Will the troubled Crystal Cruises soon get a new owner?
While it's uncertain how it will eventually go, Manfredi Lefebvre
d’Ovidio, the former owner of Silversea Cruises, has made two funded
offers to acquire Crystal Cruises.
Both acquisition offers were made by Heritage Group, the private
equity firm managed by Lefebvre. One offer was made in early 2021, and
the another one was made after Crystal's recent liquidation.
"We are a very credible buyer with roots in the cruise industry that
stretch back in the late '80s," Lefebvre told Seatrade Cruise News. "We
are firmly convinced that with our knowledge and know-how of the
ultra-luxury segment we could transform Crystal into a success story."
Crystal's ships have a soul which I sincerely hope won't be left to die, restoring trade's and passengers' trust won't be easy but if we are given the chance we will go the extra mile not to disappoint them.– Cristina Levis, Heritage Group
Lefebvre, who sold his remaining stake in Silversea to Royal
Caribbean last year, believed Heritage's majority ownership of both
Abercrombie & Kent and Cox & Kings would generate synergies
"that would facilitate the recovery and partially compensate for the
deterioration of the brand exacerbated in the last few weeks".
Cristina
Levis, chief investment officer of Heritage and former managing
director of Silversea Expedition added, "I was telling my team to look
to Crystal as an example of great brand like Silversea, to try and
emulate and compete against. Crystal's ships have a soul which I
sincerely hope won't be left to die, restoring trade's and passengers'
trust won't be easy but if we are given the chance we will go the extra
mile not to disappoint them."