Crystal Symphony Completes $65 Million Redesign

Crystal Cruises has revealed recent redesigns to major public spaces aboard Crystal Symphony, including the Avenue Saloon, Palm Court lounge, Galaxy showroom, Hollywood Theatre, Bridge Lounge, Fantasia and Waves “junior cruisers” areas, and the Tender Landing/passenger boarding area.

This marks the culmination of a five-year, $65-million plan to redesign every room aboard the ship. Other new touches include additions to all staterooms, paddle tennis court resurfacing, sprucing of tender shuttles, more energy-efficient hull paint, galley updates and general maintenance and detailing of the entire ship, from propellers and boilers to the bridge and lifeboats.

Three interior design companies from the UK and U.S. created the visions for the new spaces: Adfecto and SMC Design from London and KNA Design from Los Angeles.

The panoramic-view Palm Court offers more intimate, modern lounge seating in soft leathers surrounding a larger, spiral-design dance floor and a stainless, hand-tiled mosaic bar. The Avenue Saloon and piano bar retains its 19th-century gentlemen’s club feel, but incorporates updated colors, furnishings, materials, and music and seating configuration.

Crystal’s entertainment showrooms, the Galaxy Lounge and Hollywood Theatre, contain an air of British tradition, thanks to the spaces’ two UK designers.

Crystal Symphony’s play/games areas for kids, teens, and adults have been transformed for family recreation. Crystal’s dedicated Junior Cruisers’ areas, Waves (teens) and Fantasia (children), have been re-designed by Adfecto for savvy stylistas-in-training, acknowledging that the spaces’ patrons are fashionable young cruisers. The areas’ divided layout has been reconfigured to create more privacy for teens and more of a welcoming, home den feel for younger children. 

Different sections for group activities, crafts, storytime, relaxation, videogames (Wii, PlayStation, Xbox, Kinect), and screenings (two wide-screen TV’s, Blu-ray players, and movie projection system) are available. New lighting features and Bose speaker system help create different atmospheres and transform the space into an exclusive teen hangout at night.

KNA has transformed the Bridge Lounge into a classic card room, with ambient sconces flanking wooden built-ins, frosted mirrors, and saffron panel-covered walls. New podium, credenza, and A-V systems, along with new convertible game tables and armchairs, provide room versatility and expert-level presentation tools.

In addition to Crystal-sprucing of the tender shuttles that transport guests to and from anchor ports, Adfecto has designed a new foyer for the Tender Embarkation Area. Contemporary benches and boldly-colored, five-foot-tall travel photographs from around the world provide seating and global-inspired eye-candy when waiting to pass through the space.

New electronic “do not disturb” doorbell systems were added to all staterooms, as were new cordless digital telephones. Penthouses also received new glass shower doors. Smaller-level updates included a complete refresh of the paddle tennis court, new stoves and cooking equipment in the main galley, and environmental upgrades with lighting, boilers, and a new, energy-efficient hydrogel hull paint that mimics the low-friction characteristics of a shark’s skin. The scheduled dry dock also boasted a cleaning and maintenance detail of the ship’s entire exterior and interior. An update to stateroom verandah furniture is also scheduled to follow shortly after the dry dock’s end.

Crystal Symphony is now sailing her first of seven all-inclusive Baltic and Northern Europe cruises this summer before sailing across the Atlantic for a New England/Canada season this Fall. Until June 30, Book Now fares for a 2012 voyage aboard Crystal Symphony start at $2,355/person, with seven- to-18-day options also offered in the Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand.

For more information, visit www.crystalcruises.com.