CroisiEurope inaugurates three new vessels at the CroisiEurope river port in Strasbourg

On Friday 28th March, French river cruise operator CroisiEurope inaugurated three new vessels at the river port in Strasbourg: the MS Lafayette and two barges, the Madeleine and the Anne-Marie.

Joining CroisiEurope’s owners - the Schmitter family – were almost 300 guests who enjoyed the christening which was conducted by Father Koehler, priest of the Monastery at Mont Saint Odile.

Mrs Mary Rose Reade, wife of the US Consul General in Strasbourg, and Mr Jean-Pierre Mas, CEO of Selectour Afat, were the ship sponsors for the MS Lafayette which will cruise along the Rhine.

Mr Camille Scheydecker, Mayor of Soufflenheim, was present as a tribute to Madeleine Schmitter, mother of the four directors of the company, who originally came from the village of Soufflenheim. The Madeleine barge will cruise along the canals in Alsace.

Mme Anne-Marie Schmitter represented the barge named in her honour which will cruise along the canal in Provence.

Following the speeches, guests visited all three ships and enjoyed a cocktail party and celebratory lunch.

The MS Lafayette was named in honour of the famous Marquis de Lafayette, Gilbert du Motier, considered to be one of the founding fathers of Franco-American friendship. This new jewel in the fleet offers more comfort, more style and more space. 90 metres long by ten metres wide, it can accommodate 84 passengers in 40 double and four single cabins – all very spacious with wide outward-facing bay windows. The vessel is equipped with the latest cutting-edge technology and guarantees high levels of comfort and safety. Each cabin is furnished with a double bed that can convert to two single beds and has private en suite facilities, hair dryer, mini bar, flat screen satellite television, radio, telephone, safe and reversible air-conditioning.

The MS Lafayette will sail a new and unique itinerary along almost the entire length of the Rhine, from Basel to Amsterdam and vice versa, from April to October. The cruise takes in Lake Constance and the Isle of Mainau, the landscapes of the Romantic Rhine Valley, Strasbourg, Aachen, Mainz, Cologne and Amsterdam.

• MS Lafayette river cruise ship

CroisiEurope’s three new hotel barges have been designed using the same innovative and intimate design concept seen on Jeanine which launched on the canals in Alsace last year. These small vessels exude warmth and style, with 12 cabins accommodating 24 passengers, as well as a Jacuzzi and bicycles onboard for passenger use. The Madeleine will cruise along the canals in Alsace, the Anne-Marie will cruise the canals in Provence and the Raymonde, which will be inaugurated in Paris later this year, will cruise on the Marne Canal and the Saint-Martin Canal in Paris.

• Madeleine barge
• Anne-Marie barge

For reservations and further information call CroisiEurope on 020 8328 1281 or visit www.croisieurope.co.uk