of border closures, alleviating concerns related to a multiple-country itinerary that may be impacted by differing travel restrictions.
“All of this is possible thanks to the partnership of The Bahamas’ Ministry of Tourism, the Honorable Dionisio D’Aguilar, Minister of Tourism & Aviation for The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, and Director General Joy Jibrilu, The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. The beauty of their country and warm hospitality is enhanced by their exceptional standards of health, safety and quality experiences,” he concluded.
The Luxury Bahamas Escapes will cruise July through October, exploring the islands’ famously beautiful locales, as well as islands not accessible to larger cruise ships. With an itinerary that visits Harbour Island, Great Exuma, San Salvador Island and Long Island, Crystal Serenity will become the first cruise ship to home port in The Bahamas and return to cruising in the Americas.
Cruise fares for the new Luxury Bahamas Escapes cruises start at $1,999 per guest, including $500 Book Now Savings and $500 air savings along with Best Available Savings by category. Guests will receive a $125 per person As You Wish shipboard credit with Crystal Society Savings doubling to five percent; new-to-Crystal guests saving 2.5 percent; and solo fares starting at just 125 percent. The company’s Crystal Confidence program offers a no-money-down deposit window until April 5, 2021, with a reduced deposit of just 15 percent due at that time as part of its Easy Book program. Travelers with Future Cruise Credits and Future Cruise Payments may redeem them on these sailings.
For an extraordinary value, guests can extend their cruise vacations by choosing Crystal’s Extended Land and Hotel Programs feature that carefully selected shoreside partners to ensure a seamless vacation from ship to shore. For Crystal Serenity’s new voyages, these include Nassau’s SLS Baha Mar and Hilton Resorts World Bimini, where guests will enjoy luxury accommodations and daily breakfast, as well as the stylish amenities of each. Guests can also indulge in spa days, golf rounds, casino nights and a host of dining experiences in each tropical paradise. The pre- and post-cruise hotel programs in Nassau and Bimini start at $359 and $299 per guest, respectively, including transfers between Crystal Serenity, the resort properties and the airports and all taxes and resort fees.
Crystal recently announced that guests must be fully inoculated with a COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to boarding any Crystal ship. This new requirement is in addition to existing, comprehensive Crystal Clean+ 4.1 measures, including negative COVID-19 tests for both guests and crew, reduced capacity, social distancing, nimble mask policy and health screening questionnaires.
A leader in unrivaled luxury cruising for 30 years, Crystal Cruises distinguishes its ships and its voyages with fine details and nuances that make a big impact for discerning travelers. All-inclusive entertainment; diverse enrichment options; globally-inspired dining, including Nobu Matsuhisa’s only seagoing restaurants; unlimited pours of fine wines, beers and premium spirits and an unwavering standard of genuine, personal service for each guest underscores the Crystal difference. Crystal Serenity’s social spaciousness will be further increased with a commitment to reduced guest capacity when the ship resumes sailing.
About Crystal
Only the world-renowned Crystal Experience offers an unwavering, unparalleled standard of excellence and luxury across four distinct cruising options: Crystal Cruises, the World’s Most Awarded Luxury Cruise Line; Crystal River Cruises, the World’s Most Luxurious River Cruise Line; Crystal Yacht Cruises, offering boutique luxury and bold adventure in the world’s most elite harbors; and Crystal Expedition Cruises, taking Crystal’s acclaimed elegance to the farthest reaches of the world. Crystal has been recognized with top honors in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards for a record 27 years including, in 2019, for Best Medium-Ship Cruise Line for Crystal Cruises, Best Small-Ship Cruise Line for Crystal Yacht Cruises and Best River Cruise Line for Crystal River Cruises. Crystal was also voted “World’s Best” by the readers of Travel + Leisure for 24 years, including, in 2017 and 2020, Best River Cruise Line for Crystal River Cruises; and won “Cruise Line of the Year” and “Most Luxurious Guest Experience” by Virtuoso for 2018 & 2019. Crystal is proud to be a platinum partner of the advisors of ASTA.
For more information and Crystal reservations, contact a travel advisor, call 888.799.2437, or visit www.crystalcruises.com. Join the hundreds of thousands who subscribe to the Crystal Insider blog, follow Crystal Cruises’ Facebook page; @crystalcruises on Twitter and Instagram; @crystalrivercruises on Instagram; and engage in the conversation with #crystalcruises, #crystalrivercruises and #WhereLuxuryisPersonal.