Newsletter Sign-up | Login | Contact Us
0208 248 2355
Questions about your booking? Contact Us
Login 
My wife and I selected this cruise because we had heard good things about the value of CroisiEurope and we really wanted to see the Rhine river region. Before taking the cruise we looked at the re...
We chose this cruise because we wanted a special celebration for our 20th wedding anniversary on December 28th. We flew to Baden Baden on a Ryan Air flight on the 27th and had organised an airport ...
CroisiEurope is fabulous! We are 100% sold! Our first river cruise but not our last. Upon arriving via train from the airport had no problem finding the ship thanks to the map we were provided a...
Launched in 2012, Gerard Schmitter follows the blueprint of CroisiEurope's more than 20 other riverboats. A modest but comfortable ship, it plies the waters of the Rhine in Central Europe year round, catering to a majority French clientele. CroisiEurope's family roots are clearly on display on Gerard Schmitter; the ship itself is named for the company founder, and both his portrait and his own art can be found onboard.
Like other ships in Croisi's fleet, Gerard Schmitter has a bright color scheme that is repeated throughout the ship. The pink and purple furnishings onboard are prevalent, but they're softened by the neutral colors in the carpet and wall coverings. All in all, though, pastel reigns on this ship -- from Mr. Schmitter's still lifes to the soft colors of the blown-glass lights in the reception and lounge areas.
The ship carries 176 passengers in 88 simply furnished cabins and offers a very French set menu at lunch and dinner. The fare onboard is consistently good, although it can be a bit rich for British and American palates. Like most other Europe riverboats, Gerard Schmitter includes wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner in its fares. However, shore excursions cost extra.
Interestingly, CroisiEurope has increased its marketing in the English-speaking sphere of late, so it's likely that the onboard experience will reflect this push in coming years. Currently, a niche group of Francophiles from the U.K. and other, mostly European, countries complements the French-speaking majority of cruisers. The line makes every attempt to group its non-French passengers together on cruises by primary language and nationality, and English is the secondary official language onboard. Brits and Americans make up a small fraction of the line's clientele -- after French, Germans, Belgians and Swiss.
Cruising on the Rhine full time, Gerard Schmitter has plenty of space for sitting and watching the countryside roll by. The ship offers two lounges, fore and aft, both with access to outdoor deck space. The open-air top deck is so large and relatively empty that it brought to mind a sports field with its ample amount of space, few chairs and indoor/outdoor carpeting. Overall, it's a pleasant and unpretentious ship that reflects the company ethos, offering value-for-money river cruise experiences.
The general age for river cruise passengers is 60 and older, which is the typical demographic onboard Gerard Schmitter. More than half the line's passengers are French, with about 6 percent coming from the U.K. and U.S. annually. With a price point that emphasizes value rather than luxury and a solidly French onboard experience, many passengers will be veterans of package tour travel, particularly within France. The line operates in two languages onboard, French and English, including all announcements. Provisions are made when larger groups of passengers who speak neither language are onboard.
Smart casual is the normal mode of dress onboard Croisi ships. Because the ship and its clientele are mainly European, colors are darker, and generally nice trousers or jeans and collared shirts for men (blouses for women) is the norm onboard. There is, however, one Gala Dinner on each sailing, with most passengers in evening dress, enjoying a crew performance and dancing after dinner. If you're planning on touring -- either with the ship's added-fee shore excursions or on your own -- don't forget a comfortable pair of shoes. As the ship sails in Europe, with its lovely and historic landscapes, tours frequently involve cobblestones and other uneven surfaces.
Tips are not included in the cruise fares. The line does not suggest a specific amount, preferring to allow passengers to make their own decisions with regard to tipping. An envelope is discreetly placed in each cabin prior to the end of the sailing. Gratuities are cash-only, and they're divided among the crew. There is a box marked simply "Merci" near the reception area of the ship where money and envelopes can be dropped. The onboard currency is the euro, though other currencies are accepted for tips.
Gerard Schmitter's bright color scheme of pink and purple is repeated throughout the ship, and the cabins are no exception. The pastel palette is softened, however, by the neutral colors in the carpet, wall coverings and faux-wood cabinetry.
In the cabins, this office-style cabinetry makes up the majority of the functional furnishings. A roomy 6'x3' shelving unit sits behind the door and also holds the safe. Next to it, a 6'x2' wardrobe has plenty of room for hanging clothes and a shelf above and below. A thigh-height countertop runs nearly the length of one wall. It has three sections -- a small vanity space with a simple mirror, chair and a drawer concealing the hair dryer on one end; two cabinets with shelves on the other; and a heating and cooling unit and vent in the center. Another small cabinet with shelves is next to the window.
Cabins don't differ greatly in size or layout. All measure 140 square feet, and, of the 88 total cabins, 73 have two movable -- but not interlocking -- twin beds. The rest have double beds. There is one accessible cabin for those with disabilities. The 25 lower-deck cabins are partially below the waterline, with smaller, higher rectangular windows. Second- and third-floor cabins have "French balcony windows" -- eight feet wide, opening halfway and with a railing outside. Small bedside tables are tiny with small lamps. The mattresses and bedding aren't fancy, but they're comfortable.
A small wall-mounted flat-screen television offers 19 channels in French, four in English, three in Spanish and 15 in German. The four English language channels are news channels: BBC America, CNBC, Bloomberg and CNN. The instructions to use the television are less than straightforward (nearly the frustration level of setting up a printer), and with so few channels, it's almost not worth turning on.
The lavatory is big enough, although basic, like the cabins. The whole room is made from fiberglass bathtub material, and the area under the sink and wall-mounted vacuum toilet is overlaid with a non-slip covering. Don't expect extras like complimentary bath products. Apart from a wall-mounted body wash/shampoo all-in-one dispenser, you'll need to provide your own toiletries. Next to the mirror, a separate cabinet behind frosted glass provides storage space.
The biggest drawback in the cabins is that the shower is poorly designed. The water pressure is great, and the water temperature is consistent, but there is no separation between the shower and the rest of the facilities. A slight depression in the floor allows the water to drain, but a single curtain does not protect the rest of the room from getting soaked. Other related issues include a puny extractor fan that leaves the surfaces damp and the odd location of the aforementioned all-in-one soap and shampoo dispenser outside of the shower.
Food is a top consideration for any cruise. And there's no question which culture's culinary traditions rule onboard Croisi. Food is French, without apology, but also without pretense.
Called a restaurant, the ship's main dining room on Deck 2 is done up in more purple and pink hues. A serving station in the center dominates the room and includes an espresso maker and a buffet bar at breakfast. Round tables seat six comfortably, and the space holds everyone onboard without feeling too cramped. The dining room is accessible from all floors via several spiral staircases.
A very important point to note: Lunch and dinner menus are set. Passengers have little choice in what they're served, apart from certain dietary restrictions, like vegetarianism, which are honored. Menus are posted an evening ahead in the reception area and on televisions in the public rooms. If you need to request an alternative to what's being served, speak with reception well in advance.
The food is good onboard the ship, but it's very rich and very French. There are really no options, apart from the breakfast buffet, that could be called light. Expect to be served French classics like foie gras and veal and lots of sauces where butter is a major component. Lunch and dinner are waiter-served, three- or four-course set menus with an appetizer, followed by a main and dessert and sometimes a cheese dish. Espresso coffee is served with dessert; decaffeinated is available. Complimentary wine is served with lunch and dinner, and you can choose from reds, whites, roses and sparkling. It's all French and very good.
The waitstaff is friendly, efficient and hardworking, especially given the fact that there are two waiter-served meals per day. The dining room operates like a well-oiled machine. You'll never feel rushed over your food -- the French wouldn't allow that! -- but meals are always finished in their allotted time, and that's mainly to do with the well-trained staff. The breakfast buffet has a wide variety of options, from cold deli meats and yogurt to fruit, eggs, sausage and an abundance of bread. Coffee and milk pitchers are provided at each table at breakfast.
There's nothing in the way of snacks between meals, even at the two bars, though drinks are served all day.
Gerard Schmitter has neither the space nor the aspiration to offer ocean cruise levels of entertainment. Typically, days are spent ashore exploring, and on days when the boat is sailing, sightseeing tips and trivia are given (in French and English) over the loudspeakers. Quizzes are offered, too, and can be picked up from reception.
Shore excursions are priced in euros, along with everything else onboard, and can cost as little as 15 euros. The quintessential half-day guided tour of Heidelberg and its castle runs 39 euros.
During the evening and on chilly days, the main lounge on Deck 2 is the entertainment hub on the boat. It features the lounge bar on the port side. Swivel chairs line the bar with its two beers on tap, espresso maker, wines and spirits. The dance floor-cum-stage is directly in front of the bar. The main lounge is surrounded by hip- to head-height windows and decorated in mauve, cream and muted gold. Fabric plants and modern sculpture-like lighting fixtures are dotted throughout the space. The prow of the ship is visible and accessible from the lounge, with the ship's engraved bell taking pride of place.
The main lounge bar is the spot for after-dinner entertainment. This ranges from traditional regional entertainment to crew shows and keyboard music from the resident musician. The lounge is open from 9:30 a.m. to midnight, though it will stay open later on livelier nights. Port talks and lectures also take place in the main lounge, but only on cruises of six days or longer.
For a more intimate space, head to the Piano Bar at the aft of the ship on Deck 3. In addition to clusters of sofas and chairs, it offers a flat-screen TV and a small bar with beer on tap and an espresso maker. Doors lead to a small outdoor area with wicker indoor-outdoor chairs and sofas, along with built-in wooden benches; it's a perfect spot to watch the scenery drift into the distance.
As is the case on all riverboats, Gerard Schmitter has only a few public rooms, so it doesn't take long to get to know the ship -- or your fellow passengers.
The reception area is set in the center of the ship on the second deck. A small oval central atrium is open to the third deck above, with three large, bulbous blown-glass chandeliers. Forward from the reception area on Deck 2 is a hallway to the ship's main lounge. Off the hallway, there are public toilets and the one accessible cabin onboard, in addition to a spiral staircase leads to the third deck. The rest of the cabins on Deck 2, as well as the dining room, are down a hallway to the aft of the reception area.
Deck 3 houses the Piano Bar and more cabins. The top deck is reachable via staircases leading from either side of the reception area on both decks 2 and 3.
The top-deck space is a vast, open area, nearly equal in size to the ship's full footprint. Facilities are minimal, given the height restrictions of the bridges on Europe's rivers, but there are chairs and loungers set on AstroTurf carpet. Drinks are served on the top deck when the weather is nice and the itinerary permits.
The ship has no spa, fitness center, pool nor hot tub. It also doesn't offer bicycles, a free perk on a number of more expensive river cruise ships, or outdoor games like shuffleboard or giant chess. However, as on most river cruises, passengers generally opt to get their exercise via port visits and walking tours; CroisiEurope offers themed walking cruises from time to time.
Gerard Schmitter is very much geared toward adults, and there are no dedicated facilities for children. That said, Croisi does occasionally offer summertime fares that allow children younger than 16 to travel for free -- even in separate cabins.
Europe Itinerary: Gerard Schmitter sails Europe river voyages on the Rhine River from spring through fall.
If you would like to subscribe to our exclusive offers please fill in your details below:
We will only communicate offers from B away. We never pass your details to other marketing companies.
Log in to view saved cruises
Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link to create a new password.