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Crystal includes lavish Vienna palace evening on new Danube journeys

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Belvedere Palace - setting for exclusive evening of art and music (Photo courtesy of dreamstime)
Crystal River Cruises curated an exclusive event in Vienna for the line’s debut in four months. Set at Belvedere Palace, one of Europe’s most stunning baroque landmarks and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the evening will afford access to the palace art, including the top collections by Austrians Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka and Egon Schiele.

The evening at Belvedere Palace will be offered complimentarily with every 2016 and 2017 cruise aboard Crystal Mozart. 

On three varied itineraries along the Danube River, exploring the Bavarian Wachau Valley, Vienna, Salzburg, Budapest, Belgrade and other European gems, the event will take participants to the rooms of several of the masters displayed throughout the palace, culminating with the highlight of the collection, Klimt’s golden painting, 'The Kiss.'

Crystal passengers will then gather in the Marble Hall for a concert of Viennese compositions by Johan Strauss (father and son) and, appropriately, Mozart. Spanning two stories, the Marble Hall has a fresco painted by Carlo Inncenzo Carlone in 1721 and was the site where the Austrian State Treaty was signed in 1955, reestablishing Austria as a sovereign state following World War II.

After nearly three hours of classical art and music, passengers will return to Crystal Mozart via Vienna’s Ringstrasse, home to such magnificent buildings as the Vienna State Opera House, the Austrian Parliament Building and the Academy of Fine Arts.

The exclusive event will be available for booking in April, when the complete selection of Crystal Mozart’s shoreside adventures is unveiled. However, Crystal said it has ensured the special excursion can accommodate all 160 of Crystal Mozart’s passengers, so pre-booking is not essential.

Crystal Mozart’s 10-, 11- and 13-day round-trips from Vienna are open for booking, with the maiden voyage embarking July 13.