Crystal Expedition Cruises has announced that its newest luxury yacht, Crystal Endeavor, will make its U.S. debut on 25OCT from Miami.
Crystal Endeavor will be sailing a new nine-night itinerary, Expedition Yachting: Caribbean Mystique, which will sail from Miami to San Juan from 25OCT to 03NOV. The voyage will call on Great Exuma and Man of War Bay, Inagua Island, Bahamas; White Bay and Great Harbor (overnight) on Jost Van Dyke, and Norman Island in the British Virgin Islands; Gustavia, St. Barts; and Saba, Netherlands; then will conclude in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Reservations for this voyage are now open.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for U.S. travelers to experience Crystal Endeavor during her inaugural season from a port close to home and this new Caribbean itinerary is designed to offer just what luxury travelers are seeking – exclusive experiences and active outdoor pursuits in fascinating locales delivered with the greatest care and service,” said Jack Anderson, president of Crystal.
Crystal is offering savings, reduced deposits and an extended final payment date to 60 days prior to first date of service, as well as other incentives. All-inclusive cruise fares for the new 25OCT Expedition Yachting: Caribbean Mystique start at USD $13,999 per guest, including limited-time Book Now Savings of USD $3,000 and As You Wish shipboard credits of USD $300 per guest. Returning guests will enjoy double Crystal Society Savings of five per cent, while new-to-Crystal guests will save 2.5 percent on their voyage, with solo fares starting at just 150 percent. Travelers with Future Cruise Credits and Future Cruise Payments may redeem them on these sailings.
Expedition Yachting: Caribbean Mystique Highlights
At these locations in the Caribbean, guests are provided the opportunity for unique adventures such as hiking the mountains of Saba and explorations in UNESCO-listed Inagua National Park where West Indian flamingos and a variety of bird life can be found. Guests can also enjoy clear aquamarine waters, sea caves, sand beaches and volcanic isles as well as a host of activities from swimming, snorkeling, and diving, to hiking, birdwatching, Zodiac tours, sea kayaking and more.
Swimming with the pigs of Major Cay is a unique experience, and guests can also experience the waters of Great Exuma which offer swimming, snorkeling and kayaking opportunities from the ship’s marina. On Great Inagua, 45 per cent of the island is devoted to Great Inagua National Park, a haven for bird species including West Indian flamingos, Bahama parrots, Inagua Woodstar hummingbirds, snowy and reddish egrets, tricolored herons, brown pelicans, roseate spoonbills and more.
Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands is known for beautiful beaches and island fun at the Soggy Dollar Bar on White Bay and Foxy’s Bar on Great Harbor. Norman Island boasts snorkeling adventures including the coral gardens found at the Indians rock formations and sea caves teeming with darting fish, cup corals and colorful sponges. The island is also a launch point for excursions to Tortola and the Baths at Virgin Gorda.
The isle of St. Barts is home to 22 beaches and features shopping and dining spots, an array of watersports, and a yacht-spangled harbor. From tide pools to cloud forests to the 3,000-foot Mt. Scenery, Saba is a trove of natural scenery featuring 12 trails of varying intensity that showcase the island’s flora and provide incredible views. Encircled by a protected Marine Park, Saba is also one of the top diving sites in the world featuring underwater pinnacles and seamounts. San Juan delights with beaches and cultural experiences including the colorful buildings and cobbled streets of Old San Juan and UNESCO-listed Historic Sites including the 16th century citadel of Castillo San Felipe del Morro.
For more information on the new Expedition Yachting: Caribbean Mystique itinerary, click here.
Crystal Endeavor
The German-built Crystal Endeavor is the ninth ship in the line's fleet and accommodates 200 guests in 100 all-verandah, all-butler serviced suites, with a guest to space ratio of more than 100 cubic feet.
Amenities onboard include dining options such as Umi Uma, the first Japanese restaurant on an expedition ship, Italian cuisine at Prego, 24-hour room service and optional Vintage Room experience; a casino; and the full-service Crystal Life Salon & Spa with a Fitness Center; as well as a wrap-around Promenade Deck.
Crystal Endeavour also features 18 Zodiacs and 14 sea kayaks, as well as a Polar Class 6 (PC6) classification that enables her to sail in Arctic and Antarctic regions. Other exploration equipment includes a Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) to view the sea at a 300-meter depth and a Gimble long range camera mounted on the mast that can zoom in to view wildlife and scenery over a mile away.
The camera system shoots 4K video that streams directly on the HD TVs throughout the ship including public areas and guest suites, and on the 65-inch screens in Palm Court, the 86-inch screens in the Expedition Lounge and on the Cove’s video wall, with a 218-inch center screen and two 145-inch side screens. Camera operator control locations in the Palm Court and in the Expedition Lounge offer interactive activity between the camera operator and guests, who can point out sights they would like to see up close.
Crystal Endeavor is also fitted with ecologically-minded features to reduce its environmental impact. Crystal has equipped Crystal Endeavor to connect to shore power while in port, cleans exhaust emissions through a Selective Catalytic Reductant system and utilizes FarSounder 1000 technology allowing the captain and bridge officers to detect sea life and underwater objects far in advance and navigate appropriately, with 3-D imaging of the terrain up to 1,000 meters ahead and 50 meters deep, among others.
As part of its health and safety measures, Crystal guests 12 and over must be fully inoculated with a COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to boarding a Crystal ship. However, due to Florida state law, the company will adjust this policy for the Miami port of embarkation and will highly recommend, but not require, that all guests be fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated guests must be pre-approved after initial waitlist, are subject to capacity control, and proof of valid travel insurance is required.
Unvaccinated guests will need to adhere to specific protocols and further testing requirements in addition to certain restrictions during their journey, which can be found here.
Restrictions for unvaccinated guests include mandatory mask requirement in all public areas except when eating and/or drinking, no access to certain public areas including specialty restaurants, lounges and night clubs, Crystal Life Spa and Crystal Life Fitness and they may not be able to go ashore at certain ports or attend gatherings onboard such as the Crystal Society party. Dining will be assigned in a socially distanced area. Unvaccinated guests will be identified by a red bracelet while vaccinated guests will be identified by a green bracelet to assist the officers and crew in enforcing restrictions. These details will also be communicated in advance and must be agreed upon as a condition of travel.
Crystal Cruises' full Crystal Clean+ measures can be found here.
For more information on the new Expedition Yachting: Caribbean Mystique itinerary and on Crystal Cruises, click here.
