After COVID-19, in 2022, Crystal Cruises suspended operation, the end of the line for one of the most storied luxury cruise companies. In came the hospitality entrepreneur sister-brother team of Anouchka and Gregor Gerlach, who showcase 40-years in the hotel industry. The forward-thinking impresarios, owners of Seaside Collection, a travel brand operating 11 luxe-boutique properties in Europe and the Maldives, swiftly purchased the Crystal river ships: the double-wide Crystal Mozart, Crystal Bach, Crystal Mahler, Crystal Debussy, Crystal Ravel.  The 1987-built luxurious Crystal Mozart was entirely revamped in 2022 before Crystal’s bankruptcy and rebranded as the Riverside Mozart, the largest river ship Seaside Collection owned and Riverside Collection operated. In April 2023, the first of the fleet, Riverside Mozart, sailed the Danube. 

To read the full article by Trip Rambler columnist Nick Kontis visit Luxe Beat Magazine.