Captain Thomas Larson
Crystal Cruises has named a Captain for its groundbreaking expedition yacht, the Crystal Endeavor. Captain Thomas Larsen will lead the Endeavor on her maiden voyage from Tokyo in August of 2020.
From Insider Travel Report’s James Shillinglaw:
Captain Larsen brings to the bridge decades of diverse nautical experience that began in his native Sweden and spans the cargo industry, Swedish Royal Navy, private super yachts, and numerous cruise ships. He joined Crystal in 2016 as Captain of Crystal Esprit before moving to Crystal Symphony, where he currently serves as captain.
Captain Larsen’s seagoing career began in 1984, when at the age of 16 he started as a second cook before changing to the deck department. He climbed the ranks and entered the Swedish Royal Navy as seaman and bosun, then graduated from Kalmar Maritime Academy with a master mariner degree. He spent nearly two decades with an Asia-Pacific cruise operator as staff captain and captain, helmed a private superyacht in the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean, and was recruited by Crystal in 2016. Captain Larsen is a licensed private pilot, a master scuba dive trainer and submarine pilot.
Captain Larsen will join the German-built expedition ship at the MV Werften Shipyard early next year. Aboard Crystal Endeavor, he will sail on far-reaching itineraries in some of the world’s less-visited regions. In her inaugural 2020 season, the yacht will sail expedition voyages through Japan and the Russian Far East; Antarctica via the Ross Sea; New Zealand and Tasmania; Australia and the Great Barrier Reef; and Borneo, Indonesia and the Philippines. In 2021, Crystal Endeavor will add New Zealand’s Sub-Antarctic Islands; Alaska and the Aleutian Islands; Norway and the United Kingdom; Canary Islands, Atlantic and South America to her repertoire, as well as a voyage through the rarely-traveled Northeast Passage.
The largest, most spacious luxury expedition yacht in the industry, Crystal Endeavor will accommodate just 200 guests with elegantly casual, expansive public spaces; all-suite, butler-serviced guest rooms; Michelin-inspired dining options including Master Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s Umi Uma & Sushi Bar; full-service Crystal Life Salon & Spa and state-of-the-art Fitness Center. Expedition-specific amenities and spaces will enhance guests’ experience, including designated “mud rooms” and helicopter lounge.
