Crystal Cruises’ largest ultra-luxe ship, Crystal Serenity, has won its seventh award since undergoing a $25 million “Extreme Makeover” redesign last year: Hospitality Design (HD)
magazine’s “Judges Award for Distinctive Cruise Design.” This is the
first time a cruise line has ever been recognized in the premier trade
publication’s annual awards. The esteemed judges were so impressed with
the ship’s new look, they created a brand-new category to honor it. A
two-page spread in the May/June issue profiles the work by Crystal and
Toronto’s II BY IV Design Associates.
Photo courtesy of Crystal Cruises
“Because design is such a key sensibility of discriminating travelers, we have always been committed to creating ultra-stylish spaces in which our guests can feel at home,” says Alexandra Don, Crystal’s vice president hotel services and design. “It’s incredibly gratifying to have the industry confirm that our latest vision was something markedly different from an archetypal cruise ship look, and in good company with the most beautiful of esteemed luxury hotels on land.”
Additional honors recently bestowed upon Crystal Serenity include #1 Cruise Ship (Mid-Sized) from Condé Nast Traveler and Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships, the Association of Retail Environment’s Crystal design award, and three Travel Weekly
Magellan Awards, for luxury ship, suite and stateroom designs. All 535
staterooms, retail spaces, outdoor pool deck, corridors, and more
received a chic “Fifth Avenue”-style facelift during two weeks at
Hamburg’s Blohm + Voss shipyard last May. Crystal Symphony will be
undergoing her own “Extreme Makeover” there this June, completing a
five-year plan to redesign the entire vessel.
