Revelling in Crystal’s newest ship
Company has changed the game when it comes to luxury river cruising
It is hard to believe that just a few years ago, luxury cruise line Crystal (cruise.center/crystal) didn’t operate a single river cruise ship. It had a loyal following of guests who enjoyed sailing aboard its oceangoing wonders, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, in lavish comfort.
Then, Crystal introduced its Crystal Esprit — a small, luxurious expedition-style ship operating some of the most unique and interesting itineraries in the business. And just a short time later, Crystal debuted its inaugural river cruise ship, Crystal Mozart, on the Danube.
Fast-forward two years, and the Crystal river cruise family has taken off in leaps and bounds. Since the debut of its river cruise arm in July 2016, Crystal has launched five ships on the waterways of Europe, each of which offers the same luxurious styling and lavish amenities as its oceangoing ships.
The latest member of the Crystal river cruises family, Crystal Ravel, was recently christened in the Hungarian capital of Budapest, within sight of the city’s iconic Chain Bridge. The 106-passenger ship is a sister to Crystal Bach, Crystal Mahler and Crystal Debussy: purposebuilt ships that were designed expressly by Crystal Cruises to be some of the most comfortable and trendsetting ships sailing Europe’s waterways.
“Today is a proud day for the entire Crystal family. In just over two years, we introduced five ships, which is a tremendous accomplishment of growth for this expansion of the Crystal brand,” said Tom Wolber, Crystal’s president and CEO, during the Budapest ceremony. “But what makes us most proud is that with each new ship and new experience, Crystal’s commitment to superb quality and exceptional luxury and service has remained unwavering.”
A crew of 68 serves the ship’s 106 guests, and that makes for a very personalized experience that is rare even amongst European river cruise ships, which are already known for their spaciousness and relatively high levels of service.
During its maiden season, already in session, Crystal Ravel will be operating voyages between Vienna and Basel, Switzerland, with durations ranging from six to 14 days in length. Next year, Crystal Ravel will become the only river cruise ship to sail weeklong Danube cruises round-trip from Vienna to ports in Austria, Hungary and Slovakia.
If you’re reading this, and have been on a river cruise, you will know what I mean when I say that river cruising is a very special experience. It is completely different from ocean cruising, yet offers many of the same amenities and conveniences as an ocean cruise — such as the ability to unpack once and see multiple places within a single vacation.
How Crystal builds upon that is by rethinking everything that river cruising has traditionally been in the past. In fact, it is no stretch to say that Crystal is doing for luxury river cruising what Viking did for river cruising in general: it changed the game.
If you like staying in Fairmont hotels or a nice Ritz-Carlton, Crystal is the river cruise line for you. Crystal Ravel, like its fleetmates, offers up the only allsuite, all-balcony, all-butler river cruise accommodations in the industry. Even the lowest entrylevel suite comes in at 188 square feet (about the size as an upper stateroom category on most river cruise ships) and includes a wall-to-wall panoramic balcony window (essentially a French balcony that opens electronically with the push of a button), plus niceties like an in-suite Nespresso machine; a full closet; a writing desk and vanity area; and a 40-inch wall-mounted flatpanel television.
At the upper end of the accommodation categories, you can find yourself in a suite that would rival a lavish hotel on land. The two-bedroom Crystal Suite on board Crystal Ravel has its own faux fireplace in the main sitting room (perfect for those chilly Christmas Markets sailings on the Danube); a full-sized walk-in closet; and separate living and sleeping areas. Of course, things this lavish come with a certain cost, and Crystal is no exception. Pricing is on par with what you might expect of a luxury line. But perhaps the most telling aspect of Crystal’s foray into river cruising is how popular the line has become in just a few short years.
Proof you can’t have too much of a good thing.
Happy cruising.
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