This luxury cruise line is adding casinos to its ships ... again
Pack your four-leaf clover, a rabbit's foot and a pair of lucky dice. Luxury cruise line Crystal is bringing casinos back to its ships less than a year after removing them.
The line has partnered with Monte-Carlo Societe des Bains de Mer to bring Casino de Monte-Carlo locations to sea, featuring 1,000 square feet of gaming that includes slots, blackjack, roulette and more.
"We are delighted to welcome Casino de Monte-Carlo into the Crystal family as our newest collaborator," Manfredi Lefebvre, executive chairman of the A&K Travel Group, which owns Crystal, said. "This affiliation symbolizes our commitment to offering our guests the finest entertainment and gaming experiences available at sea."
A&K Travel Group purchased Crystal Cruises' intellectual property and two of its ships — Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity — after its parent company, Genting, went out of business in early 2022 due to fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Crystal Cruises was then rebranded as, simply, Crystal. Its ships underwent extensive refurbishment, including the removal of their casinos to make way for card lounges, before returning to service in 2023.
"We have listened attentively to the feedback from our loyal guests regarding their desire to have casinos back onboard, and we are proud to announce that we will deliver on our promise," Cristina Levis, CEO of A&K Travel Group, said. "We are confident the reintroduction of casinos will further enhance the overall cruise experience, providing our guests with the entertainment options they crave while sailing with us."
The first revamped casino will debut on Crystal Symphony during the Chairmen's Cruise, scheduled to depart Nov. 14 from Venice, Italy. Crystal Serenity's casino will debut the following month.
Each casino will take the place of its respective ship's Bridge Lounge. On 606-passenger Crystal Symphony, the Bridge Lounge will relocate to The Lounge, where the previous casino was positioned. The Bridge Lounge on 740-passenger Crystal Serenity will move to the onboard library, which will become both a space to read and play cards.
Excluding expedition vessels, Casino de Monte-Carlo locations will also be on any new ships added to the fleet, including the two new builds it has ordered. The line will also add two expedition ships by the end of the decade.
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