Crystal Symphony has re-entered service with larger, revamped suites and a new roster of specialty dining restaurants. Following an extensive refurbishment after being purchased by A&K Travel Group, the luxury ship now accommodates just 606 guests, joining sister ship Crystal Serenity in a new chapter for the Crystal Cruises brand. More than 80 per cent of the line’s crew are back and there is now nearly one staff member per guest.
Crystal collaborated with renowned cruise ship architectural firm, GEM, to revamp select guest rooms and suites. The refreshed design incorporates a palette of neutral shades and elevated touchpoints, enhanced by gentle pastel tones reminiscent of the ocean’s colors. As part of the ship’s refurbishments, there are two new guest room categories – the Jr. Crystal Penthouse Suite and Single Guest Room with Ocean View, which serves as an option for solo travelers. These new categories will also increase the availability of the popular Sapphire Suite category.
There are now 10 distinct dining options, including 24-hour in-suite dining service. New venues include Osterio D’Ovidio, named for Crystal’s Executive Chairman, Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, specializing in traditional Italian meals and Tastes Kitchen & Bar featuring tapas-style cusine. Returning features include Umi Uma, featuring the Japanese=Peruvian cuisine of Master Chef Nobuyuki (Nobu) Matsuhisa, the buffet-style Marketplace and Waterside restaurant, Crystal’s main dining room.
Following the ship’s inaugural voyage from Athens to Istanbul, Crystal Symphony will sail eastward, towards exciting destinations such as Santorini, Istanbul, Abu Dhabi and Mumbai. For the remainder of 2023, the ship will sail throughout Oceania visiting locales including Sydney, Auckland, Papua New Guinea and Bali.
