What Will Happen to the World’s Best Cruise Line?

Check-in for our cruise on the Crystal Serenity was much like a VIP welcome in a small boutique luxury hotel. Walking up the gangplank, we were greeted by several officers in impeccable white and gold starched uniforms and handed a flute of champagne. That evening we went to a cozy old-fashioned bar not often found on the newer and more modern ships. Beautiful shiny oak and copper and individual bar lights created a warm atmosphere remnant of the earlier days of cruising. The barman greeted us with a big smile as he prepared our cocktails. The next morning, we selected items from the self-service breakfast bar in the top deck restaurant. A waiter appeared, addressed us by name, and asked if he could carry our breakfast to a table. When we went back for a drink that evening to the bar we had visited for one drink our first night, the same barman greeted us by name and asked if we would like the same. Dining was a phenomenal experience with original presentation and exemplary service. Crystal was also well known for very high caliber lectures and a wide selection of learning opportunities onboard. They even offered piano lessons on select cruises.

How could their crew be so much more attuned to the client than on any other cruise line? I discovered that Crystal operated a special training facility in Manilla, Philippines to train crewmembers. Amongst the many details of training this included face and name recognition.

These are just samples of the truly exceptional personal service Crystal Cruises is renowned for. Originally, the company had only two ships, the Crystal Symphony built in 1995 and refurbished in 2017, as well as the Crystal Serenity built in 2003 and refurbished in 2018. At the time of refurbishments total passenger capacity for each ship was reduced considerably, thus creating a feeling of even more space on these older but beautifully maintained ships. 

Readers of Conde Nast Traveler, probably the best-known upscale travel magazine in the United States, awarded Crystal the top honors as the best cruise line for 26 years in a row, and today the company still is the most awarded cruise line in the world. Their service and attention to detail was not only onboard the ship but extended to staff in their offices. 

So, what happened? In 2015 the cruise line was sold to far east investment fund Genting Hong Kong. The company was the developer of the new $4.3 billion Resort World Las Vegas but Chairman, Lim Kok Thay, was looking for an opportunity to diversify their holdings from casinos and hotel resorts. Indeed, within three years, Crystal had grown from a company with two older ocean-going cruise ships to owning five ships in the European river cruise market and a refurbished luxury yacht called the Crystal Esprit. And last October the world was introduced to the Crystal Endeavor, the world’s most luxurious expedition yacht. 200 passengers are taken care of by a crew of 209! A two-story glass enclosed atrium allows for nature-viewing and the yacht has the only casino on an expedition ship. 

But then Covid became much more serious than originally expected, stopping cruises all over the world, and Genting’s home base of Hong Kong introduced the most stringent Covid rules in the world. A fully vaccinated and boosted acquaintance of mine, with his negative test in hand, returned to his Hong Kong home from the United States and was forced to quarantine for three weeks in a government facility only blocks away from his own home and family. 

These rules made it impossible for Genting to operate, although they made every effort. Crystal was the first to start ocean cruises for Americans last year in July, avoiding the CDC closure of the cruise market, by sailing out of the Bahamas. 

In the end it seems that it was not enough. The combination of huge investments, Covid lasting longer than expected, increasing fuel costs for ships waiting at sea without income from traveling passengers and endless changes and numerous rebooking of cruises without revenue forced Genting into bankruptcy. We have all seen the sensationalistic news of the two original ships avoiding being seized by U.S. Authorities by disembarking passengers in the Bahamas and ferrying them to Miami instead of being impounded. I would be remiss not to mention that Crystal Cruises apparently is trying everything possible to save perhaps a part of their wonderful product and very loyal clientele. Despite the bankruptcy they have been able to find capital to refund payments to over 80% of booked passengers so far and promise to do more. As Genting, Hong Kong is preparing for liquidation, there are two options. Debt restructure to get cruises sailing again, or sale of many assets to satisfy creditors. A combination of the two seems the way moving forward. 

Crystal President wrote to employees, and I quote: “From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your tireless dedication and devotion to Crystal and your understanding. You are the heart and soul of the Crystal family. We look forward to returning to the world’s oceans and rivers later this year.”

Perhaps there is hope one of the best cruise lines in the world is not going to disappear forever.

Latest news: Crystal’s head office in Miami closed its doors. Crystal’s new ultra-deluxe expedition ship, the Crystal Endeavor, arrived last Thursday in Montevideo, Uruguay to offload passengers and an uncertain future. Crystal is the largest casualty in the travel industry during the pandemic and after the last two years, it now seems clear other cruise lines are too short on cash to consider taking over the cruise line as a whole.