Riverside Luxury Cruises Snaps Up Remaining Crystal River Ships

All of Crystal Cruises' former river ships are off the market. Riverside Luxury Cruises has snapped up the remaining ships to expand its river fleet. The line, which debuts on the Danube River this April with Riverside Mozart – also a former Crystal Cruises ship – will expand its itineraries to include the Rhine, Rhone and Saone.

"We are thrilled by the expansion of our fleet to include these storied vessels," said Gregor Gerlach, the founder of Riverside Luxury Cruises. "This acquisition allows us to expand our itinerary offerings, showcasing a level of space, personalized service and elegance not found with any other river cruise line."

The former Crystal ships – MS Bach, MS Ravel, MS Mahler and MS Debussy – will be renamed, replacing the "MS" with "Riverside."

The Riverside Ravel will offer sailings on both the Rhone and Saone in Southern France, will Riverside Debussy will sail the Rhine from Amsterdam to Switzerland.

Itineraries for Riverside Bach and Riverside Mahler are slated for 2024.

Riverside Luxury Cruises is owned by the Seaside Collection, a hotel company that owns and operates 11 boutique properties in Europe and the Maldives. The company plans to differentiate itself from other river cruise lines via a low crew-to-guest ratio and a service culture, which it says is "authentically personal in nature."

Highlights of the onboard experience will include butler service, a crew of sommeliers, and an extensive wine cellar.

Open for booking, Riverside Luxury Cruises is offering competitive commissions (21% on all 2023 sailings) and special introductory FAM rates for travel advisors.