You could be forgiven for not knowing about Riverside Luxury Cruises. After all, the company is a newcomer, first mentioned on our site one year ago.
That was in November 2022, when Riverside acquired the double-width river cruiser Mozart. The ship had been operating for Crystal River Cruises, which went bankrupt. Riverside snapped up Mozart and has since added two more of the ex-Crystal ships.
Though I’ve yet to cruise Riverside, I have cruised two of Riverside’s ships when they operated for Crystal. In fact, I cruised Mozart both when it operated for Crystal in 2016 and when it operated for Peter Deilmann in 2008.
Because it can transit only super-sized locks, the extra-wide Mozart cruises only on the Danube. Riverside Ravel and Debussy cruise the Rhone and Rhine. In 2021, I hosted a wonderful cruise on Debussy. You can see photos of the ship and stories from that cruise here.
Both of the ships I cruised on, Mozart and Debussy, served up exceptional experiences. The interiors, public areas and staterooms were roomy and tastefully done. The bars and restaurants were outstanding. Service was as good as it gets. Riverside, from all that I am hearing, is continuing and improving upon the Crystal experience.
I am planning a spring 2024 cruise on Riverside, and I look forward to reporting about the experience. You, however, don’t have to wait. Riverside has some compelling offers, a 500 euro onboard credit when booking spring 2024 cruises and waived single supplements.
I’ve noticed that there is even availability on a few Christmas Market’s sailings on Riverside. It’s hard to imagine a better holiday in Europe than cruising the Danube in the cozy confines of Mozart.
This article was originally published at River Cruise Advisor.
An avid traveler and an award-winning journalist, Ralph Grizzle produces articles, video and photos that are inspiring and informative, personal and passionate. A journalism graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Ralph has specialized in travel writing for more than two decades. To read more cruise and port reviews by Ralph Grizzle, visit his website at www.avidcruiser.com and www.rivercruiseadvisor.com.