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Crystal River Cruises 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.
Crystal Debussy will set sail in April 2018. Illustration courtesy of Crystal Cruises
“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 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 towns boast cobbled alleyways and pristinely preserved historical landmarks, along with welcoming hospitality and charm.
Some highlights of the fleet’s 2019 itineraries include:
- 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 Viena, plus calls to Krems and Melk, Austria and Bratislava, Slovakia.
- 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.
- Magnificent Christmas Markets, 7 days, Passau to Budapest/Budapest to Passau – Crystal Mahler; Showcasing the 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.
- Grand Danube Celebration, 11 days, Budapest to Nuremburg – 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.
- 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 cities (two nights in Amsterdam), the voyage also offers an overnight in Koblenz and visits to other German cities 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, and a trip 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 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 those cities, 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 stops in 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 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 Christmas markets, this voyage spend 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.
The post Crystal River Cruises Adds More Itineraries to Its 2019 Season appeared first on River Cruise Advisor.
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