On July 11, in another milestone for the expansion of Crystal, Crystal
Mozart was officially welcomed to the Crystal River Cruises fleet in
Vienna, Austria. During an elegant ceremony attended by local
dignitaries, media and distinguished executives from Crystal, the “Queen
of Europe’s Rivers” was christened by Godmother Ms. Elisabeth Gürtler,
who is the managing director of both the Hotel Sacher, Vienna’s most
famous hotel, and the city’s historic Spanish Riding School.
Crystal Mozart’s maiden voyage on July 13, will mark the official launch
of Crystal River Cruises, which will see four additional river yachts
launched by the end of next summer. Crystal’s CEO and president, Edie
Rodriguez, will personally welcome each guest of the inaugural sailing
aboard the newly reimagined vessel, where they will experience the
hallmarks of the all-inclusive, all-exclusive Crystal Experience –
spacious suites, personal butlers, six-star service featuring the
highest guest to crew ratio in river cruising at 1.74, luxurious
amenities, world-class cuisine and the only river ship with a full wrap
around promenade.
“This is an extraordinary time for our company, as our expansion from
the world’s oceans to its rivers and air allows for numerous new
opportunities and ways for travelers to explore the world with us,” says
Crystal CEO and President Edie Rodriguez. “Each new vessel and adventure
is another step for Crystal toward our goal of providing savvy global
travelers with virtually every luxury travel experience they can
possibly imagine.”
The traditional ceremony welcomed 175 VIP guests to a cocktail reception
on the Vista Deck Four of Crystal Mozart, featuring a traditional
Viennese Brass Orchestra dressed in historic uniforms and playing
traditional Austrian Marches. Master of Ceremonies and Crystal Mozart’s
lead entertainer, musician Mark Farris, then ushered guests shoreside
for the naming of the ship by the godmother and breaking of the magnum
of Szigeti’s 2011 Sonderedition “Adele” champagne. Rodriguez, along with
Crystal COO Thomas Mazloum and Crystal River Cruises Vice President and
Managing Director Walter Littlejohn officially welcomed Crystal Mozart
to the fleet and kicked off further festivities, which included a lavish
dinner in the ship’s Waterside and Blue restaurants.
“Crystal’s presence on the rivers of Europe absolutely raises the bar of
excellence for the luxury river cruising industry, a standard the
company set long ago when it entered the luxury ocean cruising market,”
says Littlejohn, a veteran of the river cruising industry. “We are
thrilled to introduce a new way to explore the world with the
highly-acclaimed Crystal Experience.”
Following dinner, guests were transported to the Belvedere Palace for an
exclusive evening of Mozart and Strauss performances, an event that all
Crystal Mozart guests will experience complimentary when sailing on
Crystal River Cruises’ Danube river itineraries.
Measuring 395 feet long (120.4 meters) and 75 feet wide (22.9 meters),
the all-suite Crystal Mozart is the largest of all European river
vessels and boasts numerous public areas for guests to enjoy. On Crystal
Deck Three, guests will find an array of elegant and casual dining
options, lounges and bars that will foster camaraderie among guests as
they share stories and cocktails. On the uppermost deck, Vista Deck 4, a
pop-up bar sets the scenes for celebrations under the stars while during
the day guests can attend a yoga session or relax in expansive sun
loungers as they sail along the Danube River. Fitness and wellness
enthusiasts can indulge in the largest spa in river cruising at the
Crystal Life Spa, which features an indoor pool and fully-equipped
fitness, spa and saloon facilities.
The 154-guest capacity vessel will sail itineraries along the Danube
River, calling in some of the region’s most stunning locales throughout
Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, and Serbia. And for the
first time on a Crystal voyage, most excursions are complimentary.
Guests can reserve electronic bicycles on the ship for independent
exploration, while VIP Champagne boat tours will also be available for
private cruising and sight-seeing along Europe’s narrower waterways.
Crystal Mozart also bears the distinction as the most technologically
advanced river ship in the world. Each suite offers Apple® iPad devices
that serve as Digital Directories for virtually all of guests’ on-board
needs, from dry cleaning and butler service to room service and dining
reservations, as well as concierge and Crystal Adventures inquiries and
more. Suites also boast 40-inch flat-screen HD televisions, along with
backlit bathroom mirrors with integrated televisions. Bathrooms also
feature highly advanced TOTO Washlet personal cleaning systems
integrated with the toilets, which also offer heated seats, automatic
open/close, aerated water and warm air dryer.
Throughout the ship, digital signage puts available services and port
information at guests’ fingertips, including weather forecasts for the
day, available spa appointments, dining reservations and profiles of
Crystal crew members.
