Assessment: Riverside Mozart, Treasures of the Danube Eastbound – A Luxurious Vacation Website

“Best ship on the Danube”, declared a veteran of countless cruises, both of those ocean and river, as he sat at the cocktail bar. He was congratulating himself on his astute choice of Riverside Mozart from close to 200 ships that cruise the Danube.

Obtained from Crystal Cruises following their personal bankruptcy, Seaside Selection has added a several excess touches to the double-width, all-suite, butler-provider Riverside Mozart.

Riverside’s Treasures of the Danube, possibly eastbound or westbound, is an epic voyage of castles, cathedrals, capital towns, operas, palaces, waltzes and wines. It tells stories of battles over land, religion and even Sacher torte, the regular Austrian cake.

Recalling way too, the characters of Central Europe. Mozart dying mysteriously as he wrote a requiem. Marie Therese regarded as the mom-in-law of Europe, right after supplying start to sixteen little ones. Pianist Liszt, as close as the 19th century obtained to a rock star, getting an open up household every Tuesday afternoon. And of induce Hitler celebrating Germany’s Anschluss with Austria from a Viennese balcony.

The welcome

Unintentionally arriving early for our 1pm examine-in, our baggage is whisked absent and we are guided to the bow’s Blue Cafe for lunch. A crisp salad, chunky salmon fillet and impeccable support all bode nicely.

Immediately after lunch, our not-a-hair-out-of-area gleaming butler guides us to our penthouse suite on Deck 2. Champagne, fruit and petit fours welcome us.

The suite

Riverine blues, browns, greys and greens mirror the relaxing riverscape that will slip by in excess of the pursuing eight times and 7 nights.

Our penthouse suite features a large double bed, two seater-couch and arm chair. Two times a day our cabin attendant refreshes the refrigerated minibar and espresso / tea station.

A little second space has a dressing desk / desk which potential customers into the rest room and a beautifully created walk-in wardrobe with enough hanging house and drawers.

The bathroom

Unusually for a ship’s cabin there is room in the lavatory for both bathtub and shower. In the bathroom, thrust-button lighting with 4 ranges from “brilliant” to “relaxed” adapts to the wants of cosmetic maintenance as a result of to midnight wanderings.

Amongst attendees, the jury is out on the distant command Japanese automated loo’s dashboard. “50 several years forward of its time,” says a single visitor nervously.

Food stuff and consume

A galley tour displays how the double width ship can make the 15 powerful catering group the envy of the Danube. They bake bread, build ice-cream, make their possess pasta and conjure up clean soups.

Featuring numerous tables for two and adaptable consuming times, Waterside is the most important cafe for breakfast, lunch and supper.

“Plummy with wealthy tones of blackberry,” advises Kristun, utilizing his Courtroom of Master Sommeliers qualification, as he pours the inclusive residence wines. Later on he returns with a dessert wine advice. Such regard for wine brings together effectively with eye-catching foods presentation. Riverside Mozart is nudging culinary expectations ever upwards.

Waterside is just one of 4 dining places on board. During the day the Bistro provides beverages and snacks, in addition a tapas menu on some evenings. Even though Blue is a scenic prevent for lunch.

A pop-up grill, powered by Egg BBQs, operates on the Vista Deck when the climate is high-quality. Talk to your butler to guide a desk as the ship glides as a result of the hills of the Wachau Valley, a single of the most spectacular stretches of the Danube. Or for when the Mozart Riverside is moored in Budapest as the night lights of the town reflect on the Danube’s silky waters.

Facilities

Bean bags, loungers and deckchairs develop a chic seaside club aura on the Vista Deck.

The Palm Court lounge, with a pianist enjoying jazz, classical music and requests on the Bösendorfer grand piano, has the tranquil elegance of a cocktail bar from a bygone period.

Once more width brings added benefits. An indoor pool, by the whirlpool, is half-a-dozen strokes huge and long. Critical swimmers drive a button to swim against the counter-recent for a vigorous aqua exercise. Nearby are the spa, hairdresser, sauna and steam home. Down below on Deck one, there is a nicely-geared up health and fitness center.

Alternatively for a jog or brisk wander, a promenade encircles Deck three.

Excursions

Aiming to keep the group dimensions to about fifteen, we are guided all around the imperial architecture of Vienna, once cash of the Austrian-Hungarian that dominated 50 percent of Europe.

Briefly heading west, we call in at really cobbled Durnstein for wine tasting, rebranding itself as Austria’s apricot cash right after a 19th century virus attacked the vines. Later in the day, the golden gilded glory of Melk Monastery displays the Catholic church’s no-expenditure spared response to austere gray Protestantism.

On more time excursions these types of as the push to Salzburg, via the impressive Austrian Lake District, attendees recognize the consolation of Riverside’s have air-conditioned coaches. As they journey, the manual reveals that Maria of The Audio of Songs fame had not been a nun and that there was outrage when, at the age of 23, she married 47-yr-old Captain Von Trapp. However Salzburg’s real star is Mozart, so our guideline usually takes us to the composer’s birthplace.

A further day, one more nation, one more capital and Riverside Mozart docks in Bratislava for a tour with a information who shown as part of the Velvet Revolution. Around a spot of late-afternoon beer tasting, she tells us of the Velvet Divorce that dissolved Czechoslovakia.

Esztergom, on a scenic bend of the river, Hungary’s former capital, showcases a basilica that is Europe’s third biggest church. At the time border state in the fight with the Ottoman Empire, some of the church’s statues experienced their heads taken off by disapproving Ottomans.

Ultimately, Riverside’s information can take company on a tour of Hungary’s neo-gothic parliament in which they see the royal crown. In 1945 it was supplied to American troopers for harmless preserving till Jimmy Carter negotiated its return in 1978. Possessing explored Pest, or “Peshhtt” as locals say, an just after lunch tour normally takes passengers to hilly Buda and its castle on the north aspect of the Danube.

Other wonderful touches

Suites are equipped with binoculars for viewing castles on valley hillsides and fluttering bird lifetime. A guests’ laundry has washing devices, dryers, washing capsules and distilled drinking water for the iron. Bundled transfers to and from airports or regional accommodations acquire the anxiety out of arriving and departing.

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Bikes and e-bikes are readily available for the biking excursions or a jaunt along the Danube cycle path. In the same way alpine walking poles enable out with hikes.

The charge

Sailing from Vienna, in September 2023, rates get started from €2991 for every human being for entire board. High quality all-inclusive, also masking conventional excursions, commences at €4316 per individual.

The ideal little bit

An night personal guided tour of Upper Belvedere’s artwork, right after the community has still left the palace, such as Klimt’s “The Kiss”, is a privileged knowledge.

Then a compact orchestra, moreover baritone and soprano, convene in Prince Eugene’s Marble Corridor to carry out a concert of Mozart, Strauss and other Viennese classics completely for Riverside visitors. Our guide reminds us that this was where by Prince Eugene stored his tame lion.

The concert triumphantly concludes with the General Radetzky March, who by the way was refused permission to retire at the age of eighty two.

The final verdict

Hosting just 162 travellers, warmly cared for by ninety one workers, Riverside Mozart is attaining a reputation as the cosiest and most classy of all Danube ships.

Disclosure: Our cruise was sponsored by Riverside Luxury Cruises.