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All text and photographs (unless stated otherwise) ©  Paul Timmerman

On July 24th 1990, a new cruise ship set out on her maiden cruise. Her name: Crystal Harmony. Not only a new ship, but a new cruise line as well: Crystal Cruises.

                            

                                          Avenue of the Stars, shopping area Tiffany deck

In 1986, a Japanese shipping firm Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) established a special department within the company to investigate the operation of cruise ships. Members of this unit sailed on over a dozen ships belonging to different lines. The result of this study was that NYK should enter the ultra deluxe segment of the cruise industry. It was decided that the new venture had to be different from existing competitors and that the differences would have to be built into the vessel, so the competition could not copy this.

In 1988 the dimensions of the ship were decided upon, 49.000 GRT for 960 passengers, and furthermore verandah's in more than half the staterooms, an all suite deck with butler service, and the 4 most spacious suites afloat.

                          

                                                            The Bistro, Tiffany deck

An order was placed with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Nagasaki, Japan. A separate firm Crystal Cruises was formed in the same year. It has the following mission statement: To provide the most elegant, most luxurious cruise experience in the cruise industry.
In 1989 construction work on the vessel starts. At the shipyard, mock ups of staterooms and suites are built, several executives of the yard and their wives spend the night in these mock ups and test them.

While the ship is being built, itineraries are being devised.
A first brochure is printed, but there is some concern about the recent turmoil in China. An interim brochure is the solution, and finally it is announced that Crystal Harmony will spend spring and summer 1991 in Europe. 

Two aspects make clear that Crystal Harmony will be a six-star vessel: 24 hour room service with a full menu will be available, and Crystal Harmony will be the first cruise ship that will receive live news and sports also around the clock. For this a contract is signed with CNN.

                     

                                                              Pool area

On November 27-30 1989 the first sea trials are run, during which Crystal Harmony "behaves" outstandingly. Finally, in June 1990 she is delivered to her owners, Crystal Cruises, having cost $200 mio to build. She immediately is a trendsetter in the ultra deluxe market.

The ship
After more than a decade of service, Crystal Harmony still is a graceful vessel, with the looks of a new ship, totally different from most of today's boxy mega-liners.
Those who decide to sail on her choose for a classic cruise experience with the elegance of yesteryears cruises found for example onboard the Caronia (1948).

                         

                                                            Vista Lounge, Lido deck

No packed schedules of organized activities or shore excursions with hundreds of people participating. Instead Crystal Harmony's passengers find peace and tranquility. She is a spacious ship, her passenger ratio of 51.5 (gross tons divided by passenger capacity) says it all.
Cabins are called staterooms or suites aboard, and more than half of them have verandah's.  Of course they are equipped with safe, refrigerator, multi channel radio television system with VCR etc. Room service 24 hours a day, meals served one course at a time if one is having breakfast or dinner in the cabin, simple menu's (pizza, steak etc.) are also available round the clock.

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                                        Go to Crystal Harmony page2

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