Crystal Syphony's $23 Million Dry Dock Refurb

Ah, to be a fly on the wall aboard Crystal Cruises Symphony during her nine-day, $23 million dry dock refurbishment at BAE Systems Norfolk Shop Repair on the Elizabeth River in Virginia!

In less than two weeks, a team of 1,295 people (750 contractors and 545 Crystal crew from 40 different countries) will renovate 411 staterooms, create an entirely new nightclub and casino, redesign the shopping boutiques, update the Bistro Cafe, and install new computers and wireless Internet access in the ship's Computer University@Sea. It's a whopper of a job, and that's not even taking into account all of the technical tweaks being made to the ship's hull, rudders and propellers.

These upgrades are part of Crystal's long-term plan to keep the Symphony an exciting and relevant option for cruisers. Remember, the line spent nearly $35 million refurbishing the Symphony over the past few years. Now add another $23 million and you've got one stunning ship!

The last round of upgrades two years ago included the creation of a Feng Shui-styled spa, the Vintage Room, an expansion of the ship's Computer University@Sea, redesign of the specialty restaurants and a complete refurbishment of all penthouse staterooms and suites.

Symphony's November 2006 dry dock tackles the following improvements:

• Refurbishment of 411 staterooms with new Murano glass bedside lamps, Rubelli fabrics, leather headboards, LED reading lights, new 20-inch flat-screen TVs, and newly designed bathrooms with contemporary oval glass sinks and granite countertops. It takes workers about two days to reinvigorate each stateroom and every day the crew should complete about 40 cabins.

• Complete overhaul and redesign of the Tiffany Deck (deck 6), the main entertainment area on the Symphony. You'll find new color schemes and lighting that will help guests shift moods as the day moves to night.

The Tiffany Deck includes...

• the new Starlite Club with an open environment, Swarovski crystal-studded walls and panoramic sea views.

• the new black and silver motif Crystal Casino with black jack, roulette, baccarat, Texas Hold-em and slots.

• Luxe, a sophisticated nightclub with polished aluminum Phillipe Stark bar stools and glass Bizzaza mosaics.

• new boutiques and shops.

• the recreated Bistro Cafe with new decorative tiles, wall finishings and upholstery in warm earth tones.

• new computers and wireless Internet service in Symphony's Computer University@Sea.


Crystal Cruises vice president of marine operations, Knut Aune, oversaw the complex dry dock operations. "The whole thing here is planning, planning, planning," Aune told The Virginian-Pilot. "To prepare for this has been months." And, indeed, Crystal Cruises jump-started the Symphony's makeover on October 20 when contracted workers boarded the ship in New York to begin work on stateroom upgrades on Deck 7. The Symphony's New England cruise for that week was purposely undersold so work could begin without impacting guests in a negative way.

Waiting in Virginia were 140 shipping containers packed with the materials for the changeover, including lamps and mirrors, carpet, and more.

It's truly amazing what will be accomplished aboard the Symphony in a mere nine days! I look forward to sailing her soon to see the improvements in person!

Photo courtesy of Crystal Cruises

Seabourn's President Deborah L. Natansohn - RIP

Shocking and sad news for the luxury cruise industry today. Deborah L. Natansohn, president of Seabourn Cruise Line, passed away after suffering a heart attack on Sunday, October 22. She was only 53.

For those who follow the cruise business, you already know what an extraordinary person Deborah was. She was the first female appointed president of any cruise line when she earned that post at Orient Lines in 1998. Over the years, she also resided as president at Cunard and was instrumental in launching the Queen Mary 2. She became president of Seabourn in 2004.

Deborah had refined Seabourn's operation and found great success... so much so that the company just signed letters of intent for two new ultra luxury ships to debut in 2009 and 2010.

She was from New York and earned her BA in English Literature and Journalism at the State University of New York, Albany. She also attended Harvard Business School. She entered the workforce as an editor at Travel Trade magazine and then segued into travel marketing.

Deborah always gave back to the community and was a member of several mentor programs. She had so many plans and it's heartbreaking that she won't see them to fruition.

My thoughts are with Deborah's family, friends and colleagues.

Mark Your Calendar: Two New Ships from Seabourn

If you're a fan of cruising with Seabourn, mark your calendar for spring 2009 and 2010. That's when the line's two new ultra-luxury ships will join the existing fleet. Italian shipbuilder T. Mariotti S.p.A. of Genoa was tapped to build the ships at a cost of $250 million each.

The move will double Seabourn's current fleet capacity of 624 staterooms, since each new vessel will house 225 suites, 90 percent with balconies.

"Our brand has been experiencing more demand in the marketplace than we could fulfill for quite some time now," said Deborah L. Natansohn, president of Seabourn. " The new ships will allow us to bring the unique Seabourn experience to a larger number of people, particularly the highly affluent and active baby boomer generation just now heading towards the more leisurely years of their lives."

According to Natansohn, the vessels "will be spacious, with the sleek lines and relaxed, personal feel of an oversized yacht. We've essentially taken the signature elements of our existing yachts and added some exciting new features that the larger hulls will allow."

I'm sure we'll be hearing more about these ships in the months to come.