Posted by Susan O’Driscoll
$25 million later and Crystal Cruises’ largest ship, Crystal Serenity is looking fantastic.
The round-the-clock remodel at Germany’s Blohm + Voss shipyard was the company’s longest ever. All 535 staterooms, retail areas, outdoor pool deck, corridors and other spaces received a dazzling facelift, in addition to general sprucing of the entire outside and inside of the vessel.
“In the past year and a half, we have invested well over $50 million in our ships,” says Crystal Cruises’ President Gregg Michel. “The striking new spaces serve as a stunning backdrop to the incomparable service and choices that always characterize a Crystal vacation.”
Interior designer, Keith Rushbrook, principal at the Toronto-based II BY IV Design Associates summarizes the vision: “We wanted modern classic elegance. We wanted Fifth Avenue – crème de la crème New York-inspired living and retail spaces that people love and look forward to spending time in.”
All of Crystal Serenity’s luxury accommodations received new appointments. While Crystal Penthouses were refreshed with new soft goods, Deluxe Staterooms, Penthouses, and Penthouse Suites were completely transformed with new, floor-to-ceiling tufted headboards, bedside cabinets, sofas, curtains, pillows and custom carpets in contemporary lines and classic stone, silk, velvet, leather and crisp linen textures. The new sofas also offer more third berths – a nice feature for Crystal’s growing family clientele. Blu-ray players and flat-screen televisions were added, and new modern lighting features, plus an electronic “do not disturb” and doorbell system throughout the ship, allow guests greater personalization of their chic accommodations.
The Apropos boutique was redesigned into three dramatic shopping spaces, against a backdrop of rich Zebrano wood and herringbone rosewood, arresting black-plum-magenta carpeting and tufted leather seating. Massive sculptural aluminum screens graphically pop against gray smoked glass walls. A new area is dedicated to Christian Dior cosmetics. The Dior shop is exclusive to Crystal and is the largest of its kind that isn’t land-based.
Cruise holiday guests can now lounge poolside on bright lime green, azure and mango sofas , lounge chairs, and circular pod beds, a la those recently added to Crystal Symphony’s pool area.
Lighting played a major role in the redesign. Dramatic new mood lighting enhances the romance of spaces, showcases the drama of the headboards, and warms the ship corridors, which also received new, custom carpeting on the floors and engaging art work on newly-textured walls. Thoughtful attention was given to conservation as well as style.
“We were looking to balance the luxurious interiors of Crystal Serenity with saving energy,” says Nick Hogget of DPA Lighting Consultants. “Like the Crystal product, even the lighting provides the guest with choices. We wanted to make sure the guest has a wonderful experience in all the different spaces.”
Furnishings, electronics, and accessories removed from Crystal Serenity were donated to needy communities around the world. Donations began during the ship’s final, pre-dry dock voyage up the western coast of Africa when bedspreads were donated to Senegal during the ship’s call there. An extensive donation plan was instituted in Hamburg, with hundreds of sofas and televisions loaded onto eight 40-foot containers, and shipped to the Salvation Army in New Jersey.
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