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Live from the stunning Crystal Bach

goldengatecruisers

By goldengatecruisers,
in River Cruising

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goldengatecruisers

goldengatecruisers

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We have continued our journey toward Amsterdam amidst heavy rain showers and high winds. When out on tour many of us have had to deal with the elements but it hasn't marred the experience of being in this part of Europe. The tours that we have participated in have been very interesting with knowledgable guides and we will leave this cruise feeling like we have learned something new about this region. Food has been a focal point on Bach as it is on other Crystal cruises. Here are a few photos from dinner in Waterside the other evening for those of you who enjoy food photos. Sorry my skill is not up to par and sometimes the lighting is not optimum but hopefully you can get a sense of the quality and attention to detail. We participated in the galley tour the other day with Chef Matthias Pape and learned how it all happens. It is not like the galley set up on larger vessels and I highly encourage anyone sailing on Crystal River to sign up for it.

As you know this is our first river cruise and we are traveling with dear friends. What better way to celebrate our friendship than a very special dinner in The Vintage Room. Stay tuned....

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goldengatecruisers

goldengatecruisers

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The Crystal Bach Vintage Room

Restaurant Manager & Sommelier: Ana Capra

Executive Chef: Matthias Pape

Executive Pastry Chef: Zoran Sevanovic

 

A unique concept in wining and dining, The Vintage Room was created to promote wine education and to elevate the fine cuisine on board. We have enjoyed The Vintage Room at sea on numerous occasions and felt it was only fitting to experience it on the river. By special arrangement private parties of up to 12 can be accommodated for lunch or dinner. Executive Chef Matthias Pape pairs a selection of culinary creations alongside vintage wines selected by Ana Capra, who in addition to being Restaurant Manager is also an esteemed Sommelier many of you will remember from Crystal ocean vessels. Throughout the evening, Ana shared her extensive knowledge and explained the unique properties of the vintages we would enjoy with our exquisite dinner.

 

The VR is positioned close to Palm Court on the port side of the vessel with floor to ceiling windows offering vistas of the river. Simple contemporary decor in light colors allows the food and wine to be the main attraction. The room is intimate and comfortable and allows for a wonderful private dining experience.

 

The smaller the party the more exclusive the wine selection. Our intimate dinner allowed Ana to showcase amazing wines and she introduced us to the best Pinot Noir and the best Cabernet Sauvignon we had ever tasted (and in her words, "so far!"). The Pinot Noir for example was bottle #1863 out of a production of #2464.

 

We started out with Dom Perignon 2006 which heralded the beginning of our special evening. We have enjoyed some wonderful dining experiences on board Crystal over the years but this one will stand out as one of the most memorable. Chef Matthias came in several times during the dinner to check on us and to explain what we were eating. At the meals conclusion he returned and graciously accepted our invitation to join us at the table which provided us a glimpse into his creativity and to learn more about his story.

 

We will allow the menu and the photos that will follow to speak for themselves. You will notice an additional dish of black cod which was specially prepared for a member of our party. I could go on and on about this Chef and his creativity but truthfully you will have to come on board and experience it for yourself.

 

In my humble opinion, if Michelin would consider awarding a star to a non land based restaurant then no one would be more deserving than Chef Matthias Pape.

 

Thank you Chef Matthias, Chef Zoran and Ana Capra for all that you did for us. A special thank you to Domagej and Stelios for our attentive wait service last night.

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goldengatecruisers

goldengatecruisers

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Crystal provide umbrellas at the entrance of the vessel. We have used them more times than I care to mention. But the good news is we have wonderful weather in Amsterdam today. Now it's time to pack and then enjoy our last evening on board. I'll post some final thoughts about the cruise shortly.

 

 

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goldengatecruisers

goldengatecruisers

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I started this thread with the goal of getting photos and info out there for passengers with upcoming voyages. My thread evolved and I found myself telling you about my day, ship board life and the amazing food. I hope you enjoyed reading and thank you for coming along with me.

 

In summary it was amazing! I will definitely book another one but I will continue to be more ocean focused with my travel selections. One day I would like to try Mozart and sail the Danube. Cruising the river is very different from ocean cruising and yet just as special. The Crystal magic is evident throughout Crystal Bach.

 

Things I loved:

The product impressed me on many levels and I really liked the intimacy on Crystal Bach. The accommodations are comfortable and beautifully decorated and the ship has been well designed. The walk-in shower with oversized rain shower head is fabulous. The beds were super comfortable as were the pillows and bedding. I enjoyed having wines on offer from the regions we were visiting. The food was excellent and consistently excellent. The Bistro Bach burger should be illegal. The swimming pool is great and I appreciated having one on board. I love the resistance waves that allow you to swim in the same position. The window balcony is a great feature but I really missed having a personal balcony. However, I understand having the window balcony design allows more interior living space.

 

Improvements I would like to see:

The doors in the suite bathroom and also the walk-in closet could use a magnetic feature to help keep them from swinging. We spoke to many passengers who expressed the same frustration with their suite doors.

 

The toilet roll holder in the suite bathroom is not that reliable and probably needs a redesign.

 

I wish Crystal would add linens to the tables in the Waterside restaurant, especially in the evening time. It would elevate the dining experience. I felt the tables in the restaurant looked a bit "Lido-ish" with bare table tops. I noticed other river cruise lines use white linen table cloths and adding them in the Waterside would be a positive thing.

 

The lighting in the dining room was very bright. We dined later than most and we often would wait till most guests had left and then ask for the lights to be dimmed slightly. This was a great improvement and created 'ambience'. I hope Crystal will address the lighting in Waterside as they review passenger feedback.

 

I noticed a lack of flowers and plant life. The tables in the dining room did not have a floral component and there were no orchids or bud vases in the suites. I think flowers would be a nice addition.

 

The Etro bathroom products were not a hit for me. Personally I would like to see a change here but others may have a different opinion. However, it was easy for me to purchase a bodywash/shampoo/conditioner from our first port of call and that kept me happy. It is worthy to note other luxury lines, such as Silversea, offer Bulgari, Ferragamo and a non-allergenic fragrance free option. Even Oceania have top quality bathroom amenities. Crystal should do something similar.

 

Thats it from me. Thanks for coming along and supporting the thread. I hope I have helped those of you sitting on the fence about booking a Crystal River Cruise. For those of you counting the days till your sailing I trust my photos will make you excited about your upcoming cruise.

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Sirgym

Sirgym

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The interior public spaces are stunning on the Crystal Bach, in both design and style, but in NO way are these small cabins “balcony suites.” While I admire the “Sun lounge” window, there is not a real balcony to relax in n the Bach or even room for a table (except for the two bedroom suite) for “in-suite dining.” I much prefer the Suite cabins on the Scenic “space ships”, the Jasper, Opal and Amber. They are far better laid out, with real balconies and the Royal Suite even has a sofa and two swivel chairs, plus TWO Sun Lounge windows! I think Crystal is being slightly dishonest with calling this an all suite ship.

 

 

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goldengatecruisers

goldengatecruisers

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Thanks Keith - nice comments from you especially given the amazing blog posts and threads that you have done for all of us from your travels. Just my turn to give back, I guess :)

 

zship - I don't think I have a favorite port of call or ship excursion. For me it was an opportunity to visit towns that I would not necessarily have built a European vacation around. We finally got to see places like Heidelberg, Basel, Antwerp among other places. If I had to pick a ship excursion that pleased me the most it would be the E-bike tours which I thought were amazing.

 

Phylis and Ronny1 - I am counting the days with you. Please do post your experiences on CruiseCritic. I would welcome an opportunity to hear what you have to say about Bach and your river journey.

 

Ronny1 - I did not do the yoga classes. Truth be known, I did not venture into the gym other than to take photos for all of you. I had every good intention but somehow the martini waiting for me in Palm Court each evening was more important for these 14 days of sailing. I did however take several runs with Mark Farris and I biked on 4 excursions so I did get some exercise. Claire, the fitness director, conducts the yoga classes. My understanding is they are held in Palm Court but can also be on top deck weather and travel conditions permitting.

 

Sirgym - I could not agree with you more. I find it strange that Crystal chose to use the word 'suite' for marketing of this vessel. I make note of this in one of my earlier posts on this thread. It is stretching the definition of a suite in my opinion. It is what it is. In terms of decor, comfort and service it was 'suite-like' but in terms of space, not so much. I would not go so far as to say Crystal was being dishonest; it is all in how a product is marketed and received by the guests. There is a versatile dark wood and brushed brass table in the suite that serves as a cocktail table but can be opened and function as a wonderful table for two. There is a leather desk chair and a green velvet arm chair which would serve as the seating for an en-suite dining experience. But I hear what you are saying and agree with your comments. I think Crystal needs a descriptive word that is synonymous with luxury and attentive service and by calling the product 'all-suite with butler service' it meets their needs. A little stretch on the definition, absolutely but does it get the message across that your accommodations are a little 'above the competition', you betcha! Mission accomplished.

 

caviargal - your screen name alone tells me we would get along. I am also a caviar lover and thank goodness Chef Matthias was very generous with his helpings of caviar on this voyage. The cost for the vintage room is as follows: For a private vintage room for 1-10 guests the price is 2700 euros for the entire room. No other guests can participate when the room is booked out privately and the room is yours all evening. For a vintage room where you share the space with other interested guests the cost is 290 euros per person and billed to your stateroom or suite. The numbers for a shared Vintage Room experience are 6 minimum up to 10 maximum. The way it works is you would notify the restaurant manager, in this case Ana Capra, of your interest in participating in a Vintage Room experience. Ana then pairs you with other guests who also express an interest and she coordinates the invitations and pins down the date that works for everyone. I hope that helps.

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goldengatecruisers

goldengatecruisers

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zship - you can always grab something at Bistro Bach. There are usually 4 offerings of sweet options such as a cake or small cake-like bites alongside the salami and cheeses and breads. It is important to remember the food offered is primarily of a European style appropriate for the regions in which you are traveling. Crystal is not providing an identical food presentation as it does on the ocean. Cookies are not plentiful as you would expect on the ocean ships. Cookies are usually available by the coffee station close to reception. They were typically small Euro-style cookies and not the oversized chocolate chip/oatmeal and raisin/white macadamia ones you might be referring to. Also, I did not see a pizza anywhere although you can get a flatbread at Bistro, but it is more of a lighter European variety with cheese and prosciutto. (Not a pizza). I only saw fries as an accompaniment to the burger which I ordered in the Bistro for lunch. I am sure you can always request an order of fries if that is something you are craving when on board. I am sure they would do their best to meet all requests. I never saw gelato or ice cream being served anywhere other than on a couple of occasions where it was used in a Waterside desert. Again, I am sure you could ask for it. But the good news is you are always in town somewhere and there was never a shortage of pizza and ice cream available in the places we docked. I must stress that space is the prime reason that the offering on the river boat is vastly different to that of an ocean going ship. What is offered is of excellent quality and you will not go hungry at any hour of the day but do not book a river boat trip expecting to have everything you are used to on an ocean ship. There just isn't the room to store it all so you will have choices presented to you but they will be different choices to what you might be used to on Serenity or Symphony.

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Jayayeff

Jayayeff

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Ashely,

 

Did they not have icecream available at the Bistro?? On the Mozart there is an icecream/gelato station to one side of the counter in the Bistro and it's available with an assortment of toppings or fresh fruits (strawberries, etc.) at any time during the Bistro opening hours...

 

Anne...

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JohnKen3

JohnKen3

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Ashely,

 

On the Mozart there is an icecream/gelato station to one side of the counter in the Bistro and it's available with an assortment of toppings or fresh fruits (strawberries, etc.) at any time during the Bistro opening hours...

 

Useful info. As my last Mozart cruise was mid-winter, ice-cream was on no ones mind!

 

Mind you the weather in Vienna has turn cold and wet this week. Keeping my fingers crossed to for an improvement in weather.

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