Crystal River Cruises, The World’s Most Luxurious River Cruise Line, has released its enhanced schedule of 2019 voyages, with more seven-day options in addition to the traditional 10-, 11-, 14- and 16-day routes. The voyages will embark in March 2019 with a fleet of five luxury river ships, including the “Queen of the Danube,” Crystal Mozart, plus four “Rhine Class” sister ships, Crystal Bach, Crystal Mahler, Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel. The itineraries span the most beautiful waterways in Europe, with each ship offering varied routes focusing on the Rhine and Danube rivers, with sojourns along the Moselle and Main Rivers incorporated into select sailings.
“We are thrilled to announce more options than ever for Crystal River Cruises’ first full year as a complete family of five river ships,” says Walter Littlejohn, vice president and managing director of Crystal River Cruises. “The Crystal River experience is definitively unmatched in the industry. With five stylish and superbly appointed ships sailing itineraries that can accommodate virtually any schedule in 2019, travelers can enjoy a wealth of choices for their dream river cruise vacation – an experience named the ‘World’s Best’ by the readers of Travel + Leisure.”
Each itinerary has been carefully crafted to showcase not only the medieval and modern towns along the rivers’ shorelines, but the tranquility, intimacy and beauty of river cruising itself. Crystal sailings offer more extended and overnight stays in port, Complimentary Crystal Adventures shore excursions in every port, and a host of world-class culinary and cultural pursuits to enhance the journey. Major hubs of commerce and government like Amsterdam, Vienna, Frankfurt, Budapest and Basel display their prominence in the modern global landscape while paying homage to their storied pasts at every turn. Other quaint towns boast cobbled alleyways and pristinely preserved historical landmarks, along with welcoming hospitality and charm.
The complete 2019 Crystal River Cruises deployment is available for booking and exploring on the company’s website. Some highlights of the fleet’s 2019 itineraries include:
*NEW* Wonders of the Danube, 7 days, Linz to Budapest/Budapest to Linz
Crystal Mahler, Crystal Ravel
Bookended with overnight stays in Budapest and Linz, this voyage also offers two full days in Vienna, plus calls to Krems and Melk, Austria and Bratislava, Slovakia.
*NEW* Danube Dreams & Discoveries, 7 days, round-trip Vienna
Crystal Ravel, Crystal Mozart
Venturing from Vienna to Hungary’s Esztergom and Budapest (overnight), and Bratislava, Slovakia, this itinerary returns to Austria to visit Melk, Spitz (overnight) and Krems before concluding with an overnight in Vienna.
*NEW*Magnificent Christmas Markets, 7 days, Passau to Budapest/Budapest to Passau
Crystal Mahler
Showcasing the glittering sights and sounds of the traditional holiday festivities, this itinerary offers longer stays in port throughout, with overnights in Passau, Vienna and Budapest, plus a visit to Linz.
*NEW*Grand Danube Celebration, 11 days, Budapest to Nuremberg
Crystal Mahler
This singular Christmas holiday voyage features a double overnight stay in Budapest, with Christmas Day spent sailing the Danube River. New Year’s Eve will call in Regensburg, Germany, with other destinations including Bratislava, Vienna (overnight), Krems, Melk, Linz, Passau and ending with an overnight in Nuremberg.
The Legendary Rhine, 7 days, Basel to Amsterdam
Crystal Bach, Crystal Debussy
Featuring overnights in Rüdesheim, Koblenz and Cologne, Germany, as well as Amsterdam, Netherlands, this itinerary also calls in Karlsruhe and Mannheim, Germany.
Splendors of the Rhine, 10 days, Amsterdam to Basel
Crystal Bach, Crystal Debussy
Beginning and ending with overnight stays in two of the Europe’s most fascinating cities (two nights in Amsterdam), the voyage also offers an overnight in Koblenz and visits to other German gems including Speyer, Kehl (for Strasbourg, France), Breisach, Rüdesheim and Cologne.
Jewels of the Rhine, 14 days, Amsterdam to Frankfurt/Frankfurt to Amsterdam
Crystal Bach
Overnight stays in Amsterdam, Rüdesheim and Basel maximize the immersive experience in these dynamic destinations, while a jaunt along the Moselle River offers new viewpoints from the ship. Other ports of call include Antwerp, Belgium; Nijmegen, Netherlands; Cologne, Cochem, Koblenz, Mainz, Speyer, Kehl (for Strasbourg, France), and Breisach, Germany. *November and December itineraries include visits to some of Europe’s most famous Christmas markets along the journey.
Tulips and Windmills, 7 days, round-trip Amsterdam
Crystal Debussy
Beginning and ending with overnight stays in Amsterdam, the voyage also explores the picturesque countryside and iconic sites of Rotterdam and Middleburg, Netherlands; and Ghent and Antwerp, Belgium.
Grand Europe, 16 days, Budapest to Amsterdam/Amsterdam to Budapest
Crystal Mahler
Overnighting in Budapest, Vienna, Passau and Amsterdam, this itinerary affords ample time for guests to explore the monumental history within those cities’ limits, with other calls including Bratislava, Slovakia; Dürnstein and Melk, Austria, as well as the country’s UNESCO-recognized Wachau Valley; and Deggendorf, Regensburg, Nuremburg, Bamberg, Koblenz, Cologne, Miltenberg and Würzburg, Germany. Transit of the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal locks is also a highlight.
Eastern Danube Discoveries, 11 days, round-trip Vienna
Crystal Mahler, Crystal Ravel
Exploring the eastern realms of the river, the itinerary includes the treasures of Vienna, Austria; Budapest, Mohács, Esztergom and Kalocsa, Hungary; Belgrade and Novi Sad, Serbia and Vukovar, Croatia; Bratislava, Solvakia; Szentendre Island and cruising the Iron Gate Gorge.
Treasures of the Danube, 10 days, round-trip Vienna
Crystal Mahler, Crystal Ravel, Crystal Mozart
Three total overnights in Vienna allows guests extended time to immerse themselves in the fascinating history of the city, while overnights in Budapest and Passau also enhance the experience. Other destinations featured include Austria’s Dürnstein, Melk and Linz, the celebrated Wachau Valley.
Danube Serenade, 7 days, Vienna to Budapest/Budapest to Vienna
Crystal Mahler, Crystal Ravel, Crystal Mozart
In addition to a comprehensive focus in Austria with an overnight in Vienna and calls to Krems, Spitz, Linz and Melk, the sailing also visits Bratislava, Slovakia and concludes with an overnight in Budapest.
Danube Christmas Markets, 10 days, round-trip Vienna
Crystal Mozart
Showcasing the holiday spirit throughout Europe’s most historic and beautiful Christmas market, this voyage spends three total nights in Vienna, plus Linz (overnight), Melk, Krems, Passau (overnight), Bratislava and iIlshofen an der Donau, Germany.
Dazzling Danube Celebration, 13 days, round-trip Vienna
Crystal Mozart
This holiday voyage sails from Vienna through the winter wonderland of Melk, Passau (overnight), Vilshofen an der Donau, Linz (overnight), Budapest (overnight), Esztergom and Bratislava en route back to Vienna in time to ring in the New Year.
Crystal River Cruises’ river ships set a new standard of luxury previously unseen on Europe’s rivers with the embarkation of Crystal Mozart. Continuing this direction, the four all-suite, all-balcony “Rhine Class” river ships offer plush amenities and spaces rare seen in the river cruising industry, including Panoramic Balcony-Windows™, walk-in closets and dual vanity in the bathrooms in most categories, ETRO robes and slippers, personal iPads, wall-mounted 42-inch, flat-screen HD TVs with streaming movies, complimentary Wi-Fi, and Nespresso machines. Each suite also offers Crystal’s celebrated butler service to attend to guests’ individual wishes. Additional enticing features include a luxurious spa and separate fitness center and Crystal’s farm-to-table, Michelin-inspired cuisine in multiple, open-seating eateries: the elegant Waterside Restaurant, namesake Bistro cafés and the exclusive Vintage Room; and the Palm Court.
By sea, river, land and air, Crystal has redefined the way the world views luxury travel. Celebrating 27 years of excellence, Crystal Cruises is the World’s Most Awarded Luxury Cruise Line, having earned “World’s Best Cruise Ship” in Condé Nast Traveler’s Reader Choice Awards for 23 years; been voted “World’s Best Large Ship Cruise Line” by Travel + Leisure readers for 20 years; and the “Best Luxury Cruise Line” by travel professional organization Virtuoso for three consecutive years (2014, 2015 & 2016). The readers of Travel + Leisure also voted Crystal River Cruises the “World’s Best River Cruise Line” and Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises the “World’s Best Small-Ship Cruise Line” in 2017. The newest and upcoming extensions of the celebrated Crystal brand include Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises, Crystal Luxury Air, Crystal River Cruises – The World’s Most Luxurious River Cruise Line – Crystal AirCruises and Crystal Exclusive Class with Crystal Residences. Crystal is proud to be a platinum partner of the professionals of ASTA.