A&K and Crystal bosses on making their marriage work

02 Dec 2024by Gary Buchanan

The first Chairman’s Cruise for luxury line Crystal saw Geoffrey Kent, founder and chairman of Abercrombie & Kent, join forces with Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, executive chairman of A&K Travel Group – TTG Luxury went along for the ride.

Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio and Geoffrey Kent are working together to elevate the A&K brand

It’s not surprising such a high-profile event as this attracted many loyal members of the Crystal Society for repeat guests who were on board Crystal Symphony during a cruise from Venice to Athens in November.

As the ship sailed to Crete, the chairmen took to the stage for what was billed as a “fireplace chat”.

It turned into two friends entertaining the audience with their recollections and light-hearted banter.

Kent recalled his rebellious days as a teenager when he rode a motorbike from Nairobi to Cape Town. By 1962, he and his parents had founded a safari company in East Africa. Four years later, he inaugurated tented safaris, where guests “shoot with a camera, not a gun”.

Fast forward to 2019. Kent formed a strategic partnership with Lefebvre, who was chairman of Heritage Group, to acquire 100% of the Abercrombie & Kent Group of Companies.

This union brought together two visionaries in luxury travel to further develop A&K as the premier brand in luxury and experiential travel.

“I’ve learnt a huge amount of knowledge from our regular guests,” says Kent. “It’s obvious that a lot of discerning travellers want to blend the finest ships with peerless land experiences. The ethos of A&K Travel has always been adventure by day and luxury by night. Now the marriage between A&K and Crystal will take both brands into a new realm.”

The synergies between the two companies have come to the fore in Crystal’s land programmes, the duo believe. “We have the largest network of DMCs in the world, an asset no other cruise line can match. An example of this cooperation is showcased during Crystal Symphony’s Mombasa to Zanzibar voyage on 28 March 2025. This cruise includes a Magic & Majesty in the Maasai Mara experience at two A&K Sanctuary lodges, which offer unforgettable experiences in the bush,” notes Kent.

Leaving the audience with something to ponder, the 82-year-old Kent said: “I’ve set a record with A&K for ’Best Of’ awards and have no doubt we will continue to win every award going, both on land and at sea.”

He’s certainly heading in the right direction. In October, Crystal won the medium ship category prize in the Conde Nast Traveller’s 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards (UK).