In a first for Germany and a sign of the restart of cruise, Crystal Endeavor was named yesterday in Germany. And her owner also announced another first: she’s the most expensive per night of any ship.
At a ceremony in Stralsund on the ship’s helicopter deck, guests included German federal ministers, Genting Hong Kong’s Group President Colin Au and shipbuilder MV-Werften Managing Directors Peter Fetten and Carsten J. Haake.
The ceremony marked Germany’s financial support for the yard. Peter Altmaier, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, said: “Today is a special moment of joy for all those who have contributed with great commitment to the creation of Crystal Endeavor. The new ship exemplifies the level of shipbuilding expertise and broad maritime know-how that we have in Germany and want to retain even in the difficult times caused by the pandemic.
“At the beginning of June, the Federal Government agreed with the State of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania to continue to support the shipyard with finance from the economic stabilisation fund.”
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig was Godmother. She wished the new ship good voyages at all times before she pressed the red “yard buzzer” to activate the bottle release.
Tan Sri Kok Thay Lim, the Chairman of Genting Hong Kong, said: “She combines the finest attributes of the award-winning Crystal Experience with unmatched technical capabilities including the most installed power per gross ton for any cruise ships at over 13 MW.
“The most luxurious and expensive ship ever built at $20,000 per gross tons, she sets a new high standard in luxury cruising including the largest space ratio, at over 100 gross tons per guest, and most importantly, the highest staff to guest ratio in the industry at one-to-one.
“We are delighted that ‘Crystal Endeavor’, as the new pinnacle of expedition excellence, now commands the highest cruise fare per night of any cruise ship in the world.”
And indeed a quick search by Cruise Passenger online showed a voyage next month in Iceland costs from $23,962 or $2,396 a night. Twelve nights in the Arctic aboard the luxury discovery yacht Scenic Eclipse comes in at $15,400. At $1,283 a night it’s sounding like a steal.
Crystal maintains at 20,200 tonnes, 164 meters long and 23 meters wide Crystal Endeavor is the fastest, highest-performance and most spacious expedition mega yacht in its sector , with a passenger space ratio of more than 100.
Her Polar Class PC6 classification enables her to navigate Arctic and Antarctic regions. She offers a total of 100 suites of between 28 and 105 m² with 24-hour butler service for a maximum of 200 passengers. Six gourmet restaurants and a casino, a glass-covered, two-storey solarium, a spa and a fitness centre, as well as various lounges and shopping possibilities are provided on board.
For expeditions by air and by water, Crystal Endeavor carries two helicopters, 18 Zodiacs, 14 kayaks and a six-guest submersible.
Crystal Endeavor is the ninth ship in the fleet of Crystal Cruises. Her maiden voyage is scheduled to commence in Reykjavík, her home port, on 17 July.
Crystal Endeavor’s Full-Year 2023 & Early 2024 Deployment:
Five consecutive remote expeditions explore Antarctica, the Antarctic Peninsula, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia beginning in January through March 2023, featuring magnificent icebergs and glaciers to thriving colonies of chinstrap, Adélie and gentoo penguins as well as whales and basking seals. The Falkland Islands and South Georgia offer amazing wildlife experiences including abundant seabirds, regal King penguins and an impressive fur seal colony. Beyond the Antarctic Circle more isolated and pristine experiences abound, allowing for landings and expedition stops and more opportunities for helicopter flightseeing.
Two remote Ross Sea expeditions in Antarctica in early January 2024, explore snow and ice-covered landscapes and marine rich waters along a route rarely traveled and called “The Last Ocean” as it is so pristine, remote and untouched by humans. The expedition team will attempt visits to the well-preserved huts and outposts of historic explorers Sir Ernest Shackleton and Captain Robert Falcon Scott, expedition time capsules preserved by the cold and ice.
- Expedition Antarctica (Remote Expedition)
11-night, January 7 – 18, 2023, Round-trip Ushuaia, Argentina
11-night, February 6 – 17, 2023, Round-trip Ushuaia, Argentina
- Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica Wildlife Expedition (Remote Expedition)
19-night, January 18 – February 6, 2023, Round-trip Ushuaia, Argentina
- Beyond the Antarctic Circle (Remote Expedition)
14-night, February 17 – March 3, 2023, Round-trip Ushuaia, Argentina
- Falkland Islands & South Georgia Wildlife Expedition (Remote Expedition)
15-night, March 3 – 18, 2023, Ushuaia to Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Antarctica & The Ross Sea Expedition (Remote Expedition)
22-nights, January 6 – 28, 2024, Hobart, Australia to Dunedin, New Zealand
22-nights, January 28 – February 18, 2024, Dunedin, New Zealand to Hobart, Tasmania
Two South America voyages showcase world-renowned cities, beautifully preserved history, and the natural beauty of Brazil’s Green Coast, where remote beaches and abundant bays provide the perfect chance to explore with the ship’s ocean kayaks. A trans-Atlantic voyage begins with calls along the Brazilian coast and the chance to discover the marine and ecological splendors of UNESCO-listed Fernando de Noronha archipelago and explorations in the island country of Cape Verde.
- Exploration in Brazil & Argentina (Destination Exploration)
10-night, March 18 – 28, 2023, Buenos Aires, Argentina to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Atlantic Explorer: Brazil, Cape Verde & The Canaries (Destination Exploration)
15-night, March 28 – April 12, 2023, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Canary Islands, Spain
Two Mediterranean voyages of cultural discovery blend explorations of picturesque isles and iconic cities. Guests can choose to experience the mystique of Marrakesh and the Moorish history of the Alhambra en route to the Balearic Isles and the Côte d’Azur, or explore the charms of Provence, the treasures of Barcelona, and the chance to cruise into the very heart of Seville for a rare overnight.
- Andalusia, Morocco & The Mediterranean (Cultural Discovery)
11-night, April 12 – 23, 2023, Canary Islands, Spain to Nice, France
- Cote D’Azur, Catalonia & Andalusia Discovery (Cultural Discovery)
12-night, April 23 – May 5, 2023, Nice, France to Seville, Spain
Three voyages in Western Europe & the British Isles offer new perspectives on classic itineraries.
A 10-night river exploration navigates the Guadalquivir River and Andalusian countryside to dock in the heart of Seville and transits the Garonne River for an overnight in Bordeaux. A journey to Bordeaux, Normandy and The Hague offers an overnight in Bordeaux and a cruise up the Seine for a two-night stay in Rouen, rich with medieval history and gothic architecture. A springtime voyage of the British Isles explores the Scottish Highlands and windswept Shetlands and offers the chance to dock near Tower Bridge and overnight in Edinburgh a short walk from the Royal Yacht Britannia, now a museum.
- River Discovery: Guadalquivir, Tagus & Garonne (Cultural Discovery)
10-night, May 5 – 15, 2023, Seville, Spain to Bordeaux, France
- Journey to Bordeaux, Normandy & the Hague (Cultural Discovery)
11-night, May 15 – 26, 2023, Bordeaux, France to Portsmouth, United Kingdom
- Exploration: Springtime in the British Isles (Destination Exploration)
14-nights, May 26 – June 9, 2023, Portsmouth, United Kingdom to Edinburgh, Scotland
Three voyages in the Faroe Islands, Iceland & Svalbard take guests to explore Viking history and geological wonders. A destination exploration of Iceland reveals geothermal marvels, thundering waterfalls and volcanic landscapes. The rocky coastlines of the Faroe Islands feature waters patrolled by Orcas and long-finned pilot whales, while a remote expedition in Svalbard offers extraordinary birdlife and the chance to spy polar bears, walruses and seals.
- Scottish Isle, Faroes & Icelandic Wildlife Expedition (Destination Exploration)
12-nights, June 9 – 21, 2023, Edinburgh, Scotland to Reykjavik, Iceland
- Expedition Iceland (Destination Exploration)
10-nights, June 21 – July 1, 2023, Round-trip Reykjavik, Iceland
- Arctic Adventure: Iceland, Svalbard & The North Cape (Remote Expedition)
15-nights, July 1 – 16, 2023, Reykjavik, Iceland to Tromsø, Norway
Three voyages in Russia feature Remote Expeditions including an epic 28-day transit of Russia’s Northeast Passage offering the chance to see polar bears, walruses, seals, Arctic foxes and seabird colonies, and to explore Russian history and culture on Solovetsky Island, a UNESCO gem on the White Sea. A 17-night Russian Arctic Expedition & The North Cape voyage visits the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago off the coast of Siberia and provides a taste of the Northeast Passage for guests whose schedules call for a shorter itinerary. A 17-night expedition from Anadyr to Tokyo spotlights brown bears and herds of reindeer on the Kamchatka Peninsula and Steller sea lions in The Kuril Islands.
- Russian Arctic Expedition & The North Cape (Remote Expedition)
17-nights, July 16 – August 2, 2023, Round-trip Tromsø, Norway
- Northeast Passage (Remote Expedition)
28-nights, August 2 – 30, 2023, Tromsø, Norway to Anadyr, Russia
- Expedition: Kamchatka, The Kurils & Hokkaido (Remote Expedition)
17-nights, August 30 – September 16, 2023, Anadyr, Russia to Tokyo, Japan
Four voyages explore Japan showcasing sweeping adventures in a timeless empire steeped in tradition, lore and natural beauty, from the mountain ranges of Kanazawa to the UNESCO-listed castle ruins in Hagi. Voyages explore Japan in autumn, draped in a fiery splendor of garnets and golds, and feature breathtaking Japanese gardens, Samurai shrines and Buddhist temples as well as snow-capped mountains, pristine beaches and cultural treasures.
- Russian Far East & Japan (Remote Expedition)
17-nights, September 16 – October 3, 2023, Round-trip Tokyo, Japan
- Japan’s Cultural & Coastal Discovery (Cultural Discovery)
17-nights, October 3 – 20, 2023, Round-trip Tokyo, Japan
- Autumn in Japan: Gardens & Empires (Cultural Discovery)
16-nights, October 20 – November 5, 2023, Round-trip Tokyo, Japan
- Island Explorations of Japan (Destination Exploration)
16-nights, November 5 – 21, 2023, Tokyo, Japan to Taipei, Taiwan
Three voyages exploring Indonesia & Australia featuring winter escapes to exotic isles and balmy shores. Explorations in Indonesia include Komodo Island and the spectacular coral reefs of the Raja Ampat archipelago, as well as calls in the Philippines and Borneo. A Holiday Expedition in Australia includes an overnight in Cairns, gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Christmas Day enjoyed on an overnight in the idyllic Whitsunday Islands, and the chance to ring in the New Year with a double overnight in Sydney.
- Philippines, Borneo & Indonesian Quest (Remote Expedition)
16-night, November 21 – December 7, 2023, Taipei, Taiwan to Bali, Indonesia
- Expedition to Bali, the Raja Ampat & Queensland (Remote Expedition)
16-nights, December 7 – December 23, 2023, Bali, Indonesia to Cairns, Australia
- Holiday Expedition: Great Barrier Reef to Tasmania (Destination Exploration)
14-night, December 23, 2023 – January 6, 2024, Cairns, Australia to Hobart, Australia
For more see crystalcruises.com.au
