Crystal Cruises is entering a new chapter of growth and innovation, buoyed by its integration into the Abercrombie & Kent (A&K) Travel Group. With plans to build three ships over the next eight years, the luxury cruise brand is showcasing a strong recovery and exceptional performance
The upcoming new builds exemplify Crystal’s confidence, sticking to a familiar 690-passenger, 61,800 gross tonnage design mirroring that of the Crystal Serenity. These ships will feature a walk-around promenade, beloved restaurants, and all-suite accommodations, indicating that the brand has refined a winning formula for luxury cruising.
“From the time of our relaunch in 2022, Crystal has been working closely with Abercrombie and Kent to deliver an increasing range of exceptional shore excursions and experiences,” said Tony Archbold, Crystal vice president of sales in APAC**. “**As the global leaders of luxury land experiences across over 100 countries, it will be upon this that Crystal will build on to distinguish itself in the high-end cruise and experience market,” he added.
In 2025, Crystal will celebrate its 35th anniversary, coinciding with A&K's 60 years of delivering exceptional travel experiences. This dual milestone underscores the powerful legacy of both brands as they embark on this reinvigorated journey together.
New programmes are set to enhance the synergy between the two companies, combining short cruise sailings with land tours designed to entice A&K’s clientele to experience cruising and Crystal patrons to explore A&K's exceptional access to global destinations. Initial offerings will target regions with robust A&K destination management companies, including Dubai and Singapore.
“We will be releasing the remaining voyages for 2026 in early December and will quickly follow with future releases in early 2025. These voyages will see Crystal Symphony sailing in the Americas from Alaska to the New England and the Caribbean. Crystal Serenity will be in Europe through the middle of the year before migrating to the Caribbean later in the year,” said Archbold.
On select itineraries, guests can enhance their journeys with exclusive land-based packages such as a three-night African safari, a four-night adventure to the Taj Mahal in India, and a three-night tour to Angkor Wat in Cambodia, among others.
Furthermore, both brands are exploring co-marketing strategies, perhaps using direct mail to promote their integrated offerings. Currently, 80% of Crystal’s cruise guests hail from North America, but A&K’s global reach is expected to broaden this demographic, attracting customers from the UK, Canada, Latin America—especially Mexico—Asia, and Australia.
Onboard the Crystal Serenity, the decision to enlarge guest rooms and reduce capacity has significantly improved both the guest experience and the crew-to-guest ratio. The new Sapphire Veranda Suites have proven particularly popular, with 151 suites available—50 of which were introduced in 2023—offering generous space of up to 430 square feet and verandas reaching 107 square feet.
Beyond the high-quality refurbishment, ongoing investments are apparent, particularly with culinary and entertainment innovations. Crystal has partnered world-renowned chefs Massimiliano and Raffaele Alajmo who have earned Michelin-stars for their restaurants, as well as the recently announced Beefbar by Riccardo Giraudi. Rounding it up is the highly anticipated launch of the first Casino de Monte-Carlo at sea.
Archbold shared that Crystal will continue to deliver on a diverse range of destinations and experiences, with a variety of durations to suit the market. Building cruises between seven and 10 days of length that can be combined to create cruises of 14 or 21 or longer will be one of the strategies.
This flexibility coupled with the land experiences delivered by A&K will allow for an in-depth exploration of ports throughout the world, fuelling APAC travellers’ desire for continual exploration.