Crystal Endeavor, the new luxury expedition ship from Crystal Cruises, has departed Reykjavík for a 10-night circumnavigation of Iceland.

The inaugural voyage – with fully vaccinated guests and crew – is the first in a series of five Luxury Iceland Expedition sailings from Reykjavík.

The line said that because of the mandatory vaccination requirement, “guests are able to explore ashore independently in Iceland”.

The 200-guest Crystal Endeavor features expedition equipment, including 18 zodiacs, a fleet of sea kayaks, snorkel gear and a six-guest submersible and two helicopters – available in select regions of the world.

There is also a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to view the sea at a 300-metre depth and a long-range camera on the mast to zoom in to view wildlife and scenery over a mile away.

Crystal president Jack Anderson said: “This is an incredible moment for the entire Crystal family as we watch Crystal Endeavor embark upon her maiden voyage.

“Our new expedition yacht will take our guests further than ever before on bold adventures to the far corners of the globe and offer explorations, enrichment and immersive experiences beyond anything they’ve experienced before. The ship features spaciousness, personal service and luxury for our guests with safety and responsible stewardship of the world’s oceans at the forefront.”

All ports of call for Crystal Endeavor’s Iceland voyages feature complimentary excursions led by naturalist experts from the ship’s expedition team.

Expedition leaders and guides for the Iceland voyages include a marine biologist, ornithologist, geologist/glaciologist, historian, two professional photographers, polar expedition specialists and an artist.

Crystal Endeavor will embark on a 10-night sailing to Tromso in Norway later this year. Other departures include the 13-night Norwegian Fjords & Scottish Isles Exploration from Tromso to London, departing 15 September, and the 11-night Breton, Bordeaux and Beyond from London to Lisbon, departing 28 September.