Crystal Awarded ‘Cruise Line Of The Year’ And ‘Most Luxurious Guest Experience’

[Jason]

Crystal took home two of the biggest awards at Virtuoso Travel Week last week when the company was named “Cruise Line of the Year” and “Most Luxurious Guest Experience” in the cruise category by the professionals of the global luxury travel network. The awards were presented during Virtuoso’s 30th annual Travel Week, and speak directly to Crystal’s unwavering commitment to the travel advisor community and the overall guest experience provided aboard its luxury ships.

“We are honored and humbled by these awards from the professional advisors of the Virtuoso Travel Network, who are experts in the discerning preferences of luxury travelers,” said Crystal’s senior vice president of marketing and sales, Carmen Roig, who, along with her team, accepted the awards on the company’s behalf. “In every facet of the Crystal Experience, our priority is to provide our guests the most elegant and sophisticated spaces throughout our ships and numerous choices to make their voyage precisely what they want it to be – always delivered with the personalized service of our crew, who strives to not only meet, but exceed guests’ wishes every day.

“On behalf of everyone at the company, I want to thank our partners at the Virtuoso Travel Network and the travel advisor community as a whole for their support and dedication to Crystal,” Roig added.

It has long been Crystal’s philosophy that the genuine service and attention to every detail by the company’s celebrated crew is at the heart of the onboard guest experience, earning Crystal one of the highest guest loyalty rates in the industry. In addition to this personal component, Crystal has remained at the forefront of luxury in its ships’ designs and amenities, a vast array of enriching programs on board, and a number of exclusive experiences ashore, including VIP access to some of the world’s most premier events.  

As the leader in the luxury cruise industry for decades, Crystal continues to expand its portfolio of experiences that appeal to a variety of luxury travelers, enabling travel partners to grow their luxury business and reach new audiences. With dramatic redesigns completed for Crystal Symphony and upcoming for Crystal Serenity, the company continues to invest in its core Ocean voyages, which span the globe and offer travelers diversely enriching choices.

Crystal River Cruises welcomed two new river ships earlier this year, as Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel joined the fleet alongside identical sisters, Crystal Bach and Crystal Mahler, offering the only all-suite, all-balcony, all-butler accommodations in the region, and Crystal Mozart, the largest ship along Europe’s rivers.

Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises’ Crystal Esprit continues to take travelers seeking exclusive, active experiences to the world’s most elite yachting playgrounds in the Adriatic and West Indies, while the world’s largest and most spacious luxury expedition yacht, Crystal Endeavor, will debut in August of 2020. 

By Crystal Cruises
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[ExpatCruise]

I put very little stock in these type of awards, Virtuoso Travel is a for profit travel service pushes its own agents and the agenda of  Virtuoso Travel.  If you want a true grading of luxury cruise lines you really need to use independent judgement.  If someone owned the best luxury property in the World and did not allow bookings through Virtuoso Travel  do you think they would even be considered for a award?  No chance ever....

No independent travel award service would ever put Crystal as number one. Even if they were the best they would be disqualified being own by Genting Corporations which has very questionable business practices . 

Just read the statement quoted above “On behalf of everyone at the company, I want to thank our partners at the Virtuoso Travel Network and the travel advisor community as a whole for their support and dedication to Crystal,”  Translation thank you Travel Advisor  for selling our products and giving us this award so we can get more guests.  Another meaningless award design to fool people who do not know any better.

[DonaldMc]

It always surprises me that Crystal wins so many awards. I have been on a wide variety of cruise lines and Crystal was the most disappointing. The service was unfriendly. The dining room was noisy and chaotic. The spaces that had been recently renovated were showing wear and tear. (In fairness, this was after the previous refit not the most recent one.) The cruise director was lacking in competence. His lack of knowledge about the ship's activities lead to having some elderly passengers very upset. The food was inconsistent. Incorrect table settings were the norm. In short, this was a 3 star cruise on a line that claims 5 star plus status.

[Shari2]

Interesting information, Todd and Donald!   Thank you for your views...and thanks to Jason for all the great information on ships and cruising.  DonaldMc, so nice to have you on CruiseCrazies with us.

[AndiD]

8 hours ago, DonaldMc said:

It always surprises me that Crystal wins so many awards. I have been on a wide variety of cruise lines and Crystal was the most disappointing. The service was unfriendly. The dining room was noisy and chaotic. The spaces that had been recently renovated were showing wear and tear. (In fairness, this was after the previous refit not the most recent one.) The cruise director was lacking in competence. His lack of knowledge about the ship's activities lead to having some elderly passengers very upset. The food was inconsistent. Incorrect table settings were the norm. In short, this was a 3 star cruise on a line that claims 5 star plus status.

I've looked at Crystal and found them to be very pricey, so then it would be 3 star cruise at a 5 star price?   No thanks!