The ceremonial steel cutting of the cruise ship “Crystal Grace” took place at the shipyard in Marghera, Italy. It is the first new ocean-going vessel for the Crystal brand in 25 years.
The “Crystal Grace” is to become a luxury-class ship. According to the shipping company, it will open “a new chapter of particularly exquisite travel experiences” and set new standards. For the company, the ship is the first newbuild in the ocean-going segment for a quarter of a century.
Founded in 1988 as a subsidiary of the major Japanese shipping company NYK, the Crystal cruise brand was acquired by the Hong Kong-based Genting Group in 2015. However, plans in the cruise market fell through and Crystal was on the verge of liquidation. However, a new owner for the brand was found in 2022 in the form of the A&K Travel Group. In 2024, Crystal announced plans for the newbuild, followed by details of the schedule in October 2025.
“We want to create ships that are unmistakably modern, but at the same time have their roots in Crystal’s past and culture,” said Christina Levis, CEO of the A&K Travel Group. “These are ships that uniquely bring together the most generous space, onboard service and unique experiences in a playful way. The ‘Crystal Grace’ will deliver on this promise and we look forward to realizing this vision together with our partners at Fincantieri.”
In addition to the generously proportioned outdoor suites, the ship also features the first “Crystal Owner’s Suite”, which offers over 360m2 of total space including a private veranda. There is also a high-quality culinary offering, entertainment shows and one of the “best ratios” of guests to crew. The new ship will be able to carry 650 passengers.
The ship’s dimensions are specified by Crystal as 61,800 GT, a length of 246.6 m and a width of 32.2 m. The draught is 6.95 m and the maximum speed of the cruise ship is 19.5 knots.
The “Crystal Grace” is scheduled for delivery in 2028, with the eight-day premiere voyage starting in June in Civitavecchia near Rome and heading to Venice. This will be followed in the summer and fall by voyages in the Mediterranean, on the North American east coast including a voyage to Canadian ports and the Caribbean.
“The Crystal experience, as found on the ‘Crystal Serenity’ and the ‘Crystal Symphony’, already stands out from other luxury cruise products in an inspiring way,” says Michael Steffl, Director Trade Sales EMEA at Crystal. “We want to take this innovative strength to new heights with the Crystal Grace.” The company has already received numerous bookings for trips on the new cruise ship, including many from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
The two other ships in the Crystal fleet, also in the luxury segment, have been in service for several decades. The “Crystal Symphony” (51,044 GT) was built in 1995 by Kvaerner Masa-Yards (now Meyer Turku) in Finland and offers space for 922 passengers. In 2003, the French shipyard Chantiers de l’Atlantique delivered the “Crystal Serenity” (68,870 GT), which can accommodate 740 passengers.
