Crystal Cruises

Crystal Cruises is an American cruise line. It was founded in 1988 by Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen Kaisha(NYK Line), and sold to Hong Kong-headquartered conglomerate Genting Hong Kong in 2015. Following insolvency in 2022, the Crystal Cruises brand and two cruise ships were bought by A&K Travel Group, to recommence operations in 2023, with headquarters in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The new company has announced major refurbishments and enhancements for the two ships in a Fincantieri shipyard in Trieste, Italy, including increasing the number of butler suites and reducing guest capacity, and resumed service in July 2023 with shore excursions organized by Abercrombie & Kent.
The company was founded in 1988 by Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK). Its first ship was Crystal Harmony.
The History of the Birth of Crystal Cruises
The headquarters of Crystal Cruises is in Century City(Avenue of the Stars), Los Angeles, USA.(1988-2015)
Founding by Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK Line) Tokyo, Japan:
In September 1985, the Plaza Accord (meeting of major country finance ministers) predicted significant fluctuations in international exchange rate policies, which were expected to have a major impact on Japan's international trade and shipping environment. In US there was growing anti-Japanese sentiment in American public opinion regarding Japanese companies' expansion into the U.S., the purchase of large real estate, and the mass export of Japanese cars.
The expected long-term impact of these exchange rate changes on the international shipping industry led Nippon Yusen Kaisha(NYK Line: Founding company of Mitsubishi) President Kimio Miyaoka to begin exploring new international business ventures. Having previously provided major passenger liner/cargo services between Japan/Asia and the U.S., Europe, and Australia before World War II, Miyaoka strongly believed that this was the only opportunity for Japanese international shipping company to re-enter the passenger ship industry (this time cruise) and thus instructed his team to examine the potential for entering the cruise shipping business.
1987
Initially, NYK Line considered a Pan-Pacific passenger ship business targeting the Japanese market (the Pan Pacific Passenger Boat Project). However, it was not financially viable to target only a few tens of thousands of cruise passengers and new customer segments, so the company decided to shift its focus to a global-scale development centered on the existing U.S. market (3.3 million passengers). To analyze the US/European cruise market and its future potential, the company started a comprehensive market study in the United States.
Results of U.S. Market Research (1988-2000):
The research revealed that among the approximately 400k luxury cruise passengers at the time, many were seeking more active and comfortable environments at sea, such as high-end resort hotels on the water, in addition to
traditional passenger ships partially designed for transportation with fewer ports of call. Therefore, NYK considered to differentiate itself from existing luxury cruises. The introduction of newly built ships equipped with modern navigation technology would increase a variety of small ports of call in addition to improving the onboard stay environment. It considered incorporating larger suites with ocean views and balconies (all with bathtubs), two specialty restaurants in addition to the main dining room, various bars, coffee shops, and onboard cooking schools and own production shows. By creating a niche market with a new luxury cruise concept and standard, it was believed that even a new cruise company could survive. NYK also planned to incorporate innovations like familiar deep-frozen storage facility services at sea and offer a variety of fresh ingredients to expand guests' choices. They aimed to create an innovative, new onboard stay environment, with an appropriate staff-to-guest ratio (investment in staff) and space ratio. In addition to this differentiation from existing competitors, they also considered adopting the "fly-cruise" model, leveraging the liberalization of U.S. air travel policies (U.S. Air Transport Deregulations in the 1980s), and introducing more diverse ports of call and land excursions to reflect a variety of lifestyles and travel experiences for both existing passengers and new-generation cruise guests.
1988
At the Miami Seatrade, the entry of Japanese shipping companies into the cruise business became one of the hot topics. Due to the international environment at the time, many were skeptical of luxury cruises (based on American/European life style) by Japanese shipping companies.
May 1988:
As a result of abundant market research, NYK Line focused to enter the niche luxury cruise market targeting the affluent American market, where there was already an established market. Crystal Cruises Inc. was established in Los Angeles. The new cruise company, under the slogan "The Crystal Age Begins," aimed to build a new luxury cruise line standard and brand with a focus on prioritizing "collaborative creation spirit" involving not only small U.S. travel agencies but large distribution networks.
(Note: According to the 1988 CLIA statistics, the global market passenger count was 3.3 million, with 400,000 in the luxury category, 1 million in the premium market, and 1.9 million in the mass market, mainly in the Caribbean.)
In May of the same year, they ordered the new ship "Crystal Harmony" to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Nagasaki shipyard.
Construction of the New Ship "Crystal Harmony"
To establish a new "world-standard" brand reflecting the demands of the U.S. market (including guest space, services like food and more), NYK Line ordered the construction of a large new ship to Mitsubishi Heavy Industry (MHI) Nagasaki Shipyard. "Crystal Harmony" was a 49,400-ton ship, accommodating 960 passengers and 580 staff members. It featured innovations such as a casino in partnership with Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, onboard CNN broadcasts, and more. They aimed to create a new world-standard brand with a focus on onboard stay environments and began the construction of this spacious new ship.
New Company Logo and Symbol Color:
The logo of Crystal Cruises was designed based on a seahorse, with the whale tail mimicking the seahorse's jaw and a five-star diamond above its head. The symbol color, turquoise green, was chosen to evoke the Eastern Mediterranean Seas.
Jan 1989 Crystal Cruises established Japanese sales agents "Crystal Cruises Japan". (This company will become the core of future Yusen Cruises project.)
NYK Line's Three Cruise projects:
After the Plaza Accord, there were expectations in Japan for a surge in overseas travel due to the appreciation of the yen. By the latter half of 1987, NYK Line predicted an increase in Japanese cruise tourism and strongly believed that introducing new ships would allow them to tap into a new travel market. As a result, NYK Line decided to simultaneously launch three projects.
1. "Crystal Cruises" targets the global affluent market.
2. "Yusen Cruises" for the Japanese market, in the context of the overseas travel boom (later known as "Asuka," built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries MHI Kobe Shipyard).
3. "Frontier Cruises" to explore the world's hidden destinations using expedition ships (later known as "Frontier Spirit," built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries MHI Kobe Shipyard).
1990:
In Japan, the overseas travel boom following the Plaza Accord led to expectations that educating travel agencies about new types of cruise travel would create a major industry. Mitsui O.S.K. Lines built a new ship, while Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha purchased "Song of Flower." Other small Japanese shipping companies also built new cruise ships, and it was called the "cruise boom year."
July 1990:
"Crystal Harmony" was completed at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in Nagasaki. It was then relocated from Japan to Los Angeles via Hawaii as part of a shakedown cruise. The christening ceremony was held in the presence of American actress Mary Tyler Moore, and the ship then began operations on an Alaska cruise with a full ship.
Post-Launch Recognition:
After its first year of service, "Crystal Harmony" received top ratings from international travel magazines like Conde Nast and was recognized as the best in the cruise category worldwide. Within one year of its launch, the brand achieved over 60% recognition among luxury cruise sales networks and agents in the U.S. market.
Buoyed by this success, NYK Line formulated long-term plans for the business, with plans to build new ships every 3-5 years, attracting repeat customers while actively targeting new passengers.
1992:
Construction of the second ship (sister ship) was ordered to Finland's Kvaerner Masa Shipyard.
May 1995:
"Crystal Symphony" was completed her christening ceremony in New York (with actress Angela Lansbury in attendance). Special features included advanced freezing systems, a cooking school, internet access, and a computer class at sea.
August 2002:
Crystal Cruises continued to win the "Travel Leisure The World's Best Award."
2004:
The third sister ship, "Crystal Serenity," was completed (with actress Julie Andrews in attendance in Southampton). The ship introduced the first authentic sushi and Japanese restaurant at sea, named "Silk Road" with an open kitchen.
2005:
NYK Line sold the Crystal Cruises' first ship, "Crystal Harmony," to its domestic cruise company, Yusen Cruises, which began operating it as "Asuka II."
After 2005:
The number of repeat customers for Crystal Cruises exceeded 900,000, with passengers seeking more diverse ports of call. However, due to the reduction from three ships to two, some customers began to leave. Despite this, the company maintained its top international cruise rankings.
The sale price was US$550 million in cash, subject to certain adjustment items. On May 15, 2015, GHK announced that it had closed on the acquisition.
On July 20, 2015, Crystal announced that it would expand to provide expedition cruises, river cruises, and private jet travel.
On February 4, 2016, Crystal Cruises signed a purchase option for the SS United States, also providing funding for docking costs for the ship in Philadelphia for nine months while it conducted a feasibility study into returning the ship to service. However, the plan was dropped on August 5, 2016, citing technical challenges. It also announced a donation of US$350,000 to cover docking costs through to the end of the year.
In September 2019, Crystal Cruises announced that it would have Broadway-themed cruises available starting in 2020.
In August 2020, Crystal cancelled all cruises for the remainder of the year. Its parent company Genting Hong Kong had suspended payments to creditors citing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new 200-passenger Crystal Endeavor was under construction at the time, with delivery scheduled for November 2020; that was delayed for a year because of the suspension of operations at the MV Werften shipyard in Germany.
In March 2021, Crystal announced all-Bahamas cruises aboard Crystal Serenity would start on July 3, 2021, with departures from Nassau and Bimini to work around CDC cruise bans due to COVID-19 in the US. Ports of call within the Bahamas included Harbour Island, Great Exuma, Long Island, and San Salvador. All passengers were required to be vaccinated for COVID-19. The opening booking day set a record for the most bookings on a single day in the company's history. Some destinations expressed concerns with the company's announcement, lack of consultation with local stakeholders, and negative impact to their existing tourism economy.
Following the insolvency of Genting Hong Kong, Crystal suspended operations of all its cruise ships in January 2022. Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity were subsequently arrested in Freeport, Bahamas over unpaid bills in February, and the company's headquarters in the United States closed. Meanwhile, V.Ships Leisure was appointed by the liquidators to manage Crystal's ships.
On June 22, 2022, it was announced that A&K Travel Group, owned by Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio and Geoffrey Kent had bought the bankrupt line's brand and two ocean vessels, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, intending to return the ships to service in 2023.
Two new ships were ordered at Fincantieri in June 2024 for delivery from 2028 onwards. In Autumn, a third ship was ordered.
Crystal Yacht Cruises launched in December 2015 with the Crystal Esprit. The 62-guest, 3,000-ton yacht was outfitted with features including a two-passenger submarine, four 10-passenger zodiacs for excursions, and a 12-passenger yacht tender for boating adventures. Additionally, water skis, wake boards, kayaks, jet skis, fishing, and scuba and snorkel equipment were available.
On January 15, 2018, the company cut steel for Crystal Endeavor at MV Werften, part of a family of shipyards known for their passenger-ship, icebreaker, and private-yacht building expertise. The new PC6-designated expedition yacht was to launch on July 17, 2021, in Reykjavik, Iceland. Crystal Endeavor has a displacement of 20,200 GT and would operate polar expeditions and voyages in remote tropical regions. The yacht was to offer accommodation for 200 guests.
In July 2016, Crystal launched Crystal River Cruises with the refurbished vessel Crystal Mozart [de]. Crystal Bach and Crystal Mahler, the first two of four Rhine-class new-build river ships, were added in 2017 followed by Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel, in 2018.
Crystal Luxury Air private jet service launched in 2015 with the company's Bombardier Global Express jet, available for charter and accommodating 12 guests. In August 2017, Crystal AirCruises took flight with the launch of Crystal Skye, a Boeing 777-200LR configured with 88 first-class, flat-bed seats, a lounge/dining room that seats 24, and a full bar. The National Hockey League was one of its first three charter customers. In addition, the company took delivery of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner in May 2017. As of November 2017, this aircraft was in storage.