Peter Deilmann Cruises to introduce Seine River cruises on five-star Cezanne with choice of itineraries. Weekly sailings from Paris begin March 26, 2005 (July 20, 2004)

Peter Deilmann Cruises to introduce Seine River cruises on five-star Cezanne with choice of itineraries. Weekly sailings from Paris begin March 26, 2005
Peter Deilmann Cruises will introduce weekly cruises on the Seine River offering the first sailings to originate in Paris and Rouen on March 26, 2005. The cruise line is moving one of its two French-based vessels -- the five-star Cezanne -- to the Seine from the Rhône. Rhône River cruises between Lyon and Arles will continue on the four-star, 140-passenger Princesse de Provence.

The 100-passenger Cezanne will sail two itineraries on the Seine. Sixteen of the sailings will be round-trip from Paris and the other 18 will depart alternately from Paris and Rouen. The cruises will offer overnight stays on the ship in both Paris and Rouen and will visit Versailles from the port of Le Pecq, Honfleur from Le Havre, the small town of Caudebec-en-Caux and Giverney from the port of Vernon. The Rouen-to-Paris itinerary will feature two nights on board ship in Paris. The cruises will have departures through Nov. 12.

In announcing the new Seine River cruises, Ron Santangelo, president of Peter Deilmann Cruises, said the cruise line decided that first time and repeat passengers would like to have the choice of two rivers in France and to depart from Paris. About 75% of the departures are from the French capital.

"We are the only cruise line to offer sailings roundtrip from Paris and from Rouen," Santangelo said. "Accommodations on the five-star Cezanne will be the largest on the Seine with 50 beautifully furnished twin and queen cabins of 162 square feet and 178 square feet respectively. Cabins on the upper deck offer full-length windows while those on the lower deck have three porthole windows. Each is equipped with built-in closet, desk, audio entertainment center and color TV. Bathrooms with showers are well designed and outfitted with terry robes, hair dryers and other amenities," the Deilmann president added.

The Cezanne has many more crew, one for every 2.5 passengers, than Deilmann's competition. Santangelo claims that this ratio allows the cruise line to focus on food and service. At the same time, Deilmann vessels are the only ones that have a medical doctor on board every voyage. Cezanne

"We are proud of our fine service and the cuisine we offer. Like all Deilmann river ships, the Cezanne serves six meals daily -- breakfast, morning bouillon, lunch, afternoon tea/coffee and pastries, dinner and late evening snack. The elegantly decorated Panorama Restaurant is surrounded by large picture windows, as is the bright and airy lounge, and meals served in the non-smoking dining room are single seating, " Santangelo said.

In addition to the spacious lounge, the vessel has a bar, library, gift shop, beauty salon, laundry, safe deposit boxes and an infirmary with a qualified doctor on board. The sundeck is equipped with comfortable deck chairs and blankets.

"Shore excursions will feature the sights of Paris and Rouen with its fine cathedral and Musée des Beaux-Arts exhibiting paintings by the Impressionists Monet, Sisley, Boudin and Pisarro, and the lovely city of Honfleur, both a sea and river port with a rich artistic and historic heritage," Santangelo explained.

The ship also calls at Vernon for an excursion to Giverny where Claude Monet painted for 43 years, experimenting with camera-like techniques to close in and create some of his most famous paintings of fields of irises and glorious water lilies. Also on the itineraries are Caudebec-en-Caux, immortalized in painting by Eugène Boudin, and Les Andelys, known both for the delights of boating and the painters of the Normandy School.

"We will have four very interesting cruise tours offered in combination with the one-week Seine cruise," Santangelo said.
"One will add three nights in London with breakfast and sightseeing and Channel crossing on the Eurostar. Another will feature two nights in London and two in the English countryside plus the Orient Express Day train from London to Paris. A truly romantic cruise tour will begin in Italy with three nights in elegant accommodations in the Villa D'Este on Lake Como and two in Venice with transportation to Paris on the deluxe Venice Simplon Orient Express train. The fourth one will combine the Seine and Rhône cruises for two weeks in France."

The cruise-only rates on the Cezanne's Seine sailings will be the same as this year --$1,450 to $2,950 per person in a twin- or queen-bedded cabin. Fares on the Princesse de Provence sailings on the Rhône will also remain unchanged. The Rhône cruises to the wine regions and Provence will operate weekly from March 26 through Nov. 12. Round-trip cruises will depart from Lyon and one-way sailings will depart from Lyon and Arles. Port fees will increase $5 to $85.

(Source: Peter Deilmann Cruises)