Crystal Taps Signature Travel Network To Be Its First Preferred Supplier
Crystal and member-owned travel consortium Signature Travel Network today announced the creation of a new partnership, through which Signature is set to become the revamped cruise line’s first official strategic sales and marketing supplier.
The luxury brand is now owned by A&K Travel Group (parent company of Abercrombie & Kent, Crystal Cruises and Cox & Kings), which acquired it last year after former owner Genting Group went into bankruptcy. It also took ownership of a pair of the line’s vessels, the Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, which are being entirely renovated to A&K’s exceptional standards.
Passenger bookings for mid-2023 through 2024 itineraries opened only last month, with the ships’ respective relaunches coming up this summer. As it sets sail into this new era, reimagined cruise line’s planned voyages include itineraries in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Canada and New England, Alaska, the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
“Crystal is thrilled to name Signature Travel Network as our first strategic partner,” said President of Crystal Jack Anderson. “The travel advisor community is key to the success of our business and Signature’s members are many of the best in the industry. We look forward to welcoming the clients of Signature members on board our exceptional ships when we relaunch later this summer.”
“We are very excited to see that Crystal is returning under the new ownership of Abercrombie & Kent,” said Alex Sharpe, Signature Travel Network’s president, and CEO. “We had a long-standing successful partnership with the previous company, and we are honored to be selected as their first strategic partner under new ownership. Crystal’s brand loyalty is unique, and we look forward to rebuilding our business through what we know will be a strong partnership.”
Crystal Serenity is scheduled to set sail on July 3 upon her inaugural 12-day voyage from Marseille, France to Lisbon, Portugal; while Crystal Symphony is scheduled to debut with a seven-day sailing from Athens, Greece to Istanbul, Turkey departing on September 1.