TPG editors' choice award for best new expedition cruise ship: Crystal Cruises' Crystal Endeavor
A flurry of new expedition cruise ships have debuted over the past year as the expedition cruise boom continues. And, across the board, they are an impressive bunch.
Unveiled by such cruise brands as Ponant, Hurtigruten, Lindblad Expeditions and Atlas Ocean Voyages, they are vessels that almost universally offer more adventure-focused amenities, more comfort and more luxury than has been typical for expedition cruising.
But there is one new expedition cruise vessel among the newcomers that stands apart to us here at TPG, particularly when it comes to its luxury level: luxury line Crystal Cruises' Crystal Endeavor. And that’s why we’ve decided to give Crystal a special editors’ choice award this year for the ship as part of Travel Week during our annual TPG Awards.
We’re calling it the Best New Expedition Cruise Ship Award.
Expedition cruising, for those of you unfamiliar with the term, is a type of cruising that involves traveling to hard-to-reach places on small, hardy vessels that carry their own landing craft. We're talking about such destinations as Antarctica and the far reaches of the Arctic.
It's a small niche of cruising. But it's one that is growing fast — and going much more upscale.
Designed to hold just 200 passengers, Crystal Endeavor is Crystal's first foray into expedition cruising -- and it brings a new level of luxury and service to the niche.
Unlike most expedition vessels, Crystal Endeavor is an all-suite ship with such over-the-top luxury flourishes as butler service for every passenger and an upscale restaurant serving sushi and other Japanese specialties -- the only one of its kind on an expedition ship.
RELATED: Why I loved the suites on Crystal Endeavor
In addition to the Japanese eatery, there also are versions of Crystal's signature upscale Italian restaurant Prego along with its elegant main restaurant Waterside.
As I experienced during an exclusive first look at Crystal Endeavor in September, all three of these eateries feature superb interior design, sophisticated menus and graceful service that, even just a few weeks into the ship’s operation, was impeccable.
And there's even more when it comes to dining options. On one or more nights on every sailing, Prego morphs into the Vintage Room, an intimate private dining experience with insanely elaborate, seven-course meals. Each course of the meal is paired with a distinct wine, which the ship’s sommelier explains in detail before serving. It’s one of those foodie extravaganzas that goes on for hours and is a rare treat.
Other major public areas on Crystal Endeavor include the top-of-the-ship Palm Court — an observation lounge and bar — and the centrally located Crystal Cove lounge. Just steps away from the ship’s main restaurant area, on Deck 4, the latter has a bar, stage and dance floor, and is the place for daytime lectures, pre-dinner happy hours (it splits this duty with the Palm Court) and evening performances from several musical groups that sail with the ship.
Crystal Endeavor also is home to a stylish, glass-covered solarium with a pool and Jacuzzi; a pampering spa; a cigar bar; and even a small casino (a first for an expedition ship).
The ship's staff-to-passenger ratio is one-to-one — one of the highest ratios of any cruise vessel.
Still, Crystal Endeavor isn’t just about luxury offerings. As is typical for expedition ships, it has a strengthened hull that will allow it to bump through ice in polar regions (for those keeping track, it has a none-too-shabby “PC6” polar class rating), and it carries Zodiac boats for exploring in remote areas. It also sails with kayaks on board and specialized kayaking guides for paddling adventures. There’s a mudroom with cubbies where passengers can keep their life jackets and boots.
RELATED: 5 amazing adventures you can take on Crystal Endeavor
Even more over the top, the ship has been outfitted with its very own submarine and eventually will have two helicopters. Yes, you'll be able to explore places like Antarctica from below and above, too, when sailing on Crystal Endeavor.
Among other cool toys, the ship has a super fancy, remote-controlled gimbal camera at its top that can offer real-time views of passing scenery or wildlife at a magnification of up to 90 times. It can be used, for instance, to zoom in on a distant polar bear on an ice floe, with a live feed of the sighting being projected onto screens in the ship’s Palm Court lounge or on cabin televisions.
Of course, such luxury comes with a price.
The initial itineraries for Crystal Endeavor aren’t cheap. In fact, they’re among the most expensive cruises currently on offer by any line in the world. Ten-night voyages around Iceland start at $16,999 per person — roughly $1,700 per day. And some of the ship’s more unusual sailings in far-off polar regions will require an even bigger hit to the wallet.
A very rare, 28-night voyage across the Russian Arctic that the vessel will operate in 2023 starts at $62,099 per person — more than $2,200 per day!
Still, as is typical for cruise lines at the high end, Crystal is including a lot in its base price. In addition to a room on board and all meals, which (as noted above) are at a very high-end level, the fares include all but the most premium drinks, including a wide choice of fine wines and spirits; shipboard Wi-Fi; gratuities; and — perhaps most notably — guided shore tours in every port the ship visits plus guided expedition landings by Zodiac in more remote locations.
Indeed, a notable part of what you’ll be paying for on a Crystal Endeavor sailing is access to an incredibly large and knowledgeable team of guides who will lead you around destinations like Antarctica.
These guides will include topic experts such as geologists, ornithologists and biologists who will lecture on board as well as lead guided outings. On some sailings, there will be more than 20 such guides and experts on board.
Our take: If you can afford it, Crystal Endeavor may be the ultimate vessel for exploring places like Antarctica and the Arctic in style.
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:
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- A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
- 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
- 15 ways cruisers waste money
- 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up
- What to pack for your first cruise
Featured photo of Crystal Endeavor by Gene Sloan/The Points Guy.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.