Ahoy Cruisers.
Welcome aboard CroisiEurope's "Loire Princesse"
Let's take a look around this paddleboat river ship.
We sailed on a 5 night cruise on the "Loire Princesse".
The only river ship able to sail the Loire.
So here we are in the main lobby area of the ship.
This is where you first enter the ship.
Where you'll find the main reception desk which is manned throughout the day.
You can also get on and off the ship here.
Usually on this deck or the deck above.
There's a lovely little seating area just to chill out
and also a little shop on the other side which opens up during your cruise.
Here you can see those amazing paddle boat engines.
Fascinating.
There are screens all around the ship showing things such as the Daily planner and menus.
These appear in all the languages of the passengers on board.
All the crew spoke English and was super friendly.
Always more than happy to help us with anything.
So unique feature about cruising on the Loire river is the paddle boat
and you can probably hear it in the background.
It sounds like an old steam train.
This is because the water levels are too low for a standard river boat.
So they use paddles instead.
Here on the top deck you have a spacious Sun Deck
with comfortable chairs and lounges.
It's great for when you're sailing
and to the crew, over the speakers, will give you a description, some history and culture
about the region that you're sailing through.
Perfect.
The scenic cruising down the Loire was spectacular.
With châteaux and typical French villages lining the way.
We started our cruise in the City of Nantes.
In the Upper Brittany region of western France.
It's a beautiful region with magnificent castles and vineyards.
We got to witness spectacular sunsets each night.
Let's talk about where our cruise went and the excursions.
The first place we visited was Saint-Nazaire.
We visited a wonderful maritime museum showcasing the history of cruising
and afterwards we were treated to a visit to the shipyard.
Where ships from "MSC", "Royal Caribbean", "Celebrity" and more are constructed.
It was super interesting.
In Ancenis we took to the skies in a helicopter.
Where we took in the views of the Loire river and local châteaux from above.
It was an amazing experience.
Part of the "Discovery Excursions" which you can book with "CroisiEurope".
Everybody got the chance to visit the wheelhouse
and ask questions we wanted about this unique ship.
The included all-day tour was a full day of visiting three beautiful French châteaux.
It was an amazing experience right out of a fairy tale.
We even got to taste fresh wine grapes.
The final château we visited
is said to be the inspiration for Walt Disney's castles.
Complete with "Sleeping Beauty" in one of the towers.
Here we have the on board lounge.
This is a great place to sit down.
Grab a drink from the bar which opens throughout the day and late into the night.
And get to know your fellow passengers.
It's a really comfortable space.
Especially before dinner.
Grabbing a pre-dinner drink.
After dinner there's usually s show featuring local entertainers or the on board staff.
It's a lovely relaxing place.
With great panoramic windows all around so you don't miss out on all of that beautiful scenery.
Now, I'll have a gin and tonic please.
The fellow passengers on our cruise were mainly from France, Spain, Belgium, the USA and Canada.
But everybody was super friendly and we made the loads of friends.
We have a small outdoor area here at the back of the ship just behind the lounge.
Lovely to capture in the beautiful views of the bow of the ship and the wake.
It's just stunning.
I love a good outdoor area don't you?
Now downstairs we're in the main dining room.
It's a lovely place again.
With windows all around so you're never going to miss out on those amazing views.
Here on "CroisiEurope" for breakfast it's usually a buffet.
It's a delicious buffet as well.
You've got croissants, pastries, fruit, cereals an omelet station and several other dishes.
Anything that you want.
Cheese's, continental breakfast items.
It's really delicious.
For lunch it's usually a three or four course dinner.
French style.
So you're gonna get some absolutely delicious food.
Presented so beautifully.
The food that we've had, so far, has been really fantastic.
Some of the best we've ever had on water.
For dinner it's usually either a buffet and the buffets are out of this world.
It's not like a normal buffet.
There are a spectacular fare in the center just here.
Or a four-course meal again.
Again with amazing food, local cheese's, local wines on offer as well.
All of your drinks are included here on "CroisiEurope".
Only a few are an extra charge.
The majority of drinks including wine, beers and spirits are all included.
The only thing you have to pay for is if you want to drink things like champagne or really expensive spirits.
So we think it's a really fantastic value for money.
They're served right here at your table for you
or you can pop up stairs and grab one from the bar whenever you want.
There’s also a Cocktail of the Day.
Which is display around the ship on the screens.
We have had some fantastic meals here.
We've been very, very impressed.
We can't say enough about how good the food was.
Now let's take a look at our cabin.
It was bright and spacious.
We loved how the bed's faced the large panoramic windows
and there was plenty of storage both in the cupboards, the wardrobe and under the bed.
We loved how the TV just tucked into the roof at the touch of a button.
The bathroom was modern and spacious too.
Amenities included soap and shower gel.
The balcony was huge - much bigger than what we would imagine.
It was so lovely to sit out and watch the scenery go by.
In the comfort of our own room.
So what did we think about our cruise?
Well first of all, "CroisiEurope" offers incredible value for money.
They are often much cheaper than competitors.
Whilst they might not be quite as glamorous as some other cruise lines.
You get a true authentic experience.
We were really impressed and we enjoyed every moment.
We can't wait to sail with them again.
We highly recommend.
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That's it till next time.
Happy cruising.