Exploring Europe’s countryside and holiday markets on a CroiseEurope river cruise
By Eileen Ogintz
European Fall festivals or Holiday Markets this year?
How about a seamless trip with great food and no traipsing from city to city lugging suitcases. The heat is gone and so are the crowds. Experts on board can help you take a deep dive into the regions you are visiting and, in many cases, excursions are included.
CroisiEurope Cruises offers plenty of options whether you want to cruise from Paris to Normandy, cruise aboard a paddle wheel boat with a focus on Breton Culture, cruise the Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel, among the options. There are fall festival cruises that focus on French cuisine and Impressionism on the Seine.
As the European leader in river cruising, CroisiEurope welcomes nearly 200 000 passengers each year on board its 50 small-scale ships on rivers, seas, and canalsin Europe and around the world.
As a pioneer in construction technologies and a forerunner on many rivers in respecting the environment and local cultures, CroisiEurope offers the widest choice of river cruise destinations.
On the ships, “all-inclusive on board” means a complete service which includes in terms of full board.
- all meals: buffet, breakfast, lunch, and dinner,
- all drinks served with meals: water, wine, beer, fruit juice, coffee,
- drinks ordered at the bar.
The specially designed menus pay tribute to French gastronomy with local touches and flavors that are conducive to an immersion in the country visited during the itinerary. The dishes are prepared with fresh products and are accompanied by a selection of wines chosen for their quality and their harmony with the dishes. There are also cruises with a focus on food and wine.
The family-owned CroisiEurope has been in business for 50 years, celebrating its half-century anniversary year in 2026. Besides the paddle-wheel boat on the Seine, the MS Wayedelich, there is a grand musical cruise on the Seine; a wine tasting cruise in Bordeaux; Christmas and New Years Eve cruises and a redesigned itinerary in Southern Africa. Cruise on the Amazon River in Peru and in Vietnam and Cambodia on the Mekong River. A new ship for the Amazon River in Brazil will enter service next year. Book by Sept. 30 for 2027 early booking deals.
Celebrate the holidays on board or book a trip that enables you to experience the Christmas markets in Alsace and in Europe. For more than 400 years, the Strasbourg Christmas market has been welcoming many visitors every year. It has now become the largest in Europe, with the chalets and fairy decorations, traditional Alsatian houses, and the many special seasonal food specialties.
Sail on the Elbe between Prague and Dresden; Cruise from Seville to Cadiz and see magnificent nativity scenes that make Spanish holiday celebrations so distinct. Cruise along the Amalfi Coast and Sicily or through the Venetian Lagoons where you will experience illuminated palaces, markets, and of course Italian holiday traditions. There are also Christmas Market itineraries on The Seine, The Rhone, Rhine, and Danube Each holiday cruise promises a memorable introduction to the country’s traditions with knowledgeable guides to help you make the most of the experience.
That is the case whenever you choose to cruise Europe’s canals or rivers with CroisiEurope. These days when there are so many travel hiccups, it’s wonderful to be able to board and simply relax.
Your biggest decisions will be what excursion to choose and what to order for dinner.