Crystal Bach and Mahler Cancellations (through Nov. 2021)

[Stickman1990]

Crystals response to the Travel Weekly article 

 

Statement from Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Walter Littlejohn, Crystal River Cruises

July 1, 2021

 

With regards to the June 29 article in Travel Weekly that alleges the Crystal River Cruises ships are for sale, we emphatically deny the accuracy of an email sent to our competitors by a Florida ship broker, with whom we have no contractual relationship and to whom our legal team has issued an immediate cease and desist letter.  We are deeply disappointed Travel Weekly failed to employ the highest ethical standards in researching and writing this story in its rush to print, and since then has published another article that also contains significant falsehoods about Crystal. 

 

Crystal River Cruises launched to great acclaim in 2016 and in each successive year has posted record occupancy, and widely expanding yields, culminating with the five-ship fleet sailing at over 97 percent occupancy in 2019.  Our forward year, globally-sourced bookings are up well in excess of 50 percent, selling at our absolute highest pricing ever, with a 28 percent capacity increase as for 2022 we have opened Crystal Mozart to all source markets rather than just Asia as planned pre-pandemic.

 

This week, Crystal’s parent company, Genting Hong Kong (GHK), successfully completed a financial restructuring agreement with its global creditors and following on from that, the company, like all other responsible enterprises, will continue to engage in fundraising exercises to address liquidity needs as it navigates through the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 

We would like to assure our valued guests, travel advisors and team members that Crystal is steadfastly focused on pivoting away from the travails of the pandemic as we prepare to gradually resume service this year on August 29 with Crystal Ravel on the Danube and August 30 with Crystal Debussy on the Rhine, both of which are very heavily booked.  This resumption follows the restart of our ocean business with the upcoming July 3 sailing of Crystal Serenity from Nassau, Bahamas and the July 17 maiden voyage of the brand-new expedition ship Crystal Endeavor, just christened in Germany last weekend, from Reykjavik, Iceland.  Soon the company will announce a revised restart of the Crystal Symphony with voyages beginning late Summer. 

 

All of us are excited about focusing on what matters, doing business with the highest integrity and delivering unrivaled and exceptional vacations to delighted luxury travelers from across the globe in partnership with guests and travel advisors whose loyalty has remained steadfast with Crystal through these unprecedented times.

Edited July 1, 2021 by Stickman1990

[loriva]

Since we're all left in the tea-leaf reading business these days, I throw in one that may be a POSITIVE sign.

 

Yesterday, Crystal sent me an email that a shore excursion we had reserved for our sailing on the Danube with Ravel in late October had been cancelled as the place where the tour was to take place (a brewery) is not offering tours this year.  This gives me hope that someone in Crystal is reviewing their shorex program, reaching out to the sites to ensure they are on track.  At least I'm going to be optimistic and hope this is what that means!  (Conversely, I used lack of updates to shorex--tours that read "Details coming soon" in the run-up to final payment date--as a sign the cruise line was going to cancel the sailing.  And they did.)

[Host Jazzbeau]

Here is a new article on Cruise Critic, with some explanation of what Crystal was up to with the cancellations/consolidations:

Crystal Releases Full Lineup of 2021 River Cruises

[loriva]

Hmmm...

 

The press release describes 35 cruises and that they are open for booking.  But a search for river cruises in 2021 returns only 32 cruises--which all look the same as Crystal has had posted for awhile.  Any idea where the difference lies--are there three new itineraries or sailings not yet posted on Crystal's website?

 

The full press release does include this:  "In preparation for the resumption of service, Crystal River Cruises’ devoted crew are prepping the vessels, will complete a refresher training program as well as implement new Crystal Clean+ protocols that address the unique challenges of COVID-19.  New measures include mandatory vaccination for guests and crew; COVID-19 testing at embarkation; HEPA filters; and more.   Because of the mandatory vaccination requirement, guests will be able to explore ashore independently.  As a reminder, Crystal Clean+ protocols are under continual review based on scientific data and evolving recommendations from local and global authorities."  The ability to tour independently--if conditions remain suitable--is hugely welcome news!

 

https://mediacenter.crystalcruises.com/crystal-river-cruises-announces-complete-2021-deployment-2/