Recently purchased by the A&K Travel Group, Crystal is back on the ocean charts with two newly refurbished ships – Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony – which will both make their well anticipated return to the water before the end of the summer. More than just a redesign, with revamped public areas and larger, more luxurious suites, this represents a sort of renaissance for the ships and for Crystal itself. Two of the world’s leading cruise architecture specialists were engaged to breathe new life into Crystal’s timeless and traditional identity – Tillberg Design of Sweden and Italian design firm GEM.
More modern, yet honouring the past
With exciting, new public spaces, modern guest suites, refined amenities and more, this is a new breed of luxury cruise, one that avid Crystal followers can’t wait to experience.
“We are the world leader in designing cruise lines,” says Tillberg partner and design director Peter Snellman. “We had to take a few public areas and renew them, keeping them timeless and classic, yet trying to put a newer touch to it all,” he says.
Transforming social areas, key dining rooms and the spa, the Tillberg team added modern Mediterranean influences to make the tranquil, traditional elements new, using natural elements and light tones. Layering classic and contemporary together with the restaurants as well, revealed a chic visage, the traditional materials once again lending a nod to the iconic Crystal feel, yet somehow evolved and fresh.
The Aurora spa is named after Aurora, the Roman goddess of dawn. “With Aurora, there was a lot of talk about how the light should spread and shimmer throughout the day,” Snellman says. “This also helped us to fine-tune the material choices, so that the material would reflect and refract the light.” Other design touches emulate the sun, bringing light and energy and balance into the spa.
Structural excellence, seamless work
GEM has been serving the cruise design industry for almost 50 years. This family-run architecture firm was involved in the refurbishments in 2016 and 2018 of each of the two ships, so everyone was already well-acquainted. With the reveal in 2023, they added new design layers to what they had already worked on, optimizing space and functionality, preserving the Crystal identity, while updating the ships for the new brand direction.
GEM was called on to redesign the suites, merging some smaller rooms to make larger ones, including the Sapphire Veranda Suite and the Junior Crystal Penthouse Suite. “We have a contemporary design with a touch of classic,” says GEM managing director Lorenzo Mortola. “In the materials, it is finished with the best of the Italian taste and flair. For example, the marble is sourced locally from a quarry in the Alps, and the linens are supplied by Jesurum 1870, which is a 150-year-old, family-run company based in Venice.”
Passengers can expect luxe textures and gold finishings, with “pastel colors and shades of gray and beige that resonate well with the color of the ocean,” Mortola adds. “We hope the guests will experience a feeling, like being in their home.”
Say hello to a new friend
With both ships offering nearly one staff member per guest in terms of service, the Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony are all set, ready to showcase their meticulous structural and design splendor to the world. The first lineup includes itineraries to Europe and the Mediterranean, Canada and New England, the Caribbean and the Panama Canal, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.
The winds of change are indeed swirling around Crystal and these two incredible ships. Rest assured that your Tully Luxury Travel Designer can pair you up with the right itinerary – for the perfect modern-yet-iconic cruise indulgence.
