Chose this cruise for (1) all inclusive and no nickel and diming us; (2) biking excursions to offset the awesome French food, and (3) size of ship with 174 passengers. A+ on all 3 reasons for going with CroisiEurope, and specifically the biking excursion alternative. Cabin and services were good, finding more room than I anticipated. Also appreciated that our window fully opened to watch as we traveled the rivers. Food was divine for lunch and dinner - 3 and 4 courses for each of these meals. Their ability to adapt and provide alternatives to dislikes was immediate! We got to really know almost all the servers! Breakfast croissants and pain au chocolat were deadly good! French eggs and bacon would be considered uncooked, but asked them for "well done". Biking excursions with Dig N Go was the only way to see this region. We were biking through quintessential French country roads and in between vineyards!!! Bikes accommodated us short people, which was a worry. Started out too fast-paced for what we expected, but the group pace slowed down significantly toward the end, accommodating our desire for photos of everything. Our guides Martin, Sam and Philippe were very helpful and knowledgeable about where we were. Highlight for us - St. Emilion and Arcachon/Cap Ferrat rides! Everything was included! Apero as we waited for dinner to start! Wine and oyster tasting - all included. I absolutely loved that fact! Would pick a CroisiEurope trip again! I can't find enough superlatives! Read Less

I was with a tour group originating in the US - the river cruise was part of a longer tour in the South of France. Apart from our small group of Americans, most of the other guests on the ship were French people of a certain age. The ship itself is fairly unimpressive compared to Viking or some of the larger river cruise lines but, in my view, the smaller size is actually a plus since lends to an air of intimacy. The cabins are small, as you would expect on any ship, but the bathroom is especially so. The mattress on the bed is very thin and began to hurt my back towards the end of the cruise. Croisi offers an open bar for basic wines and liquors and charges a small fee for top shelf brands. Even though I don't drink much alcohol, I really appreciated not being nickled and dimed for every beverage consumed including soda, juices and water. With the exception of the purser, most of the ship's personnel weren't especially personable and some were downright unfriendly. Food in general was good with the exception of the breakfast buffet that offered undercooked eggs, a sparse selection of cold cuts and canned fruits (but delicious croissants and bread.) Lunch and dinner consisted of 3 or 4 courses. Options on the main course are not offered. (If you have food allergies or just don't like a particular entree, they will do their best to accommodate you but you must make arrangements yourself with the purser.) The entertainment in the bar--primarily a gentleman who played the keyboard and occasionally, the violin-- was all right if not always to my taste. In summary, this cruise is a great value and was very enjoyable so, Yes, I would take another CroisiEurope tour. Read Less

I sailed in late April through the beginning of May on the Gironde River with Road Scholar. We embarked in Bordeaux in the evening and it went smoothly; the crew took our bags to our rooms right away. My previous river cruise experience was with AMA-waterways on the Danube River, so that would be my point of comparison. The cabin was spacious with plenty of storage in closets and on shelves; I traveled solo, so had lots of room. The Ship had mostly French passengers and that was the major language. Any translations for the English-speaking guests was abbreviated. The ability to speak French would be a definite plus. Our group dined together at assigned tables at a fixed time. The food was good, but it was a set menu and nothing fancy ( like an exotic or decadent desert). Breakfast was the least good meal with runny eggs and boil your own eggs (in not very hot water). You could review the menu in the morning and let the purser know if you needed to have something different, but you couldn't say what. The staff was outstanding and worked very hard to please. Jose, the purser, was also outstanding. He always had a smile, no matter what was going on. Our shore excursions were handled by our group leader, so I cannot comment on those offered by the ship. We had wine (of our choice) with lunch and dinner and open bar at other times. The Croisi trip was a very different experience from the AMA one. It was less luxurious, but it was also less expensive. I would sail on Croisi again and I would recommend it, but it helps to know what to expect. Read Less

My partner and I, both 87 years old, have just returned from a superb cruise on "La Princesse d'Aquitaine", cruising the Gironde estuary. We started from a local pick-up point with our holiday coach, Angela Holidays, and embarked at Portsmouth for Cherbourg. An overnight stop at Hotel Mercure, Cesson, Rennes, was extremely comfortable. We continued our journey to Bordeaux, arriving in time for the evening dinner. Our cases were taken from the coach to our cabins by members of the crew - we didn't have to do a thing! This quality of service was the norm and continued throughout the voyage. There were perhaps about 130 passengers, English and French, which I found delightful. Having cruised on one of the large cruise liners to the Carribean, scarcely seeing the same person twice, the more intimate small vessel ensured that we talked to one another! The vessel benefited from very good air conditioning, necessary in the 32 deg heat. Shore excursions were good, we were lucky in having our own driver who followed us to whichever port we were scheduled to stop. Our cabin was always cool and comfortable. Plenty of cupboards and enough hanging space for the two of us. The entertainment was good, with an accomplished musician most of the time who played a keyboard and also gave us a violin recital. The crew gave us a memorable evening too - full of laughs! Added to this a French group with an excellent male singer came aboard one evening and we had a very nostalgic evening listening to some of the old French songs which we all knew from the past, "La mer" for instance. I cannot stress how good the food was! Very well presented and served by the crew members. The wine was good, and being all inclusive, drinks were available at any time, staff bringing your order to you, on the upper deck or the salon! When disembarkation came, all was done for us as at the arrival, cases picked up from outside our cabins, taken directly to our coach. Our return journey was broken at La Rochelle, where we stopped to sight-see and lunch, then on to Dinan for our overnight stop, before boarding the Brittany Ferries vessel "Bretagne" at St. Malo. This was a truly memorable holiday and can't be too highly recommended, the vessel, the crew and the scenery, were so good. Above all, our thanks must go to Angela Holidays, our courrier, Peter, and our driver, Don. They were truly exellent. Read Less

I booked this cruise because we had a limited duration for a vacation and a certain window which we could go. I took my 18 year old daughter who needed to be back to start college at the end of June. I warned her it would be an older crowd and it was. She was the youngest, and I, in my early 50’s, was probably the 2nd youngest. It is primarily a French-speaking crowd. There were 4 people from the UK and then 7 other Americans. We were seated with the Americans, which made conversations much easier. They were a delight and we had a marvelous time together. You are assigned a table so we sat with them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Wine is served with lunch and dinner and there is an open bar in the lounge (although limited selection) from 10 a.m. until about midnight. We only closed it down once. There is no menu to select from; you get what the chef decides. The menu is on channel 91 in your room, so if you don’t want something, you can tell them earlier in the day. One man at our table didn’t eat pork. He had told the cruise line before they left the US, and they accommodated with no problem. My daughter and I just ate what was served, even though normally in the US, I wouldn’t eat some of it. We were living the French life. It was all prepared well and I did come back a few pounds heavier. There is free WiFi on the ship. You need an access code for each device but that was easy to get at the lobby. Connections were spotty. I could connect from my room (305) but my daughter with her iPhone could not. It worked best in the lounge. Good excuse to have a cocktail before dinner. When we booked the cruise, we also booked the excursions as we got a discount. The first day, you board the ship in the late afternoon, have dinner on-board, but the ship didn’t leave until the next morning. Same upon return. We were in Bordeaux on the 4th night, had dinner on the ship, took the Bordeaux at night excursion, came back to the ship, had a cocktail and went to bed. They served breakfast the next day and only asked that you were out-of-the-rooms by 9 a.m. They would store your bags or let you sit in the lounge area until you needed to leave. Jose, the pursuer, did a wonderful job making sure everyone had a nice time. There was music at night in the lounge which was quite nice for such a small ship. A couple of nights, the crew put on a show. The excursions are by 2 buses. We were assigned the bus with a guide who spoke both in French and in English. Sometimes, we had headphones to help us hear as we spread out. They tell you to wear good walking shoes but there isn’t a lot of walking other than one stop, the roads are cobblestone and a bit steep so I wouldn’t recommend heels or shoes that slip. We only went to two wineries; wish we could have done a little more wine tasting and learning. The morning of the first day, they did have a gentleman come on-board and give us a class with 3-4 wine tastings. I couldn’t say enough good things about how friendly the staff was and how efficient the ship was run. I would go another CroisiEurope cruise again. My daughter might even say the same thing. Read Less

Four of us took this CroisiEurope cruise as the first of two in June 2015. The staff could not have been more accommodating! Food was delicious...breakfast was a buffet, but both lunch and dinner were plated. Personally, I do not like buffets, so this was perfect for me! The excursions were ALL very interesting and informative. Our favorite was the one to Arcachon Bay...which we weren't even planning on participating in! We all had an amazing time! This is one of the least expensive river cruise lines...they have been in business for 40 years in Europe and only recently started selling to North America...that's why you haven't heard of them...yet! Read Less

Although I've been on lots of ocean cruises, this was my first river cruise experience. I had precise dates for the cruise, due to being booked into a chateau in the Bordeaux region mid-May. After a lengthy search for Bordeaux cruises in May, I happened across CroisiEurope, which went exactly where we wanted to go and at the right time. And also, when I saw the price, I knew it was exactly what we wanted. The shp was moored in central Bordeaux (Chartrons) - a lovely area with plenty of things within walking distance. The ship is quite small compared to the big players - holding about 150 people in all. We were greeted by the crew, who helped us with our bags to our cabin on the lower deck. The cabins are smallish but functional, the bathroom is tiny but didn't really bother us (except for the shower curtain which tended to stick to you!). There are no drawers (except in the side tables) but plenty of shelf space and hanging space. Only amenities are a TV and hairdryer but, again, we didn't spend much time in the cabin so no big deal for us. I'd say the cabins were a little dated but they were very clean. Being a small ship, there is also a small crew, who seem to do everything - serving, cleaning, entertaining. All spoke very good English and were very friendly. The ship has a bar, restaurant, small shop and sun deck. Entertainment was mainly a pianist/violinist as well as a crew show and some quizzes. There is only one sitting for dinner (about 7-7.30) and we were sat with English speaking guests, who were great fun. Food was very good; if there was something you didn't want, they would go out of their way to get you something else. The bar was the main hub of activitiy and there were free drinks all day and all night. It was a very nice place to go and relax after a day's sightseeing and it closed about midnight, so not a lot of noise (we were directly below it!). There was a 'cocktail of the day', which of course I had to sample for this review! Wine was available at the dinner talbe for free and they had some very good choices (or you could bring your own, as some people who visited wineries did). We sailed mainly in the mornings, so had a chance to relax and watch the beautiful scenery go past. Moorings were generally right in town so walkable. We didn't do any of the excursions, but I heard that most of them were very good. Be warned that most places are closed Sunday and Monday, so in hindsight it may have been a good idea to go on the excursions on those days. We stopped a Pauillac firstly and were given a private wine tasting by one of the few shops open on a Sunday, then onto Blaye, where we morred beside the Citadel, an absolutely gorgeous place with lovey shops and cafes. Our final stop before our overnighter in Bordeaux was Libourne, which has a train to St Emilion (another gorgeous lace). Finally back to Bordeaux and our gala dinner. This is a family run business and extremely good value for money. It is a 'budget' cruise, in that there are not many frills, but well worth it. Free bar, great food, lovely crew, free wifi and good itinerary. Nice to be on a small ship, where lots of friends were made. Croisieurope has cruises all over Europe, so we'll definitely try another one in the future. Read Less

I got off the Coisieurope boat two days ago. Staff was very pleasant and helpful. Jerome, purser, and Golo spoke English well enough that we generally understood each other. All staff worked very hard and usually had a smile although most spoke no English. The cabin was,modern and well designed and except the shower. It was hand held. There was no way to use it without flooding the bathroom. We always got extra towels in order sop up the water and not slip. Still, I slipped and got a bruise on my face and one on my knee. Very few of the passengers spoke English. Announcements were in French with a one minute translation. The food service was a major problem for me. Breakfast was a buffet which was rarely refilled. Thus, you had to go early to get eggs. We were aware that there was no choice for lunch or dinner when we booked this river cruise. Both lunch and dinner were four course hot meals. Portions were very large, usually drowning in gravy. Special requests could be made before each meal. I got chicken the first night and it was fine. I ordered the same thing the second night and it tasted like it was reheated from the night before . After that, I ordered cheese and fruit for almost every meal. An English speaking lady at our table called the food passable . All of this was particularly disappointing because I expected better from a French cruise company. Wine was good and you could get as much as you wanted. The bar was open all day. Most alcohol was included in the fare. Perhaps the French liked the food. I don't know. We chose this company on our own. They are trying to become known in the American market. I would never go again with this company. Read Less

The hallmark of French cuisine is fresh food that is prepared from the best of ingredients. This ship featured food that had been frozen, canned or refrigerated for an excessive amount of time. The cuts of meat were mediocre in quality. The sauces were not prepared well- they were often heavy and gloppy. Pastries and bread suffered from freezing or over refrigeration and had little or no taste. I guess many people were satisfied because the portions were so large.You get 3 large meals each day. The wines were good. Some of the cheeses were wrapped in foil. The staff on the boat were excellent. The cabins were arranged well and offered adequate space. One negative was the shower which couldn't be set in a way that didn't flood the bathroom. I believe that CroisiEurope is trying to make in roads in the U.S. Market. It won't do so unless it improves its food. Read Less