Crystal Expedition Cruises' latest Polar class cruise vessel, the first of its kind constructed in Germany, has been named in MV WERFTEN's shipyard in Stralsund.
Up to 200 guests will find room onboard the GT 20,200 ship's 100 well-appointed all-verandah, all-butler serviced suites.
"The most luxurious and expensive ship ever built at $20,000 per gross tons, she sets a new high standard in luxury cruising including the largest space ratio, at over 100 gross tons per guest, and most importantly, the highest staff to guest ratio in the industry at one-to-one. We are delighted that Crystal Endeavor, as the new pinnacle of expedition excellence, now commands the highest cruise fare per night of any cruise ship in the world," Tan Sri KT Lim, Chairman of Genting Hong Kong (owner of MV WERFTEN Stralsund), highlighted.
Crystal Expedition Cruises also underlined in a press release, "Throughout the ship, Crystal hallmarks accent guests' onboard experience: Michelin-inspired dining options including Umi Uma, the first and only Japanese restaurant on an expedition ship, fine Italian cuisine at Prego, 24-hour room service and optional Vintage Room experience; the only casino on an expedition yacht; a glass-covered, two-story solarium - housing the Seahorse Pool and Jacuzzi - providing panoramic views from sea to sky; and the full-service Crystal Life Salon & Spa with a state-of-the-art Fitness Center; as well as a wrap-around Promenade Deck, an iconic Crystal design element."
Crystal Endeavor is equipped with dynamic positioning, enabling the ship to remain in one place utilising GPS and its thrusters rather than dropping anchor, thus avoiding any potential damage to delicate reefs.
The ship can also connect to the shore power supply and has installed several water treatment systems and a selective catalytic reduction system to minimise the emissions of nitrogen oxides.
Crystal Endeavor's first ten-night voyage will start in her homeport of Reykjavík on 17 July and will encompass Iceland. The second itinerary, from Iceland (Reykjavík) to Norway (Tromsø), will begin from 5 September.
At the beginning of June, the German Federal Government agreed with the State of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania to continue supporting the MV WERFTEN shipyard in Stralsund with finance from the economic stabilisation fund. Peter Altmaier, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs & Energy, commented during the christening ceremony, "We want to further strengthen the competencies of high-quality shipbuilding and make shipping more climate friendly. The Federal Government is thus providing many hundreds of millions of euros for developing innovative solutions in shipbuilding. We wish Crystal Endeavor always a hand's breadth of water under the keel."
Photo: Crystal Expedition Cruises