By
Rebecca Gibson |
Crystal Cruises has officially welcomed its first river cruise vessel after naming Crystal Mozart during a ceremony in Vienna, Austria.
Crystal Mozart was christened on 11 July by managing director of Vienna’s Hotel Sacher Elisabeth Gürtler. The ceremony was presided over by the ship’s entertainment host Mark Farris, Viennese dignitaries, Crystal’s global travel partners, and guests.
“For decades, travellers have put their confidence in the renowned Crystal Experience and continue to do so with remarkable enthusiasm, and we are proud to introduce this new standard of excellence on Europe’s rivers,” said Edie Rodriguez, CEO and president of Crystal River Cruises, at the ceremony.
Named in honour of Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Crystal Mozart has been specially designed to fit through the wider locks of the Danube River from Passau in Germany to Budapest in Hungary. This makes her double the width of an average river cruise vessel on European rivers.
The ship’s four main decks – Harmony (homage to Crystal’s first ocean ship), Seahorse, Crystal and Vista – offer numerous public areas, including a pop-up bar on the top Vista deck, which will also feature a living rooftop garden area.
Onboard highlights include Waterside, the main indoor/outdoor dining area; The Pantry, a self-service wine and beverage bar; Bistro Mozart; and Blue, an aft indoor dining area that offers a similar menu to Tastes aboard Crystal Serenity.
Guests will also be able to visit The Cove, a live entertainment venue; Palm Court for cocktails, tea, dancing and live local entertainment; and the Vintage Room, which hosts winemakers’ dinners and special events for around 12 guests.
Crystal Mozart will also feature an indoor pool, two treatment rooms, saunas and steam rooms, and fully-equipped fitness, spa and salon facilities at the Crystal Life Spa. This marks the first time the spa on a Crystal ship has been operated and staffed by Crystal’s own trained crew.
The 158-guest Crystal Mozart has 219sqft window suites, deluxe suites with French balconies, 330sqft penthouse suites, and a two-bedroom, 883sqft Crystal Suite – the largest suite on any river vessel afloat. All suites feature king-size beds, Nespresso machines, 40-inch flat-screen TVs and marble bathrooms, while the one-bedroom penthouses and two-bed Crystal Suite offer French Balconies, walk-in closets and separate showers and oversized bathtubs. Crystal’s signature butler service will be available with every guest suite.