Riverside Luxury Cruises Acquires Four More Former Crystal River Ships
(11 am ET) -- New river cruise line, Riverside Luxury Cruises has acquired four more former Crystal Cruises vessels, MS Bach, MS Ravel, MS Mahler and MS Debussy.
Owned by German hospitality brand Seaside Collection, Riverside Luxury Cruises is expanding its European program to include the Rhine, Rhône and Saône.
The line will debut with Danube river sailings starting April 2022 on Riverside Mozart -- formerly Crystal Mozart -- which the line purchased in November 2022.
Riverside Ravel will sail the Rhône and Saône from Burgundy to Provence in France and Riverside Debussy will sail the Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel. The line plans to reveal Riverside Bach and Riverside Mahler’s program, slated for 2024, later this year.
Founder of Riverside Luxury Cruises, Gregor Gerlach, said: "We are thrilled by the expansion of our fleet to include these storied vessels. This acquisition allows us to expand our itinerary offerings, showcasing a level of space, personalised service and elegance not found with any other river cruise line."
Passengers can expect an ultra-luxury experience onboard with a high crew-to-guest ratio, butler service and yet-to-be-announced wellness offering.
The luxury river vessels have been out of service since Crystal Cruises' former parent company Genting Hong Kong fell into bankruptcy in early 2022. In June 2022, luxury tour operator Abercrombie & Kent purchased Crystal's brand and intellectual property, along with two Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity.