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Volleyball champion names Crystal Mahler in Germany

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Godmother Lauren Barfield, center, beside Genting Hong Kong's KT Lim, left, and Colin Au, far left. At far right is Crystal CEO Tom Wolber
Crystal River Cruises officially welcomed its second newbuild, Crystal Mahler, during a handover ceremony today at MV Werften in Germany.

The ship was received by Crystal Cruises' newly appointed president and CEO Tom Wolber before its naming by godmother Lauren Barfield, a US volleyball star. Barfield has led teams to victory since her professional career began in Europe in 2012, and currently plays for reigning German champions SSC Palmberg Schwerin, a team sponsored by MV Werften.

On hand for the naming were Crystal executives, officials from parent company Genting Hong Kong including chairman Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay and group president Colin Au, and local officials.

Wolber welcomed the 'stunning new ship' to Crystal’s fleet, adding it will broaden the line's audience of discerning world travelers.

Crystal Mahler joins Crystal Mozart and sister Rhine-class ship Crystal Bach, which entered service last month.

Sailing seven-, 11- and 16-day voyages along the Rhine and Danube rivers, Crystal Mahler will call at medieval towns and modern hubs in Austria, Germany, Slovakia, the Netherlands and Hungary. Two additional Rhne-class vessels, Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel, are scheduled to join the fleet in 2018.

'A new milestone has been reached with the handing over of Crystal Mahler to Crystal River Cruises as half of the Rhine-class river cruisers have now been delivered,' said Jarmo Laakso, CEO of MV Werften.

Each vessel carries 106 passengers in all-balcony-suite accommodations.