CroisiEurope has unveiled a new vessel concept for cruising the Loire, the longest river in France boasting an abundance of UNESCO heritage sites, which is inspired by an ancient technique - the paddle wheel.
"It is worth noting that the debut of the Loire Princesse will be the first time that a cruise vessel with cabins has ever cruised along the Loire," CroisiEurope says in the statement. This new type of river ship is 295 feet long and 49 feet wide, with three decks. It has 48 spacious outside cabins (49 ft²) and can accommodate up to 96 passengers. On the upper deck, the cabins have lovely balconies (10ft x 4ft) and rooms are equipped with the latest technology, including Wi-Fi on board, individually controlled combined air-conditioning/heating, plasma screen TV, radio, hair dryer, safe, mini bar and bathroom facilities. A splendid restaurant can easily accommodate passengers for single-service dining. A huge lounge bar with central dance floor is a pleasant area to mingle with other passengers while the large sun deck is an ideal place to relax. The elegant décor in contemporary colors is in perfect harmony with the good spirit on board. Labelled the “Green Ship”, the MS Loire Princesse was created with ecological designs having great respect for the environment.
The Loire Princesse will begin offering 6- to 8-night cruises in April 2015, visiting places in the Pays de la Loire region, with great potential as an area ideal to satisfy the demand of tourists in search of culture and originality. Many of the sites are UNESCO-designated, including Nantes, Saint-Nazaire, Ancenis, Angers, the Castles of the Loire, Saumur and Bouchemaine.
CroisiEurope chose to build the craft with companies that are part of the Neopolia Marine group, in partnership with the Saint Nazaire Shipyards (STX France), where the finest ocean liners in the world are built. The architect and design studio Stirling Design International is in charge of the design development for this new kind of liner.
As ever with CroisiEurope, their trump card is undoubtedly their ability to put offers together at the fairest prices. They are able to meet this challenge as they have complete control over every element of the entire fleet, from beginning to end. From the initial design to the production, including hotel and sales management, maintenance, purchasing and development, the company is fully responsible for all these services thanks to its 1200 permanent staff. This feat allows them to rationalize their costs as much as possible and offer cruises 30% cheaper than any other operator offering similar products.