Suite

Crystal River Cruises

River Cruises

Luxury Cruises

Europe - All

Europe - River Cruise

Excellent

Terrible

Poor

Very Good

Average

Crystal Bach

Crystal Debussy

Crystal Mahler

Crystal Mozart

Crystal Ravel

As fans of Crystal ocean ships, we wanted to sail on Mozart, before she became exclusively for oriental guests from January 1st, though of course there will be 4 other Crystal river ships to choose from. 

We flew to Vienna the day before staying at an excellent airport hotel before being picked up by the included crystal transfer bus on the day of our cruise. It whisked up across the city to join Mozart for our Danube cruise. She looked rather dumpy from the shore, but once on board the fabulous interior wowed us. Documentation  and registration were speedy, with a proffers welcoming glass of champagne. Our luggage had been whisked away  to our cabin, so we were free to either have lunch or to explore this lovely vessel, the biggest on the Danube. We chose to have lunch , enjoying the delicious dishes offered in W , the main dining room , with both hot and cold dishes, a car very station and a range of delicious desserts. We found a window side seat, and were offered a wide choice of wines to accompany our excellent meal. The restaurant manager , whom we’d known from the ocean ships, came over to welcome us, and we realised we were in for a superb river cruise. 

Later we went to our deck 2 cabin, surprised at its size, excellent comfortable bed, generous wardrobe and storage space and a delightful french balcony. The sofa was decent size, the tv huge and a welcome bottle of champagne chilled for us to enjoy, plus wines in the minibar. The lovely limestone tiled  bathroom was high tech, with programmable Toto toilet, large , quite complicated shower, and heated rail, and Crystal’s signature Etro toiletries 

Prior to joining the ship, we had chosen which of the included excursions we’d enjoy, and the proved to be excellent, with wide ranging choices, both cultural and scenic, comfortable coaches and superb local guides. Many guests took 2 excursions a day, but we wanted a more relaxing cruise, and time to enjoy the lovely ship. 

We have tried river cruising on several rivers, but this was by far our best experience.

A delightful Danube cruise 

We cruised with Crystal for the first time in September, along with two other couples, on the Mozart 10-day Dunube river cruise.  Our cruise organizer was originally good but she was replaced mid-way and the experience with our new organizer was poor. He did not respond to our questions. We had to call Crystal directly for answers and they were not very helpful either. In fact, one Crystal operator made dinner reservations for us in restaurants that did not exist on our boat!

The boat appeared "lived in", but clean. We were happy with our cabin, which was small but highly functional. The food in the main restaurant was uniformly excellent. The food at the cafe and the more casual lunch spot was not as good but still acceptable. 

The Danube stops were lovely, although we were rarely docked within comfortable walking distance of the towns we were visiting. Having cruised many times previously, comparitively we felt the time allowed at each stop was too short to really enjoy the town and rarely left time to browse and wander. The quality of the Crystal tours was highly variable- the minority were excellent. Most were rushed and idiosyncratic. 

Unfortunately, we were unable to reach Budapest due to the low river. We were bussed there as a result. Some of us were placed at the Ritz Carleton and others at the Kempinski. We were told they were comparable, which was false. We went from a suite on our boat and excellent food quality to a room at the Kempinski with two twin beds pushed together and a view of the side of a building construction site (see pictures). The breakfast at the Kempinski was a cattle-call: over-crowded and poor quality food. 

Every request I made to the Mozart team- may I please be at the Ritz Carleton?, may I use my ship credit to upgrade my room in Budapest? (I wasn't able to use the credit on the boat because we lost 2 days onboard due to the low water and the spa was completely booked)- all received an immediate "no". When I asked to speak to the manager, I was told: "they'll tell you the same thing".  That was true. I was offered the "special gift" instead- I could use the credit against a future cruise- $400 off a >$20,000 cruise. 

For us, the cruise did not meet our expectations. I expected a higher-end experience, given the cost is far greater than any other cruise I have enjoyed. In short, I was disappointed with the quality of the experience, and being told "I'm sorry we didn't meet your expectations" isn't meaningful when it's followed by silence.

Disappointing

We took a week long river cruise on the Mozart and enjoyed it greatly. The food and service were excellent. The ports and included excursions were also very good, and the scenery along the Danube was spectacular! 

Just by way of background, this was our second river cruise. Our first was on AMA, on the Rhône. We’ve done 22 ocean cruises, although none on Crystal. 

We boarded around noon and our room was ready. We had a room on deck 2 with a French balcony. The room was small, like most river cruise cabins. With the closet by one side of the bed it was really impossible for both of us to access the closet and get dressed at the same time. The room looked too small to have in-suite dining so we didn’t do that. The restaurants are just one deck up and with very convenient times so it wasn’t necessary anyway. The bathroom was small and the storage space was down low. The toilet seat cover was set up to automatically raise when it sensed nearby movement. After the first couple days, the novelty wore off and I asked the steward to turn it off, and she did. 

We hardly used the TV. There was an iPad in the room that had some magazines and we could access our account. We could access our account on our iPhone as well after we logged into their WiFi. The WiFi worked well throughout the ship. The outlets all required an adapter for US devices but there were a number of USB ports for recharging. 

We did not interact with our butler, Adrian, very much. He did not make himself very present but we weren’t in our room much so that was fine. 

The food and service in Waterside was very good to superb. Agnes was our sommelier most nights and she was very knowledgeable and helpful, and always with a smile. Lunch was always a buffet in Waterside and very well done with main entrees, a soup, salad options plus desserts. Servers were consistently available to refill water (still or sparkling) and for wine and beer. 

We went to Blue a couple of times for lunch. There is no buffet and a small menu with items made to order. The food and service were very good there as well. 

The top deck was open almost all the time except when going under a low bridge (only twice). There was bar service there as well. 

The scenery was spectacular! The great weather helped. It was quite warm some days but sunny with bright blue skies. The castles, vineyards and small towns make for a beautiful milieu. 

The included excursions were very good. The Audio Vox listening devices are a huge help (make sure they are fully charged though!). The busses were not full and the guides were very good. There are a variety of activity levels offered. I’m sure we could have booked our own guides in most towns but our tours were more than satisfactory. 

We were traveling with a group of 20 people that included Karen MacNeil who authored The Wine Bible. She hosted two excellent enrichment presentations on wine. The other enrichment activities were not that interesting. The pianist in the bar before dinner was good. 

Dinners were uniformly excellent. The service was very attentive without being overly so. The included wines were interesting and generally local, and others were available upon request—just ask for the wine menu. There were multiple options each night and the menu changed nightly. 

We were very fortunate that the Danube was at a perfect level for our cruise. Please note, however, the Danube is not blue!

I would certainly recommend this cruise for anyone considering a Danube cruise. Five stars!

Excellent food and service on the Crystal Mozart

My wife and I recently returned from the May 4, 2019 Sailing of Mozart.  It was our first River Cruise.  We have sailed with Crystal Cruses on many voyages but those were ocean voyages.

We loved the entire experience.

The ship is beautiful and kept in immaculate condition.  It is double the width of most river cruise vessels.

It carries a little over 150 guests with a crew of 90+ members.

The crew was exceptional and very professional, attentive and welcoming.  

Cuisine was terrific.  We had breakfast served in our room by the butler.  One could also dine at Waterside which served breakfast buffet style or for a late risers breakfast at The Bistro.

We enjoyed most lunches at Waterside where they served a buffet.  They have a second restaurant that serves lunch for two hours each day. It includes salads, burgers and  other grilled items and also it includes table service.

Dinner was a Waterside which was table service.

Selection was great and many items looked like ones served at a Michelin Restaurant.

Alcohol is included other than connoisseur wne.  They had a great selection of wine from Europe and the United States.

We had a suite whose size was great for us.

They included a nice set of excursions.  

Entertainment  included a Pianist who we know from Ocean Ships who was outstanding along with local entertainment on most nights.

We want to sail another Crystal River Cruise.

Amazing Describes Our Experience

After sailing on many cruise lines throughout the world we decided this year was when we would sample a river cruise. We booked on a Ukranian cruise with another company and really did not enjoy for several reasons , however we were not to be deterred as we had heard so many good reviews from people and decided to jump straight back in. We chose the Xmas markets cruise on the Mozart in November 2018 as it is something that my wife had wanted to do . Feeling slightly anxious that this would not end up feeling as though it would be throwing good money after bad I contacted Crystal concierge regarding a few queries such as change of itinerary, arriving late on the ship and transfers from the airport as we were arriving independently. We received responses straight away and were given the information that we required. Transfers are free with Crystal even if you arrange your own flight which was great news as sometimes finding exact location of river cruise vessels can be difficult.

On arrival which was late the embarkation was really smooth and within 10 minutes of arriving we were in our suite ordering room service.The suites are compact yet of good quality . The wardrobe is a pretty tight squeeze but their is more than ample storage space. The bathroom is top quality and the products offered are also top quality.

The next we wandered round the ship and as expected everywhere was top quality , the sauna and pool area was really nice. For a ship which only caters for 151 guests there is plenty of seating areas and the restaurant is a good size and there are plenty of tables for 2 should you wish to dine by yourself.

We very early eat breakfast but lunch and dinner are of a high standard and if you wanted something different from the menu the waiters were always happy to see if they could help. The menus are small compared to larger ships but I would imagine that it would be quite difficult to have a large menu  for so few guests. The food was always of a good standard and you could use 2 restaurants for lunch and a choice of 3 dining venues if an evening.     

The guests were mainly American , Canadian , Chinese and a few from other countries so we were the only people from the United Kingdom aboard. Everybody seemed to get on and in the bar if an evening there was a good atmosphere whether it be quizzes, dancing or the entertainers James &  Ros playing music. James & Ros were really good in getting the guests to mingle and take part in the activities.

The excursions were mainly Xmas markets in Bratislava, Salzburg , Vienna and a few walking tours in Passau , Linz and Melk. These were well organised and most of them guides were knowledgeable and interesting. The Crystal coaches were excellent and very comfortable and even had Nespresso coffee machines onboard .

We have travelled with many cruise lines and have always had good service on the ships and until now my favourite was Seabourn because the staff were so friendly and professional and always smiled when they spoke and took the time to talk to you . I always believed that was the best cruise crew we had been with . They have been matched by Crystal as we found the staff to be so helpful , professional and friendly. Wherever we went on the ship they all seemed happy . The staff on the Mozart are such an asset because we booked another cruise whilst on board and that is something we have never done before.There was no one area that we could make a negative criticism even when we received a letter in the cabin saying that we were not sailing to Bratislava because of the low level of the water , they took us by bus and gave us 250UD off a future cruise and I already knew that there were problems with the water level.

I would definitely recommend Crystal to anybody who likes the nice things in life and like being looked after.

Tried , tasted and thouroughly enjoyed

This was our first river cruise after several ocean cruises.  We chose Crystal because of its reputation and the itinerary (Vienna to Belgrade and back) offered the opportunity to visit cities we otherwise would never get to.  Unfortunately, due to the prolonged drought, the itinerary changed to the opposite direction (Passau).  Doubly unfortunate was that we were not notified of the change in itinerary until the day before sailing, when we were already in Prague.  The crew mentioned that only once since July had the eastern route been possible.  We were committed at that point, so chose to continue.

Others have commented on the dining facilities and menu.  Waterside is lovely and the service was superb.  The standard wines were average and the optional wines seriously overpriced.  Choices at breakfast and lunch were varied and very well prepared.  Dinner choices were somewhat limited, but excellent.

Others have also mentioned the cabin.  We had a "deluxe" suite.  When we embarked, I inquired about an upgrade and was told that none of the larger suites was available.  We later learned that that wasn't true.  After all, from an original passenger list of 145, only 86 actually embarked.  The suite we were in was cramped and drawer space totally inadequate.  But the bathroom was very nice and the HVAC worked well.

The shore excursions were, by and large, well done, especially considering that several had to be improvised.

We found all the staff to be very professional and courteous.

Pluses and minuses

Don’t select this cruise if you or anyone you’re traveling with has mobility issues— there are no “gentle” excursions. One passenger referred to them as forced marches. The ship docks way out of the towns for the most part so you can’t return early if you’d like, and 9 out of 10 times you’re looking into someone else’s cabin as there is a ship docked next to you. If you’re interested in the e-bike excursions, also beware; if you don’t book super early you won’t get on them. 

There is almost nothing to do if you elect to stay on the ship. The evening entertainment was lame, although the exercise instructor was excellent. 

Everyone is unfailingly polite in a very impersonal way, and when something goes wrong the response is very corporate. In our case we couldn’t complete the last three days of the cruise because of low water in the Danube and all Celebrity offered was a $250 credit on a future cruise (which they upped to a.$1,500 credit when my travel agent asked). 

Although the food was great, overall I don’t think this cruise is worth the expense— we booked a penthouse— so we don’t plan to travel on Celebrity again.

Nice Ship, Corporate Culture, Poor Choice of Shore Excursions

First on Crystal River cruise and will be last. Have had great experiences on their ocean voyages; but the river line is a separate division and vastly inferior in most areas.

Company was not forthcoming in notifiying us of the low water level until 2 days before we were scheduled to leave. Itineray changed to all but a couple of ports in the Netherlands. The highlights of the trip were to be the areas where the ship didn't travel. To make matters worse, tour director was disorganized, ship Captain did not speak English, ship docked so far from destination ports it was ridiculous. Other ships were providing buses to take passengers to destination. Not our ship. The few tours offered were primarily ones of walking around the town plazas, etc. And the majority of passengers were over 65! I understand the couple of buses they had were shuttled back and forth between the Danube groups and the Rhine. They seemed to always be with the Danube folks. We were not offered bus/hotel choices to make up for all the ports we did not see. That is standard with other river cruise lines. 

Passenger complaints to the officers and tour director fell on deaf ears and it was clear the disorganization and confusion came down from the top. 

The service staff tried their best; but they were understaffed. The spa was good but very limited; the food good except there was a  problem keeping the buffet dishes hot.  The rooms were way too small for the large beds. We booked 2 rooms for a family of 4 at last minute and top dollar and I never felt like we had spent so much money on something so disappointing. 

Our trip was in August and now in January we are still waiting for any compensation from Crystal. We all had out of pocket expenses because we had to change return flights from Basel Switzerland (which we never got to see) to Frankfurt. Additional transportation, hotel etc. all added up to more than they promised to reimburse. And there was no compensation even promised for the missed excursions and ports. 

My advice is to avoid this line at all costs. We are seasoned cruisers on several small luxury lines and have never had an experience like this! How could such an esteemed company as Crystal allow this group to be a part of their company???

We want to go back to take a Rhine cruise; but it sure won't be with Crystal.

Avoid Crystal Cruise Line

This was our first river cruise and we looked forward to the ease of river cruising: seeing many ports without the hassle of driving/packing and unpacking.  However, due to the water shortage on the  Danube, this ease of travel was not delivered.  We were forced to bus to two destinations and pack a small overnight bag.  Crystal put us up in a four star hotel and gave us a food allowance but we also had to endure a long bus ride between Vienna and Budapest and back. This is not the fault of Crystal but they were not forthcoming about the problem when asked prior to leaving for the cruise.  I should add Crystal's lack of transparency was in contrast to Viking Cruise Line which had a website devoted to itinerary changes due to the drought.  Many passengers were unhappy with the abrupt change of plans.  I think if it had been handled more honestly, the passengers would have adjusted more easily and been happier..

On the other hand, the Mozart delivered on many aspects of the trip.  The crew was fantastic.  They were always pleasant, smiling and helpful. The food was quite good and plentiful with lots of options.  Our cabin was quite nice and well-equipped with a comfortable bed, seating area, a large screen TV and an unending supply of wine, soda and water. The tours for the most part were informative and entertaining, conducted by knowledgeable local people. My only criticism is they should have offered a few more openings for some of the popular bike tours which booked up early.  The special event in Budapest was a knockout.

Great trip but Crystal not forthcoming about itinerary changes due to drought

On Aug 1, 15-20 of us that returned after a Crystal excursion dinner found the SHIP HAD LEFT WITHOUT US.  We were scanned to get off the ship but manually checked in when the ship returned for us.  We were told the people that did the scanning had left.  Guess they outsourced their security.  Also there was scanner mistake when they told me 3 of my friends were still on shore and 1 came back but in fact all 4 were on shore.

We missed Budapest, a main attraction for the cruise, but Crystal made little effort to make up for the changed itinerary even though they knew at the start of the journey and that was 7 days before we would go to Budapest. We had to revisit Linz and they added Karen’s and offered each guest USD500 FUTURE CRUISE CREDIT to be booked within a year.  Linz and Krems were not comparable substitutions for Budapest by any stretch of imagination. 

Also crew told me Viking has 77 ships so they can offer swaps when similar situation arises.  Reading some of the reviews, I noticed other cruise operators not only made monetary compensations but also arranged alternative transport and hotel accommodations in order for them to fulfil their advertised attraction. 

Also Crystal may be late to join the river cruise market, at a couple of stops, the ship was parked so far away from the parking lot that we had to walk about 10 minutes to get to the coach.  It was definitely difficult for my friend that had a hip replacement and walking with a cane.

I used to view Crystal with high regard, but it seems things may be different under new ownership.  A very disappointing experience AND NOT VALUE  FOR MY MONEY.

Filters

1-10 of 15 Crystal River Crystal Mozart Suite Cabin Cruise Reviews

Find a cruise