Crystal Cruises celebrated the resumption of its ocean cruising operations when the Crystal Serenity set sail from the Port of Nassau on its Luxury Bahamas Escapes voyage, a seven-night journey exploring the islands of The Bahamas. The Crystal Serenity will call at the Bahamas through November for its Luxury Bahamas Escapes cruise series, featuring a unique Bahamas itinerary. The highly anticipated return to cruising was celebrated with an Inauguration Ceremony in Nassau, led by Crystal executives, Bahamian government officials, including the Honorable Minister Dionisio D'Aguilar and Director General Joy Jibrilu of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, and dignitaries from the Port of Nassau.
Guests boarded the Crystal Serenity for the first time since spring 2020 and were warmly greeted by the cheerful and eager officers, staff, and crew of Crystal's flagship. A Junkanoo parade entertained guests with a lively Bahamian tradition of music, dancing, and colorful costumes on the pier. The ship was saluted with a water cannon salute as it departed the harbor, accompanied by the sounds of Crystal Cruises' signature song, Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World," providing the musical backdrop for this historic moment.
“We are thrilled to celebrate this historic day in Nassau as Crystal Serenity resumes sailing and welcomes back our guests, whom we consider our Crystal Family,” said Carmen Roig, Crystal’s senior vice president of marketing and sales, who was in the Bahamas for the festivities. “This is a historic moment for Crystal, our employees, and especially our officers and crew, and we are happy to be back where we belong, sailing the world’s oceans and creating experiences that become lifelong memories. We want to thank our travel partners for their support during this long journey back to sailing and our loyal Crystal guests for being with us and cheering us on to this happy moment,” Roig said.
“It is a great pleasure to welcome Crystal Cruises back to The Bahamas after months away,” said the Honorable Dionisio D’Aguilar, Minister of Tourism and Aviation of The Bahamas. “The exciting itineraries awaiting travelers will help fuel our local economy while providing an unforgettable experience for guests.”
“Our exceptional partnership with Crystal Cruises has brought a whole new experience to the market. Never before have travelers had the opportunity to explore so much of The Bahamas on a single ship, from the vibrant downtown of Nassau to the secluded getaways found throughout the beautiful Outer Islands,” said Ministry of Tourism Director General Joy Jibrilu.
The Crystal Serenity will be homeported in Nassau until November 13, 2021, with round-trip sailings every Saturday for Luxury Bahamas Escapes. Guests will also have the option of sailing round-trip from Bimini for Luxury Bahamas Escapes. The seven-day voyages feature a unique Bahamas itinerary that explores the country's Out Islands, also known as the Family Islands, with stops in Great Exuma, San Salvador, and Long Island.
Guests will enjoy the exuberant and distinctive Bahamian send-off by a 15-member Junkanoo band on every Luxury Bahamas Escapes voyage as the ship departs from Nassau harbor.
Crystal has implemented its new Crystal Clean+ protocols, which include mandatory vaccinations for guests and crew, COVID-19 testing upon embarkation, and more. Due to the mandatory vaccination requirement, guests will be able to explore independently on land. As a reminder, the Crystal Clean+ protocols are continuously reviewed based on scientific data and recommendations from local and global authorities.
