By Anne Kalosh.
Crystal Mahler debuts for Crystal River Cruises. The line officially welcomed its second new build during a Sept. 20 handover ceremony and naming festivities at MV Werften in Wismar, Germany.
The vessel was received by Crystal Cruises’ newly appointed President and CEO Tom Wolber, a Disney Cruise Line veteran who succeeded Edie Rodriguez.
U.S. volleyball star Lauren Barfield served as the godmother. Having led teams to victory since her professional career began in Europe in 2012, she currently plays for reigning German champions SSC Palmberg Schwerin, a team sponsored by MV Werften.
Crystal Mahler Handover Ceremony in Germany. Godmother Lauren Barfield is center and Crystal Cruises’ new President and CEO Tom Wolber is at far right. * Photo: Crystal River Cruises
The 106-passenger CRYSTAL MAHLER joins Rhine-class sister ship CRYSTAL BACH, which entered service in August, and the larger CRYSTAL MOZART.
Like other Crystal vessels, CRYSTAL MAHLER has a Palm Court lounge, a luxurious spa and a separate fitness center. Open-seating dining and farm-to-table dishes are served in the Waterside Restaurant and the casual Bistro café, while the intimate Vintage Room is available for wine tastings, pairings and dinners.
CRYSTAL MAHLER’s all-suite accommodations have French balconies and butler service. Walk-in closets and dual vanities in the bathrooms feature in many of the suites. Standard amenities include ETRO robes and slippers, personal iPads, Nespresso machines, flat-screen HD TVs with streaming movies and free Wi-Fi.
Sailing seven-, 11- and 16-day voyages along the Rhine and Danube rivers, CRYSTAL MAHLER is calling at medieval towns and modern hubs in Austria, Germany, Slovakia, the Netherlands and Hungary.
Two additional Rhine-class vessels, CRYSTAL DEBUSSY and CRYSTAL RAVEL, are scheduled to join the fleet in 2018.
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HEIDI SARNA
