Crystal Cruises two cruise ships will reportedly be sold at auction next week. It comes after Silversea’s founding chairman expressed interest in acquiring the brand.
The sale of Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity is set to take place on Tuesday. It marks the end of the line for what was Crystal Cruises, after the company filed for bankruptcy in January 2022.
The two cruise ships were impounded by authorities in the Bahamas earlier this year. It came after non-payment of fuel bills and resulted in voyages being abruptly aborted, with passengers returned home.
Now the banks hope to pay off the fuel bills and other significant debts with the liquidation of Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity to the highest bidder.
Previously, Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio the founder and former executive chairman of Silversea Cruises, expressed interest in buying the beleaguered Crystal Cruises brand.
In February he told Seatrade “We are a very credible buyer with roots in the cruise industry that stretch back in the late ’80s. We are firmly convinced that with our knowledge and know-how of the ultra-luxury segment we could transform Crystal into a success story”.
However, it appears creditors rejected his offer to buy the company outright. It is yet to be seen whether Lefebvre d’Ovidio’s Heritage Group might still bid for the individual Crystal Cruise ships which will be sold.
The successful bidder(s) for Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity will be made public on 14 June 2022.
About the Author: Jason Kerr
