MS Seine Princess: suites of 18 to 20 m² on a ship whose standard cabins measure 12.50 m²
The MS Seine Princess is 110 m long by 11.40 m wide, has 2 decks and 66 cabins, and carries 136 passengers with 26 crew. Built in 2002, refurbished in 2010, rated 4 anchors. She sails the Seine from Paris.
A ship that publishes two distinct floor areas
Standard cabins measure 12.50 m². The suites measure 18 to 20 m². Among CroisiEurope's European vessels those 20 m² stay at the top of the table: next come the 17 m² of the Zimbabwean Dream, the 15 m² of the MS Lafayette and the 13.50 m² of the MS Gérard Schmitter. Outside Europe the line publishes larger still: 24 to 37 m² on the RV Ganges Voyager in India, and suites of 22 m² on the RV Star of Luxor in Egypt.
That deserves saying plainly, because the narrow cabin is the first disappointment of river cruising. A traveller who gave up on a river cruise after seeing 10 m² deck plans should look at these suites before concluding.
Two decks, so no lift
CroisiEurope fits lifts only to its three-deck boats. The Seine Princess has two, so she has none. The restaurant is on the upper deck with panoramic windows, the lounge bar with dance floor is there too, and the sun deck carries the loungers. A 20 m² suite does not make up for a staircase: a guest with reduced mobility should be steered to a three-deck boat.
One hundred and thirty-six passengers, and where that places her
Among CroisiEurope's four Seine boats, the Seine Princess ranks third in density: 81 passengers on the MS R.E. Waydelich L.J., 105 on the MS Renoir, 136 here, 145 on the MS Botticelli. She sits at the top of the middle: enough people for a lively evening, fewer than the Botticelli at disembarkation.
Where she sails
The Seine, on short programmes of 2 to 5 days from Paris towards Rouen and Honfleur. These are the briefest formats on the river, which makes her a good add-on to a stay in Paris rather than a trip in herself. One programme is built around the Rouen Armada, the tall ships gathering.
Paris is a non-stop flight from Montreal-Trudeau. On a 2 to 5 day programme, that absence of a connection changes everything: a transit day on a three-day cruise would cost a third of the trip.
Choosing a cabin
The question is settled differently here than on other boats. A standard cabin of 12.50 m² sits comfortably in the fleet average. A suite of 18 to 20 m² genuinely changes the stay, and on a 2 to 5 day programme the difference in fare applies to few nights. This is the only Seine boat where the question arises in those terms. The upper deck remains preferable, given there is no lift.
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, suites notwithstanding. Anyone wanting a long cruise, since the programmes top out at 5 days. Anyone looking for a pool, a spa or a gym, none of which are on board. And anyone booking a standard cabin believing they are getting a suite: ask for the category by name. Our CroisiEurope page gathers the whole fleet.
