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By Heidi Sarna, with Judi Cuervo
You’ve done the Danube, seen the Seine and rolled on the Rhine. Now it’s time to experience a hidden world of Europe river cruises.
It’s not surprising that the best way to discover unique Europe River cruise routes is with the European leader in river cruising: CroisiEurope.
While not widely known in North America, this Strasbourg, France-based family-run business was launched in 1976 as charter operator Alsace Crosieres to offer day cruises in the Strasbourg area. In 1982, Gerard Schmitter purchased his first boat L’Alsace 1, and offered cruises along the romantic Rhine to Rüdesheim, Germany.
The company grew and prospered, and in 1984 Schmitter purchased and renovated three boats to offer cruises with nights on board along the Rhine, Neckar, Moselle, Sarre and the waterways of Holland.
Schmitter’s success launching river cruising in France continued and in 1990 the company designed and built its first new river ship, the MS Liberte.
Today, CroisiEurope operates a fleet of more than 50 modern ships around the world, with more than 30 based on the rivers of Europe, including many unique Europe river cruise itineraries.
(The company also offers sailings in Southern Africa, Vietnam and Cambodia, Egypt and India — a total 170 itineraries in 37 countries. And launching in 2027, the RV Brasilian Dream cruising the Amazon and Rio Negro.)
International Flair
Setting them apart from the competition, CroisiEuorpe’s secret sauce is in offering river cruising in Europe with an international flavor. French gastronomy and wines feature many French and European favorites and onboard you’ll be mingling with travelers from all over the world.
You’ll cruise with North Americans (a growing segment for CroisiEurope), but the majority of CroisiEurope guests hail from France, Germany, Spain and other European countries, making for a wonderful international onboard ambience.
And don’t worry about language barriers, French and English are the official languages aboard all CroisiEurope cruises. Rest assured, crew members and tour guides are fluent in both and most are multi-lingual, speaking several European languages.
My first CroisiEurope river cruise was in the Bordeaux region, a 5-night adventure through France's famous wine area. We loved it — the food and wine were especially appealing, the crew hard-working and professional, and the itinerary superb, with memorable excursions.
READ: Here’s Heidi's review of her CroisiEurope Bordeaux river cruise.
RELATED: Peter Knego's reviews his CroisiEurope Rhine River cruise.
Croisi's Unique Europe River Cruise Options
What’s most interesting about CroisiEurope, is that unlike other river lines operating in the region, CroisiEurope focuses on offering a number of unique Europe river cruise itineraries — routes that are a bit off the beaten track and not widely available by other companies, if at all.
It’s time that river cruise fans discover CroisiEurope and, through them, something truly special — a world of fascinating river cruising in Europe and beyond.
Here are 6 CroisiEurope itineraries in Europe to consider for your next holiday:
1. The Guadalquivir and Guadiana Rivers — Spain
CroisiEurope is the only river cruise line that sails these rivers in the magical Anadalusia region in Spain. Aboard these cruises you can visit Cadiz, Granada and Seville with its spectacular cathedral, or marvel at the sand dunes and migratory birds of Donana National Park.
And you’ll certainly say “ole’!” to a taste of the sweet, salty and savory Jamon Iberico. In fact, that luscious ham stars in CroisiEurope’s culinary-themed sailing, The Jamon Iberico Route and the Pueblos Blancos, a weeklong adventure that visits the Jabugo region where you’ll learn how pigs are raised and the process involved in making this world-renowned delicacy.
Guadalquivir and Guadiana sailings are aboard the 176-guest MS LaBelle de Cadix, a river boat that features a swimming pool on its sundeck.
2. Po River and Canal Bianco, Venice and its Lagoon — Italy
Most of us have visited Venice…but not the way CroisiEurope does it on the line’s unique Europe River cruise itineraries in Italy.
On sailings of the Canal Bianco and the Po River (when water levels allow), as well as Venice and its Lagoon, you’ll visit classic sites like St. Mark’s Square and Doge’s Palace and be awed by works by Tintoretto and Veronese. You’ll delve deeper than the big cruise ships coming to the region ever could.
Thanks to the compact size of your Croisi river boat, enjoy cruising around the Venice's lagoon and picturesque canals, plus the joy of mooring close to Saint Mark’s Square. Inside the Venetian Lagoon, discover the remote islands of Venice and hidden treasures like Mantua, a 14th-century gem of Italian art and architecture.
Surrounded by three lakes fed by the Mincio River, Mantua, with its imposing Ducal Palace, House of Gonzaga and its Bridal Chamber filled with frescos and paintings by Andrea Mantegna, adds to the magic of Venice as you’ve never seen it before.
And on the Po River, your CroisiEurope river boat will be nimble enough to navigate the river to Burano and Murano.
The 154-guest MV Michelangelo is home for those sailing these 5- to 10-night itineraries.
3. The Loire River — France
From the hustle and bustle of Paris to the magical castles and chateaux of The Loire Valley, CroisiEurope delivers an outstanding and authentic French experience the way only a France-based company can.
Wine lovers, particularly those fond of the native Sancerre and Muscadet, will drink up this experience that navigates the Loire River through Saint-Nazaire, Nantes, Chalonnes-Sur-Loire and Ancenis before returning to Paris.
Fans of classic cruise liners will also enjoy a visit to the 267-acre shipyard at the seaside town of Saint-Nazaire. The shipyard, which produced some of the most iconic French transatlantic liners in history and now constructs today’s modern cities at sea, welcomes CroisiEurope guests for a tour that explains the stunning logistics and high technology required to build today’s cruise ship.
CroisiEurope built the 96-guest MS Loire Princesse in 2015 in Saint-Nazaire expressly for its Loire Valley sailings. It features unique side paddle wheels, and a large fireplace located in the middle of the ship’s lounge.
4. Sava and Tisza Rivers — Hungary, Serbia & Croatia
You may have sailed the Danube but there’s more to that river than the heavily trafficked route you’ve likely navigated. In the center of the Danube’s path, you’ll find major tributaries — the Tisza and Sava Rivers — that flow through Hungary, Serbia and Croatia on their way to the Black Sea.
CroisiEurope explores this rarely travelled route with a journey that reveals the wild heart of these countries, their culture, history, breathtaking architecture and landscapes.
On the itinerary — From the Tisza to the Danube, Through the Real Hungary — you’ll indulge in the magical wines of the Tokaj region; cruise the Great Southern Plain on your way to Novi Sad, the second largest city in Serbia; and delve into Hungarian history at the open-air Ópusztaszer National Heritage Park Museum.
Sava River sailings explore the northern limit of the Balkans, with the two sources of the Sava located in the alpine region of north-western Slovenia. The two sources meet at Radovljica, the border between Bosnia and Croatia, with cruises navigating across the plain of Vojvodina to experience the mosaic of cultures that comprise Serbia.
Sava and Tisza river cruises are offered aboard the 94-guest MS Mona Lisa, launched in 2000 and renovated in 2010. The Mona Lisa also sails the Elbe, the Danube and the Rhine.
5. Barge Canal Cruises — France
There are many cruise barges plying the canals of France, but CroisiEurope’s offers you purpose-built, luxury hotel barge cruising with the exceptional French gastronomy, fine wines, service and all-inclusive cruising they are known for onboard their river cruise fleet.
Imagine navigating the canals of France and Belgium aboard a 22-passenger barge, discovering history, regional flavors and heritage along the way. Unlike other river cruise lines, CroisiEurope offers not only unique Europe River cruise options aboard 100- to 180-passenger river boats, but also micro cruising on the canals of France for just a handful of guests.
The 7-day Charming Provence itinerary, for instance, is a peaceful journey from Arles to Sete along a route filled with breathtaking scenery, charming towns and historic sites. Excursions include exploring the beautiful Camargue, the oyster farms of Etang De Thau, olive oil production in Arles, and the Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert, acknowledged to be one of the most beautiful villages in France.
The stylish 11-cabin two-deck MS Anne-Marie features an outdoor hot tub to relax in while enjoying the area’s beautiful landscapes.
6. The Elbe and Vltava Rivers — Germany & the Czech Republic
From a round-trip, 5-night Elbe River cruise out of Prague to a 9-night package that begins in Berlin and continues on to the Vltava River, discover the diversity and authenticity of some of the most fascinating cities of Germany and the Czech Republic.
Marvel at the beauty of the gardens of Berlin’s Sanssouci Palace and the astonishing rock formations of the Czech Republic’s Elbe Sandstone Mountains or delight in the handmade porcelain china and figurines that have been created in Meissen since 1710.
The 81-passenger Elbe Princesse is a two-deck paddle-wheel-style riverboat that was introduced in 2016.
(NOTE: The Elbe experiences significant variations in water levels. If necessary, CroisiEurope may require transfer of its guests to a second ship to complete the itinerary.)
CroisiEurope’s Incredible Value
In addition to being known for its well-maintained Europe river cruise vessels and a casual onboard elegance, CroisiEurope is recognized for its value, with reasonable fares that include complimentary wine/beer/spirits/soft drinks; a selection of shore excursions, both active and more traditional ones, in each port; and onboard wi-fi.
Further, special discounts of up to 50% are regularly posted on the line’s website. And solo sailors will be delighted to know that the line has some of the lowest solo supplements in the industry, and in fact, CroisiEurope regularly offers a number of sailings with no additional solo supplement.
Hope you enjoyed learning more about these 6 unique Europe river cruise itineraries offered by CroisiEurope.
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HEIDI SARNA
