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The spare but stylish Loire Princesse is "the ship" on the Loire, France's longest river. After all, with the riverboat's 2015 debut, it is the only cruise ship on the Loire, opening a new river to cruisers.
CroisiEurope, which operates a French-based fleet of more than 40 ships, was the first to figure out how to design a river cruise ship 295 feet long while limiting its draft to 31.5 inches so that it can navigate the tricky Loire River. To achieve this goal, designers got creative. They added two paddle wheels and shaved 300 tons off the ship in part by using aluminium instead of steel for its superstructure. The Loire, commonly known as the last wild river in Europe, follows a natural path more than 600 miles long, but it can only be navigated between its mouth in Saint-Nazaire and quaint Bouchemaine, near Angers. Loire Princesse sails in that roughly 85-mile channel.
The carefully planned interior also stands out -- no nautical themes here but. Instead, you'll see fabrics, lighting and furnishings from well-known designers like Missoni Home, England's Tom Dixon Lighting and Rubelli, the Venetian textile maker. A soothing colour palette -- dusty rose, copper, iced brown, burnt orange, sandstone and Bordeaux -- permeates the cabins, dining room and lounge. Lighting is used to optimum appeal and advantage. The soft lighting behind the bar in the lounge, for example, alternates artfully from one colour to the next. It's very easy on the eyes.
Because of its size, the ship is lean. You won't find multiple dining venues or a spa, as you might on other riverboats. But designers did a nice job squeezing essentials into a small space in the cabins. And service is stellar throughout.
When booked to capacity, Loire Princesse accommodates 96 passengers. Part of Loire Princesse's appeal, however, is the international experience it provides. French is the official language onboard, but crew -- French, Hungarian and Portuguese, primarily -- speak English as well.
Casual attire -- and comfortable walking shoes -- are your go-to for both ship and shore. Loire Princesse's five- and seven-night cruises run from April to October, so consider temperatures, of course. Shorts and jeans are the norm. The ship provides umbrellas, but a rain jacket is advised.
There are no formal nights onboard, and evening attire is pretty much what you want to wear. Some passengers opt to stay in their casual clothes. Others dress up a bit for dinner, especially for the captain's gala. Suits and ties or cocktail dresses are the exception not the rule.
Exploring the destination is the chief entertainment. Each cruise on the Loire includes one tour -- in this case an all-day motor coach excursion to visit two of the Loire Valley's fairy-tale chateaus, Château d'Azay-le-Rideau and Château d'Ussé.
Other options -- such as a guided walking tour of Nantes and a visit to the Saint-Nazaire shipyard, where Loire Princesse and many other cruise ships were built.
Capable local guides conduct the tours in both French and English, depending upon demand. They also provide rich onboard commentary during longer voyages. During the journey between Nantes and Saint-Nazaire, two guides point out key landmarks, including lively art installations that line the river along the estuary as part of a public arts project that showcases the waterway.
Onboard entertainment itself -- port talks, a pianist, the occasional pre-dinner game and a crew show -- is spare and takes place in the lounge on Deck 2. The ship offers no workout room, spa, hot tub, pool or bikes onboard. The way to stay fit is to take the walking tours or venture out on your own on shore.
In some ways, Loire Princesse is notable for what it doesn't have: no computer room, library, coffee bar, public restroom or shop. Its "boutique" next to the reception desk is a glass case stocked with postcards, candles by Missoni Home, chocolates and books about the Loire region. The only two public areas are the lounge and the sun deck. If more space had been added, the ship couldn't navigate the Loire River. Passengers are fine with the trade-off, because they tend to spend most of their time off the ship.
The lounge is quite roomy with comfortable, plush seating designed by Missoni Home and elegant copper-coloured lighting from Tom Dixon. Couches are arranged around small tables, which makes for easy conversation. In good weather, the sun deck is the place to be. It spans the entire third deck and has lots of loungers and armchairs. An awning supplies shade. Towels are provided, and there is also a beverage service. Smoking is permitted in a designated area on the top deck.
Loire Princesse has free Wi-Fi, though signals can be sketchy, a common issue on all cruise ships.
Meals are served in the ship's only dining room -- a cheerful, well-appointed room whose centrepiece is a long copper-coloured buffet with large, round copper-coloured lights above it. Large windows -- though not floor to ceiling -- line either side for river views and, on one end, there is a bright orange sculptural profile inspired by the roof lines of the Loire's famed chateaux. The colour palette is warm -- rose, orange and cream. Most of the tables seat six, although seating can include six two-tops, as well. Tables are topped at every meal with white cloths and fresh flowers. Seating for all meals is open, meaning there are no seat assignments.
CroisiEurope is different than most lines when it comes to meals. It offers a breakfast buffet, but the midday and evening meals consist of a single three-course option that celebrates French cuisine. Mind you, they are terrific -- created by classically trained chefs using fresh ingredients often purchased that same day and beautifully styled. Substitutions can be made with advance notice, and special arrangements will also be made if you follow a special diet, such as gluten-free or low-salt.
Beer, wine, soda, mixed drinks, coffee and tea are complimentary with meals and at the bar in the lounge -- as are spirits such as Campari and brandy. For an extra charge, passengers can order pricier fare such as Champagne, Glenfiddich whisky and Grand Marnier.
The breakfast buffet, usually served from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., is simple fare: fresh and dried fruit, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, cold cuts and cheese, porridge, sweet rolls, croissants, toast and, typically, scrambled eggs, sausage and ham.
With its three courses, lunch, generally served at 1 p.m., looks more like dinner. Starters might include leek quiche, ham fagottini in a cream sauce, Russian-style eggs or a combination of salads. Main entrees featured on our cruise were hake filet Grenoble-style with mushroom risotto and broccoli; roasted rib steak with potatoes, cauliflower and spaghetti; spring lamb stew and cod fish in aniseed sauce with English potatoes; and ratatouille. As for the desserts, frozen nougat, seasonal fruit and île flottante (vanilla-scented custard with floating clouds of meringue) were delicious. It does seem a little crazy to eat this much for lunch, but the food is wonderful, and you have many opportunities to walk it off in port.
Dinner, often served at 8 p.m., is a leisurely affair. There's a nice mix of entrees: filet of veal with shallots, mashed potatoes and veggies; a duck breast in pinot noir sauce with French fries and Brussels sprouts with bacon; cranberry chicken breast with vegetable tagliatelle pasta; and a pork filet in a sweet-n-sour sauce with duchess potatoes and vegetables. Starters might include onion soup, a duck foie gras with caramel and brioche and a meat terrine with baby peppers. Dinners typically feature a cheese -- among them, Cabécou, a soft goat cheese from the south of France; Montboissier, a soft cow's cheese; and Camembert. Desserts on our cruise included baked Alaska flamed with Grand Marnier, crepe Suzette with orange sorbet and tiramisu.
There is no room service or snacks between meals, except for nibbles in the bar.
All 48 cabins on Loire Princesse come with a view. Thirty have balconies; 18 have windows. The one clever touch they all share: The beds face the windows, offering a river view.
The larger cabins are 165 square feet, including bathroom and balcony. Balconies, with floor-to-ceiling glass doors, are trim but large enough to accommodate a pair of outdoor arm chairs and a small table made of white resin.
The smaller cabins are 140 square feet, including the bathroom. All of the cabins are tight -- but efficiently laid out with room under the beds to store luggage. (The double beds can be separated into two singles.) Every cabin has a closet with two shelves and more than a dozen wooden hangers. A tiny desk sits behind the headboard along with a built-in chest with two shelves. Two hooks are located in the cabin and two more in the bathroom. Another nice feature: five outlets. The voltage onboard is 220 volts.
The carpet is grey, the walls white and the cabinetry the colour of sandstone. Missoni Home's pillows and blankets -- with their signature stripes in ruby, purple, ochre, salmon and cream -- tie it all together with a splash of colour. Every cabin has a safe, full-length mirror, hair dryer, radio and ceiling-mounted retractable TV screen. Programming includes CNN, BBC and Sky News.
The bathrooms are quite nice with their natural wood floors and roomy showers with glass doors. There's plenty of space above the commode and under the sink for toiletries. Wash cloths are provided. Toiletries onboard are skimpy: hand sanitizer, a bar of soap and two small plastic bottles of shampoo and shower gel.
Loire Princesse features no suites. And while there is one wheelchair-accessible cabin, it would not satisfy the requirements of many disabled passengers. It's located on Deck 2, right next to the lounge, and it has a shower that accommodates a wheelchair. But there is no elevator onboard -- and the dining room is located on Deck 1. That would be a deal-breaker for most people.
All cabins are on Decks 1 and 2. There is a set of steep, narrow steps (11 of them) connecting the two decks that could be a challenge for some passengers. The other option is to use the wide staircase that leads down to the dining room.
