Peter Deilmann Cruises was a pioneer in bringing luxury to the river cruise industry. In the 1980's, the company was the first to design and build ships that reflected the style and amenities of oceangoing cruise ships but were keyed to the unique specifications of river cruising. The line continues to be a leader in luxury cruising. Readers of Conde Nast Traveler ranked Deilmann in the top 10 in small-ship cruising for the seventh year in a row.

The privately owned German company, based in the Baltic town of Neustadt in Holstein, was founded in 1968 can be booked through GolfAhoy Cruise Planners in the United States 877-415-5442. Entrepreneur Deilmann began by operating freighters, and then expanded to passenger service along the coast of Germany. In 1980, he introduced his first ocean-going ship, the MS Regina Maris; it was built in 1966. The same year, he took delivery of the larger MS Berlin, a brand-new ship that Deilmann built with a consortium of German investors. The Regina Maris was sold to become a yacht in 1982; the Berlin remained until 2004 and after a short stint on the Ukrainian market is now the exploration-oriented Spirit of Adventure for Saga Cruises.

Meanwhile, the luxury river fleet began in 1987 with the since-retired Danube Princess. The company's first brand-new river boats, the sister ships Prussian Princess (also retired) and Princesse de Provence, followed in 1991 in 1992; in 1993 the company's reputation got a major boost when they bought the Mozart, the most luxurious river vessel in Europe, from its original Austrian owners, who left the overnight river cruise market. (Almost two decades after being built, Mozart remains arguably the most luxurious riverboat in all of Europe -- and despite being the oldest in the Deilmann fleet, is still the flagship of the company's river fleet today.)

The river fleet continued to be built up in the later 1990's both with brand-new boats and a number of "nearly new" ones bought from competitors. The 1990's also brought expansion to the ocean-going fleet with the sailing vessel Lili Marleen in 1994 and then, in 1998, the 513-passenger Deutschland. Far larger than the company's previous ocean-going vessels, the Deutschland was also the first and so far only one to be marketed outside the German-speaking countries, and has gained a fine reputation for a very upscale, very traditional and uniquely German experience.

Peter Deilmann, by now a legend in the German cruise industry, died in 2003, but the company remains a family operation run by his twin daughters, Gisa and Hedda Deilmann. They continue to expand the company with new vessels and new programs. The recent retirement of the two smaller ocean-going ships, the Berlin and Lili Marleen, as well as some of the older riverboats like the pioneering Danube Princess, has increased the quality of the fleet and further focused the company on the luxury segment of the market.

 

Peter Deilmann Cruises offers some 270 departures on European river itineraries ranging in length from 7 to 17 nights sailing between late March and early November; the Deutschland offers cruises to Northern Europe from German ports in the summer and to other destinations worldwide during the rest of the year. There are special-interest programs with golf cruises on the Seine, Rhone and Danube; countryside cycling on cruises on the Danube, Seine, Rhone and Elbe in France, Germany, Austria and Hungary; and music cruises on the Danube and Seine. Travelers can book garden cruises on sailings on the Rhone, Seine, Rhine and Danube and new hiking cruises on the Princesse de Provence on the Rhone. Deutschland's ocean cruises also have a wide range of themes, from golf and gardening to the Finnish Tango.

Independent cruise tours include the Ultimate Cruise Tour to Lake Como, Venice, Paris and the Seine; and Best of the Elbe and Danube. Among perennial favorites, the company offers "European Capitals" with extensions to Prague and Munich; the "Romance of France," highlighting the south of France; and "Elbe Explorer," which features longer stays in Prague and Berlin on Elbe River cruises.

A family of nine vessels navigates the great rivers of Europe. All of the Deilmann riverboats have elegant furnishings, panoramic dining rooms and lounges, spacious sun decks, gift shops, and an infirmary, with a qualified doctor onboard every sailing. With the exception of three inside cabins on the Mozart, all ships offer only outside cabins; many cabins on the newest vessels feature French balconies, as is currently the trend for river vessels.

The newest member of the fleet is the 110-passenger Heidelberg, launched in spring 2004. Cabins are a spacious 190 square ft. and the ship's facilities include a fitness center and spa with sauna, steam room and massage facilities. Cabins on two of the four decks feature full-length French doors.

Three other recent five-star additions are smaller but also offer full-length doors in upper-deck cabins: the 96-passenger Casanova, built in 2001; the 79-passenger Frederic Chopin was launched in 2002; and the Frederic Chopin's older sister, the 79-passenger Katharina von Bora, built in 2000 and refurbished in 2004. All three beautifully appointed ships provide standard cabins of 130 square ft. and junior suites of 140 square ft.

The flagship of the company's river fleet is the five-star Mozart, built in 1987 and continually refurbished, most recently in 2003. The 200-passenger Mozart boasts the roomiest cabins of any riverboat at 203 square ft., and the largest suites at 406 square ft. It has an indoor pool, solarium, sauna and fitness center -- unusual amenities for river cruise vessels. The Mozart's entire 20-year career has been spent on the Danube, for which it was specially designed; this is one of the most popular river itineraries in Europe.

Built in 1991, bought by Deilmann in 1994 and most recently refurbished in 2004, the 106-passenger, five-star Dresden has cabins averaging 130 square ft., while suites offer 250 square ft.

 

Two Peter Deilmann boats operate in France: the five-star, 100-passenger Cezanne, built in 1993, was purchased in 2000 and completely refurbished; cabins measure 162 to 178 square feet and cabins on the upper deck have French balconies. While the Cezanne navigates the Seine in the north, the slightly larger Princesse de Provence's home waters are the Rhone and Saone in the south. One of the company's two remaining four-star riverboats along with the Konigstein, it was built in 1992 and most recently refurbished in 2004. Unusually for a boat this age, it features cabins with French doors on the upper deck; all cabins are 128 square ft.

The smallest boat in the Deilmann fleet is Konigstein; the company's other four-star vessel. Built in 1992, acquired in 1998 and last refurbished in 2002, all 29 cabins aboard measure 130 square ft.

Finally there is the Deutschland, Deilmann's five-star ocean-going cruise ship. Measuring 22,400 gross tons and carrying 513 passengers, the Deutschland offers dining in three restaurants; an elegant, two-level ballroom; both indoor and outdoor swimming pools; lounges; bars; a promenade deck; and -- as is common on German ships -- an expansive spa and health facility. Unusual for a luxury ship, the Deutschland's standard cabins are rather small at 139 to 154 square ft.; luxury cabins and suites are larger at 195 to 382 square ft. There are only two balconies. The Deutschland's claim to fame is a unique interior decor designed to recall the great German ocean liners of the early 20th century; rooms like the two-deck-high Kaiser's Ballroom are far grander than one might expect on a ship this size.

Peter Deilmann's river fleet delivers a small, floating-hotel experience. The company's forte is service, boasting one crew member for every 2.5 passengers. Dining is another strong emphasis. Six lavish meals are served daily, including afternoon tea and a midnight snack. Meals are served at a single seating in panoramic dining rooms.

Passengers enjoy a breakfast buffet plus entrees to order, multi-course lunches plus salad and cold cut buffets, and dinners that run six to nine courses. European wines including those from vineyards along the itinerary are available at an extra charge. Live music is offered nightly, and low-key entertainment is available many nights. The boats are handsomely appointed and feature items from the eclectic, wide-ranging but high-quality art collection of the late founder Peter Deilmann. Bedding consists of European-style duvets with feather pillows and eiderdowns; synthetic materials are available on request. Cabins are equipped with TV's (most programming in German), radios and telephones; hair dryers, terry robes and slippers are supplied or available on request.

The Deutschland takes a different approach to Luxury Ocean cruising than more mainstream vessels. Termed a "floating grand hotel" by the company, the ship's cabins are far smaller and less elaborate than most other luxury vessels (though they are beautifully furnished). The emphasis is on food, service and enrichment programming onboard such as lectures and classical concerts. The main dining room features two seating’s for dinner; there's also a no-charge alternative restaurant with even higher-quality cuisine.

 

Peter Deilmann's river cruise passengers range in age from 45 to 70, with an average age of 55 to 60. Passengers tend to be 70 percent German-speaking and 30 percent English-speaking though the proportion on individual sailings can be as high as 50/50 and on a few occasions Americans are in the majority. The favorite itineraries with Americans are the Danube, Seine, Rhone and Rhine Rivers. Even when the majority of passengers are German-speaking, language isn't a problem. Shore excursions are offered in both German and English. Onboard, the crews are multilingual. Announcements, daily programs and menus are in both languages. English-speaking passengers are seated at meals with fellow English speakers.

On the Deutschland, the proportion of English-speaking to German-speaking passenger is much smaller; nevertheless, just as on the river cruises, the company maintains a fully bilingual product and English-speaking passengers are welcome.

 

Deilmann's riverboats sail most of Europe's great rivers. In 2007, the Heidelberg operates along the Rhine, Moselle, and smaller rivers and canals in the Netherlands and Belgium. The Casanova operates along the Rhine, Moselle, Neckar, Rhine-Main Canal and the Danube. The Katharina von Bora and Frederic Chopin both run along the Elbe, Havel, Moldau and Oder. The Mozart operates along the Danube. The Dresden navigates the Elbe, Havel and Moldau. The Cezanne navigates along the Seine, and the Princesse de Provence along the Rhone and Saone. The tiny Konigstein spends the year along the Rhine and the smaller Dutch and Belgian rivers and canals.

The ocean-going Deutschland sails in the summer from German ports to the British Islands, the Baltic and North Seas. The ship spends the rest of the year on wide-ranging worldwide itineraries including the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, the Red Sea, the Caribbean, Mexico, South America and Asia.