Crystal Endeavor embarks passengers in Iceland for maiden cruise

This inaugural voyage opens a series of five Iceland circumnavigations.

Crystal President Jack Anderson called it 'an incredible moment,' adding: 'Our new expedition yacht will take our guests further than ever before on bold adventures to the far corners of the globe and offering explorations, enrichment and immersive experiences beyond anything they’ve experienced before.'

The 20,200gt Crystal Endeavor is the first polar-class luxury expedition yacht 'made in Germany,' with a PC6 rating. It carries just 200 passengers, which means 100 gross tons and 10,000 cubic feet per traveler and a passenger space ratio of more than 100.

Crystal Endeavor has all veranda, butler-serviced suites, and a one-to-one staff-to-guest ratio.

Zodiacs, kayaks, submersible, helicopters, ROV, Gimble long-range camera

The ship’s marina houses 18 Zodiacs, 14 sea kayaks, snorkel gear and a six-guest submersible, while two helicopters are available for operations in select regions. Exploration equipment includes a remotely operated vehicle to view the sea at a 300-meter/almost 1,000-foot depth and a Gimble long-range camera mounted on the mast that can zoom in to view wildlife and scenery over a mile away (90x zoom).

The camera system shoots 4K video that is streamed directly on the HD TVs throughout the ship including public areas and suites, and on the  65-inch screens in Palm Court, the 86-inch screens in the Expedition Lounge and on the Cove’s video wall, with a massive 218-inch center screen and two 145-inch side screens. Camera operator control locations in the Palm Court and the Expedition Lounge enable interaction between the operator and travelers, who can point out sights they would like to see up close.

Excursions are included at every port, including sea kayaking in the Westfjords at Patreksfjörður, an Arctic Circle walkabout on Grimsey Island and Zodiac cruising amid mountain landscapes in Djúpivogur. Expedition leaders and guides for the Iceland trips include a marine biologist, ornithologist, geologist/glaciologist, historian, two professional photographers, polar expedition specialists and an artist-in-residence.

Vaccination mandate

Crystal Endeavor's cruises are carrying crew and passengers fully vaccinated for COVID-19, and testing is conducted at embarkation. Because of the vaccination requirement, passengers are allowed to explore ashore independently in Iceland.