Crystal Endeavor to Join Silversea
by Anne Kalosh
Expedition ship Crystal Endeavor has found a new home with Silversea Cruises, whose parent company Royal Caribbean Group paid $275 million for it.
To be renamed Silver Endeavour (with a “u”), it is expected to debut in November (2022) for the Antarctica season.
Crystal Endeavor is set to begin sailing as Silver Endeavour in Antarctica in November. * Photo: Silversea Cruises
Sleek, Sophisticated & New
Sleek, sophisticated and new, Crystal Endeavor was considered a “hot ticket” among the Crystal Cruises vessels that went for auction following that line’s insolvency.
Two of the other suitors were The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio’s Heritage Group, which acquired Crystal Symphony, Crystal Serenity and the Crystal Cruises brand.
(Lefebvre owned Silversea before selling it to Royal Caribbean Group a few years ago.)
The 200-passenger, 20,449-gross-ton Crystal Endeavor was completed at Germany’s MV Werften in 2021 and sailed in the Arctic then Antarctica before Crystal’s demise in February this year.
“She’s perfect for what we do,” Roberto Martinoli, president and CEO of Silversea, told me. “We are really excited.”
The Polar Class 6 vessel is built to a “very, very high standard” and “very well thought out,” he said, with “a beautiful enclosed pool,” “a lot of open deck space to observe wildlife” and “creature comforts.”
The Palm Court in Crystal days. * Photo: @Rodger Pimenta
Like Driving a Porsche
Technical prowess, too. One of Crystal Endeavor’s first captains, Thomas Larsen, compared it to driving a finely tuned German-built elite sports car such as a Porsche.
Capt. Niklas Peterstam, left, and Capt. Thomas Larsen were on the bridge when Crystal Endeavor made its maiden call to Ushuaia, Argentina in 2021. Larsen compared the ship to driving a Porsche. * Photo: Crystal Cruises
The eight-deck vessel has all-suite accommodations, multiple lounges and restaurants, a library, spa, luxurious fittings, oodles of exploration “toys,” a dedicated helicopter lounge and two mud rooms.
Crystal Endeavor was built for €350 million, or about $385 million at the time, which made it the most expensive passenger ship ever at $1.9 million per berth.
So for $275 million, Royal Caribbean Group paid significantly less than the construction cost.
Customer Care
“While our acquisition only covers the physical vessel, we want all of our guests to know we go above and beyond to take care of them,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group.
That’s why the company will protect the deposits of travelers who were originally booked on Crystal Endeavor and make a new booking on one of the Group’s brands — Silversea, Royal Caribbean International or Celebrity Cruises.
To the extent the Crystal Endeavor travelers do not receive their deposits back from Crystal or other sources, Royal Caribbean Group will refund any amount paid on their new booking up to the amount of their lost deposit.
Minor Changes in Store
The expedition ship comes with 18 Zodiacs, 14 sea kayaks, snorkel gear, a six-guest submersible, two helicopters, a remotely operated vehicle and a long-range gimbal camera system that can capture high-quality images from five kilometers/three miles. These can be broadcast on screens in the expedition lounge and elsewhere.
Ample supply of Zodiacs and kayaks. * Photo: @Rodger Pimenta
One of the two mud rooms. * Photo: @Roger Pimenta
Silversea isn’t a fan of helicopters in sensitive areas, so those may go. Martinoli also said Crystal Endeavor’s casino will be replaced with suites.
The helicopters and helipad may be going away. * Photo: Crystal Cruises
A few suites will likely replace the casino. * Photo: @Roger Pimenta
And since the ship is so spacious overall, a few more accommodations may be added elsewhere.
A deluxe suite. * Photo: @Rodger Pimenta
Silver Endeavour will assume Silver Explorer‘s 2022/23 Antarctica program.
Going forward, the ship will “always be in polar waters,” according to Martinoli, and move between Antarctica and the Arctic — what it was built for.
RELATED: John Roberts reviews the new Crystal Endeavor in late 2021, a few months before Crystal shut down.
The main restaurant in Crystal times. * Photo: @Rodger Pimenta
More to Come
This makes the fifth expedition vessel in a fleet of 11 for Silversea, and Martinoli told me the line isn’t stopping there. Work on an expedition new build design has been under way for some time.
Silver Endeavour is “an opportunity to accelerate our growth plans in the expedition sector,” he said.
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