CRYSTAL: A NEW CHAPTER None of this, of course, would mean a thing without the crew. Crystal’s people are the vital ingredient in its recipe for success. As Brand Ambassador Fernando Barroso de Oliveira, expresses it, “The ships are magnificent, accommodation fabulous, and we probably have the largest amount of space per guest in the industry. But it’s the crew that creates the soul of the ship.” Bernie Leypold, Crystal’s Senior Vice President, Global Hotel Operations, strikes a similar note. Asked what makes Crystal truly special, he replies: “It starts with the crew. For them it’s not just a job. It never has been a job. It’s a passion. We hire our crew to be part of a family; we hire them for their attitude, for their approach to service, and then we train them on board.” Crystal’s crew-to-guest ratio, Leypold adds, is one of the best in the industry, with almost one crew member for each guest, which means they can really concentrate on providing the highest levels of warm, anticipatory service. “For the guests,” he says, “it feels like coming home – because even if you have not been on board for three years, you will have crew members remembering your name, what you would like to drink, what we should put in the mini-bar, what your preference of pillow is. In essence, this is what we mean by Exceptional at Sea.” Former Travel Editor of The Times JANE KNIGHT now shares her expert knowledge of luxury travel for a variety of titles, from Condé Nast Traveler to The Telegraph. Clockwise from top right AURŌRA SPA; AL FRESCO DINING AT MARKETPLACE, CRYSTAL SYMPHONY; THE POOL DECK, CRYSTAL SERENITY CRYSTALCRUISES.COM | 1-866-945-3594 17
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