Above: a Crystal Cruises ship

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Genting Hong Kong has officially completed its $550 million acquisition of Crystal Cruises from Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha.

The transaction was first announced in March.

Genting has also announced the appointment of a new chairman and several new promotions at the company: Genting Executive Chairman Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay will assume the role of Chairman of Crystal, while Edie Rodriguez has been promoted to president and chief executive officer.

Rodriguez had been serving as president and COO at Crystal; Thomas Mazloum, a 20-year vetearn of Crystal’s team, is being promoted to COO.

“Genting Hong Kong is delighted and honored to add Crystal to our global hospitality and leisure brands,” Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay said. “The current management team and crew will continue to lead Crystal’s six-star operation while Genting will provide the financial resources and proven expertise in innovative ship design to deliver a new ultra-luxury ocean vessel by 2018.”

Crystal operates a number of itineraries to the Caribbean in its global portfolio.