“What does the next chapter look like for Crystal Cruises?” has been a question on everyone’s minds over the past few years. But for the line’s vice president of trade sales UK and EMEA, the answer couldn’t be clearer

“We want to be the most trade-friendly cruise line in the UK”, Luke Smith told Cruise Trade News as part of the Crystal takeover of the publication’s 2026 May/June issue.

In the latest episode of the Cruise Corner Podcast, Smith joins co-hosts Will Payne and Josie Klein to explore the inspiration behind the line’s renewed energy and ambitious targets.

The trio also discuss the imminent arrival of the line’s first new-build ship in 25 years, Crystal Grace, its push to attract a new generation of luxury cruisers and how Crystal plans to navigate the evolving travel landscape.

In the last episode of the Cruise Corner, Princess Cruises UK, Ireland and EMEA sales director Yasmin McKechnie joined the How to Sell series to discuss how the cruise line’s portfolio of onboard amenities and shoreside experiences can entice travellers of all ages.

You can listen to the podcast via the above link, or on all leading platforms including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. You can also view the video version on YouTube.