During the ’90s, a performing artist and a seasoned hospitality professional stepped on board the Crystal Harmony as the Lead Singer and Hotel Director. Little did they know they would disembark with an indelible mark on their lives together. Lise-Marie & Dietmar have shared an inspiring journey of love and legacy with Crystal Cruises, a line that prides itself on its exceptional service, incomparable value, and leading culture of excellence in the cruise industry. Sterling Journeys is delighted to tell the story of Crystal and its profound impact on our family business.
Reimagining travel by sea, Crystal Cruises blends elegance and adventure to craft luxury voyages in a class of its own. While the service, dining, and suites remain unparalleled for over three decades, Crystal Cruises has become a second home for many, where they have found love, built relationships, and even started a family.
In 2022, the luxury cruise line navigated through difficult waters from financial constraints. The new parent owners, A&K Travel Group Ltd., breathed new life into this once 6+ star cruise line, bringing back the iconic brand so well-known and loved.
For the past year, the Crystal Serenity remained docked in Italy for renovations. Now, we are thrilled for the vessel to be sailing once again.
The Crystal Serenity now holds a lower passenger capacity, ensuring more personalized service with a lower crew-to-guest ratio. They also expanded their butler service to all staterooms. In addition, Umi Uma and Osteria D’Ovidio, the ship’s specialty dining venues, were reimagined into a modern, yet elegant style.
This June, our very own Managing Director, Lise-Marie, was welcomed aboard the newly refreshed Crystal Serenity, an opportunity that felt like a homecoming.
For many years, Lise-Marie performed on Crystal Cruises all around the world. While she may have set sail to sing, Lise-Marie also had her heart stolen by a man in stripes. Dietmar was part of the original Crystal Cruise start-up team in Los Angeles in 1989, becoming the first Hotel Director onboard Crystal Harmony in June of 1990.
In a tale that rivals the most romantic blockbuster, Lise-Marie and Dietmar fell in love at sea, making the voyage the start of the rest of their lives.
They tied the knot in Miami in 1992, shortly after Dietmar was named Vice President of Hotel Operations for the then-brand new cruise line, Celebrity Cruises. In 1994, Dietmar returned to Crystal in the role of Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations. After moving back to Los Angeles, their love story took an exciting turn when they decided to start a family. Two beautiful children, Sterling and Tristan, were born, and from a young age, they were instilled with a love for travel and exploration.
Crystal’s influence on the Wertanzl family still reigns strong, with Lise-Marie and Dietmar’s colleagues and mentors being regarded as part of their extended family. Gretchen Goertz Lewis and Kathy Orme, Artistic Directors for Crystal Cruises, have remained close friends of the Wertanzls for decades. Gretchen and her husband Graham were even named Sterling’s godparents. For the Wertanzls, asking Gretchen and Graham to step into this role was a natural progression from the integral part Crystal had played in their lives.
As they grew older, the children accompanied their parents on countless voyages around the world, soaking up the sights from different cultures.
Sterling has followed in her mother’s footsteps, joining the family’s travel agency and working alongside Lise-Marie to plan unforgettable trips for their clients. Tristan is pursuing a career in finance, but his love for adventure remains strong.
With so much of her history wrapped up in Crystal, stepping aboard the refreshed and reimagined Serenity felt like coming home. One of Lise-Marie’s favorite parts of her tour was getting to see hotel director, Hubert Buelacher, who has worked for Crystal since the inception of the company.
The cruise line’s unique work culture has fostered a sense of camaraderie amongst employees, with many staff members and passengers regarding each other as a big, extended family. It is no wonder that crew members aboard Crystal’s vessels have proudly stayed aboard for decades.
Throughout the numerous changes and refreshments experienced by the brand and its vessels, one thing remains the same: Crystal’s unparalleled level of service. Crystal crew members pride themselves in being anchored in excellence, where service is rooted in cohesiveness.
While Lise-Marie and Dietmar have professionally moved on from their Crystal days, it is now a privilege to share the Crystal magic with our clients. We would love to help you build a one-of-a-kind Crystal experience, where you too can travel while feeling the comforts of home.
