Crystal Cruises is due to close its office in the US today, according to the luxury line’s UK general sales agent.
Edwina Lonsdale, managing director of Mundy Cruising and Crystal’s UK GSA The Cruise Portfolio, confirmed media reports that emerged on Wednesday (February 9) on Crystal’s future.
She told Travel Weekly: “Crystal is due to close its office at the end of today. [Crystal] passengers in the UK who have booked through The Cruise Portfolio can be confident that their money is completely safe.”
The line confirmed earlier this week that crew members on two of its ships – Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony – were “comfortable” after media reports said the vessels had been “seized”.
Both ships’ voyages ended last month after Crystal paused ocean sailings until April 29 and river expeditions until the end of May as parent company Genting Hong Kong filed to be wound up.
Crystal Cruises office in the US is closing down. V.Ships will take over as Management Company of the ships. Unfortunately, this is the end of Crystal Cruises. pic.twitter.com/7IUdp6GSd6
— Crew Center (@CrewCenter) February 8, 2022
In audio posted on Twitter by Crew Center yesterday, a male voice – purportedly Crystal Symphony’s captain – can be heard saying: “Unfortunately, this is the end of Crystal Cruises, and we don’t know what’s going to happen in the future.”
It adds: “The ships are for sale. I know you probably have a lot of questions, but I unfortunately don’t have any answers right now.”
He confirmed that management company V.Ships Leisure was expected to take over the running of Crystal’s ships and was appointed by the line’s liquidators.
Travel Weekly has approached the line and V.Ships for comment.