MS Sans Souci

MS Sans Souci sails on the Oder River (between Stralsund and Berlin), the Leine River (between Hanover and Hamburg), and the Elbe River (between Dresden and Prague). Some itineraries also operate on the Havel River, Kiel Canal, Midland Canal (Mittellandkanal), Moldau (Vltava) River, and Saale River. Cruisetour itineraries visit ports in three countries — Germany, Poland (Szczecin), and the Czech Republic. The boat is currently operated under charter by the German cruise tour company Plantours Kreuzfahrten.

The Restaurant offers buffet-style breakfast, waiter-served lunch, multi-course dinner, and Afternoon Tea service (with cake buffet). Additional onboard facilities include a Lobby area (Reception, Tour Desk, Library), lift (passenger elevator connecting both cabin decks), staircase (between Upper Deck and Sun Deck), Panorama Lounge and Bar (forward, with large slanted windows, comfortable seating, and dance floor), Souvenir Shop, Gym, and Sauna.

The Sun Deck (Solarium) is the ship’s top deck, featuring shaded seating (retractable awnings), sun loungers, deckchairs, 4-seat tables, and a telescopic Wheelhouse. A 5-hole putting green (mini-golf course) is located aft. On certain canal and river sections, access to the Sun Deck may be restricted due to low bridge clearance.

The onboard language is German, but the Tour Guides, Cruise Director, and key crew members also speak English. Wi-Fi is available for a fee.

Cabins

The ship has 40 passenger cabins (for 80 guests), all similarly sized at 11–12 m² (120–130 ft²). Each cabin features two lower beds (twins convertible to a double) with bedside cabinets. All staterooms are outside and offer en-suite bathrooms (washbasin, shower, WC, hairdryer), flat-screen TV (satellite reception), phone, mini-fridge, mirrored desk (dressing table with chair), wardrobe, electronic safe (in the closet), wall-to-wall non-opening windows, and individually controlled air-conditioning. Some cabins also include sofabeds.

Cruise Itineraries

Departure ports (homeports) include Hamburg, Kiel, Berlin, Bremen, Stralsund, Amsterdam, and Prague.

The 10-day / 9-night “ELBE AND MOLDAVIA CRUISE” (Hamburg to Prague) visits Hamburg (overnight), Lauenburg, Domitz (overnight), Wittenberg, Tangermunde (overnight), Magdeburg (overnight), Dessau, Wittenberg (overnight), Torgau, Meissen (overnight), Dresden (overnight), Pillnitz, Bad Schandau, Locks Steti (Czech Republic, overnight), Melnik, Mirejovice, and Prague (overnight).

The 8-day / 7-night “HAVEL AND ELBE CRUISE” (Berlin to Hamburg) visits Potsdam (overnight), Brandenburg (overnight), Pritzerbe, Rathenow, Havelberg (overnight), Tangermunde (overnight), Domitz (overnight), Lauenburg (overnight), Stade, and Hamburg (overnight).

The 7-day cruise tour from Bremen to Amsterdam visits Elsfleth, Oldenburg, Kampe, Dorpen, Papenburg, Leer, Emden, Delftzijl, Groningen, Sneek, Leeuwarden, Hoorn, and Amsterdam (debarkation).

The 8-day cruise tour from Kiel to Berlin (on the Havel and Elbe rivers) visits Brunsbuttel, Hamburg (overnight), Geesthacht, Hitzacker, Wittenberge (overnight), Havelberg, Ketzin, Potsdam, and Berlin (disembarkation).

The 8-day cruise tour from Berlin to Stralsund visits Schleuse Lehnitz, Eberswalde, Niederfinow, Schwedt, Szczecin, Wolgast, Usedom Island (Ahlbeck, Heringsdorf), Rugen Island (Sellin, Gohren, Binz), Stralsund, Zingst (Zingsthof), Rugen Island (Wittower Fähre, Kap Arkona, Stubbenkammer), Hiddensee Island (Kloster), and Stralsund (disembarkation).

Plantours cruise itinerary routes include:

• 10-day Hamburg to Amsterdam visiting Scharnebeck, Brunswick, Hanover, Minden, Lingen, Papenburg, Groningen, Enkhuizen.
• 8-day Stralsund to Berlin visiting Zingst, Vitte (Hiddensee), Wittower Fähre (Wittow Ferry), Lauterbach, Wolgast, Szczecin, Eberswalde.
• 8-day Berlin to Kiel visiting Potsdam, Rathenow, Hitzacker, Geesthacht, Hamburg, Rendsburg.
• 8-day roundtrip from Stralsund visiting Wittower Fähre (Wittow Ferry), Vitte (Hiddensee), Greifswald, Lauterbach, Anklam, Demmin, Wolgast.
• 7-day Bremen to Berlin visiting Minden, Hannover, Wolfsburg, Magdeburg, Brandenburg.
• 7-day Kiel to Bremen visiting Rendsburg, Kiel Canal, Hamburg, Scharnebeck, Uelzen, Hannover.
• 7-day Amsterdam to Bremen visiting Hoorn, Sneek, Groningen, Papenburg.

MS Sans Souci cruise fares include the stateroom, all meals (including dinner on embarkation day and breakfast on disembarkation day), professional tour guides, excursion program, all fees (entrance, harbor, and lock fees), and gratuities for local bus drivers and tour guides. Not included in the cruise fare are transfers to and from the ship, optional shore excursions, onboard tips (recommended EUR 6–8 per person per day), drinks, personal expenses, and travel insurance.

The boat was originally built as “MPS Europa” in 2000 and was rebuilt in 2006–2007. During the 2012 drydock (January–February at Fischer Shipyard in Mukrena, Germany), new SCANIA diesel engines were installed (8-cylinder, model DI16-52M, 441 kW) along with two new propulsion units, including a 265 kW bow thruster. The onboard power supply is provided by two generator sets (diesel generators). To allow passage under low bridges, the Wheelhouse (Navigation Bridge) and all Sun Deck structures, including the railings, are retractable or repositionable.

During the 2014 drydock refurbishment (January, completed in Mukrena/Konnern, Germany), the boat received a new wastewater treatment/sewage plant (membrane bioreactor by MARTIN Membrane Systems AG). All ship lighting was also replaced with energy-efficient LED lamps.