Travelore News: Genting Hong Kong Completes Acquisition Of Crystal Cruises

Genting Hong Kong (GHK) announced that it has completed the acquisition of "The World's Most Awarded and Best Luxury Cruise Line," Crystal Cruises (Crystal), from Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), for a total transaction of US$550 million.

GHK also announced a new Chairman of Crystal and promotions for Crystal's current senior management team, guaranteeing a streamlined transition and virtually no interruption in operations and ensuring award-winning service.

Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, Executive Chairman of the Genting Group and the former Chairman of Norwegian Cruise Line, assumes the position of Chairman of Crystal, replacing Nobuyoshi Kuzuya who will return to NYK in a key executive position. Edie Rodriguez, a 34-year travel industry veteran who was previously President and Chief Operating Officer will be promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer. Thomas Mazloum, a 20-plus year veteran of Crystal's management team who was previously Executive Vice-President will be promoted to Chief Operating Officer.

"Genting Hong Kong is delighted and honored to add Crystal to our global hospitality and leisure brands," said Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay. "We will ensure Crystal's reputation as 'The World's Best and Most Awarded Luxury Cruise Line,' by maintaining its integrity and work to continue elevating its status as the highest standard of luxury cruising. The current management team and crew will continue to lead Crystal's six-star operation while Genting will provide the financial resources and proven expertise in innovative ship design to deliver a new ultra-luxury ocean vessel by 2018."

"We are extremely grateful for the unwavering support of our former parent company, NYK and the wonderful leadership and guidance of Mr. Kuzuya," said Rodriguez. "We look forward to ushering in a new era of luxury cruising with Genting Hong Kong's support. With the support of GHK and its reputation for creating world-renowned leisure, entertainment and exquisite hospitality properties, Crystal is set to embark upon new opportunities that will expand our offerings for our guests and travel partners, as well as broader opportunities for our wonderful team of Crystal employees on land and at sea."

Established in 1993, GHK is part of the Genting Group, a global hospitality and leisure company with business in over 20 countries, including the United States in New York, Florida and Nevada. GHK wholly owns Star Cruises, "The Leading Cruise Line in Asia Pacific," and is a major shareholder of Norwegian Cruise Line. GHK is a public company primarily listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and secondarily on the Singapore Stock Exchange.

Crystal Cruises' first award-winning luxury vessel, Crystal Harmony embarked in 1990, with sister ships Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity joining the fleet in 1995 and 2003, respectively. Since Crystal Harmony's retirement in 2005, the line has operated its enriching global itineraries with the two remaining ships, often pioneering cruise ship access to ports and experiences throughout the world. Continuing innovative momentum, in 2016, Crystal will be the first large luxury cruise line to navigate the elusive Northwest Passage, while in 2018, the cruise line will expand its coveted World Cruise portfolio with four separate global itineraries.

Crystal Cruises' passion for delivering six star service in an inviting environment of extraordinary space, quality and choices has earned the company more "World's Best" awards than any other cruise line, resort, or hotel in history. Crystal Cruises has won "World's Best Cruise Ship" in Conde Nast Traveler's Reader Choice Awards for 21 years; voted "World's Best Large Ship Cruise Line" by Travel + Leisure readers for 19-consecutive years; and the "Best Luxury Cruise Line" by Virtuoso.

Crystal Cruises Kicks Off 25th Anniversary Of Luxury Cruising With Special Celebrations

Celebrating two and a half decades as a leader in luxury travel, Crystal Cruises is embarking upon a year of commemorative celebrations, cruises hosted by the company's leadership – both past and present – plus much more. That is, more itineraries (63) sailing to more ports of call (224) in more countries (65), including more than double the number of maiden calls (24) in 2014.

Kicking off Crystal's 25th Anniversary is the line's first-ever circumnavigation of the globe. The 108-day, round-trip Miami "Silver Celebration World Cruise," begins January 14, 2015 on Crystal Serenity and is the line's 20th annual epic journey. Crystal Symphony begins 2015 immersed in a dazzling Asia series featuring Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, China and Japan. In addition to the new and favorite highlights of the year's global itineraries, new onboard entertainment and amenities, plus enriching experiences ashore punctuate travelers' Crystal experiences in the coming year.

"A hallmark of Crystal's philosophy for more than two decades has been to pioneer new programs, amenities, experiences and destinations, offering luxury travelers a truly unique journey each time they step aboard a Crystal ship," says Crystal president and COO, Edie Rodriguez. "In 2015, we're continuing that philosophy, pushing the limits and visiting new locales while celebrating the unchanging values that have made us the best in the world."

Of the 224 ports scheduled in 65 countries, two dozen of them are brand new for Crystal ships. The line's unprecedented calls include lesser-known locales like Albany, Australia; Ambodifotatra and Taolanaro, Madagascar; Arrecife, Canary Islands; Richards Bay, South Africa; Sanary-sur-Mer, France; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Souda Bay/Chania, Greece; Aomori, Japan; Archangel, Korsakov and Solovetsky Islands, Russian Federation; Belawan, Indonesia; Rijeka, Croatia; Bodo, Narvik and Oye/Hjorundfjord, Norway; Helgoland, Germany; Londonderry/Greencastle and Galway, Ireland; Kochi, Japan; Sanya, China and Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago.

On board, guests can revel in the celebration of Crystal's 25th Anniversary with special parties and receptions and European voyages hosted by Rodriguez and the company's Chairman Nobuyoshi Kuzuya. Additionally, the festivities continue on four Trans-Atlantic, South America and Asia itineraries hosted by long beloved Crystal captains Glenn Edvardsen, Reidulf Maalen, Helge Brudvik and John Økland.

The lineup of festive occasions adds to the growing list of features guests can enjoy in 2015 both on board and ashore:

Crystal Symphony Makeover: Crystal Symphony emerged from a $20 million-plus dry dock redesign in the fall, featuring a new outdoor Fitness Garden; new equipment in the indoor Fitness Center; new designs in the main lobby area and bar; redesigned spa and casino spaces; additional PURE allergy-friendly staterooms and technological upgrades.

"My Life: The Music of Billy Joel.": The newest show aboard Crystal Serenity pays tribute to Grammy Legend Award recipient and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, Billy Joel. Led by James Fox, who starred as the "The Piano Man" in the Broadway smash hit Movin Out, the 45 minute performance features more than a dozen timeless hits including "New York State of Mind," "Uptown Girl," "She's Always a Woman to Me" and, of course, "Piano Man." The Galaxy Orchestra and more of Crystal's own acclaimed musicians, vocalists and dancers are featured alongside Fox.

Late Risers' Adventures: Crystal recently introduced a collection of shore-side excursions scheduled especially for travelers who don't want to miss the adventures ashore – or their beauty sleep. The "Late Risers" excursion offer the same enriching experiences in the world's most stunning and significant destinations, beginning at 11:00 a.m. or noon, depending on the itinerary.

Sightseeing on the Run: In response to a growing active traveler quotient, guests can now see the sights – and maintain fitness -- with Crystal's new "Site Running" Adventures.

Free Wi-Fi: Crystal Society members (our "club" of repeat guests) receive 60 minutes of complimentary internet access for every day of the cruise. For example, a 10-day cruise will offer 600 free minutes per person (or 1,200 free minutes per couple), a 12-day cruise offers 720 free minutes per person (or 1,440 free minutes per couple), a 14-day cruise offer 840 free minutes (or 1,680 free minutes per couple), etc., which can be used any time throughout the voyage.

The 2015 Best Cruises

The cruise industry has bounced back after some high-profile safety and health scares. In fact, this year's passenger levels are expected to hit a record. To help travelers choose safe, high-quality cruise vacations US News & World Report today released its ranking of the 2015 Best Cruises. For the second year in a row, Disney holds the lead as the No. 1 Best Cruise Line for Families and the No. 1 Best Cruise Line in the Caribbean. Silversea Cruises makes its debut on the list as the No. 1 Best Cruise Line for Romance.

The 2015 Best Cruises features rankings and information on 15 cruise lines in five categories: Best Luxury Cruise Lines, Best Cruise Lines for the Money, Best Cruise Lines for Romance, Best Cruise Lines for Families and Best Cruise Lines in the Caribbean. Travelers can search for cruises and itineraries specifically by destination, budget, cruise line and traveler type to find cruises that best suit their individual needs.

"The cruise industry is booming – their efforts to revamp their image and win over new types of travelers by launching new ships and innovative entertainment experiences are paying off," said Liz Weiss, travel editor for U.S. News. "We aim to help travelers sort through their options and identify cruise lines and ships that best suit their needs."

U.S. News ranked cruise lines using a methodology that factored in expert evaluations of cruise ship quality, reputation among travelers (as expressed through reviews and ratings collected by Cruiseline.com) and results from health evaluations conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. News editors analyzed data for 148 ships across the 15 major cruise lines that were included in the rankings. The top three cruise lines in each ranking category were awarded a U.S. News "Best" designation.

2015 Best Cruise Lines

Best Cruise Lines for the Money
#1 Royal Caribbean International
#2 Disney Cruise Line
#3 Carnival Cruise Lines

Best Cruise Lines in the Caribbean
#1 Disney Cruise Line
#2 Royal Caribbean International
#3 Carnival Cruise Lines

Best Cruise Lines for Families
#1 Disney Cruise Line
#2 Royal Caribbean International
#3 Celebrity Cruises

Best Cruise Lines for Romance
#1 Silversea Cruises
#2 Crystal Cruises
#3 Azamara Club Cruises

Best Luxury Cruise Lines
#1 Crystal Cruises
#2 Silversea Cruises
#3 Regent Seven Seas Cruises

MSC Cruises Becomes The First To offer 24/7 Pediatric Telemedicine Service

Distance medical care for junior cruisers now available through on-shore support from the Giannina Gaslini Paediatric Institute, in Genoa.

MSC Cruises has become the first cruise line in the world to offer guests a 24/7 multilingual pediatrictelemedicine service on board, through a partnership with the Giannina Gaslini Institute, in Genoa, Italy, a world-class center of excellence in pediatric medicine.

MSC Cruises will install new technology across its entire fleet to enable ship-to-shore care of children with onshore support from specialists at the Gaslini Institute. Operational September 1, 2014, fleet-wide, MSC Cruises’ onboard doctors will be able to consult specialist pediatricians at any time to seek a second opinion or carry out procedures such as remote diagnosis, radiology and monitoring.

No other cruise company in the world provides such a service, which will bring peace of mind to the thousands of families that take cruise vacations every year.

The project was announced in Genoa by the CEO of MSC Cruises, Gianni Onorato, the Director General of the Giannina Gaslini Institute, PaulPetralia, and the President of the Liguria Region, Claudio Burlando.

Mr. Onorato said: “MSC Cruises is a family-owned company and we strongly believe in caring for the health and safety of our guests on board,with particular attention to younger travelers, who can require help and treatment quite different from other age groups. We’re really excited about this collaboration, which is particularly adapted to our family cruises, no matter where in the world. Pediatric telemedicine is an addition to otherexisting services on our ships, such as teleradiology and teleconsultation, for a cruise vacation where we can respond to any need."

"The expertise of our specialists is being made available beyond the walls of the Gaslini,” said the Director General of the Gaslini, Paolo Petralia. “This enables onboard doctors to confirm their diagnoses and treatments using a cutting-edge system of remote image and data transmission. All this reaffirms the Gaslini Institute’s commitment to offer the best care everywhere while developing the most advanced and efficient means of careand information technology."

This innovation further improves onboard medical responses through diagnostic and therapeutic functions that were once only possible on land.The link-up, via satellite, will be available on all MSC Cruises itineraries anywhere on the planet.

The telemedicine technology is managed by Carestream, which has developed a platform to enable requests for distance consultation to be madeeasily from the remotest locations, allowing Gaslini doctors to move quickly with diagnoses and referrals. The process is fully computerized, from the consultation request to the response, and respects the highest of safety standards.

For more information about MSC Cruises, please visit www.msccruisesusa.com, call 1-877-665-4655 or contact your local travel agency. For MSC Cruises’ latest news and updates, like MSC Cruises’ Facebook page, www.facebook.com/MSC.Cruises.USA or follow along on Twitter atwww.twitter.com/msccruisesusa.

About MSC Cruises

Onboard MSC’s twelve vessels, guests enjoy the Mediterranean way of life. From the hospitality to the dining, guests are enveloped in the Mediterranean manner of enjoying life to its fullest. Guests are encouraged to slow down and enjoy everything their MSC vacation has to offer. Kids 11 and under sail free year-round on MSC Cruises with kids 17 and under sailing at reduced rates. 

MSC Cruises is a privately-held, family-owned, Italian cruise line with a fleet of 12 ships: MSC Armonia, MSC Divina, MSC Fantasia, MSC Lirica,MSC Magnifica, MSC Musica, MSC Orchestra, MSC Opera, MSC Poesia, MSC Preziosa, MSC Sinfonia and MSC Splendida.  The fleet cruises year-round in the Mediterranean and seasonally in the Caribbean, Northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, the French Antilles, South America,South and West Africa, The United Arab Emirates and the Red Sea. MSC Divina began sailing the Caribbean from PortMiami on November 20, 2013, becoming the line’s first ship dedicated to North American travelers.  In March 2014, the line announced the construction of two new cruise ships by STX France due for delivery respectively in 2017 and 2019. Two months later, the line announced the construction of two additional new builds by Fincantieri due for delivery respectively in November 2017 and May 2018.  For more information, visit www.msccruisesusa.com.