The Crystal Symphony opened the 2026-27 cruise season at the Ecuadorian port of Manta earlier this month, according to an update shared by local authorities.
The Manta Port Authority said the luxury vessel was the first of 16 ships scheduled to sail to the destination this winter.
“Its location, natural conditions and multipurpose capabilities allow the Port of Manta to remain a part of the cruise industry and receive visitors from all over the world,” the port authority stated.
Sailing from San Diego to New York City, the Crystal Symphony is currently offering a 32-night cruise to the Panama Canal and the Americas.
After departing from California in late August, the 606-passenger ship visited destinations in Mexico, El Salvador and Costa Rica before arriving in Ecuador.
The Symphony’s itinerary also includes stops in Panama and the Caribbean before ending in New York later this month.
In addition to the Crystal ship, Manta is scheduled to welcome ships from Holland America Line, Oceania Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Phoenix Reisen.
Among the vessels sailing to the Ecuadorian port are the Oosterdam, the Insignia, the Europa and the Seven Seas Mariner.
The Carnival Firenze will be the largest vessel sailing to the port this season, as part of a 15-night cruise to South America.
Repositioning from the West Coast to Miami and New York City, the 4,232-passenger ship will arrive in Manta for a single call on January 12, 2027.
The port will also welcome the Crystal Serenity a few days later, as part of the company’s 2027 World Cruise.
The 139-night cruise sails from San Diego to Vancouver and visits various destinations across the Pacific, sailing to South America, Australia, French Polynesia, Southeast Asia, the Far East, Alaska and more.
