MS Modigliani: 78 cabins of 11 m² and one suite of 16 m², both published in black and white
The MS Modigliani is 110 m long by 11.40 m wide, has 2 decks, 78 cabins of 11 m² and one suite of 16 m², and carries 159 passengers with 25 crew. Built in 2001, refurbished in 2011, rated 4 anchors. She sails the Rhine and the Danube.
Eleven square metres, and what that means
CroisiEurope publishes cabin size for this boat, which it does not do everywhere. 11 m² for the 78 cabins, 16 m² for the single suite. For scale: the MS La Bohème states 10 m², the MS Monet 11.50 m², the MS Gérard Schmitter 13.50 m². Eleven square metres therefore sits in the lower middle of the fleet, and it is roughly half an entry-level ocean cruise cabin.
Better read before booking than discovered on opening the door. In exchange, the boat berths in the heart of Cologne, Rüdesheim and Vienna, and the cabin is only for sleeping.
One hundred and fifty-nine passengers on 110 metres
At 1.45 guests per metre, the Modigliani sits high in the fleet: the MS Beethoven is at 1.62, the MS Camargue at 0.95. One hundred and fifty-nine people on board means a lively lounge bar in the evening and a queue at disembarkation. It is neither a fault nor a virtue, it is a choice of atmosphere, and it is made before signing.
Two decks, so no lift
CroisiEurope fits lifts only to its three-deck boats. The Modigliani has two, so she has none. The restaurant is on the upper deck, where all meals are served, with large picture windows; the lounge bar with dance floor is there too, and the sun deck carries the loungers. A main deck guest will climb the stairs at every meal. For reduced mobility, look at a three-deck boat.
Where she sails
The Rhine and the Danube, the two busiest rivers in European cruising. The Rhine links Amsterdam to Strasbourg via Cologne, Rüdesheim and Heidelberg; the Danube links Passau to Budapest via Vienna and Bratislava. Dates and direction change from season to season, and we have them confirmed by the operator before any booking rather than copying them from an out-of-date brochure.
Amsterdam is a non-stop flight from Montreal-Trudeau. Strasbourg, Passau and Budapest need a connection, usually through Paris, Frankfurt or Amsterdam. On a Danube cruise from Passau, count a transit day out and another back.
Choosing a cabin
Since all 78 cabins are 11 m², the choice is about deck and view, never floor area. The 16 m² suite is the only exception, and it has to be asked for by name. On a boat with no lift, the upper deck is worth paying for first to avoid the stairs.
What the fare includes and what it does not
Included: full board, drinks with meals and at the bar, Wi-Fi, port taxes and onboard entertainment. Not included: shore excursions, gratuities, the premium wine list and transfers.
Who this boat is not for
Anyone who cannot manage stairs. Anyone who needs space in the cabin, since 11 m² is a published figure and not a theoretical floor. Anyone after quiet, at 159 passengers. Anyone expecting a 5-anchor rating, since she is rated 4. And anyone who wants a balcony, a pool or a gym, none of which are on board. Our CroisiEurope page gathers the whole fleet.
