Crystal has unveiled the final release of its 2028 cruise programme, along with the first new itineraries for 2029, expanding the range of journeys available aboard Crystal Symphony, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Grace. The new programme spans some of the world’s most captivating regions, combining renowned international destinations with emerging ports of call and seasonal highlights.
Bookings for the newly announced itineraries will open on October 20, giving travellers the opportunity to plan ahead for voyages spanning East Asia and Oceania, the Caribbean, South America and transatlantic routes. The programme reflects Crystal’s commitment to offering journeys that go beyond traditional cruise routes, with port calls designed to showcase the natural beauty, cultural heritage and culinary traditions of the destinations visited.
Among the highlights of the new programme are itineraries to Japan during the cherry blossom season, one of the most enchanting times of year to visit the country. Alongside well-established destinations, Crystal introduces new ports of call such as Akita, Amami and Kumamoto, offering further opportunities to explore regions that reveal a different side of Japanese culture.
The Asia-Pacific programme also showcases the region’s remarkable cultural and geographical diversity. In Oceania, itineraries span New Zealand and Australia, giving guests the chance to admire New Zealand’s dramatic fjords and inlets while discovering destinations such as Cooktown, Port Arthur and Phillip Island. Hilo, in Hawaii, also features among the ports of call, offering opportunities to combine natural wonders, local traditions and immersive experiences ashore.
These itineraries reflect a travel philosophy centred on variety and discovery, encompassing everything from major cities to less-visited communities, from striking coastlines to destinations where history and nature intertwine.
Crystal Symphony: A Journey Through Asia and the Pacific
The Crystal Symphony season will begin on October 3, 2028, with a series of voyages through Japan and South Korea, exploring some of East Asia’s best-known destinations while reaching less-visited locations. Following calls in Tokyo, Shimizu, Nagoya, Osaka, Kochi and Nagasaki, the ship will sail to Incheon and Busan before following the coast of the Sea of Japan, with stops in Sakaiminato, Maizuru, Kanazawa, Niigata, Akita and Aomori. The itinerary will then head south to Amami and Okinawa before continuing through Taiwan, the Philippines and Southeast Asia, including the new destinations of Surabaya and Rinca Island.
The journey will continue to Australia and New Zealand, with new calls in Cooktown, Port Arthur and Phillip Island. In December, Crystal Symphony will reach New Zealand’s coastline, offering guests scenic passages through Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound and Dusky Sound, amid spectacular fjords and breathtaking natural scenery. Holiday voyages will continue in the region before the ship arrives in Melbourne on January 7, 2029, where it will begin its world cruise. The programme combines major cities, local traditions and remarkable natural landscapes, offering an immersive journey through the cultural and geographical diversity of the Asia-Pacific region.
The Crystal Serenity season will begin on December 4, 2028, departing from Fort Lauderdale for a series of voyages to destinations across Central America and Mexico. New ports of call include Corinto, Nicaragua, and Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, giving guests further opportunities to discover the region’s cultural heritage and varied landscapes.
The ship will then cross the Pacific, visiting Hawaii and French Polynesia before continuing to Australia and Southeast Asia. The programme will feature new calls in Hilo, Hawaii, and Cooktown, Australia, followed by voyages through Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, with additional stops in Hong Kong and China. The itinerary brings together tropical islands, major urban centres and destinations rich in local traditions, offering a broad perspective on the region’s cultural diversity.
In March and April 2029, Crystal Serenity will arrive in Japan in time for the cherry blossom season, one of the most appealing periods to explore the country. Ports of call will include Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Kochi, Nagoya, Shimizu and Osaka. The ship will then continue along Japan’s Sea of Japan coastline, calling at Sakaiminato, Maizuru, Kanazawa, Niigata, Akita and Aomori, alongside visits to South Korea. The programme will also feature a scenic passage through the Kanmon Strait before continuing to Shanghai and other destinations in Japan and South Korea.
In May, the ship will head north from Japan, with calls in Aomori and Kushiro, before crossing the Pacific towards Alaska. Guests will have the opportunity to explore Kodiak and Homer, surrounded by the region’s distinctive coastal scenery and wilderness. This series of voyages will conclude in Seward on May 28, 2029, following a journey linking Central America, the Pacific, Asia and Alaska through a diverse succession of destinations and experiences.
A key highlight of the programme is Crystal Grace, which will embark on its first South American season. The itinerary will follow Brazil’s coastline, including an extended stay in Rio de Janeiro during Carnival, before continuing through Uruguay and Argentina towards Patagonia. A notable highlight will be the ship’s first call at the Îles du Salut, an archipelago that includes the historic Devil’s Island.
On February 27, Crystal Grace will round Cape Horn before beginning an exploration of Chile’s fjords and the San Rafael Lagoon, followed by calls at some of the country’s most striking coastal destinations, including Puerto Chacabuco, Castro, Puerto Montt and Valparaíso. The voyage will then continue north along South America’s Pacific coast, with calls in Peru, Ecuador and Panama. On March 22, the ship will make its first transit through the Panama Canal, one of the world’s most significant maritime passages.
After returning to the Caribbean and Central America, the ship will head north to Bermuda before crossing the Atlantic towards the Azores. Calls in Horta, Praia da Vitória and Ponta Delgada will be followed by visits to Madeira, the Canary Islands and Morocco. The season will conclude in Lisbon on May 2, 2029, following a voyage that brings together the atmosphere of the Caribbean, the dramatic landscapes of Patagonia, the coastlines of South America and the islands of the Atlantic, marking a new chapter in the development of Crystal Grace’s itineraries.
The new 2028–2029 programme reflects Crystal’s approach to luxury cruising, combining the onboard experience with carefully developed itineraries and a selection of ports of call that offer different perspectives on the regions visited. The expansion of existing routes and the introduction of new destinations respond to travellers’ growing interest in more immersive journeys, where cultural discovery and meaningful encounters with local communities play a central role.
Gabriele Bassi
