Crystal River Cruises has announced that it will be increasing its presence on the Danube, Main and Rhine Rivers next year due to demand from travellers for more voyages through Germany and Austria.

The line will redeploy Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel – both of which were scheduled to enter service in France along the Seine, Rhone and Dordogne Rivers in the summer of 2017 – to itineraries based in Germany, Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Crystal will be enlarging both ships and redeploying them on the Danube, Main and Rhine in 2018.

“Unlike an ocean-going ship that can accommodate a change in itinerary with short notice, a river ship operates within more confined parameters and is unable to reroute easily,” says Crystal’s CEO and president, Edie Rodriguez. “We are listening carefully to what travelers are telling us and have concluded that the best way to anticipate, meet and surpass their expectations is by making this move earlier than later.”

Delaying two brand-new ships by a full year isn’t a decision Crystal made lightly. The delay is necessary, however, in order to better equip Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel for the Danube, Rhine and Main.  Both ships will be increased in size from 110 meters to 135 meters, the maximum size permissible on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers. The increased length allows for the addition of a swimming pool with a sliding glass roof and more of the ship’s larger suites, which range in size up to 759 square feet.

These new enhancements will transform Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel into the third and fourth of the line’s 106-guest Rhine Class ships. The lead two ships in this class, Crystal Bach and Crystal Mahler, are due to enter service on June 18 and August 29, 2017, respectively.

Itineraries for the redesigned Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel have yet to be announced. The ships will enter service in April and May of 2018, respectively.

In the meantime, if you were already booked on one of Crystal’s now-cancelled French river cruise itineraries next year, the line is offering the following compensation:

Crystal Debussy guests choose from one of the following:

• Crystal Mozart voyage and $750 shipboard credit per person, plus $500 per person future cruise credit*;
• Crystal Bach voyage and $500 future cruise credit per person*;
• A 2017 Crystal Esprit voyage (7-night), plus $750 per person shipboard credit and $500 per person future cruise credit*;
• A veranda room for a 2017 Crystal Symphony European voyage (up to 14 days) and $500 per person future cruise credit*;
• $1,000 per person future cruise credit to apply toward any other 2017 Crystal Experience (booked at prevailing rates).

Crystal Ravel guests choose from one of the following:

• Crystal Mozart voyage and $500 per person future cruise credit*;
• A 2017 Crystal Esprit voyage (7-night), $750 per person shipboard credit plus $500 per person future cruise credit*;
• A veranda room for a 2017 Crystal Symphony European cruise (up to 10 days) and $500 per person future cruise credit*;
• $1,000 per person future cruise credit to apply toward any other 2017 Crystal Experience (booked at prevailing rates).

*Valid for 18 months and can only be used towards a second Crystal experience beyond the one chosen as an alternate to the Crystal Debussy or Crystal Ravel booking.

We’ll have more information on new itineraries for these two vessels as it becomes available