Crystal Cruises is once again sailing the high seas. Just over one year since the brand and its two ocean-going ships, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, were acquired by A&K Travel Group after its previous owner Genting Hong Kong filed for bankruptcy, the first of the two revitalized ships set sail this week. Last Friday, we boarded the ultra-luxury, 740-passenger Crystal Serenity in Naples, Italy, for a three-night preview cruise to Marseille, France.
While the ship is sporting a more contemporary look following its $150 million refurbishment, there are still many aspects—such as the iconic and colorful atrium ceiling—that many loyal Crystal guests will remember. Also part of the update, the guest capacity (and room inventory) was decreased from 980 passengers to 740. Crystal Symphony also has more limited capacity at just 606 guests. As a result, there are larger accommodations—including he the new "Junior Crystal Penthouse Suite" and “Single Guest Room with Ocean View” categories. New restaurants are also available onboard.
Looking forward, Cristina Levis, CEO of A&K Travel Group, said the company is aiming to have four new-builds by the end of 2029. These would comprise two luxury expedition ships and two classic ships. Not much detail is available yet, but the line plans on “keeping it small” with vessels likely in the 220-passenger range for the expedition ships and around 650 or so with the classic ships. The new expedition ships would have a double benefit: It would allow A&K Group to keep its Arctic region and Antarctica expedition offerings “in the family.” (Currently, it charters Ponant vessels for its expedition sailings.)
Europe Remains Hot
A New York-based travel advisor this week told us that if she’s able to find a business class seat to Europe this summer, even if it costs $7,000 when previously it may have been $4,000, her clients’ typical response is: We’ll take it! In other words, demand for Europe is very high and prices, crowds, airport strikes and the heat aren’t dissuading anyone from going.
On that front, Exodus Travels has launched its new “Active Europe Collection.” This expanded offering includes hiking and cycling trips and comprises over 19 new itineraries across nine European countries. With options for every skill level and interest, trips visit the Tuscan countryside, the U.K.’s Lake District, Norway’s fjords and the Mediterranean Coast.
In addition, Kensington Tours expanded its "Voyages by Kensington Tours,” now offering more ways to pair a client’s cruise of choice with private guided land-based experiences. The new Voyages itineraries include ocean cruises with partners such as Atlas Ocean Voyages, Celebrity Cruises, Explora Journeys, Seabourn and Silversea to European destinations including England, Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, the Netherlands and France.
Also on land, WOW, The New Cultural District in Portugal’s Porto has launched a range of new experiences that take place through the rest of summer and into fall. Built from restored and regenerated wine cellars located in the heart of Vila Nova de Gaia’s port warehouse district in Porto, WOW houses a collection of seven museum experiences, nine restaurants from fine dining to casual, as well as bars and cafés, retail outlets and a wine school.
Lastly, in Italy, Walks has launched a new way to experience the Colosseum. Created in partnership with the Parco archeologico del Colosseo, the “Colosseum Underground” exhibition and multimedia installation will transport visitors back nearly 2,000 years to ancient Rome, reviving the scenes of the passage of the gladiators from the tunnel that connected the training gym to the arena. The exhibition is enhanced through a collection of armor and weapons on display along the tour path, along with other original artifacts.
Travel Industry Events
Cruise Planners recently concluded its Land Symposium, which provided advisors with the chance to network, learn and fine-tune their professional development skills. With a focus on land experiences, over 175 Cruise Planners travel professionals and over 70 suppliers attended the event in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Coming up: Virtuoso heads back to Las Vegas for its annual Travel Week, August 12-18 at Bellagio Resort & Casino, ARIA Resort & Casino and Vdara Hotel & Spa. This year’s event will include speakers, professional development sessions and one-to-one “speed-dating,” plus self-selected appointments. The second annual Travel Tech Summit will bring together such companies as Microsoft, Hopper and Deloitte alongside 20 startup businesses. The “Under One Sky” lunch will demonstrate Virtuoso’s support of sustainable tourism, while the network will also share findings from the latest “Virtuoso Impact Report, Sustainable Travel.”
Just the Facts
International and domestic travel slot in as the top two highest priorities when it comes to discretionary spending, according to the most recent “Consumer Travel Spend Priorities” report from Outpayce from Amadeus. More than half of Americans (55 percent) said international travel was their top priority, while nearly two-thirds (64 percent) also said they would take more international trips this year than they did in 2019. Along those same lines, Americans are also planning to spend more on travel this year when compared to 2022.
Those numbers were backed up by the summer "2023 Global Rescue Travelers Sentiment and Safety Survey,” which found that 93 percent of respondents are planning to take at least two leisure trips this year. One-third (31 percent) will take four to five and one-fifth (20 percent) will even take six or more trips. What’s trending? Demand for adventure tourism has shot up since the pandemic with African safaris, hiking trips, camping excursions and motorcycle tours experiencing the fastest growth.
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