CroisiEurope Leads The Way As European River Cruises Make A Comeback Post-Covid-19

With river cruises thankfully exempt from the cruise ship travel ban, Britons can now enjoy a holiday on the water once again and French river cruise line CroisiEurope is leading the charge with its diverse and unique itineraries on Europe’s most popular waterways.

The cruise industry undoubtedly breathed a sigh of collective relief when the UK government announced that it would be excluding river cruises from its blanket guidance advising Britons against cruise ship travel at this time.

The welcome news from the FCO has paved the way for British travellers to enjoy a holiday on Europe’s magnificent waterways once again and just as well, as there is a raft of itineraries from which to choose this year and next.

Much to our delight, French river cruise specialist CroisiEurope resumed services this month, with its first vessel sailing in its native France on the Seine on 13 July, followed by the Rhone and the Burgundy Canal from 16 July, Rhine cruises on 20 July, the Loire from 31 July and the Gironde from 26 August.

CroisiEurope has always prided itself on its fleet, featuring advanced technology that allows each ship to have exclusive access to certain rivers and mooring in the heart of cities such as Seville, Venice, Prague and Paris, so guests can fully immerse themselves in each destination.

With four ships on the river Seine, CroisiEurope’s vessels are some of very few ships that can sail right into the centre of beautiful and picturesque Honfleur.

With CroisiEurope, guests can glide down Europe’s picturesque rivers, stopping off to enjoy unique land experiences, including wine tasting in small vineyards, walks across spectacular countryside, visits to verdant gardens and tours of captivating cities.

Among the exciting itineraries this year is a Loire Valley River cruise, which is ideal for those of you who wish to discover France’s history, scenic landscapes and cultural heritage. Guests will get the chance to explore the châteaux of the Loire Valley; regarded as French national monuments, they include the Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, the Châteaux of Chinon, Villandry, and the Ussé Château, and all feature spectacular gardens.

Loire Valley cruises operate on board CroisiEurope’s revolutionary new boat, the MS Loire Princesse, which is equipped with a paddle wheel, making it a truly unique cruise experience.

CroisiEurope’s ‘From the Canals of Venice to Renaissance-infused Mantua’ itinerary sails through the heart of three Italian regions. Along with historic Venice, guests will visit romantic cities Mantua and Cremona, the birthplaces of Claudio Monteverdi and Stradivarius. The trip ends with the region of Emilia-Romagna, where a tour of Parma and Cremona complete with a tasting of authentic cheese and ham is not to be missed.

The cruise line’s voyage through the Aquitaine from Bordeaux to Royan along the Gironde estuary is another varied and memorable itinerary, taking passengers to the heart of southwestern France, renowned for its idyllic landscapes, famous wines, historical monuments, and emblematic sites.

CroisiEurope has been keeping one step ahead of the game throughout the pandemic, being one of the first to release its Covid-19 cruise ship health & safety protocols so that it was fully prepared to resume sailings once it was given the go-ahead.

The line recently took this one step further, announcing that it would be adopting infection prevention measures across its fleet, with ‘Safeguard’ certificates being issued once each of its 55 cruise ships has been through the process organised by testing, inspection and certification expert Bureau Veritas.

In terms of its latest measures, CroisiEurope has gone above and beyond to make guests feel at ease and give them peace of mind from the very start of their cruise, with new embarkation procedures including pre-boarding medical questionnaires and mandatory temperature screenings for passengers and crew. Passengers’ luggage will also be disinfected on arrival so no germs are carried on board.

On board, guests will still be able to relax and unwind with the knowledge that the strictest health and safety protocols have been met throughout their holiday, from social distancing measures to enhanced disinfection and cleaning criteria.

Visit croisieurope.co.uk for more information.

Header image: ©Paul Hilbert