The back story
Founded: 1976, near Strasbourg, as Alsace Croisières; CroisiEurope since 1997; family-run for three generations (croisieurope.co.uk, Oct 2026) · Fleet: 32 river ships in Europe, 6 canal barges, 2 sea ships and a long-distance fleet on the Mekong, Lake Kariba, the Nile, the Amazon and the Ganges (croisieurope.co.uk, Oct 2026) · Guests per ship: 16 (African Dream) to 200 (La Belle de l’Adriatique) (croisieurope.co.uk) · What’s included: Full board, drinks with meals and at the bar (except special wine and bar lists), Wi-Fi, port taxes, assistance and repatriation insurance (croisieurope.co.uk) · Tips: At passengers’ discretion; €5–10 per person per day suggested (croisieurope.co.uk) · Cruise length: 3 to 19 days (croisieurope.co.uk)
-
C
The back story
CroisiEurope·In depth
How a potter’s son from Alsace turned day trips on a lake near Strasbourg into one of Europe’s great river fleets, still run by his family.
The fleet
Who it suits. On a budget: A short port-to-port cruise on the Rhine, Seine or Rhône in a main-deck cabin, with full board, drinks at meals and the bar, and Wi-Fi all in the fare; the line also discounts many cruises by 20% for children aged 2–10. Mid-range: An upper-deck cabin with French balcony on MS Elbe Princesse between Berlin and Prague, or on MS Miguel Torga on the Douro, with its sun-deck pool. Luxury: A 24–37 m² cabin or suite on RV Ganges Voyager, a balcony cabin on RV Indochine II on the Mekong, or one of only eight cabins on RV African Dream on Lake Kariba.
-
M
94 passengers
CroisiEurope·Paddlewheel river ship · Loire·€€
The first French river cruise ship on the Loire, built at Saint-Nazaire in 2015 with side paddle wheels and a shallow draft.
-
M
77 passengers
CroisiEurope·Paddlewheel river ship · Elbe·€€
A 2016 paddlewheeler with a Nordic interior, built to sail the Elbe between Berlin and Prague.
-
M
132 passengers
CroisiEurope·River ships · Douro·€€
Six ships on the Douro, led by MS Miguel Torga (2017), whose décor recalls Port wine barrels and Porto’s iron bridge, with a permanent pool on the sun deck.
-
M
172 passengers
CroisiEurope·River ships · Rhine and Danube·€€
Fourteen ships on the Rhine and Danube, among them the Premium MS Gérard Schmitter, named after the company’s founder.
-
C
22 passengers
CroisiEurope·Barges · France and Belgium·€€€
Six barges recreated from the old Freycinet freighters, each with an outdoor jacuzzi, on the canals of Alsace-Lorraine, Burgundy, Provence, Champagne, Paris and Belgium.
-
L
130–200 passengers
CroisiEurope·Sea ships · Mediterranean and Adriatic·€€€
The coastal fleet: La Belle de l’Adriatique (2007, up to 200 passengers on four decks) and the Premium La Belle des Océans (130 passengers, renovated 2014).
-
R
62 passengers
CroisiEurope·River ship · Mekong·€€€
A 2017 Premium ship in colonial-style exotic wood, with 31 balcony cabins, a pool and a massage salon, on the Mekong through Vietnam and Cambodia.
-
R
16 passengers
CroisiEurope·Safari ship · Lake Kariba·€€€€
A 33-metre safari ship built in 2018 with eight cabins of 17 m², a small pool and binoculars in the lounge for game viewing on Lake Kariba.
-
R
56 passengers
CroisiEurope·River ship · Ganges·€€€
A 2014 Premium ship with a British colonial atmosphere, 28 cabins and suites, a spa and a yoga area on the Ganges.
-
R
32 passengers
CroisiEurope·Catamaran river ship · Amazon·€€€
A 2026-built catamaran for 32 passengers, designed to tread lightly on the Amazon, with solar panels, low-carbon engines and onboard water treatment.
