Crystal Cruises is commemorating its 30th anniversary of luxury cruising. On July 24, 1990, Crystal Harmony sailed from San Francisco to Alaska on its maiden voyage, debuting a single ship brimming with innovations, including balcony staterooms, alternative dining options, and extraordinary public spaces. Since then, Crystal Cruises has welcomed two ocean-going ships to its fleet, the Crystal Symphony and the Crystal Serenity, before the company retired Crystal Harmony in 2005.
Genting Hong Kong acquired the company in 2015, furthering Crystal's vision to expand into new waters in response to its passengers' desire to travel the world in different ways under the Crystal brand. Crystal Yacht Cruises launched in December of that year with the Crystal Esprit, followed by Crystal River Cruises in 2016, which now boasts the youngest and most luxurious fleet on European rivers.
“I am immensely grateful to the officers and crew, the members of the Crystal Society, and the travel agents who have made this 30th Anniversary possible,” said Crystal President and CEO Tom Wolber. “I want to thank every member of the Crystal Family over the years who had the passion and dedication to create this company, and our parent company, which has continued to fuel this vision and strongly supports us every day.”.
To commemorate this anniversary, Crystal Cruises has launched a digital broadcast of the Virtual Cruise Experience, which includes elements of the onboard experience for fans around the world. The broadcast began on July 24 on the Crystal Cruises Facebook page and will be available to view on Facebook and their website.
In addition, the company offers the musical playlist “Crystal: Sailing for 30 Years,” available for download on Spotify, which includes 30 songs that most evoke Crystal’s voyages and experiences over the past 30 years: iconic songs such as What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong, Moon River by Andy Williams and Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo'le, including classics such as Beyond the Sea by Bobby Darin, Stardust by Nat King Cole, Piano Man by Billy Joel and Girl From Ipanema by Frank Sinatra.
Crystal is also releasing: The Crystal 30th Anniversary Cookbook, with over 260 pages of Crystal's recipes for classic and modern dishes, desserts, cocktails, and more. Crystal's creative cuisine has long been a hallmark of the brand.
While its fleet is on pause, the company has been developing new health and safety protocols to ensure guests' vacations remain not only relaxing and enjoyable but also safe and healthy. The new Crystal Clean+ 2.0 protocols, a set of measures for Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, were developed using the latest available data from health experts and will be updated as new information and guidelines become available. Measures are currently being developed for Crystal River Cruises, Crystal Yacht Cruises, and Crystal Expedition Cruises. The safety of its guests and crew members is Crystal's number one priority, and the fleet will only resume service when the company's team of experts and global health and government authorities indicate that it is safe to do so.
