Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio, chairman of Heritage Group, former owner and executive chairman of Silversea Cruises, and co-chairman of Abercrombie & Kent, apparently has made two offers for Crystal Cruises—one in 2021 and another more recently. That's what a published report on Seatrade Cruise News is saying. There's no word yet, though, on whether that second offer is being considered by the court or creditors.
Both Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity were arrested in the Bahamas recently by the line's secured creditors.
Luxury Cruise Background
Lefebvre certainly knows ultra-luxury cruising well, having spent two decades running Silversea, starting in 2001. His father, Antonio Lefebvre d'Ovidio, founded Silversea in the mid-1990s. In 2020, Silversea was sold to Royal Caribbean Group.
In early 2019, Lefebvre bought 85 percent of luxury Abercrombie & Kent. That luxury brand as well as Coxes & Kings, (with a majority stake also owned by Heritage Group) could provide synergies with an ultra-luxury cruise operation should Lefebvre be successful in his effort to acquire Crystal.
In terms of his firm's offers made for Crystal, Lefebvre told Seatrade that both have been "fully funded." In a statement, he also described Heritage Group as a "credible buyer" with roots in the industry that stretch back to the late 1980s. Lebebvre reportedly said that his group could transform Crystal into a success story.
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