Cruise
Sailing the Danube on the Riverside Mozart
Article and photography by Nicholas Kontis
River cruisers who bemoaned the passing of Crystal Cruises in 2022 have sister and brother Anouchka and Gregor Gerlach to thank for its reincarnation.
The entrepreneurial siblings, who share 40 years in the hotel industry as owners of the Seaside Collection, found Crystal’s fleet of luxury vessels to be a perfect complement to the Seaside brand of 11 luxe-boutique properties in Europe and the Maldives. They swiftly purchased Crystal’s river ships, named for classical composers: the Crystal Mozart, Bach, Mahler, Debussy and Ravel.
The largest of the quintet, the luxurious Mozart, was built in 1987 and refurbished in 2016. In April 2023, it launched again on the Danube as the flagship of the new Riverside Collection.
The Debussy traverses the Rhone, Mosel, and Rhine, a popular route that travels from Amsterdam to Basel and includes parts of the Danube. The Ravel sails the Rhone from Burgundy to Provence in France. Two of the other former Crystal ships are now operated by Uniworld Boutique River Cruises.
Thirty percent of all European river cruise passengers travel the Danube. The double-wide Mozart sets the bar high for luxury cruises with attention to every detail. “We want to showcase a more excellent personal service, along with an elevated culinary experience second to none,” Gregor Gerlach said.
Key players
On the first evening of our sailing, we met our Hungarian captain, Bela Burjan, and “executive chef, Johannes Bear, of Austria. Our most crucial point of contact was hotel director Sonja Gruber, who seemed to be everywhere on the ship.
“We can accommodate 162 guests in 81 suites, and with 82 crew, that’s more than other river lines,” Gruber said. “We pride ourselves on providing a better, personal yet professional service. We are going for the international clientele looking for an upscale experience second to none. Our guests come from all over the world, and each guest is looking for something different.”
Aboard the Mozart
At 395 feet long and 75 feet wide, the luxurious four-deck Riverside Mozart is nearly twice the width of other Danube riverboats. It couples a contemporary design with unrivaled service and plenty of room to find peace and quiet in less crowded spaces.
After long days of shore excursions, guests hover around the piano bar at night or mingle with the friendly bartenders. On warm summer nights or during travel days, guests stargaze on cozy loungers on the top deck.
Inclusions include free wi-fi, meals at all four restaurants and bars, and a beverage package. There is also a convenient self-service laundry room. The boat also carried 30 bicycles for use in Vienna, Budapest, and smaller towns or more countryside rides along the Danube during stopovers.
Accommodations
Each room comes with river views, king or twin beds with plush bedding, marble bathrooms, sumptuous silks and linens, flat-screen television, glass rain showers, and Nespresso coffee machines.
A half-dozen home-away-from-home suites range from the Symphony and Mozart suites to the Owner Suite, a two-bedroom, two-bathroom retreat of 860 square feet.
The meticulous house cleaning staff refreshes rooms twice daily. Personalized butlers, on call on WhatsApp 24/7, graciously make spa appointments and dinner reservations.
Epicurean delight
Few river cruises can boast the culinary options on the all-inclusive Mozart. The main dining room, the Waterside Restaurant, offers open breakfast, lunch, and dinner seating. The breakfast buffet is second to none, with more sweet and savory options than I’ve ever had on a river cruise. An omelet station serves made-to-order egg dishes. In the evening, prix-fixe dinner plates include Arancini (golden saffron risotto balls topped with tomato basil ragout and Parmesan cheese). Trio of Mangalica (Hungarian pig) was a standout, featuring pork cheek, belly, and fillet, as was the tomato-mushroom herb-crusted Gratinated Butter Fish.
The Bistro serves late-risers, much like an elevated coffee house. It also offers evening tapas and shared Austro-Hungarian plates. The Blue Deli on Deck 3 is an alternative for a casual lunch of burgers, pasta, or sandwiches. Informal barbecues occur on the top deck at the Rooftop Grill. Room service is also available 24 hours a day.
In the top-flight Vintage Room, dining is all about wine pairings: The sommelier chooses the wine, the chef creates the meal according to the selections. This seven-course culinary event, designed for six to 12 guests, costs 295 Euros per person. It’s worth noting that all passengers’ dietary needs are closely monitored.
Rejuvenate
All passengers have complimentary access to a meticulous retreat on Seahorse Deck 2, which has a Finnish sauna, steam room, hot tub, and cold plunge pool. The Fehi Spa has two treatment rooms for passengers requesting a massage or facial treatment. The modern fitness center has Technogym equipment and free weights.
An open-air track on Deck 3 is perfect for walking or light jogging laps to burn off calories. Next to the spa, a beauty salon on the ship offers haircuts, manicures, and pedicures for an additional fee.
On-board immersion
A Viennese Waltz dance class, taught by Vienna’s Opera ballet soloists, is held in the Palm Court in the evening. Mixologists offer classes on making craft cocktails in the Cove and Vista bars, open from noon until late evening. After dinner, Philippine pianist Angel performs nightly at the Piano Bar.
Shore excursions
Our trip began with an overnight in the baroque Bavarian town of Passau, near the German-Austrian border. Here we boarded the Mozart. In each stop of our itinerary, Riverside offered optional excursions of around three hours.
Melk
The highlight of the riverside village of Melk is its magnificent Melk Abbey. Built-in 1089, the Benedictine abbey was reconstructed in the 18th century. Other excursions include Artstetten Castle, an Austrian farm, and a jaunt to Durnstein for wine tasting.
Vienna
Once the capital of the Hapsburg Empire, home to such iconic figures as Johann Strauss, Sigmund Freud and Marie Antoinette, Vienna is filled with Baroque walkways and historical riches. A walking tour of this City of Music features the imperial Hofburg Palace. Vienna’s most popular attraction is the impressive Gothic-style St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Schonbrunn Palace, the opulent summer residence of the Hapsburgs, features room after room of stately art along with imposing gardens and park. Another excursion is to the renowned Spanish Riding School for outstanding performance by the Hapsburg-bred Lipizzaner Stallions.
Budapest
Hungary’s very walkable capital, dubbed “the Pearl of the Danube,” is blessed with rich art-nouveau architecture, superlative bathhouses, and a vibrant restaurant, bar, and coffee-shop culture. Sisi’s Palace in Godollo was the summer home of Emperor Franz Josef and Empress Elizabeth (Sisi). Cruise passengers may see the most memorable sights of this metropolis with plenty of free time for more exploration and shopping.
Bratislava
Slovakia’s understated capital stands on the Danube between Austria and Hungary. A guided walking tour of the old Gothic town and main square ends at the Renaissance-style Bratislava Castle and the ChatamSofer Memorial, recalling its Jewish Quarter. Another tour travels to the ancient village of Svaty Jur and Palffy Palace, known for its wine production.
Krems
This Austrian enclave, gateway to the Wachau Valley wine region is one of the Danube’s prettiest towns. Travelers may choose to experience Wachau’s top-quality wines, including Gruner Veltliner and Riesling, or stroll around neighboring Stein a der Donau and its treasure trove of sights dating back to the 11th century, followed by a tasting of apricot schnaps at the BailoniDistillery.
Mauthausen
The upper Austrian hamlet of Mauthausen was a Nazi concentration camp from the annexation of Austria in 1938 until the end of World War II in 1945. A guided tour provides a glimpse into a painful past. A more upbeat tour option is the Augustine St. Florian Monastery. The library, with a famed ceiling fresco, houses over 150,000 books. A guided nine-mile bike tour along the Danube stops at historic Enns, where houses in the old town date back to the 15th and 16th centuries.
