Crystal has cancelled the first eight voyages of its new expedition yacht, Crystal Endeavor, due to production delays at the MV Werften shipyard. The initial itineraries to Japan and Alaska will instead be replaced by new voyages commencing in mid-July.

Crystal Cruises has confirmed its maiden purpose-built expedition ship, Crystal Endeavor, is on track for debut in the northern summer of 2021.

Crystal has added a new nine-night Iconic Passages: Corinth & Suez itinerary aboard Crystal Esprit to its 2021 schedule. The 62-guest boutique yacht will embark from Dubrovnik, Croatia on 1 April, 2021 and sail to Aqaba, Jordan, visiting some of the region’s most remarkable sites of historic, spiritual and natural significance during the less crowded spring season.

Crystal has updated its Crystal Confidence 2.0 program to extend the no-money-down deposit window until 5 January 2021 for new and existing bookings.

Cruise industry executive Jack Anderson will take the helm of Crystal as the company’s interim president and CEO. The change at the top comes as Tom Wolber, Crystal’s president and CEO since September 2017, steps down to spend more time with his family and to “pursue other interests”.

Crystal has expanded its health and safety measures for its Crystal Clean+ protocols to include requirements for COVID-19 testing for guests and crew, mandatory travel insurance, in-port guidelines and more.

Crystal Cruises is encouraging travellers dreaming of a post-pandemic cruise to fuel their wanderlust and curate future travels now with total peace of mind. For a limited time, Crystal Confidence 2.0 invites travellers to plan a future voyage and reserve their shore excursions with no money down and a 30-day option window.

Luxury cruise leaders have outlined their visions for the future and priorities for their Australian and New Zealand markets in a four-day virtual event series hosted this week by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia.

A series of training videos offering step-by-step instructions on how to use the features of Crystal’s online booking engine, CruiseBuilder, has been launched. Topics of the videos – each less than a minute – include How to Check Availability, How to Check Pricing and How to Make a Fast Quote, among others with the aim of showing the ease and simplicity of the booking process for travel agents.

Genting Hong Kong Limited, the owner of Crystal Cruises, has confirmed further delays for the delivery of the luxury cruise line’s maiden expedition ship, now expected for around mid-2021.

Crystal has elevated its peace of mind focused booking policy, offering a new ‘No Money Down, 90-day Deposit Window’ for a limited time.

Crystal Cruises has released its complete roster of global voyages aboard Crystal Symphony for the 2023 season which includes a range of sailings exploring regions outside of peak season. The program features cruises of six to 15 nights duration.