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The vessel, which originally started sailing in 1997, was completely rebuilt in 2017 as one of CroisiEurope's "5 anchor" premium ships. The rebuild brought the passenger load down to 107 from 160 and completely revamped all of the cabins and public spaces. The result is a spacious ship that's remarkably clean and modern, with a youthful colour palette that belies the typical passenger (which remains baby boomer and up). Even the lesser-priced Main Deck cabins are pleasant, with stark white walls, lots of storage space and full picture windows that partially open for fresh air. The ship also has a handful of solo cabins.
Announcements and activities are in both English and French; a designated entertainment guide gave us English briefings and bar staff remembered our language preferences.
Perhaps because so many passengers are not travelling long distances to board the ship, Douce France has a wonderfully casual air. Take an excursion (or not); stay out late (or not); take part in the "aperitif games" (or not) -- the staff takes it all in stride, with a laugh and no judgment. While our designated English guide did make a point of checking in with us, the atmosphere was much more laid-back than the go-go-go feel you experience on most river cruise lines. Travellers who are taking the cruise as part of a longer European trip will appreciate the downtime.
All in all, we found Douce France an extremely pleasant experience.
Douce France is a casual ship, with most passengers wearing clothing for touring during the day, such as jeans, pants, sweaters, T-shirts and sweatshirts (while the French tend to be a little more chic, you can accomplish the same look with a scarf). Good walking shoes are a must for the cobblestone streets, and raingear is a good idea in the shoulder season. Few people change for dinner. Once per cruise -- even on a short one -- there's a gala evening where people dress up a little bit. Still, you'll be fine with a skirt or nice pants and a collared shirt if you're a man. (Jackets are not required.)
Shore Excursions
For English-speakers, the ship tries to make sure that attractions and museums have a separate guide available.
Daytime and Evening Entertainment
Although our cruise was short in length, the ship packed quite a bit of activity in. Our scenic sailing day through the Rhine gorge included a morning exercise/stretch session; a guess-the-world-monuments paper trivia game; a guess-the-national-anthems quiz and a trivia session focused on the company itself. All activities were held in French and English.
While CroisiEurope does have aperitif hour, this isn't the time when staff discusses the daily program, unlike on other river cruise lines. Instead, the program for the next day is discussed at dinner -- at the front of the room for the French passengers and tableside for the English speakers.
A musician is onboard and plays both recorded and live music after dinner in the lounge. Whether or not you find a lot of passengers taking part depends on the day's itinerary. On gala night, the dance floor is packed.
Enrichment
Douce France does not have a program of enrichment activities. During our scenic Rhine cruising, recorded commentary in French and English told passengers about the different castles along the way.
Douce France has one bar on the Upper Deck. It's very modern, with a lavender carpet, furniture and curtains, accented with chartreuse pillows. A purple light gives the room a nightclub atmosphere and the dance floor has little lights that serve as "stars." It's fun and comfy, although we missed the outdoor space at the front of the ship that many river vessels have.
The bar is the main gathering place during the day and evening. During the day, canned music, ranging from Kenny G-style jazz to classical to light French pop, plays. During aperitif hour, the onboard musician plays a mixture of live and canned songs. At night, he switches to French and American dance songs; on our cruise, passengers did get up and boogie on most nights.
Small plates of pretzels and nuts are available. Cocktail service begins at 10 a.m., and bottles of red and white wine are placed in the "always available" coffee bar area, along with teas and still and sparkling water. The included drink menu has beer, port, martinis, Campari, whiskey, gin and vodka drinks; sparkling, white, rose and red wine; Pepsi and Pepsi Light, as well as iced tea, lemonade, sparkling water and fruit juice; and after-dinner digestifs such as cognac and brandy. Extra charge premium drinks include rum, scotch and bourbon; muscat, Cremant sparkling wine and Champagne; and Tokaji dessert wines, as well as Baileys, Armagnac and Grand Marnier.
Douce France has sun loungers on the top deck. Part of the top deck is covered with chairs and tables.
Douce France has an atrium with a front desk, where the hotel manager sits. This is where you check in and out for excursions and free time off the ship, as well as gather for excursions. There's also a small shop offering trinkets that's open periodically during sailings.
Wi-Fi is available for free throughout the ship. We found the signal to be pretty good, except when going through locks.
Meals are set so there's no need to order or peruse a menu. Your table, too, is assigned to you at the beginning of the cruise -- normally with people of the same nationality or who speak the same language. There's no need to scramble for a place.
Croisi is proud of its French heritage and service, and mealtimes reflect that. This means a relatively small breakfast buffet, while lunches are three-course meals with wine and a cheese before dessert. Dinner, too, is three courses with wine.
Special diets for vegetarians or food allergies can be accommodated, but you should contact the line both when you book and again when you get onboard.
Highlights included a pot-au-feu -- essentially a pot roast -- that fell apart with tenderness, as well as unusual cheeses such as Montboissier rouge and desserts, such as "floating island" meringue and plum tart.
Douce France has one restaurant and all meals are complimentary. Tables are set for six or eight places, and you'll be placed with those who speak your language. Menus are broadcast on the TV near the front desk throughout the day; you won't get one on the table.
Breakfast time can vary, depending on the day's program. It's generally open for two hours, closing at 9 or 9:30 a.m. Each table receives a basket of rolls and croissants and butter and jams, as well as individual pots of coffee (which we really appreciated). The buffet contains more breads and pastries, French soft cheese, hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, juice and fruit. Scrambled eggs and sausage are also available.
Lunch is served at varying times, and generally runs about 90 minutes to two hours. Expect three courses and a cheese course. A sample meal might begin with a tomato and mozzarella salad, followed by a main dish of pork tenderloin with sauce, duchess potatoes and green beans. The cheese course proceeds dessert. Wine is served, and you can also order beer, juice and soft drinks. Bottled water, both still and sparkling, are placed upon the table.
Dinner times can vary, depending on the day's activities. It's a three-course meal, served with wine and water on the table, although it's slightly lighter than lunch. You can order beer and soft drinks in lieu of wine. A typical menu might be a consommé with vermicelli noodles, roast beef with vegetables and plum pie. The gala night is a four-course meal with a cheese course added.
During its 2017 rebuild, Douce France focused on reducing passenger count, bringing the number of passengers down from 160 to 107. The cabins were reduced by a third, making the current configuration larger; the bathrooms were also made larger. Because Douce France is a two-deck ship as opposed to three, none of the cabins sit below the water line so even the less expensive rooms on Deck 1 have large picture windows that open. All cabins, with the exception of suites and solo rooms, are the same size.
All cabins also have white walls, with a piece of artwork on the walls. Blue carpet, curtains and a blanket, as well as chartreuse pillows and a chartreuse and purple chair, add colour. The main difference between rooms on the Main Deck and those on the Upper Deck is that the latter have floor-to-ceiling windows, one of them a French balcony, while the lower cabins have two large picture windows, one of which can open for fresh air. Furniture is limited to the two twin beds that can turn into a queen, a vanity stool and the aforementioned chair. Beds in most cabins face the river, which is a nice way to wake up (or enjoy the scenery before an afternoon nap).
Storage is plentiful, with two wardrobe closets, a closet of shelves, drawers under the vanity and a bedside table. A flat-screen TV comes down from the ceiling, although none of the channels are English-language. Suitcases can fit under the bed. There's a phone with daily wake-up calls available and a safe.
The white bathrooms in all rooms except the suite are compact. Nonetheless, the shower manages to be reasonably sized, with a folding door and adjustable showerhead. The sink is small but there's a ledge above the toilet for belongings. There's also a makeup mirror and a powerful hair dryer under the sink.
Riverview (Main Deck): The cabins on the Main Deck are 157 square feet. We found the size plenty adequate for two unrelated people, and really appreciated the windows, particularly the one that opened for fresh air.
French Balcony (Upper Deck): The cabins on the Upper Deck are also 157 square feet and have floor-to-ceiling windows. One set of windows opens as a French balcony, the other does not. Otherwise, the layout of the room and bathroom are exactly the same as those on the Main Deck.
One cabin on the Upper Deck is outfitted for limited mobility, with a walk-in shower, and is also 157 square feet; it's conveniently located close to reception and the main entrance/exit of the ship.
Solo Cabins (Main Deck and Upper Deck): Douce France has four solo cabins, two on each deck, that are 105 square feet. The main difference is whether the room has a picture window (Main Deck) or French balcony (Upper Deck). In these rooms, the bed faces the wall, not the river. The bathroom also has a curtain instead of a folding door, as well as less storage space.
Suites (Main Deck and Upper Deck): Douce France has two suites, one on each deck. The suite on the lower Main Deck is the smaller of the two at 177 square feet but has a bigger-than-average queen-size bed. The Upper Deck suite is the largest accommodation on the ship at 250 square feet and has an additional twin bed for a third passenger. The vanity is in its own alcove and the bathroom is much larger than those in the other cabins.
