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Crystal Endeavor departs MV Werften, bound for Iceland

PHOTO: @MV WERFTEN CRUISE_Crystal_Endeavor.jpg
Crystal Endeavor departed Stralsund en route for Reykjavik, Iceland
Crystal Endeavor, the first 'made in Germany' polar expedition yacht, departed MV Werften in Stralsund on Saturday.

Hundreds of well-wishers including employees and family membrers of MV Werften waved off the ship to 'What a Wonderful World' by Louis Armstrong, Crystal's sail-away song.

Crystal Endeavor is bound for Iceland, due for arrival July 15 in Reykjavik. From there, after a pierside overnight July 17, the inaugural voyage will depart.

The ship sailed from Stralsund with its crew fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Crystal has vaccination mandate for passengers, too. 

Iceland then Norwegian Fjords, Bordeaux and beyond

Five 10-night voyages circumnavigating Iceland are scheduled. The series will be followed by the 10-night 'Journey of Vikings: Iceland & Norway' from Reykjavík to Tromsø departing Sept. 5.

Additional autumn departures include the 13-night 'Norwegian Fjords & Scottish Isles Exploration' from Tromsø to London, on Sept. 15, featuring the fjords and UNESCO treasures of Norway and an overnight in Edinburgh, and the 11-night 'Breton, Bordeaux and Beyond' from London to Lisbon on Sept. 28, highlighted by two nights in the heart of Bordeaux and an overnight call in London.

'Intrepid new polar-class yacht'

Crystal President Jack Anderson expressed thanks to everyone at MV Werften for their 'partnership and their uncompromising German engineering and design excellence in crafting an intrepid new polar-class yacht that will offer our guests incredible adventures to the far reaches of the globe, with the highest standards of safety and sustainable features that demonstrate extreme care for our guests and the world’s oceans and the destinations we visit.'

Crystal Endeavor was christened on June 26 in Stralsund with Manuela Schwesig, prime minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, home to MV Werften, serving as the godmother.