NYK has entered an agreement to sell Crystal Cruises to the Asian hospitality giant company Genting (GHK). The acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of 2015, for a total of $550 million in cash. Getting already owns Star Cruises, a major Asian cruise line and 28 percent of NCL Holdings which owns Norwegian Cruise line.
Genting also owns Resorts World Bimini, and the ferry that currently sails from Miami. Although the company seems to be struggling as they constantly offer discounts to fill their ferry.
The President of Crystal Cruises, Edie Rodriguez said in statement “After 25 successful years with NYK, we are excited to have Genting Hong Kong as the new owner of Crystal Cruises. The proposed expansion of our fleet will present our loyal Crystal Society members and new luxury cruise guests with more itinerary options, accommodation choices and exceptional vacation experiences, as we continue to position Crystal as the innovative leader in global luxury cruising.”
She continued: “Additionally, Crystal’s veteran leadership, management and crew will continue to focus on our award-winning guest service and our strong partnership with the travel agent community – which now has a greater opportunity to grow their business with a larger menu of Crystal product offerings.”
This acquisition will allow Crystal Cruises to acquire a new ship, much faster than anticipated. Crystal Cruises loyal customer base has been asking for a new vessel for quite sometime. Although little is known about the vessel construction and the projected delivery date. Crystal currently operates two ships, the 922 passenger Crystal Symphony built in 1995 and 1,070 guest Crystal Serenity built in 2003.
