Crystal enters river cruise market in 2017

[Shorex]

Included in Crystal's major expansion plans are an entry into the river cruise market.

 

"Crystal River Cruises – 2017

The spring of 2017 brings more growth with Crystal River Cruises. Featuring expertly curated itineraries, Crystal River Cruises will offer the hallmarks of the all-inclusive Crystal experience – six-star service, world-class dining, and enriching shore-side adventures. Spacious suites with exquisitely designed interiors and elegant public rooms will punctuate Crystal’s entry into worldwide river cruising."

 

 

This will bring a new dimension of luxury and competition to the already expanding river cruise opportunities. From the wording it appears they will have ships not only in Europe, but other continents. I hope to see a Crystal river ship in Vietnam, Myanmar, Egypt, Africa......

[Host Jazzbeau]

This will be interesting to watch. They simultaneously announced plans to build 3 new ocean ships, with a minimum cabin size of 400 sf. and only 1,000 passengers (and 1,000 crew!) in 100,000 tons (the size of Holland America's new Konigsdam which has 2,660 pax, and a new luxury standard for space ratio). So when they say these river ships will have spacious suites and elegant public rooms, we can expect something really special. But river ships are limited in size by the locks, so these ships will be very limited in the number of passengers -- also a good thing, but what prices will they have to charge???

[notamermaid]

I find it very interesting when an ocean cruise company enters the river cruise market, as they bring such different experience from a so much grander scale into their plans. Will they - and how - bring this grand scale feel into the small scale, I mean the size of a river cruise ship?

 

The size of ships is indeed limited by the locks in Europe, I believe the Nile and Asia differ in this.

 

My believe was that 11.45 m width by 135 m length is the ultimate size for getting through a lock. However, a German website states the two new ships by Amawaterways scheduled for 2016 will be 11.60 m. Sounds like getting a big car into a small parking lot to me. :eek: The future captain and crew will have my admiration for all that navigation in and out of locks.

 

Please note that the new CroisiEurope ship ploughing the Loire - the Loire Princesse - is given at being 15.30 m. The Loire never having been altered to allow large scale barges on it seems to mean it has no restrictive locks in the manner the Rhine has for example. I would love to see the Loire for myself to determine the river situation.

 

I wonder what rivers Crystal will offer, and how will they top my favourite itinerary (from reading about it not experiencing it) by APT with the private exclusive reception by a real-life Princess and dinner at her castle?

 

notamermaid

[ingo_e]

The RMD locks (the bottleneck for AMS - Black Sea) are 190x12m, so 11.40 is the maximum width (i'd say 11.60 is some typo). The interesting question is rather, why the ship length are standardized to 110m / 135m

[notamermaid]

Thank you for the info, ingo_e. Closer to the date, perhaps a look at the Amawaterways website will give the definite size of their new ships.

 

Yes, I have wondered why the standard sizes are 110 m or 135 m (some older vessels still happily sailing are shorter). The Douro has smaller ships on it, though.

 

CroisiEurope lists their ship Loire Princesse as 90 m by 10 m. Another typo on that German site? I shall be more vigilant of it in the future.

 

As regards number of passengers: if you think 190 max. on Viking is a lot, think again. Statistics give Arosa at 202 max. for the ships sailing the Rhine and the German company Phoenix has a ship called Amelia with 216 max.

 

I hope Crystal will be under 180.

 

notamermaid

Edited July 20, 2015 by notamermaid
additional information

[caviargal]

IMO it is more likely that they are taking the same route as Celebrity and offering river cruises, but the ships will belong to another line. Since it is all inclusive, Scenic or Tauck perhaps would be their partner.

 

Will be interesting.

[Tricia1945]

Since it is all inclusive, Scenic or Tauck perhaps would be their partner.

 

Why would you say something like that? Uniworld is also all inclusive.

 

Having an all inclusive is their personal choice also the catering company.

[caviargal]

Why would you say something like that? Uniworld is also all inclusive.

 

Having an all inclusive is their personal choice also the catering company.

 

Their announcement says they are building their own ships for the river - it will be interesting to see when this comes to fruition. From a company that has not expanded in years, to announcements that they are adding ships and new market segment is interesting.

 

FYI, Uniworld is not fully inclusive as they charge extra for a number of excursions. We are just back and experienced that for ourselves.

Edited July 20, 2015 by caviargal

[pacmom]

Celebrity says the new river boat will be the ms Serenity. There is one in existence belonging to a UK firm--supposed to be 4 star, but all cabins have pull down beds. This is a huge expansion for the ocean cruise line--3 new boats, a river cruiser, yachts and and airplane--WOW!!!!! As I have dais many times before, soon we will be able to walk from shore to shore with all the boats rafted. So glad we started in 2002 in Europe. Pat;)

[caviargal]

soon we will be able to walk from shore to shore with all the boats rafted. So glad we started in 2002 in Europe.

 

Amen to that, though we started later than you. :)

[Host Jazzbeau]

Celebrity says the new river boat will be the ms Serenity. There is one in existence belonging to a UK firm--supposed to be 4 star, but all cabins have pull down beds. This is a huge expansion for the ocean cruise line--3 new boats, a river cruiser, yachts and and airplane--WOW!!!!! As I have dais many times before, soon we will be able to walk from shore to shore with all the boats rafted. So glad we started in 2002 in Europe. Pat;)

 

I don't this this information can be correct, not just because Celebrity wouldn't be commenting on a Crystal announcement, but because Crystal already has an ocean ship named Serenity. Here is the quote from the Crystal President on their river cruise plans:

Rodriguez says Crystal will enter the fast-growing river cruise market in the spring of 2017 with

two custom-built ships

that will be defined by first-rate service, world-class dining, spacious suites and elegant public rooms. They'll be part of a new brand extension called Crystal River Cruises.

[pacmom]

Can I blame typing the wrong cruise line on just recent cataract surgery??? No just stupid mistake. Thanks for catching that. Pat:o

[Host Jazzbeau]

Can I blame typing the wrong cruise line on just recent cataract surgery??? No just stupid mistake. Thanks for catching that. Pat:o

 

No problem. Last night my eyes got so tired that I couldn't see the crossword puzzle at all. Hard to get the sleep without getting sleepy ... But back to the point, I'm very sure that Crystal's river boats aren't going to be anybody's existing boat. Their description of them demands a completely new build. [Are you thinking of Celebrity's recent announcement that they will be leasing some of Amras's boats for tie-in river cruises to their ocean cruises?]

[Coral]

Their announcement says they are building their own ships for the river - it will be interesting to see when this comes to fruition. From a company that has not expanded in years, to announcements that they are adding ships and new market segment is interesting.

 

When Crystal was purchased a few months ago - it was announced that they were going to expand and build another ship. I just don't think people knew the extent of their plans back then.

[pully8]

think it sounds exciting to have another option on the rivers. many who enjoy river cruising like comfort/service/luxury and are prepared to pay for the experience.

 

attention to detail and port experiences will be welcome.