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CroisiEurope

History, Review, Itineraries, Ships, Deck Plans, News

CroisiEurope cruise line logo
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CroisiEurope fleet

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Review of CroisiEurope

The CroisiEurope travel brand ("Alsace Croisieres" until 1997, croisieurope.travel) is a family-owned and operated French cruise line based in Strasbourg. The brand primarily specializes in river cruising, along with coastal voyages in the Mediterranean. CroisiEurope was founded in 1976 by Gerard Schmitter, who chartered his first riverboat, MS Alsace, in 1982.

Company history and changes

CroisiEurope (CroisieuropeRiverCruises.com) is one of the largest river cruise companies in Europe and worldwide. Its vessels operate on major inland waterways across Europe (including rivers and canals in France), as well as in Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, India) and Africa (Egypt’s Nile River). The company also charters vessels that sail on Russia’s Volga River, Myanmar’s Irrawaddy River, and the Chobe and Zambezi rivers in southern Africa.

The company’s 2023 brochure featured a fleet of 55 vessels and over 170 itineraries—spanning rivers, canals, and oceans—across 39 waterways in 37 countries.

CroisiEurope logo

Two of CroisiEurope’s vessels are ocean-going. During the 1990s and 2000s, the company experienced rapid fleet expansion. As the fleet grew, CroisiEurope extended its operations beyond France. In 1999, Gerard Schmitter passed management of the company to his children.

CroisiEurope operates a fleet of premium riverboats on major European rivers. Passenger capacity ranges from 100 to 180, depending on the vessel. The fleet is partially renovated annually and professionally maintained. Most vessels were built in the 2000s, with many newbuilds launched after 2010. All ships are Bureau Veritas-certified.

French is the primary language onboard, though most staff also speak English and other European languages. Announcements are made in both English and French. CroisiEurope is known for its moderate pricing. Like most European river cruise lines, fares include beverages (soft drinks, beer, and wine by the glass) during lunch and dinner. During the high season (April through October), unlimited drinks including house spirits are offered. However, unlike many other brands, CroisiEurope passengers must pay extra for shore excursions (except on barge cruises), while other companies often include guided tours in their fares.

In addition to the Main Dining Room, ships feature an indoor Bar Lounge (Salon), which hosts the company’s enrichment program with daily lectures, media presentations, and evening entertainment such as regional performances, live music, and crew shows. The mezzanine-level Lobby (reception area) includes a small Gift Shop. The carpeted Sun Deck offers shaded seating areas for relaxation and sunbathing, along with the ship’s Wheelhouse (Bridge).

In 2006, CroisiEurope celebrated its 30th anniversary.

In 2007, the company launched CroisiMer—a subsidiary managing the sea-going fleet, including La Belle de l'Adriatique.

In 2010, the CroisiYacht brand was created to manage chartered voyages on Russia’s Volga River.

In 2014, CroisiEurope acquired "Compagnie Fluviale du Mekong" (Mekong River Cruise Company), adding four Mekong-based vessels to its fleet.

In 2025, CroisiEurope Australasia joined the CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), gaining access to over 6,000 travel agents across Australia and New Zealand. In March, the company announced the order of a new houseboat for deployment on the Amazon River (news ID 14524).

Barge cruises in France

Most barge cruise ships listed on CruiseMapper (excluding CroisiEurope’s) are grouped under European Waterways. CroisiEurope currently operates six luxury hotel barges cruising French canals. With a maximum passenger capacity of 22 per vessel, these small ships offer regularly scheduled departures with fixed itineraries, but can also be privately chartered with customized routes.

Chartering one of these six motorized/self-propelled barges—Deborah, Daniele, Anne Marie, Madeleine, Raymonde, and Jeanine—offers a unique vacation experience for friends or small family groups. Daily shore excursions at each visited port are included in the cruise fare.

 

Fleet expansion (new ships)

In March 2016, CroisiEurope announced plans to add four new riverboats to its fleet in 2017. These vessels were scheduled for deployment on the Mekong, Douro, Rhine, and Danube rivers. They joined the 2016-launched riverboats Elbe Princesse (80-passenger paddlewheel ship, designed for the Elbe River) and two 22-passenger hotel barges—Daniele (Burgundy) and Deborah (Briare Canal, Upper Loire Valley).

The new Douro ships—Miguel Torga (2016) and Amalia Rodrigues (2019)—are the company’s fifth and sixth vessels in Portugal. Each accommodates 132 passengers, with three decks and an aft sundeck with a swimming pool. Itineraries are roundtrips from Oporto, stopping in Vega de Terron, Ferradosa, Pinhao, and Regua.

Also in 2017, the Indochine 2 (announced in 2015) began operating on the Mekong River. This 60-passenger vessel features all-balcony cabins and is the company’s fifth Mekong ship. For Rhine and Danube itineraries, CroisiEurope also launched Symphonie 2 (April, 106 passengers, 54 cabins) and Douce France 2 (June, 135 passengers, 68 cabins) in 2017.

In 2019, CroisiMer added the ocean-going superyacht "Silver Discoverer," acquired from Silversea Expeditions. Originally built in 1989 as "Clipper Odyssey," the vessel was renamed La Belle des Oceans and joined La Belle de l'Adriatique in Q1 2020.

From South Africa, CroisiEurope offers Chobe River tours (including flights, hotels, and cruise) aboard two houseboats—African Dream (2017) and Zimbabwean Dream (2020).

CroisiEurope France river cruises

In 2016, CroisiEurope expanded its "Cruise and Bike Program" to include three European rivers, adding the Loire to existing offerings on the Danube and Rhine.

  • Loire River 8-day cruise and biking tours start at USD 4,880 per person aboard the Loire Princesse (launched in April 2015). These packages include professionally guided daily cycling trips, all meals, unlimited beverages, and complimentary Wi-Fi.
  • The program accommodates small groups (average 8, max 14 participants), with one group leader for every four passengers. The itinerary features guided walks in local towns and wine tastings ashore.
  • Additional options include the 8-day "Garonne Biking Cruise" (from USD 4,490 pp) and "Saone and Rhone Biking Cruise" (from USD 4,790 pp).
  • Early booking discounts (by October 31) offer 10% off per person.

All cruise tours include meals, unlimited drinks, and onboard Wi-Fi in the price.

(Coronavirus crisis) passenger shipping pause 2020-2021

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CroisiEurope suspended operations fleetwide—across both ocean and river vessels—canceling all scheduled voyages between March 14, 2020, and early July 2021.

Operations were initially expected to resume gradually in mid-2020, with the following restart dates: July 13 (Seine River), July 16 (Rhone River, Burgundy Canal barges), July 20 (Rhine River), July 26 (Mediterranean / Corsica via CroisiMer), July 31 (Loire and Danube Rivers), August 3 (Elbe River), August 7 (Douro River), August 13 (Croatia Adriatic cruises via CroisiMer), and August 26 (Gironde River). However, in October, all departures scheduled for November and December 2020 across Europe, Asia, and Africa were canceled.

All affected bookings received full refunds (100%). For new bookings, CroisiEurope offers penalty-free cancellations up to 30 days before departure, excluding booking fees and additional charges.

Itinerary of CroisiEurope

CroisiEurope operates on Europe's major waterways. The line specializes in France river cruises, including voyages aboard luxury hotel barge ships.

CroisiEurope boat deployments

CroisiEurope owns and operates the following vessels:

Mekong itineraries

CroisiEurope's Mekong voyages in Cambodia and Vietnam are seasonal and operate between August and April.

 

CroisiEurope is the only cruisetour company offering 6-day Douro River itineraries in Portugal. These voyages include towns not typically featured on other cruise lines’ itineraries, such as Folgosa and Ferradosa, as well as Senhora da Hora and Leverinho (both located in the Porto Metro City district).

 

CroisiEurope cruise ship tracker

Our CroisiEurope cruise ship tracker is integrated into all CroisiEurope river cruise review pages. At the bottom of each page, you’ll find a map showing the vessel’s current location (AIS position). All real-time tracking data is provided by VesselFinder. It’s designed for convenience—find out exactly where your CroisiEurope ship is cruising today along her current itinerary! Enjoy “luxury France” river cruising on your CroisiEurope vacation!

Note: You can view CruiseMapper's list of all river cruise ships and riverboats in the "itinerary" section of our River Cruises hub. All river cruise lines and their fleets are listed there.

CroisiEurope related cruise news