Croisi Europe
A family-owned French firm based in Strasbourg that started up in 1976 now operates one of the largest inland waters’ fleets in Europe with both river and canal boats.
The river cruises travel on waterways throughout Europe, providing one of the main attractions for those looking for less traveled destinations.
CroisiEurope is probably the most international of the riverboat lines we cover. Besides their Europe river cruise, their coastal cruises fan out from Naples to the Amalfi Coast, Aeolian Islands, and Sicily, from Naples to Greece, and along Croatian coast, Montenegro and more. They also offer river cruises in southeast Asia and island coastal cruises, beyond Europe.
The total fleet worldwide now numbers more than 55 vessels.
Croisi caters to English speakers as well as European nationalities, and bien sur, the French.
Why Go on a Croisi Europe Cruise?
A French cruise line with an international passenger list may appeal to English speakers who would like to travel with Europeans (with French, Belgian and French-speaking Swiss in the majority), rather than just mostly North Americans.
While the first language aboard is French, English is also used for all announcements and entertainment, and is widely spoken amongst the crew.
Overall Vibe of Croisi Europe
For some British and North Americans, the international experience of a Croisi Europe cruise is a major plus, though you will likely be in the minority. German, Italian and Spanish passengers may also be aboard.
To appeal to its international passenger mix, expect entertainment and activities to be things like dancing and live music from a duo on the electronic piano, plus visual games like charades and comedy sketches.
RELATED: Heidi takes her teens on a Bordeaux river cruise with CroisiEurope; read the review here.
RELATED: Here’s a Reader Review of a CroisiEurope Bordeaux river cruise.
Cost
$$ Moderate to Expensive
Croisi Europe’s Huge Fleet
CroisiEurope’s total fleet comprises more than 55 luxury river boats and small cruise ships, carrying from 22 to 20o passengers.
The river fleet numbers 40+. Here’s a listing for most of them.
(Note: A “P” following a ship’s name indicates Premium, the newest and heavily remodeled vessels with larger cabins and more amenities.)
Seine River
SEINE PRINCESS-P (b. 2002, renovated 2012, 134p)
BOTTICELLI (b. 2004, renovated 2010, 150p)
RENOIR-P (b. 2018, 110p)
Rhine & Danube Rivers
LA BOHEME (built 1995, renovated 2011, 162 passengers, 108 sq. ft. cabins)
BEETHOVEN (b. 2004, renovated 2010, 180p, cabins 140 sq. ft.)
LAFAYETTE-P (b. 2014, 86p.)
VIVALDI-P (b. 2009, 176p)
GERARD SCHMITTER-P (b. 2012, 174p)
EUROPE (b. 2006, renovated, 2011, 180p)
FRANCE (b. 1999, renovated 2011, 156p)
LEONARDO DA VINCI (b. 2oo3, renovated 2011, 174p)
MODIGLIANI (b. 2001, renovated 2011, 156p)
VICTOR HUGO (b. 2000, renovated 2019, 96p)
MONA LISA (b. 2000, renovated 2010, 96p)
SYMPHONIE-P (b. 2010, renovated 2017, 108p)
MONET (b. 1999, renovated 2007, 156p)
DOUCE FRANCE (b. 1997, renovated 2017, 110p)
Rhone & Saone Rivers
MISTRAL (b. 1999, 158p, cabins 118 sq. ft.)
VAN GOGH-P (b. 2018, 110p)
CAMARGUE-P (b. 2015, 108p)
RHONE PRINCESS (b. 2001/renovated 2011, 138p)
Garonne, the Gironde & the Dordogne Rivers
CYRANO DE BERGERAC-P (b. 2013, 174p, 140 sq. ft)
LOIRE PRINCESS-P (b. 2014, 96 p, cabin size N.A.), a sidewheel paddle boat with a shallow draft designed to negotiate shallow waters.
Douro River
GIL EANES-P (b. 2015, 32p, cabin size N.A.)
MIGUEL TORGA-P (b. 2016, 136p)
VASCO DA GAMA (b. 2002, 142p, cabins 129 sq. ft.)
INFANTE DOM HENRIQUE (b. 2003, renovated 2014, 142p)
FERNAO DE MAGALHAES (b. 2003, renovated 2011, 142p)
AMALIA RODRIGUES (b. 2019)
Elbe & Moldau Rivers
L’ELBE PRINCESSE-P (b. 2016, 80p, cabin size N.A.)
L’ELBE PRINCESSE II-P (b. 2018, 86p, cabin size N.A.); N.B. These two are paddle wheelers with the ability to navigate shallow waters to reach the center of Prague.
French Canals
Six French hotel canal barges built 2014-2016 and one renovated 2013; five taking 22p and one 24p, operating in Alsace, Burgundy, Champagne, Loire & Provence.
Southeast Asia
INDOCHINE, a colonial-style boat operates on the Mekong (b. 2008 and taking 48 passengers in 172 sq, ft. all outside cabins)
INDOCHINE II-P (b. 2017, 62 passengers, in 242 sq. ft. all outside cabins
LAN-DIEP (b. 2007, 44p)
TOUM TIOU I (b. 2002, 20p)
TOUM TIOU II (b. 2008, 28p)
BELLE DES OCEANS (built 1989 & 120p)
Coastal Ships
In addition, the CroisiEurope also runs LA BELLE DE L’ADRIATIQUE-P (b. 2007, renovated 2017, 198p), a five-deck oceangoing ship operating in the Mediterranean (Italy, Sicily, Croatia & Greece) with all outside 151sq. ft. cabins.
In October 2019, the line took on the former Silver Discoverer (Silverseas and originally built for the Japanese market as the Oceanic Grace in 1989) to operate as LA BELLE DES OCEANS (130 passengers) on itineraries in Africa, the Canaries and Europe.
RELATED: CroisiEurope Acquires Silver Discoverer.
A Brief Overview of Croisi Europe Destinations
The usual Europe rivers are included such as Rhine, Moselle, Elbe, Main, Danube, Seine, Soane, Rhone, Douro (Portugal), Gironde and Garonne (SW France), and St. Petersburg to Moscow along rivers, canals and across lake and reservoirs.
More unusual are the Guadalquivir and Guadiana rivers in Andalusia (Southern Spain); the Po in Northern Italy; the Loire from St. Nazaire inland to Nantes and Angers (via shallow-draft paddleboat); Amsterdam to Berlin (unusual route) via waterways that connect the Rhine and tributaries with the Elbe across Northern Germany; and the Elbe and Moldau inland as far as central Prague by new shallow-draft sternwheelers 80-passenger L’ELBE PRINCESSE and L’ELBE PRINCESSE II (2018) taking 86 passengers. That is a big plus and an exciting experience, unlike most lines that transfer the passengers by coach. A trans-Europe 26-day granddaddy embarks in Amsterdam and sails the Rhine and Danube, with connecting waterways, all the way to the broad Danube Delta and just short of the Black Sea. Some European river cruises operate nearly year-round.
Beyond Europe, Botswana‘s Chobe River in southern Africa plus Victoria Falls, and Mekong in Cambodia and Vietnam, are exotic options, plus ocean cruises to Malaysia and Thailand, India and Sri Lanka, the Persian Gulf, Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean.
In another category, canal cruises operate on waterways throughout France using 22-passenger barges. Coastal cruises operate from Naples to Italian ports, islands and Sicily, and in the Adriatic to mostly Croatian ports and Montenegro and Greece, including Corfu.
What’s Included?
All drinks, from wines to beer, cocktails and soft drinks, are included in fares during the main season from April to October.
For North American passengers, all excursions are included, from walking and motor coach tours, to even, for instance, a thrilling helicopter ride on the Bordeaux itineraries from Pauillac over the vineyards of the Medoc region.
Contact for Croisi Europe
Go to www.croisieuroperivercruises.com; 800-768-7232.
READ more here:
RELATED: Heidi takes her teens on a Bordeaux river cruise with CroisiEurope; read the review here.
RELATED: Here’s a Reader Review of a CroisiEurope Bordeaux river cruise.
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Always wanted to take a river cruise in Europe as I get sea sick.
We agree Richard, it’s a huge benefit of a river cruising !!