See Inside the $150 Million Cruise Ship Makeover That Has Us Dreaming of Summer on the Mediterranean

When we say “one staff member per guest,” you’re probably imagining the ratio involved in something like one of Jennifer Lopez’s weddings or a coronation. But this royal treatment can be a reality for mere mortals like us on board the newly refurbished Crystal Serenity.

After the cruise company was acquired by the travel company Abercrombie & Kent in July 2022, the owners decided to complete a $150 million design renovation on the ship. On July 31, the spiffed-up ship will set sail on its inaugural voyage, escorting its 740 (at most) guests from Marseille, France to Lisbon, Portugal.

With a goal of creating a space that’s “lavish,” “sophisticated,” and “refined,” according to a media release, Abercrombie & Kent CEO Cristina Levis describes the renovated ship as being reinvigorated with “fresh colors, unique textures and first-class tangible elements to create an ambiance that evokes timeless moments of leisure and will leave guests with memories that will last a lifetime.”

Levis and team enlisted GEM as the architect and Tillberg Design of Sweden (TDoS) as lead designer. Those companies teamed up to combine classic elements with contemporary materials, and a color scheme that’s calm and sea-inspired (think: subtle pastels, gray and beige), with a goal of creating a home away from home that gives a nod to the Mediterranean. (The ship's first sailings are in the Mediterranean, and also include Northern Europe, Canada, New England, Alaska, the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.)

Crystal Serenity's capacity might seem fairly small—to offer a more intimate experience—but the accommodations will have you thinking big, says Lorenzo Mortola, managing director of GEM.

“Our main goal was to merge smaller-sized guest rooms into larger suites that offer a separate living room and bedroom areas, large bathrooms with a walk-in shower and double faucets and sinks. With more space, guests will have all the functions expected on a high-end cruise, while offering the best comforts of home,” Mortola explains.

After creating renderings to drive the redesign, project architect and adjunct professor of architecture at Politecnico di Milano Adriana Granato didn’t just shop online for the elements to bring her vision to life. Granato actually traveled to a quarry in the Italian Alps to hand select the Fior di Pesco marble slabs (also known as peach flower marble, thanks to the peach-hued veins that run through the stone) that aligned with her vision.

Here are a few other noteworthy details that instantly skyrocketed Crystal Serenity, and its also-refurbished sister ship, Crystal Symphony, to vacation bucket list-worthy status in our eyes:

• Jesurum 1870 Linens. No scratchy or flimsy fabrics here. Each bed is adorned with bespoke, embroidered Italian-made linens.

• La Bottega Amenities. Expect soap and fragrances on board from Sicily-based Ortigia. The bath products deliver delicate notes of Sicilian spring wildflowers like narcissus, wild iris and jasmine.

• World-Class Dining Options. In addition to the 24-hour in-suite dining services available, guests can dine at the only Nobu restaurant at sea (master chef Nobu Matsuhisa is a legend in the culinary world) for Japanese-Peruvian fare. Or savor tapas, Italian, American, European bistro or ice cream. Vino fans will swoon over a multi-course food and wine pairing feast at the aptly named “The Vintage Room.”

• A Next-Level Spa. Aurōra is the Roman goddess of the dawn, and it's also the name of the ship’s spa “where you can awaken your mind, body and soul” with a signature facial, massage, medi-spa IV healing or book a full-service salon visit. (We’ll take a Chariot of Light massage and Supertech Facial, please!)

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