With Crystal Mozart’s return, Crystal Mahler will reposition to the Rhine, Main and Moselle rivers with a variety of new itineraries.
In a new twist, Crystal Mozart will offer 38 deluxe window suites dedicated to solo travelers with no single supplement on all voyages. This reduces the vessel's capacity to just 120 passengers, making it the most spacious European river vessel with the highest crew to passenger ratio.
Crystal Mahler and its Rhine-class sister vessels — Crystal Bach, Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel — accommodate just 106 passengers each.
Increased demand
'This expansion meets the increased demand and pent-up desire to explore expressed by our guests across the globe as indicated by our strong advance bookings,' said Walter Littlejohn, SVP 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.'
Beginning March 28 next year, Crystal Mozart’s 'Danube Dreams & Discoveries' cruise will sail Mondays from Vienna with overnights in the Austrian capital and Budapest, as well as calls at historic Esztergom, Hungary; Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia; Linz, Austria, with day trips to Salzburg; Dürnstein, Austria; and daylight sailing through the Wachau Valley.
New shorter options
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. Examples are five-night '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.
'Crystal Mahler’s repositioning to the Moselle, Rhine and other rivers and available shorter itineraries offer options that appeal to more travelers, whether multigenerational families or busy professionals with limited time to explore,' Littlejohn said.
Floriade Expo
Crystal Mahler's season begins April 2, 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, beginning April 30, round-trip from Amsterdam. These voyages showcase the once-in-a-decade Floriade Expo near Amsterdam. The voyage also visits Hoorn, Kinderdijk, Middleburg and Rotterdam, Netherlands, and Antwerp and Ghent, Belgium.
The seven-night 'Romantic Rhine' and 'Legendary Rhine' itineraries between Amsterdam and Basel, which Crystal Mahler will again offer from October through December 2022, are also featured on Crystal Bach and Crystal Debussy. Included are overnights in Koblenz and Amsterdam; calls at Cologne, Rüdesheim and Mannheim, Germany; and Strasbourg, France, and daylight cruising through the Rhine Gorge.
Mosel Wine Region
Along the Moselle and Rhine rivers, travelers can explore the vineyard-flanked river in the heart of the Mosel Wine Region. New five-night 'Rhine & Moselle Summer Escapes' sail between Amsterdam and Trier, with late-night stays in the 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, passengers can extend their vacation with optional two-night pre- or post-cruise 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 traverse the Middle Rhine Valley and UNESCO-listed Rhine Gorge, visit the wine valley cities of Cochem, Trier and Bernkastel (considered the epicenter of Riesling), offer day trips to Heidelberg via Mannheim; and call Koblenz and Rüdesheim. Extended stays or overnights are offered in Strasbourg.
Longer journeys
Crystal Mahler’s springtime 16-night 'Grand Europe' and 14-night 'Magnificent Europe' itineraries combine sailing along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers. Beginning and ending with overnights in Amsterdam and Budapest, the voyages visit Germany's Cologne, Rüdesheim (overnight), Miltenberg, Würzburg, Nuremberg, Regensberg and Passau; Vienna (overnight) and Dürnstein, Austria; and Bratislava, Slovakia.
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 round-trip from Vienna. A 'Spectacular Danube Holiday' voyage, embarking in Vienna on Dec. 26 ends with two nights back in Vienna for an extraordinary New Year’s Eve.
Crystal Mahler will sail a new 10-night 'Holidays on the Rhine' voyage from Basel to Amsterdam on Dec. 23, with Christmas Eve in Strasbourg and a midnight mass and Christmas Day in Mannheim. On New Year’s Eve in Amsterdam, the vessel will be joined by sister Crystal Bach for a special celebration.
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