Crystal Expedition Cruises has postponed the launch of its luxury expedition ship, Crystal Endeavor. The development comes following the temporary closure of the MV Werften shipyards, which halted operations in ship production to protect its employees during the Covid-19 global pandemic.

Due to uncertainty regarding when production will resume, the company has been compelled to delay the introduction of the ship – previously planned for August – and cancel all scheduled itineraries through to the end of October. The ship’s maiden voyage will now be the Tasmania and Fjords of New Zealand 14-night cruise embarking on 14 November.

“We know that, like us, our guests have been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to explore anew with Crystal aboard this ground-breaking ship, and we deeply regret that this change has become necessary and has disrupted our guests’ travel plans,” said Tom Wolber, president of Crystal. The company said it was reaching out to guests and their travel advisors directly with rebooking options.