Who says the pandemic will irreparably hurt cruising? Crystal is the latest cruise line to record-setting reservations, reporting its single biggest day of bookings in its history last Thursday after opening sales for its just-announced Bahamas cruise program in July.

Crystal joins Oceania, which has posted several record days dating back to last fall, most recently Jan. 27.

Declaring “the comeback of luxury cruising” as the pandemic passes its 12-month mark, Crystal says nearly 4,000 passengers reserved staterooms or suites within 24 hours of being made available, filling up more than a quarter of all capacity on the 16 seven-night “Bahamas Escapes” voyages.

Other numbers of note: an overall 2,024 percent increase in online bookings; reservations from the biggest number of distinct travel agencies in Crystal’s 30-year history; and nearly 200 guests booking back-to-back cruises, with some planning to spend up to 42 days onboard.

“We are thrilled by the wonderful response to these new sailings. It’s clear that travellers have been eagerly looking forward to exploring again and are as excited to see Crystal Serenity return to sailing as we are,” said Jack Anderson, Crystal’s interim president and CEO.

He added: “After a year of uncertainty, our new Luxury Bahamas Escapes mark an important return to service for Crystal, but also a significant step forward for travel and tourism overall in the Americas. The all-Bahamas cruises mean there is no risk of border closures, alleviating concerns related to a multiple-country itinerary that may be impacted by differing travel restrictions.”

The cruises, which are open only to vaccinated passengers, start July 3 in Nassau and July 4 in Bimini, and will continue through October.