The first ship in Crystal’s river fleet, Mozart — which was originally built for Peter Deilmann Cruises — will be renamed Crystal Mozart after an extensive renovation. The ship can only be deployed on the Danube River; it was designed to fit into the river’s wider locks from Passau, Germany, to Budapest, Hungary, with a width of 75.1 feet — double the width of an average European river vessel. Crystal Mozart will be transformed from a 203-passenger ship to a 160-passenger one, and the company claims the largest suites on a river vessel. The two 860-square-feet Crystal Suites will each feature two bedrooms, and the ship will also boast 203-square-foot window suites, 215-square-foot deluxe suites and a 322-square-foot penthouse suite. Mozart’s multiple dining rooms, indoor pool, beauty salon, spa, fitness center and full ship promenade are being preserved.
Additionally, four all-suite newbuilds will be launched in June and August 2017. Each river cruise ship will have 220-square-foot suites, a 750-square-foot two-bedroom Crystal Suite, a 500-square-foot Penthouse Suite and 250-square-foot deluxe suites. Accommodations will all have king-size beds, walk-in wardrobes and bathrooms with double vanities.
Similar to Mozart, the new ships will have their public areas and dining venues on one level, including a Palm Court with a glass-domed roof and a dance floor, a library, a fitness center, a spa and off-ship kayaks, Jet Skis and electric-assisted bicycles.
Crystal is building its ships the maximum size for the locks, bridges and depth of specific rivers. The two larger 110-passenger Crystal River Yachts will cruise the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers; the other two 84-passenger vessels will sail the Seine River and the Garonne and Dordogne rivers in France.
Matching Crystal Mozart, the two larger ships will be named Crystal Bach and Crystal Mahler; the French ships will be named Crystal Ravel and Crystal Debussy.
For all river itineraries, Crystal is including daytime sailing on especially picturesque stretches of the rivers. Guests will be able to enjoy port overnights in select destinations, often with inclusive onshore culinary experiences in Michelin-starred restaurants and top local eateries, along with exclusive evening events and cultural entertainment. Shore excursions include the Active Exploration Adventures program, in addition to transportation by a fleet of luxury motorcoaches that feature business-class style seating and complimentary Wi-Fi access.
Bookings for all five river ships opened November 30.
The Details
Crystal Cruiseswww.crystalcruises.com
