On June 26, Crystal christened the new Crystal Endeavor, a Crystal Expedition Cruises vessel christened by its godmother — Manuela Schwesig, prime minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania — in Stralsund, Germany, at the MV Werften shipyard.
In attendance were nearly 100 people, including Colin Au, group president of parent company Genting Hong Kong (GHK); Bernie Leypold, senior vice president of hotel operations for Crystal; Captain Jan Rautawaara, the yacht’s master; and shipyard president and CEO, Peter Fetten. Peter Altmaier, Germany’s federal minister for economic affairs and energy, was also present, along with Harry Glawe, deputy prime minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and minister for economic affairs, labor and health.
“Today is a landmark day as we christen Crystal Endeavor, the first and only Polar Class Six (PC6) expedition yacht to be ‘Made in Germany,” said Tan Sri KT Lim, the chairman of GHK. “[It’s] a testament to Crystal’s award-winning design and MV Werften’s superb German engineering with system redundancies, including 100% additional lifeboat capacity, to handle extreme polar conditions.”
“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 1-to-1,” he added. “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.”
The most luxurious and expensive ship ever built, at $20,000 per gross tons, she sets a new high standard in luxury cruising.
The luxury expedition yacht will carry only 200 guests in 100 suites and will feature the Umi Uma (the first Japanese restaurant on an expedition ship), Prego for Italian cuisine, 24-hour room service, an optional Vintage Room experience, a casino, a panoramic double-decker solarium, the Crystal Life Salon & Spa and a wrap-around Promenade Deck.
Plus, specific to expedition vessels, the ship will be equipped with enrichment venues, mud rooms, a dedicated Expedition Lounge, a Helicopter Lounge complete with a pair of choppers and equipment such as Zodiacs, kayaks, snorkel gear and a six-guest submarine.
“Crystal Endeavor is nothing short of superb in her design and technical features,” said Crystal’s Leypold. “Her details — great and small — add up to an unparalleled experience that has made Crystal’s brand stand out for more than 30 years, offering travelers every convenience and indulgence they would expect from Crystal, as they venture to some of the world’s most remote and rugged places.”
Endeavor will embark on its inaugural voyage on July 17, 2021, with a total of five 10-night circumnavigations of Iceland, homeporting from Reykjavík. Afterward, the vessel will commence a 10-night “Journey of Vikings: Iceland & Norway” itinerary from Reykjavik to Tromso, Norway, that leaves Sept. 5, 2021.
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