Tag Archives: Crystal Symphony

Crystal replaces Turkey port calls on two cruises

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Crystal Cruise
Crystal Cruises said it would substitute Greek ports for Turkish ones on two upcoming cruises “in response to ongoing security concerns for travel within Istanbul.”

Revised itineraries for the Crystal Symphony’s April 24 and May 1 voyages will drop calls at Istanbul and Kusadasi.

The April 24 voyage will substitute Souda Bay/Chania (Crete), Hydra, and overnights in Nafplio and Athens/Piraeus, while the May 1 cruise will include Patmos, Rhodes and an overnight in Athens/Piraeus.

Crystal also said that pre-reserved Crystal Adventures in Turkey will automatically be canceled, while the line is in the process of developing new shore excursions.

On Jan. 12, a suicide bomb killed 10 people in Istanbul, mostly German tourists. Before that incident occurred, Disney removed Greece and Turkey calls from a summer 2016 cruise. Last summer, after an attack on the U.S. consulate in Istanbul, Celebrity and Costa canceled calls in Turkey.

Crystal Cruises to open Miami office

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Crystal Cruises, newly acquired by Genting Hong Kong, said it will open a branch office in Miami on June 1.

The headquarters for the cruise line will remain in Los Angeles. The Miami office will bolster Crystal’s presence on the East Coast, said CEO Edie Rodriguez. It will also help Crystal source experienced cruise talent, create partnerships and foster existing business relationships in the region, she said.

Crystal said the Miami branch office, located at 1501 Biscayne Blvd. in the Omni Building, will be home to newly created management positions at Crystal while serving as a secondary location for Los Angeles-based executives to conduct business as needed.

It will also feature a reservations call center, which will begin to accept bookings in summer 2015, and provide support on both coasts for Crystal to serve the domestic and international markets.

Genting Completes Acquisition of Crystal; Announces Promotions

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Genting Hong Kong (GHK) today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Crystal Cruises from Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), for a total transaction of US$550 million. GHK also announced a new Chairman of Crystal and promotions for Crystal’s current senior management team.

Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, executive chairman of the Genting Group and the former chairman of Norwegian Cruise Line, assumes the position of chairman of Crystal, replacing Nobuyoshi Kuzuya who will return to NYK in a key executive position. Edie Rodriguez, a 34-year travel industry veteran who was previously president and COO will be promoted to president and CEO. Thomas Mazloum, a 20-plus year veteran of Crystal’s management team who was previously executive vice-president will be promoted to COO.

Established in 1993, GHK is part of the Genting Group, a global hospitality and leisure company with business in over 20 countries, including the United States in New York, Florida and Nevada. GHK wholly owns Star Cruises and is a major shareholder of Norwegian Cruise Line. GHK is a public company primarily listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and secondarily on the Singapore Stock Exchange.

Crystal launched service with the Crystal Harmony in 1990, with sister ships Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity joining the fleet in 1995 and 2003, respectively. Since the Harmony’s sale in 2005, the line has operated global itineraries with the two remaining ships.