The new Crystal Cruises is assembling a team of veteran industry executives for key company positions as it plans to refurbish the Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony for their inaugural season.
“As we prepare to relaunch our two Crystal ships, we have been working in parallel with our parent company, A&K Travel Group, to build a strong and highly talented senior leadership team,” said Jack Anderson, president of Crystal Cruises. “We are thrilled to welcome these industry veterans to the Crystal family to bring a fresh perspective to the brand.”.
- Roberto Fazi joins Crystal Cruises as Senior Vice President of Marine Operations, based in Monaco. Roberto brings extensive experience in new builds and refurbishments of classic and expedition vessels. During his more than 30-year career, he worked for V.Ships, Carnival Cruise Line, and Silversea Cruises, where he specialized in the latest technologies related to sustainability and energy efficiency projects (e.g., ship lengthening and ice-class conversion). In his new role, Roberto will oversee the refurbishment of Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity and their operations once they return to service. Roberto will also oversee any new ship designs.
- Bernie Leypold is returning to Crystal Cruises as Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations, based in Aventura, Florida. His career spans leadership roles in hotel management and sales, as well as IT and entertainment. Bernie's experience with Crystal began in the 1990s when he held various positions on Crystal Harmony and later joined the Crystal Serenity launch team. In 2017, Bernie became Vice President of Onboard Operations and Innovations, where he led onboard and shore operations for the fleet. As in his previous role, Bernie will now oversee all hotel operations.
- Jacqueline Barney joins the team as Senior Vice President of Global Marketing, based in Aventura, Florida. With over 17 years of experience in the travel industry, Jacqueline brings extensive experience leading cross-functional teams, global product launches, and multifaceted projects for renowned travel brands, including Seabourn Cruise Line, Silversea Cruises, National Geographic Expeditions, and Disney Adventures. In her most recent role at The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Jacqueline oversaw global marketing strategy and contributed to the launch of the company’s first superyacht, Evrima. In her new position, Jacqueline will be responsible for all global marketing efforts for Crystal Cruises.
- Spyros Almpertis has joined Crystal Cruises as Senior Director of Port Operations and is based in Monaco. A former officer in the Greek Navy, Spyros has over 30 years of experience in the cruise industry, having held several key management positions both ashore and onboard. His expertise includes port operations, itinerary planning, and fleet management. Prior to joining Crystal, Spyros managed vessels and ports for Silversea Cruises from Monaco. In his new role, Spyros will be responsible for Crystal's port operations, itinerary planning, and fuel management.
- Julio Solvas joins Crystal Cruises as Chief Financial Officer and is based in Monaco. Julio's experience lies in finance, accounting, and tax, leading departments for global organizations. He will contribute his organizational skills and proven technical excellence, along with a distinguished career in the cruise industry, by leading the implementation of policies and procedures that ensure compliance with the group's regional and international accounting requirements.
