Crystal River Cruises Expands 2022 Offerings with More Capacity & New Itineraries

Crystal Mozart reintroduced to global marketplace for sailings from Vienna

New suites for solo travelers a first for the industry

Crystal Mahler to sail new Rhine, Moselle and multi-river voyages

 

MIAMI, March 8, 2021 – Crystal River Cruises today announced an expansion of its 2022 offerings with the reintroduction of Crystal Mozart, the company’s grand, double-wide inaugural river ship, increasing the luxury options available to travelers on Europe’s rivers. Affectionately known as the Queen of the Danube, Crystal Mozart will offer weekly seven-night voyages Danube Dreams & Discoveries conveniently sailing round-trip from Vienna beginning March 28, 2022. With Crystal Mozart’s return, Crystal Mahler will reposition to the Rhine, Main and Moselle rivers with a variety of new itineraries.

 

In an industry first, Crystal Mozart will offer 38 deluxe window suites dedicated to solo travelers with no single supplement on all voyages, reducing her capacity to just 120 guests and making her the most spacious river ship, with the highest crew-to-guest ratio, in the European river industry. Crystal Mahler and her Rhine Class sister ships – Crystal Bach, Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel – accommodate just 106 guests, also boasting superior space ratios for all on board.

 

“This expansion meets the increased demand and pent-up desire to explore expressed by our guests across the globe as indicated by our strong advanced bookings,” said Walter Littlejohn, senior vice president and managing director of Crystal River Cruises. “We are delighted to reintroduce Crystal Mozart to the global marketplace. She launched Crystal River Cruises’ wonderful journey five years ago and holds a very special place in the hearts of those of us at Crystal and to many along the Danube River.

 

“Now with her abundance of dedicated suites for solo travelers, Crystal Mozart also becomes more widely available to a burgeoning solo market that has proven to be extremely popular on our ocean cruises,” Littlejohn added.

 

New Routes and Highlights in Store

Beginning March 28, 2022, Crystal Mozart’s Danube Dreams & Discoveriesitineraries will sail from Vienna on Mondays with overnights in the Austrian capital and Budapest, as well as calls to the historic city of Esztergom, Hungary; Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia; Linz, Austria, with day trips to Salzburg; Dürnstein and daylight sailing through the breathtaking Wachau Valley.

 

As Crystal Mozart returns to the Danube, Crystal Mahler will now sail a variety of new itineraries ranging from five to 16 nights on the Rhine, Moselle, Main and Danube rivers, including some voyages that combine three rivers in one journey. Her new itineraries highlight the seasonal beauty of the region, including five-night summer Rhine & Moselle Summer Escapes sailings between Amsterdam and Trier; 10-night fall Splendors of the Rhine & Moselle voyages between Amsterdam and Basel; and 14-night Magnificent Europe sailings between Amsterdam and Budapest on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers.

 

“This is the perfect time to expand the options available to our guests, who are well-traveled, inquisitive and always seeking new experiences,” Littlejohn said. “Crystal Mahler’srepositioning to the Moselle, Rhine and other rivers and available shorter itineraries offer options that appeal to more travelers, whether multi-generational families or busy professionals with limited time to explore. It is always our goal to accommodate our guests’ varied preferences.”

 

Crystal Mahler begins her season on April 2, 2022 with a series of Legendary Rhine and Romantic Rhine seven-night sailings between Amsterdam and Basel followed by springtime Tulips & Windmills voyages on Dutch waterways and the Rhine River, beginning April 30, round-trip from Amsterdam. These voyages showcase the once-in-a-decade Floriade Expo near Amsterdam, where the city and surrounding area transform with flora and greenery from across the globe. The voyage also visits Hoorn, Kinderdijk, Middleburg and Rotterdam, Netherlands, and Antwerp and Ghent, Belgium.

 

The popular seven-night Romantic Rhine and Legendary Rhine itineraries between Amsterdam and Basel, which Crystal Mahler will again offer from October through December of 2022 and are also featured on Crystal Bach and Crystal Debussy, feature overnights in Koblenz and Amsterdam; calls in Cologne, Rüdesheim and Mannheim, Germany; and Strasbourg, France, and daylight cruising through the Rhine Gorge (Middle Rhine Valley).

 

Along the Moselle and Rhine rivers, one of the most breathtaking waterways in Europe, guests can explore the vineyard-flanked river in the heart of the Mosel Wine Region. Convenient, new five-night summertime Rhine & Moselle Summer Escapes voyages sail between Amsterdam and Trier, with late-night stays in the lovely wine villages of Cochem and Bernkastel; the UNESCO World Heritage City of Cologne; and overnights in Trier for exploration Roman heritage sites or day trips to Luxembourg. From Trier, guests can extend their vacation with optional two-night pre- or post-cruise Extended Land Programs in Reims, France, the unofficial capital of the Champagne region. The land package includes sightseeing, tastings and transfers between Paris and Reims.

 

The new 10-night autumn Splendors of the Rhine & Moselle sails north- and south-bound departures between Amsterdam and Basel in September and October, during peak harvest season in the vineyards. The voyages sail through the Middle Rhine Valley and UNESCO-listed Rhine Gorge, with its storybook castles and rolling vineyards; wine valley cities of Cochem, Trier and Bernkastel (considered the epicenter of Riesling); offer day trips to charming Heidelberg via Mannheim; Koblenz, situated at the confluence of the two rivers; Rüdesheim and extended stays or overnights in beautiful Strasbourg.

 

For longer luxury journeys, guests can sail Crystal Mahler’s 16-night and 14-night springtime Grand Europe and Magnificent Europe itineraries, respectively, which combine sailing along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers. Beginning and ending with overnights in Amsterdam and Budapest, the voyages offer immersive experiences throughout Germany’s riverside towns of Cologne, Rüdesheim (overnight), Miltenberg, Würzburg, Nuremberg, Regensberg and Passau; Vienna (overnight) and Dürnstein, Austria; and Bratislava, Slovakia.

 

Special Holiday Sailings

Both Crystal Mozart and Crystal Mahler will offer special holiday sailings in late December. Crystal Mozart’s Danube Holiday Wonders voyage spends Christmas and Hannukah sailing roundtrip from Vienna on December 19, 2022, visiting Melk and Linz, Austria; Bratislava, Slovakia; and Esztergom and Budapest, Hungary spotlighting the wondrous experience region during the wintertime holidays. Guests can ring in the New Year aboard a Spectacular Danube Holiday voyage, embarking in Vienna on December 26, 2022, visiting Melk, Linz, Krems and Dürnstein, Austria; Passau, Germany and ending with two nights in Vienna for an extraordinary New Year’s Eve.

 

Crystal Mahler will sail a new 10-night Holidays on the Rhine sailing from Basel to Amsterdam on December 23, 2022, spending overnights in Strasbourg, Mannheim and Amsterdam (two nights) and exploring the winter wonderlands of Rüdesheim, Cochem, Koblenz, Bernkastel, Trier and Cologne, Germany. Guests will spend Christmas Eve in Strasbourg, France and enjoy a midnight mass and Christmas Day in Mannheim, allowing visits to Heidelberg. On New Year’s Eve in Amsterdam, Crystal Mahler will be joined by sister ship Crystal Bach for a special celebration.

 

The new 2022 deployment for Crystal Mozart and Crystal Mahler opens for reservations March 11. In addition to the peace of mind provided by Crystal’s Crystal Clean+ 4.0 health and safety protocols, Crystal is enticing travelers with its 2-for-1 fares plus Book Now Savings of up to $1,000 per guest; waived single supplement on all deluxe window suites; additional savings for back-to-back cruises; and exclusive Crystal Society savings offers.

 

Redefining Space on Europe’s Rivers

The Crystal River Cruises fleet comprises the most spacious ships sailing Europe’s rivers with generously sized guest suites, expansive social spaces and open-air top Vista Decks. In addition to her newly dedicated suites for solo travelers, the all-suite Crystal Mozartsets the standard in European river cruising in several other ways, as she is the only ship to feature a wrap-around Promenade Deck, the largest onboard spa, two onboard fitness centers, and guest suites that feature Toto™ toilets with personal washlet system. As with the entire award-winning fleet, Crystal Mozart’s unique amenities coupled with Crystal River Cruises superior personalized service, Michelin-inspired cuisine, and experiences tailored to guests’ varied interests make for unrivalled river cruise experience.

 

Crystal’s Rhine Class ships, including Crystal Mahler, accommodate just 106 guests with an intentional focus on maximizing personal and public spaces throughout their 135-meter hulls (a size typically designed to accommodate twice the number of guests). The ships are the industry’s first and only all-balcony, all-suite, butler-serviced vessels in Europe, with every category of accommodation positioned above the water line. All suites feature Panoramic Balcony-Windows™ and walk-in closets and dual vanity bathrooms are featured in most categories.

 

All Crystal’s River ships feature private butler service in every room category, king-sized beds, Caudalie amenities, robes and slippers, and wall-mounted flat-screen HD TVs. Additional enticing features include farm-to-table cuisine in multiple, open-seating eateries: the elegant Waterside Restaurant, namesake Bistro cafés and the exclusive Vintage Room; and the Palm Court for entertainment, enrichment presentations and sweeping views of the riverside scenery. Crystal’s attention to detail reaches ashore, as guests are transported on the days’ adventures in luxury motor coaches equipped with complimentary water and Wi-Fi for added convenience and comfort.