Crystal Cruises has just finished a major $25million refurbishment of their Crystal Symphony, completing a five-year redesign plan for their luxury vessel.
The two-week extreme makeover reveals chic new major public spaces, including the
Avenue Saloon, Palm Court lounge, Galaxy showroom, Hollywood Theatre,
Bridge Lounge, Fantasia and Waves “junior cruisers” areas, plus the
Tender Landing/passenger boarding area.
This latest dry-dock marks the
culmination of their $65 million overall project to redesign every room
on board. Other new touches include enhancements 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.
“In
keeping with our tremendous focus on design, we wanted to create
something both highly contemporary and yet extremely accessible,” says
President Gregg Michel. “The ultimate result is all our guests’
favourite gathering places now feel even more welcoming, while also
offering the sophistication and elegance luxury
travellers look for in a holiday setting.”
Three
interior design companies created the visions for
the new spaces: Adfecto and SMC Design from London and KNA Design from
Los Angeles, with inspiration culled from classic icons like New
York’s 21 Club, Hollywood’s Coconut Grove and Palm Beach country club. With lighting being such a key creative consideration, Crystal also worked with DPA Lighting Consultants to add to the
design’s drama, ambiance and environmental-friendliness.
Elegant Tea, Tunes, Cocktails, and Vistas
KNA’s
redesign of signature lounges Avenue Saloon and Palm Court sets the
perfect, lively backdrop for enjoying Crystal’s newly
all-inclusive fine wines and custom-crafted cocktails.
The panoramic-view Palm Court
sparkles as the jewel in the crown on top of the ship, recalling the
glamour-filled Coconut Grove of Hollywood’s yesteryear. A more intimate, modern
lounge seating in buttery soft leathers surrounds a larger,
spiral-design dance floor and slick, stainless and hand-tiled mosaic
bar. Together, aqua, chartreuse, ash and cream
jewel tones create a “light” California ambiance that helps bring the
outside in during daytime tea and view-gazing. New lighting, including
stunning, faceted Lucite wall sconces and shimmering Murano glass table
lamps, then help to transform the space into a dreamy destination for evening
dancing and drinks.
Avenue Saloon and piano bar retains its 19th-century
gentlemen’s club feel, but incorporates updated colours, furnishings,
materials and music and seating configuration. Rich mahogany-panelled
walls, leather upholstery, brass nailhead trim, sumptuous velvets and
thick, lush inset rugs remind one of a days-gone-by country
house. The
inviting piano relocation allows for increased seating and conversation
area choices, including new brass-tack couches, embossed-leaf barstools
or tufted booths. New romantic lighting, sumptuous crown molding,
antique-style trunk tables, custom artwork and audio systems add to the
salon atmosphere.
Exquisite Theatres
Old
Hollywood panache also extends into Crystal’s entertainment showrooms,
the Galaxy Lounge and Hollywood Theatre, with an air of British
tradition, thanks to the spaces’ two UK designers.
With
diamond-patterned glass doors, lustrous gold fabric panels, black Nero
Marquina marble flooring and large LCD digital signage screens, a new,
contemporary entrance to the ship’s live performance showroom highlights
the Galaxy Lounge. Through the entry, crystal lighting features,
reminiscent of a dressing room mirror and starburst-designed carpet and
wall lights help create a home fitting for Crystal’s star
guests and performers. New, modern mohair seating, cocktail
tables and under-banquette lighting add comfort and drama. A new stage extension expands performance space by 30 per cent while tech enhancements include a new sound booth, show
control systems, high-def projection, infrared video
cameras, stage lighting and speaker system.
Classic Art Deco movie palaces inspired Adfecto’s re-do of the Hollywood Theatre,
Crystal’s elegant space for feature films and presentations. New
smoked wood-grain walls and velvet damson-coloured curtains create a
sweeping entry, while decorative and underseat lighting provides a warm
ambience and soft glow.
Family Fun
Whether
playing together or alone, Crystal Symphony’s play/games areas for
kids, teens and adults have been transformed for family recreation.
The dedicated Junior Cruisers’ areas, Waves (teens) and Fantasia
(children), have been re-designed by Adfecto to provide versatility for a wide
range of ages and activities. The areas’ divided layout has
been reconfigured to create more privacy for teens and more of a
welcoming, home den feel for younger children, while also allowing
flexibility for the space to be opened up into one. Different sections
for group activities/crafts, storytime, relaxation, videogames (Wii,
PlayStation, Xbox, Kinect) and screenings (two wide-screen
TVs, Blu-ray players and movie projection system) encourage personal
expression. New lighting features and Bose speaker system help create different atmospheres and transform the entire space into an exclusive teen hangout at night.
KNA has also transformed the Bridge Lounge
into the classic card room, reminiscent of Palm Beach’s
tennis and card clubs during the Gilded Age, with ambient sconces
flanking wooden built-ins, frosted mirrors and saffron panel-covered
walls.
Best of the Rest
New
electronic “do not disturb” doorbell systems -- a big success after
installation on Crystal Serenity last year -- were added to all
staterooms, as were new cordless digital phones. 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, environmental upgrades for lighting and
boilers and a new, energy-efficient hydrogel hull paint that mimics the
low-friction characteristics of a shark’s skin. An update to stateroom veranda furniture
is also scheduled to follow shortly after the dry dock’s end.
And Now...
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 autumn. Until June 30, Book Now fares for a 2012 voyage start
from £2,364 per person (based on a seven-night New England/Canada cruise
departing October 14), with seven- to-18-night options
also offered in the Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, South Pacific,
Australia and New Zealand.
For bookings, be sure to see this link for The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's leading luxury cruise experts.
