Crystal Cruises suspended all operations in late January 2022 after the German shipbuilding subsidiary of parent company Genting Hong Kong fell into insolvency.

Six months after the collapse, Abercrombie and Kent (A&K) Travel Group acquired two of Crystal Cruises’ vessels, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, and rebranded the company Crystal – Exceptional at Sea.

As part of the brand overhaul, the two ships were refurbished and revamped with new suites and updated spa offerings.

A&K co-chair Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio said that while A&K was not “legally obliged” to right the wrongs of Crystal’s previous owners, it had decided to do so as part of the company’s new ethos.

“We believe being exceptional means doing what is unexpected, unusual and unprecedented,” he said. “We are choosing to help former guests and travel agents recover their money.”

The credit will be split into five instalments and can be applied towards five future bookings dated between 1 July 2023 and 31 December 2025.