Riverside Review: “A Class of Its own” – On a Cruise with MS Riverside Mozart

You can find all MS Riverside Mozart’s pix in one gallery here.

The Hungarian capital welcomes me with a cloudless sky and bright sunshine—the best possible start to my five-day Danube cruise with Riverside Luxury Cruises.
A charming staff member is already waiting in the arrivals hall of the airport with a Riverside sign, and I’m immediately driven straight to the ship. Not just any riverboat—no! The MS Riverside Mozart will be my temporary home. This impressively large ship is centrally located in downtown Budapest at the Liberty Bridge. At 23 meters wide, it is the widest river cruise ship in Europe; it is also 120 meters long and features four wonderfully spacious decks.

Just 81 suites—the smallest of which measures an above-average 20 m²—accommodate 162 guests. The moment I step onto the ship, I notice this sense of spaciousness, which accompanies me everywhere on board and is perfectly highlighted by the high-quality, timelessly modern interior design.

Floating paradise

After a very warm welcome at the gangway from Hotel Director Rajko, I am escorted to my stylish and luxuriously appointed suite on the Harmony Deck.
The daily program is waiting on the desk, along with a chilled welcome gift consisting of a bottle of sparkling wine and a bowl of sweet treats.
Shortly thereafter, the 24/7 butler rings the bell at the suite door and brings my suitcase inside. He stocks the included minibar according to my preferences and also explains the suite’s amenities to me. There’s even a Nespresso machine within easy reach for a quick coffee—naturally stocked with my preferred capsules—wonderful.
This ship and its crew have me completely captivated after just a few minutes! Unsurprisingly, things continue to be outstanding, because everything has been thought of in my “kingdom”: the large king-size bed, which can also be converted into two single beds, a spacious closet with countless hangers and a safe, a bathrobe, slippers, and so much more… The sofa with its many pillows looks cozy—and it is, as I immediately discover. The little table in front of it surprises me with its height adjustability—really cool!

The marble bathroom is also spacious and features plenty of storage space, along with high-quality toiletries. Every detail has been thought of: even the fluffy towels are embroidered with the Riverside seahorse. One thing that takes time to get used to for me when I enter the bathroom is, that the toilet lid always opens as if by magic. While this might be practical in an “emergency,” I generally don’t need this kind of interactive toilet.
Rechargeable audio guides are available for all shore excursions, and of course, binoculars are provided in the suite so you can gaze from the deck far into the Danube’s countryside.

I continue to look around and am once again impressed at the bow of the Mozart on the Seahorse Deck:
So I remind myself once again that I am, in fact, still on a river cruise ship. Because it’s hard to believe: I’ve never seen such a spacious spa area with a sauna, pool, whirlpool, and relaxation area on a river ship before. Do I even need to mention that there’s also a hair salon, a massage room, and a fitness area with modern equipment from reputable brands?

Sunshine 24/7

The fabulous weather draws me up to the spacious sun deck. Immediately I do like the lovely wooden sun loungers with their thick cushions – they’re incredibly comfortable, indeed. Although the perfect weather should really be inviting everyone to sunbathe, I’m almost alone up here. Between the relatively few guests and the crew of the Riverside Mozart, an almost family-like atmosphere quickly develops—something you don’t experience everywhere when traveling these days, and it’s so lovely! Friendliness and genuine warmth are evident everywhere and in every face.

By the way, it’s not just the elegant sun loungers that make the sun deck special up here. Rather, it looks more like a garden: Amidst armchairs, pouffes and loungers, there are large, attractive flower and herb beds, tended with great care and love by the crew. It’s not uncommon for me to spot Chef Johannes here among the plants, scissors in hand. He regularly harvests the small, crisp ingredients here for the evening’s fine dining. It certainly doesn’t get any fresher than this.

The drop-down Vista Bar rounds out the deck amenities. During my trip, it was necessary on several occasions to quickly lower the bar beneath low bridges, only to raise it back up again shortly thereafter. The attentive waiters are always on hand to fulfill any drink requests with a genuine(!) smile and are quick to respond. I’ve found my favorite spot on the Riverside—that’s immediately clear to me.

360° understatement

The first evening on board begins with a champagne reception in the Palm Court Lounge with Captain Bela from Hungary. He has been safely steering “his” Mozart across the Danube and through the sometimes very narrow locks for over 20 years, as he proudly explains in his welcome speech. He personally leads the subsequent safety drill in flawless German and English, while the stunning Budapest panorama slowly recedes behind us.

Thanks to the gorgeous weather, the creative crew has spontaneously moved the evening dinner from the Waterside Restaurant out onto the sun deck. Here, an exquisite barbecue is served, complemented and rounded out by three types of appetizers, a soup, and a selection of fish, surf & turf, vegetable lasagna, as well as two delicious desserts. Every plate is a work of art and delights my palate.

The entire kitchen and service team is very flexible and, when the weather is nice, will often spontaneously move lunch and dinner service from indoors to the Vistadeck: this allows guests to enjoy the scenery even more – pure river pleasure with that special “Riverside touch.”
In keeping with the high Riverside standard, all tables are decoratively and lovingly arranged, and guests are personally attended to by the very attentive, well-trained staff. I enjoy watching the passing landscape bathed in the evening glow up here during this exclusive yet casual dinner.

Later in the evening, the entertainment takes place again in the Palm Court Lounge. Among other things, my trip includes a Viennese ballroom dancing class with the top-tier soloists of the Vienna Opera Ballet. But there’s also a culinary “program” here, featuring a wine and cheese tasting or the preparation of apple strudel according to a traditional recipe with the Mozart’s pastry chef. Finally, you can wind down the evening here comfortably to the piano music of entertainer Angel.
Those looking to deepen their knowledge of spirits would do well to stop by the Cove Bar next to the Palm Court. Here, cocktails and mocktails are expertly mixed, and the bartender is more than happy to share his expertise.

Art & Fine Dining

A new day filled with new delights begins: The buffet the next morning at the Waterside Restaurant leaves nothing to be desired. Or does it? A glance at the à la carte menu satisfies even those cravings in no time at all….
If you’d like to know where these outstanding dishes come from, follow “Chef” Johannes into the Mozart’s galley. Here, he and his 13-member team offer a behind-the-scenes tour of the kitchen, providing insights into the culinary DNA of Riverside.

All dishes are prepared fresh on board using high-quality, seasonal ingredients, many of which are sourced from local vendors. Bread, rolls, and pastries naturally come from the ship’s own bakery. The menus are adapted to the region being visited and change accordingly. Unfortunately, the kitchen tour has one downside for me: The Chef absolutely refuses to reveal the secret behind the delicious cookies served to us as a welcome treat…
The shore excursions are consistently well-organized and of high quality. They are conducted in small groups, or for individual participants depending on booking availability. Particularly noteworthy is the Riverside’s own bus, which is frequently used for the excursions. No one has to go thirsty along the way, as water bottles are either available to take with you on the ship or offered chilled for free on the bus.

Additionally, a brief port briefing for the following day is held in the Palm Court in the evening, and city maps and further information are available at the reception desk. Riverside is very well-prepared in these regards. I really appreciate the provided audio guide during the excursions, as it allows me to take beautiful photos at my own pace a few meters away from the tour guide while still hearing all the explanations. Great!
For those who prefer to explore on their own and in a more active way, Riverside has a fairly large fleet of ship-owned bicycles and e-bikes available. For example, you can leisurely explore the beautiful Danube landscape around the UNESCO-protected Wachau section between Krems and Melk—at your own pace, winding through rolling vineyards, past imposing castles, and picturesque churches.

Exhausted but happy, I’m personally greeted at the gangway as I board again: Cool towels and a refreshing drink instantly make you feel “right at home” one more time. In addition, the Mozart Bistro offers a variety of small delicacies between noon and 6 p.m. to help you recharge your batteries immediately and almost completely. A wonderfully beautiful Riverside setting.

SHIPS@SEA Resumée

So it comes as no surprise that the cuisine is consistently impressive. I didn’t encounter a single misstep, whether at the buffet or with the plated dishes.
I felt right at home in my suite from the very first moment and eventually even got used to my fully automatic toilet…
Overall, the MS Riverside Mozart impresses across the board. While the ship is technically a bit of an old-timer on the river, Riverside spared no expense during the recent renovations. You can see that immediately and almost everywhere. This ship presents itself absolutely modern and in top condition—hats off!

I’m thrilled: this is how river cruises should be—Riverside Luxury, indeed!

Want to experience more of Riverside’s river charm? Here, you’ll board MS Riverside Debussy and discover Riverside’s latest generation of ships on the waterways between Belgium and the Netherlands. For a quick overview, click here to view photos of the Riverside Debussy.

Advertisement: SHIPS@SEA traveled at the invitation of Riverside Luxury Cruises with the kind support of the TN agency, Hamburg.

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