CroisiEurope on the Loire at a glance
CroisiEurope currently operates 1 river-cruise vessel on the Loire, with an average passenger count of 96. The line is headquartered in Strasbourg, France and was founded in 1976; Founded by the Schmitter family in Strasbourg in 1976, CroisiEurope operates the largest river fleet in Europe and is one of the few lines purpose-built for the Loire, the Elbe, the Gironde estuary and the Guadalquivir. Its paddle-wheel ships and shallow-draft vessels open up rivers that mainstream operators cannot reach.
The Loire itself flows through France over 1006 kilometres. France's longest river is also one of its wildest, with shifting sandbars that for centuries kept commercial cruising off the table. CroisiEurope's purpose-built MS Loire Princesse — a paddle-wheel ship with a draft of just one metre — finally opened the lower Loire to overnight passenger sailings in 2015. Headline destinations served by CroisiEurope on this river include Nantes, Angers, Saumur, Bouchemaine, the Loire châteaux.
CroisiEurope ships sailing the Loire
| Ship | Passengers | Launched |
|---|---|---|
| MS Loire Princesse | 96 | 2015 |
Featured itineraries
| Itinerary | Length | Sample ports |
|---|---|---|
| Loire Châteaux Cruise | 6 nights | Nantes · Bouchemaine · Saumur · Ancenis · Bouchemaine · Nantes |
| Royal Loire & Châteaux | 6 nights | Nantes · Saumur · Angers · Bouchemaine · Nantes |