Crystal Clear Vision

Crystal River Cruises is a key component in the parent company’s drive to develop the world’s most extensive portfolio of luxury travel brands, reports Montreal editor, Mike Dunbar in this week’s digital edition of Canadian Travel Press.

And, according to river-brand VP and managing director Walter Littlejohn, that drive is based on providing “service, space, quality and choice” to a discerning market segment.

Littlejohn, who joined Crystal from AMAWaterways in June, is currently managing a one-ship company, but that number will increase to three next summer with the addition of the Rhine class Crystal Bach and Mahler and five in 2018 when the Debussy and Ravel join the fleet.

On a two-night taster aboard the Mozart, Littlejohn pointed out, “I’m now working for the world’s only luxury river cruise line with a huge list of tangible differences, starting with the fact that we took the Crystal ocean experience and put it on the river rather than taking the standard river experience and `Crystallizing’ it.”

He explained, “Having a tour operator base is very common on the river but Crystal is different. For instance, we have to have control over guest service delivery so all employees are ours and not outsourced. Additionally, they only have one job, so our European-trained butlers don’t have other functions and our wine sommeliers don’t wear other hats.”

In terms of service, Littlejohn pointed out that one of Crystal’s main competitors operates on a one-crew member-to-3.3-guests basis but with 92 crew serving 154 guests aboard Mozart, the staff-to-guest ratio is 1-to-1.7 and on the other four vessels it will be 1-to-1.6, he revealed.

For the full story, check out this week’s digital edition of Canadian Travel Press by clicking here.