Ultra-luxury cruise operator Crystal has sold its intimate 62-guest yacht, Crystal Esprit, to Lindblad Expeditions.
Constructed in 1991, but only joining the Crystal fleet in 2015, the 31-cabin ship operated primarily in the Mediterranean (Adriatic, Greek Isles, Seychelles and Egypt) and featured a two-person submarine, zodiacs, water skis, wakeboards, jet skis and other water sports equipment.
Crystal had cancelled ongoing departures aboard the vessel due to the pandemic, impacting sailings from August until late September. In recent weeks, further voyages were also scrapped and the next scheduled sailing was a week-long roundtrip voyage of Seychelles from Mahe, departing on 17 December. Future cruises on Crystal Esprit had also been scheduled until late March 2024.
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In a statement, Crystal said: “Crystal Esprit has been a wonderful part of the Crystal fleet offering a boutique yachting experience unmatched in the industry, earning the devotion of discerning travellers and winning awards since her debut in 2015.”
“However, as we have been evaluating our focus post-pandemic, the single, small yacht concept does not fit into future plans for the company as we continue to concentrate on the successful deployment of our Crystal Ocean, River and Expedition fleets, as well as exploring new builds for expansion,” the cruise line said.
Guests and their travel advisors impacted by the sale and subsequent voyage cancellations will be contacted by Crystal and advised of compensation and rebooking options to other Crystal experiences.