Why Crystal Cruises Is Adding a Plane and Submarine to Its Fleet

Advertisement

Supported by

Q&A

By Shivani Vora

Crystal Cruises is on something of a tear. The Los Angeles-based luxury cruise line currently sails to all seven continents on itineraries ranging from five to 128 days, but the chief executive, Edie Rodriguez, 54, recently announced an aggressive expansion plan for its 25th anniversary this year. It started with her commissioning three new vessels to be built for Crystal’s core fleet, bringing the total to five.

Then there’s a yacht making its debut this December with a voyage around the Seychelles islands, and 2017 will see the launch of river cruising and a nonwater venture: Crystal Luxury Air, which includes a Boeing 787 Dreamliner for 60 guests that will fly on 28-day itineraries to remote destinations around the world and a second still-to-be-named plane for 14-day trips.

Ms. Rodriguez has visited more than 75 countries through cruising. Following are edited excerpts from a conversation with her.

Q. What’s the reason behind Crystal’s plans to grow so significantly?

A. A lot of it was driven by our guests. About 50 percent are repeat customers, and they were pushing us for more vacation options in our style.

The yacht and river boats are an extension of cruising, but we decided to go into air because we were getting feedback that travelers like the idea of a go-around-the-world vacation but don’t have the time to take our 128-day world cruise. Our planes give them the option to visit many destinations in less than 30 days.

The Crystal Esprit yacht making its debut this December will have a submarine. Can you tell us more about that?

The submarine has the capacity to hold three people including the captain. You can go as deep as 1,000 feet underneath the water and see sea life in a way that you can’t through snorkeling or diving. We are going to offer 30-minute excursions inside it.

How has cruising evolved over the years?

Cruises have become floating resorts and not just places to sleep and eat.

For example, gyms and spas used to be afterthoughts, but now they are a big attraction. You’ll find the latest fitness equipment and all sorts of classes like Pilates and spinning.

The other big change is that instead of pulling into a city at 10 a.m. and departing at 4 that afternoon, ships are spending more nights docked in ports to give travelers time to explore. On our Baltic cruise, for example, the boat spends two to three nights in St. Petersburg.

What about the food on board? Has that also changed?

For sure. There are fewer midnight buffets, healthier options all around and full-on gastronomic experiences by well-regarded chefs. On our boats, we have Silk Road, a restaurant that the chef Nobu Matsuhisa created just for Crystal. His chefs live on board and execute his menus, and a few times a year, he will also join an itinerary.

What do you think is the biggest advantage of a cruise?

You don’t have to unpack and repack and also deal with airports and lost luggage. These are stressors that make your getaway less enjoyable.

You’re one of the few women in a prominent leadership role in the travel industry. Any challenges come along with that?

Whether you’re male or female, being a C.E.O. is always challenging, so in some ways, gender is irrelevant.

Advertisement