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What some Crystal loyalists are saying about A&K ownership

At a shoreside soirée in Washington, DC, Crystal Society members thanked Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio for saving their favorite cruise brand.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

October 27, 2024

3 Min Read
'When Manfredi introduced himself, I almost kissed his ring,' Rick Blankenship quipped. Here, he and wife Linda meeting Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio, left, at a Crystal Society soirée in Washington, DCPHOTO: ANNE KALOSH

Rick and Linda Blankenship are such diehard Crystal fans that while having coffee in bed each morning, they go to Marinetraffic.com just to see where Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony are sailing.

They came to cruising in 2012 through Crystal, enticed by a Black Sea itinerary from Venice, and wouldn't think of sailing on another line.

Nobu soirée

They were among the guests at a Friday evening cocktail party in Washington, DC hosted by A&K Travel Group Executive Chairman Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio at Nobu, the tony restaurant whose namesake owner is a longtime Crystal partner.

'When Manfredi introduced himself, I almost kissed his ring,' Rick Blankenship quipped, explaining his appreciation for Lefebvre resurrecting Crystal under the A&K umbrella.

He wasn't alone. During the Nobu evening, a steady stream of Crystal Society members thanked Lefebvre.

First shoreside activation

This was the first of several shoreside 'activations' Crystal plans in various cities, according to Jackie Barney, SVP marketing, who co-hosted it along with Lefebvre and Hailey Claudio, senior manager, guest relations.

Guests were treated to generous tastes of signature Nobu dishes emulating those from his Umi Uma on the Crystal ships, including black cod, a selection of sushi and an open bar featuring the Nobu lychee martini and Matsuhisa's wines. The chef personally curated the menu.

Related:Casinos are returning to Crystal in new Monte-Carlo partnership

Barney said Crystal Society members with at least 10 cruises in the DC area numbered 70 people, and with five cruises or more, hundreds. Friday's soiree was an intimate affair on shortish notice, and it had the air of a shipboard Crystal Society party, with everyone swapping tales of recent travels and cruise plans.

Several guests are going to be on Crystal Serenity's South America cruise in January, though not all on the same segments. Among them were the Blankenships and a woman who's an avid dancer and cited the ambassador (hosts) program as one reason she's a Crystal fan. Her last cruise was in the Mediterranean in July with a group of six friends who enjoy dancing.

Snagged by the itinerary and wowed by the rest

For the Blankenships, 'It was the itinerary that snagged us,' the couple said of deciding to give cruising a try in 2012.

But they were wowed by the entertainment, lectures, activities, dining and service, saying that friends who don't cruise 'just don't get it' — what a value cruising is with everything included, they elaborated, compared to a land vacation. They did once try a smaller luxury ship but found the amenities lacking.

'There are only so many restaurants you can have on a smaller ship,' Rick Blankenship said. 'Symphony and Serenity are in a sweet spot for us with their very, very high quality entertainment and good mix of restaurants.' They also praised the enrichment program.

The Blankenships' first Crystal cruise was followed by many more, including to the Greek Isles, Australia/New Zealand and a 26-night Cape Town to Monaco voyage they took following a safari they arranged on their own. (It seems like they'd be ideal candidates for they kind of A&K land-cruise combinations in Crystal's future. But they're not interested in expedition cruising, they said.)

The new Crystal

The Blankenships haven't experienced the new Crystal yet and are closely following the developments leading up to their January South America voyage from Fort Lauderdale to Lima, including the partnership with Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer that will see a Casino de Monte-Carlo installed on the ships. (Mr. Blankenship enjoys craps.)

Seatrade Cruise News is traveling on Crystal Serenity this week and will be reporting feedback from guests and seasoned travel advisors on board.

About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

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