Crystal Cruises will launch Crystal River Cruises with five luxury river yachts – three more than previously announced – with the first river vessel starting in 2016, a year earlier than planned.

President and CEO Edie Rodriguez announced today four newly built Crystal river yachts – twice the originally planned deployment – have been ordered for delivery in 2017 from the German shipyard Lloyd Werft.

Additionally, due what she said was strong demand for an earlier Crystal river experience, Crystal has also completed the purchase of the German built MS Mozart, the largest river cruise vessel in Europe. Following an extensive dry dock, the newly designed vessel will be renamed “Crystal Mozart” and embark on the Danube River on July 13, 2016.

“In response to travelers and travel agents’ enthusiasm for Crystal River Cruises, and through Crystal’s innovation, we are upping the ante once again, bringing “true luxury” to the river cruise sector with the largest guest suites and public spaces, the highest crew-to-guest-ratio and Crystal’s award-winning service,” said Rodriguez. “Once the transformation of Crystal Mozart is completed, it will truly be the crown jewel of the European rivers.”

The four new all-suite luxury river yachts will debut in June and August 2017, with suites of 220 square feet, deluxe suites of 250 square feet, a penthouse suite of 500 square feet and a two-bedroom Crystal Suite of 750 square feet, and all boasting plush amenities.

The new vessels will feature a Palm Court with dance floor and glass domed roof, a library, fitness center, spa, and sporting equipment such as electric assisted bicycles, kayaks, and jet skis. Designed with the maximum size to fit into the locks of rivers and under bridges, two of the Crystal River Yachts will cruise the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers with 110 guests. As for the other two, each with an 84-guest capacity, one will be cruising the Seine River and the other the Garonne and Dordogne rivers as well as navigating through the Gironde Estuary.