Newest ship in Crystal River Cruises award-winning fleet is delivered in handover ceremony
Crystal River Cruises, the World’s Most Luxurious River Cruise Line™, recently welcomed Crystal Debussy to its award-winning fleet. The latest addition to the Crystal portfolio brings the river fleet to four luxury river ships since Crystal launched its river experiences in 2016. The vessel was delivered to Crystal president and CEO, Tom Wolber at MV WERFTEN during the official handover ceremony in Wismar, Germany. In attendance was Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, chairman and CEO of Crystal’s parent company, Genting Hong Kong (GHK), Colin Au, group president of GHK, and Jarmo Laasko, CEO of MV WERFTEN.
“We look forward to welcoming Crystal Debussy to our river fleet as we continue to expand Crystal’s hallmark brand of luxury to the river cruising industry,” Wolber said. “She will debut next month with the same superior onboard amenities, caring service, world-class dining, complimentary experiences ashore, and highly-sought after itineraries that our guests have enjoyed onboard all of our river vessels. Once again, the experts at MV WERFTEN have demonstrated their masterful skills and attention to detail. We offer our deepest thanks for their hard work.”
“Today is a special day for Genting Hong Kong in many respects,” said Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay. “We are not only handing over the third ship built at our shipyards to Crystal but we are also starting production in both Wismar and Rostock on the first 205,450 GT Global cruise ship. With our new shipbuilding complex’s topping out ceremony, which takes place in the Rostock shipyard, we have also reached another milestone in our extensive investment program.”
“With the Crystal Debussy, another exclusive ship has left our shipyard,” said MV WERFTEN CEO Jarmo Laakso after the flag-changing ceremony. “We would like to thank our employees for their service and commitment to this ahead-of-schedule delivery, as well as our customers for their renewed outstanding cooperation. We wish the ship and her crew safe journeys and may there always be water beneath her keel.”
Crystal Debussy joins Crystal River Cruises, which was voted “Best River Cruise Line” by the readers of Travel + Leisure in the magazine’s 2017 World’s Best Awards. Sailing itineraries between Amsterdam and Basel, the 106-guest Crystal Debussy will travel along the Rhine River, beginning with her April 9, 2018 maiden voyage round-trip from Amsterdam. Guests will visit ports in the Netherlands and Belgium on the seven-day itinerary, with 10-day voyages also calling in Germany. Throughout 2018 and 2019, the ship will sail routes of seven and 10 days between Amsterdam and Basel along the Rhine and Moselle rivers, visiting Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands and Belgium.
In addition, Crystal will welcome Crystal Ravel to the fleet next month joining sister ships Crystal Bach, Crystal Mahler, Crystal Debussy and the line’s first river ship, Crystal Mozart.
Crystal’s new river vessels are the river cruising industry’s first and only all-balcony, all-suite, all-butler vessels in Europe, with every category of accommodation perched above the waterline. They offer Crystal’s acclaimed butler service in every room category, king-sized beds, Panoramic Balcony-Windows™, walk-in closets and dual vanity in the bathrooms in most categories, ETRO robes and slippers, and wall-mounted flat-screen HD TVs.
Additional enticing features include farm-to-table cuisine in multiple, open-seating eateries: the elegant Waterside Restaurant, namesake Bistro cafés and the exclusive Vintage Room; and the Palm Court for entertainment, enrichment presentations and sweeping views of the countryside.
As with all Crystal River Cruises voyages, a recently unveiled Crystal Collection of more than 200 inclusive shore-side adventures enhance the journey. Each river itinerary also feature inclusive Signature Events – special events that offer rare access and musical performances in iconic landmarks including Vienna’s Belvedere Palace, Linz’s St. Florian Monastery, Rüdesheim’s Monastery Eberbach, and others.
To ensure that every detail of each experience is in line with Crystal’s exacting standards of service, excursion group sizes are limited to no more than 15 guests; for larger groups, guides are available to lead the tours in German, Spanish, Portuguese and other languages upon request. Crystal Collection shore excursions offer guest transport to iconic sites and regions via spacious motor coaches that include free WiFi.
About Crystal
The world-renowned Crystal Experience – featuring global journeys with Crystal Cruises, Crystal River Cruises, Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises, Crystal AirCruises and Crystal Luxury Air – continues to entice the world’s most discerning travelers with incomparable luxury and unparalleled personal service. Crystal will expand its fleet with the upcoming Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel river ships, the Crystal Endeavor expedition yacht and an entirely new class of ocean ships over the next five years.
Celebrating 27 years of excellence, Crystal Cruises is the World’s Most Awarded Luxury Cruise Line, having earned “World’s Best Cruise Ship” in Condé Nast Traveler’s Reader Choice Awards for 24 years; been voted “World’s Best Large Ship Cruise Line” by Travel + Leisure readers for 20 years; and the “Best Luxury Cruise Line” by travel professional organization Virtuoso for three consecutive years (2014, 2015 & 2016). The readers of Travel + Leisure also voted Crystal River Cruises the “World’s Best River Cruise Line” and Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises the “World’s Best Small-Ship Cruise Line” in 2017. Crystal is proud to be a platinum partner of ASTA.
