Crystal's newest ship is going to Rio for Carnival. On Oct. 13, 2026, the luxury line released its last batch of 2028 voyages and its first 2029 ones, covering October 2028 through May 2029. The trips go on sale on Oct. 20, 2026.
The biggest news is for Crystal Grace, the first of three new ships Crystal has coming. In early 2029 it will sail its first South America season, with a long stay in Rio de Janeiro during Carnival season and a first call at the islands that include Devil's Island. Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony will spend the season in Asia, the Pacific, Australia and New Zealand.
You can read Crystal's announcement in full.
Crystal Grace: Rio, Cape Horn and the Panama Canal
Crystal Grace is being built by Fincantieri and is due to debut in 2028. Its 2028-29 season goes like this, according to Crystal:
- From Nov. 20, 2028: Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale.
- February 2029: The ship heads south down the coast of Brazil. It stays longer in Rio de Janeiro during Carnival season, then sails on to Uruguay and Argentina.
- First visit to Iles du Salut: This group of islands off French Guiana includes Devil's Island.
- Feb. 27, 2029: Scenic cruising around Cape Horn.
- Chile: The Chilean fjords, Laguna San Rafael, Puerto Chacabuco, Castro, Puerto Montt and Valparaiso.
- Up the Pacific coast: Calls in Peru, Ecuador and Panama.
- March 22, 2029: The ship's first trip through the Panama Canal.
- Spring 2029: Back to the Caribbean and Central America, then Bermuda. It then crosses the Atlantic to the Azores, with stops at Horta, Praia da Vitória and Ponta Delgada.
- May 2, 2029: After Madeira, the Canary Islands and Morocco, the season ends in Lisbon.
Crystal has not said which Rio dates line up with the Carnival parades. It also did not give fares in the release.
Crystal Symphony: Japan, Komodo and New Zealand's sounds
Crystal Symphony starts its season on Oct. 3, 2028, in Japan and South Korea. Stops include Tokyo, Shimizu, Nagoya, Osaka, Kochi and Nagasaki, then Incheon and Busan.
The ship then follows Japan's Sea of Japan coast. It calls at Sakaiminato, Maizuru, Kanazawa, Niigata, Akita and Aomori. It then heads south to Amami and Okinawa.
From there it sails to Taiwan, the Philippines and Southeast Asia. That includes a first visit to Surabaya, on the Indonesian island of Java, and a stop at Rinca Island, home of the Komodo dragon.
In Australia it adds new calls at Cooktown, Port Arthur and Phillip Island. In December it cruises New Zealand's Milford, Doubtful and Dusky sounds. Holiday voyages follow, and this part of its year ends in Melbourne on Jan. 7, 2029. That is where Symphony starts its World Cruise.
Crystal Serenity: cherry blossoms, then Alaska
Crystal Serenity begins on Dec. 4, 2028, from Fort Lauderdale. It sails to Central America and Mexico, with new calls at Corinto, Nicaragua, and Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala.
It then crosses the Pacific. The route takes in Hawaii, including a new stop at Hilo, then French Polynesia and Australia, with a new call at Cooktown. Next come Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong and China.
In March and April, Serenity reaches Japan for cherry blossom season. Stops include Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Kochi, Nagoya, Shimizu and Osaka, plus the Sea of Japan coast and South Korea. The ship also cruises the narrow Kanmon Strait and calls at Shanghai.
In May it heads north via Aomori and Kushiro. It crosses the Pacific to Alaska, calls at Kodiak and Homer, and ends the season in Seward on May 28, 2029.
The new ports
Crystal lists these as new destinations in this launch:
| Region | New ports |
|---|---|
| Japan | Akita, Amami, Kumamoto |
| Hawaii | Hilo |
| Australia | Cooktown, Port Arthur, Phillip Island |
| Central America | Corinto, Puerto Quetzal |
| Indonesia | Surabaya |
"These itineraries give our guests new ways to explore familiar regions while reaching destinations that are less frequently visited," said Mario Parodi, Crystal's vice president of itinerary planning and port and fuel operations.
Should you book on Oct. 20?
The release gives no prices, so you will need to check fares when bookings open. A few things are clear now:
- Crystal Grace's South America season is the ship's first. It includes the Rio stay during Carnival season, Cape Horn and the ship's first Panama Canal transit.
- Serenity's Japan voyages are timed for cherry blossoms. Crystal says it planned them around the season, in March and April 2029.
- You are booking far ahead. These cruises sail from October 2028 to May 2029.
Crystal has also said that Serenity will get a new Owner's Suite after a 2028 dry dock. We covered that in our story on Crystal Serenity's new Owner's Suite. Crystal Grace has sister ships planned for 2031 and 2034. You can compare all three ships on our Crystal page.
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