Supplement to Travel Trade
February 2001

The Mozart River Sailing

in Grand Style

Peter Deilmann EuropAmerica's 210-passenger Mozart offers a 7- to 11-day vacation option that is a long, long way from traditional. Unlike her ocean-going cousins, the 5-star Mozart plies the waters of the Danube River during the spring, summer and fall — sailing gently past the rolling countryside of Bavaria, Vienna and Budapest. Twice yearly it sails to the Black Sea.

In many ways, the Mozart is like a small, floating European hotel, with the emphasis on European. Instead of verandahs, elevators, interactive televisions, shipboard photographers or pizza parlors, the Mozart puts the focus on Old World charm. The service level is extremely high, the cuisine superb and the ports exceptional. The itinerary - from Passau, Germany - is always given center stage.

Optional pre- and post-cruise packages are available in Munich, Frankfurt and Passau, Germany, Prague in the Czech Republic as well as 11 other cities.

The flagship of the Peter Deilmann EuropAmerica fleet, the Mozart is sleek and low-slung to allow it to sail under low-hanging bridges. There are only 4 passenger decks, one of which is the open Sun Deck with a pilot house that hydraulically lowers to allow clearance in tight spots along the river. While a journey on the Mozart is vastly different than most cruise vacations, the ship is worthy of her 5-stars, with an engaging European personality and ambiance.

When matching clients to ships, the Mozart is an excellent choice for sophisticated, upscale clients, who are well- traveled and looking for something both stylish and unusual.

During a recent voyage on the Mozart, only 10% of the passengers were from the U.S. The majority were European, mostly Germans, with both English and German spoken on board. Typically, 20% to 30% of the passengers are Americans, with the remainder comprised of Europeans of various nationalities, according to Ron Santangelo, president Peter Deilmann EuropAmerica.

He noted that next year the number of Americans on Deilmann cruises will increase to 50% as the result of several marketing initiatives. "One of the things we've done is package the Mozart as an inclusive tour - one that gives them two nights in Munich and two nights in Prague. It's part of an all-inclusive, 14-day vacation program. It makes the trip more complete. They see four wonderful capitals - Munich, Prague, Vienna and Budapest."

Small group business is also at the heart of the line's effort to build interest in the U.S. "We pay 15% to 20% commission on group business with one free cabin for every 15 people booked.

"Groups are especially easy to sell on the Mozart because all cabins are the same, the itinerary is extremely attractive and the overall standard on the ship is very high," added Santangelo.

Traditional and always refined, the best illustration of the high standards aboard the Mozart is in its dining room, which is located on the Don Giovanni Deck. The decor is bright with peachy/pink starched table linens and large picture windows on both the port and starboard sides that look out on an ever-changing panorama of some of Europe's finest vineyards, castles, fortresses, baroque monasteries and historic towns and cities. At tables set for four to 12, passengers can select from regional choices that are carefully prepared from local produce, meats, cheeses and fish. It is an experience to behold. The presentation is elegant and dishes are prepared with flair and imagination. Special diets are accommodated and the daily breakfast, lunch and dinner menus include a vegetarian entree. While many of today's cruisers are health conscious, it is difficult to imagine passing up dessert. The confections prepared aboard the Mozart are spectacular. Dumplings, mousse, apple strudel, Bavarian cream and parfait are but a sample of the daily choices.

Breakfast and lunch feature both buffet - with rolls, meats, cheeses and fruits - and menu selections. American-style breakfasts are available to those who need more than a continental breakfast.

The table service is as close to silent as possible. There is no clattering of dishes or waiters rushing by. Dinner conversations are seldom intruded upon by service people asking questions. Nevertheless, waiters keep a careful eye out so that they can respond quickly to diners who require service.

Food is delivered to each person at the table simultaneously. With a nod or hand signal, waiters move quietly to the table to deliver each course. It is these kinds of small touches that help make this vessel a standout. All meals are served in the dining room, with afternoon tea served in several locations throughout the ship including the Sun Deck, weather permitting. Morning room service is available.

Built in 1987, the Mozart has exceptionally roomy cabins, which are located on two decks - the Tamino and the Dorabella. All cabins, even inside, are 203-square feet.

Each deck has 50 outside cabins with four inside cabins on the Dorabella Deck. All have ample closet space, a television, sofa, VCR, telephone, radio, desk, refrigerator and large bathroom. Showers, rather than tubs, are available in all cabins.

The outside cabins on Tamino Deck have large picture windows - a major plus for a destination as beautiful as Central Europe. Outside cabins on the Dorabella Deck, one level below, share the same amenities, but have windows that are somewhat smaller and are set closer to the water line.

The average per diem for outside cabins on the Tamino Deck is $350 per person, while the average per diem for the Dorabella Deck is $300. Announcements, which are few and far between, may be heard over the radio system. They are delivered in both English and German, depending on which channel is selected.

Entry to the Mozart can be made from either the Dorabella or the Tamino decks. The two entryways make it easy for the vessel to snugge up to varying sized docks along the river.

The lobby on Tamino Deck houses the purser/shore excursion/reception area. The large curved, mahogany desk gives the sense of a hotel, with cabin keys hung on pegs. Here, as throughout the public areas, appointments are subtle. Carpeting is a conservative, geometric print in cocoa brown, taupe with flecks of peach. On the forward wall is a map of the Danube River, with the port of call lit so that it's easy to locate where you are on the river.

One of the most attractive pieces of art is tucked behind the staircase aft on the Tamino Deck. It is a classical portrait of two children, in the style of Rembrandt. All on-board art is original. Some are copies of the works of the Grand Masters and all come from the private collection of Peter Deilmann himself. The artwork lends a sense of elegance and classic style to the vessel. The corridors on the three main decks are lined with drawings, mostly historic renditions of European cities.

Forward on the Tamino Deck is The Spa, which is a very rare amenity for a European river vessel. While it is quite small by today's mega-cruise ship standard, The Spa does have a heated pool, massage room, Jacuzzi, steam and sauna as well as several exercise machines. It has ceiling-to-floor windows forward. Chaise lounges, rather than treadmills and exercise equipment, are placed before the windows, giving spa-goers a tranquil place to watch the scenery in quiet repose. One of the ship's three bars - the Tamino Bar - is located in The Spa, but seems quiet compared with the two located on the Don Giovanni Deck.

The Dorabella Deck is where most of the action takes place. At its center is the main reception area, which is paneled in rich mahogany. The entrance to the dining room is located here, where just outside are arrangements of black leather sofas and club chairs.

Both the Tamino and Dorabella reception areas have huge sliding glass doors on both port and starboard sides of the ship. One ceiling in the Dorabella reception looks a bit like a church window, with an arch of lighted panels in red, white, slate blue and gray.

The gift shop, small but brimming with European goods and Mozart signature items, is located across from the dining room. Just forward of the gift shop is the small library, which has a selection of books in several languages, primarily German and English.

Nestled midship behind the gift shop is the Cafe Amadeus, a great place to have a quiet cup of coffee or glass of wine. The Cafe occasionally doubles as an entertainment area. For example, a visiting musician who played the zither entertained guests in the Cafe.

Forward on the Don Giovanni Deck is the Show Lounge. Large picture windows encircle the room, giving uninterrupted views of ports ahead and scenery along the shore. Entertainment in the Lounge is usually geared toward the part of the Danube the ship is on. In Vienna, for example, a wonderfully talented soprano entertained in the Show Lounge with selections of Viennese classics, including Wein Blood.

The Lounge is understated with banquettes, round tables and club chairs. The atmosphere is relaxed.

Just outside the Lounge is one of the busiest spots on the ship, the Don Giovanni Bar. It is a simple affair, comprised of a large mahogany bar and a grouping of tables and chairs perched along the starboard side, by the picture windows.

There is a wide selection of rich German beers served in the Don Giovanni bar, as well as a good selection of local wines. During afternoons spent cruising the river, passengers can be found on the Sun Deck, which has lounges and two sun shades for those who want to be outdoors but out of the sun.

What lingers most after a cruise on the Mozart is the ports. In many countries along the Danube, including Slovakia, Hungry, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Romania, a massive restructuring is underway, as former Eastern Bloc countries struggle to reshape their destiny after the fall of Communism.

Shore excursions are available and are aimed at hitting the highlights at each stop. For those who have visited a particular port on a prior trip, private tours can be arranged to satisfy special interests.

In addition to the Mozart, Peter Deilmann EuropAmerica, which is headquartered in Alexandria, VA, also operates other river vessels including the 200-passenger Danube Princess, the 148-passenger Princesse De Provence, the 110-passenger Dresden, the 142-passenger Prussian Princess and, new for 1998, the 62-passenger Konigstein.

These vessels cruise the great rivers of Europe including the Rhône, the Elbe, the Rhine, the Main, the Danube and the Moselle. The company also operates the 50-passenger brigantine Lili Marleen, which sails the Caribbean, Baltic, Eastern and Western Mediterranean and the Red Sea.