The 8-passenger Princess offers the ultimate luxury for eight guests. The beautifully appointed main deck is divided into a lovely salon, a book-lined library and a formal dining room. All are handsomely furnished with custom seating and handcrafted cabinetry. On the lower level are four superb king or twin suites, each with private bathroom and double closets.
Over past seasons, the Princess cruised on two different routes, first in the Champagne region and then in nearby Alsace-Lorraine. For the 2011 season, the Princess cruises on the Canal de Briare in the Upper Loire region.
The cruise week includes a visit to the charming wine village of Sancerre for a private cellar tour and wine tasting, a cruise over the historic Briare aqueduct designed by Gustave Eiffel, a tour of the medieval town of Gien including the faience museum, and a day trip to the magnificent 16th century Chateau de Chambord, the largest of the Loire Valley chateaux. During the week, guests will see the 15th century village and chateau of St. Fargeau. And then one evening guests enjoy dinner ashore at the Michelin-starred restaurant, Auberge des Templiers in les Bezards.
Guests are greeted at our meeting point hotel by our guide for escort via private motorcoach or high-speed train to the mooring where your luxury hotel barge awaits. Once aboard, guests are welcomed by our cordial, English-speaking crew, and ushered to their comfortably appointed staterooms, complete with private bath. Guests spent the first evening becoming acquainted with fellow passengers who were seeking to experience France in a special way.
As in past seasons aboard Princess, each morning, the barge gets underway for the day's cruise. As it navigates the frequent locks on the canal, it is easy to step directly ashore for a leisurely stroll. If guests feel adventurous, they may take one of the barge's bicycles to explore the quiet lanes and quaint villages nearby. Or, simply relax on the sundeck and watch the lovely French countryside slowly unfold. During the day, guests are invited to join an excursion via private motorcoach to a nearby point of special interest. Each itinerary has been selected to include a varied sampling of the region... romantic castles, historic towns, and renowned vineyards for wine tasting. At certain châteaux and estates, a tour will be conducted by the owner, whose family has been in residence for generations. Princess' Captain also arranges for guests to enjoy special local events which occur during the cruise, from lively farmers' markets to the fireworks on Quatorze Juillet. As an option to the cruise, guests may also be able to experience the adventure of a hot air balloon flight, depending on the location and the weather.
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*Note: Cruise directions and sample itineraries may be in reverse and are subject to change and may depend on bookings and local navigation conditions. Alternate excursions of equal appeal are substituted when needed. For charter cruises special itineraries can be arranged.
| PRINCESS 2011 SEASON PRICES in US DOLLARS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACCOMMODATION | EARLY/LATE Apr 3 thru Apr 30 Oct 23 thru Nov 5 |
VALUE May 1 thru May 14 Jul 10 thru Aug 20 Oct 16 thru Oct 22 |
HIGH May 15 thru Jul 9 Aug 21 thru Sep 3 |
PRIME Sep 4 thru Oct 15 |
| Junior Suite (per person, double occ) |
$5,495 |
$5,995 |
$6,495 |
$6,495 |
| Suite (per person, double occupancy) |
$5,695 |
$6,195 |
$6,695 |
$6,695 |
| Suite Single Supplement |
$1,795 |
$1,795 |
$1,795 |
$1,795 |
| Charter for up to 8 |
$43,160 |
$46,360 |
$49,560 |
$52,760 |
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Special Places Travel, LLC "Barges in France (and the rest of Europe) ... for the experience of a lifetime!" ™
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