Mozart, R/T Vienna, June 23-Jul 3

The Danube cruise on Crystal Mozart had its fine moments but I was ultimately disappointed with the whole package. Butler service in the cabin was excellent, and worth the extra money. The variety and presentation of food and drinks were more than acceptable though not matching what we found on Crystal Serenity's Hawaii R/T voyage from San Francisco in 2016. An egg dish served to me was probably contaminated by uncooked egg. Waitress service and the entertainer were very good the entire trip. Budapest is among the most beautiful cities I've ever visited and I'd not been there before. The entire itinerary was varied and well chosen.

On the other hand, our cabin was the size of a hotel toilet and not as well designed or furnished. Shore excursions produced surprisingly contrasting moments. The tour of Melk Abbey was great. So's the choice of Michelin-starred restaurants in Vienna and Budapest. But, although the guide at the Austrian concentration camp was well versed in history, he chose to treat us to offhand homophobic remarks, the kind of thing I doubt he would dare apply to Jews. I called him on it and reported him to Svjetlana, the boat's excellent hotel manager, to the boat's tour manager and in my report to Crystal. Decorations at the Hungarian horse farm included an American Confederate battle flag, probably not an accident in such a country. Read more