Crystal Serenity Returns to Service Under New Owner A&K Travel Group

Crystal Cruises officially relaunched on July 31 as part of A&K Travel Group, when the 740-guest Crystal Serenity set sail following a multi-million-dollar refurbishment from Marseille, France. Its fleetmate, Crystal Symphony, is undergoing renovations and scheduled to resume service from Athens on Sept. 1.

“Crystal has been recognized for decades for exceptional experiences, and we are excited to welcome guests back onboard for its new gilded era,” said A&K Travel Group CEO Cristina Levis. “In just one year, we’ve been able to revitalize the ships, a feat nearly unheard of in the cruise industry. It is an honor to be signaling this new chapter better than ever and right on schedule, all while retaining 80 percent of Crystal’s beloved crew on board.”

After the first voyage, Crystal Serenity will sail towards Northern Europe, including the U.K., Ireland, and Iceland. The ship then travels to the Americas as far north as Canada and as far south as Cartagena, Colombia, before beginning the 125-night 2024 World Cruise, which sails from San Diego or Miami.

There are two new guest room categories – the Junior Crystal Penthouse Suite and Single Guest Room with Ocean View; the latter category can be booked without a single supplement.

The Junior Crystal Penthouse Suite measures up to 645 square feet and includes separate dining and living areas looking onto a private veranda, also accompanied by butler service. The Single Guest Room with Ocean View measures up to 215 square feet and has butler service.

Crystal Serenity has 11 dining options, including 24-hour in-suite dining service. Among them are Umi Uma by Master Chef Nobuyuki (Nobu), Italian cuisine at Osteria D’Ovidio and the poolside Trident Grill for burgers, melts, salads and more.

Levis also announced that the brand is working with their advisors, lenders and export credit agents with hopes of signing a memorandum of agreement with two European shipbuilders for four new ships in the next six years – two classic ships and two expedition vessels.A&K Travel Group Ltd. is the travel company owned by Geoffrey Kent and Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio’s holding company. It acquired the luxury cruise vessels on June 22, 2022.