Crystal Cruises is continuing its Caribbean homeporting push, with plans to homeport the Crystal Symphony cruise ship in Antigua and Barbuda. 

Crystal Symphony, which will sail a series of 15 10-night Caribbean cruises from St John’s, will be the first-ever ship to homeport in Antigua. 

The cruise line will begin sailings from Antigua on August 5, running through December. 

The ship will stop in Barbados, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, St Maarten and the British Virgin Islands. 

Crystal Cruises was the first cruise line to announce a return to sailing, with plans to homeport a ship in The Bahamas. 

“The islands of the Caribbean are a warm welcome back to traveling the world, rich in fascinating history and the kind of natural beauty that astounds even the most seasoned travelers, and St. John’s is an ideal home port to begin luxury journeys through such a paradise,” said Jack Anderson, Crystal’s interim president and CEO. “Minister Charles Fernandez and his team, and the local tourism businesses throughout the islands, have been working to renew travel to the islands safely and we are thrilled to partner with them to support economic growth in the region and to deliver the kind of luxuries and hospitality Crystal guests have been craving for the past year.”

All guests will have to be fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to boarding any Crystal ship, part of the company’s Crystal Clean+ health and safety protocols. 

“To have Crystal Cruises as our new homeport partner is truly a milestone in Antigua’s cruise history and reaffirms our commitment to the development of our country’s cruise experience,” said Done Regis-Prosper, general manager of Global Ports (Antigua) Ltd. “We are very happy to play an integral role in restarting cruise travel in the Caribbean after this long pause. Having just completed construction of our fifth berth just in time for the start of the season developing our port health and safety procedures in collaboration with local health authorities, we’re prepared to welcome Crystal guests to this beautiful island.”

For more, visit Crystal Cruises. 

— CJ