BARGING AROUND BELGIUM WITH CROISIEUROPE

MS Raymonde

A floating Journey Through Belgium cruising the Canals Aboard the MS Raymonde

There are few better ways to discover Belgium than by drifting gently along its historic canals aboard a boutique barge like MS Raymonde, one of CroisiEurope’s intimate hotel barges. With only eleven cabins, it’s a floating retreat where personal service, fine dining, and the service and lure of small-group travel create an experience that feels like a cruise with friends.

Itineraries on the MS Raymonde can include a French champagne region cruise or Belgian Canals, exploring cities like Ghent and Bruges. Both itineraries offer a blend of scenic, historical and cultural experiences like wine and cheese tasting, casual strolls and fine dining on board.

On the Halle to Ghent cruise, each day reveals a new side of Belgium—abbey breweries tucked into forests, centuries-old churches rising above sleepy hamlets, and vibrant market squares alive with the scent of frites and spices. Excursions may include tasting sessions at local chocolatiers, visits to belfries and UNESCO-listed towns, or simply watching the rhythm of life along the canals: cyclists waving from the towpath, swans gliding beside the hull, and locals pausing to chat at the locks.

Effervescent Purser, Hans created some highlights with his clever, witty and humorous presentations, calls to meals, general information and specialty cheese presentations. A real-life character to be sure. Hans has been on board for many years and along with the captain and crew of only five they keep the ship steady as she goes.

Engineering Marvels and Timeless Towns

Bruges, Carmersbrug (Carmelite Bridge)

One of the cruise’s highlights is the awe-inspiring Strépy-Thieu boat lift, a masterpiece of modern engineering. Towering 100 metres above the valley, it raises the Raymonde—and her passengers—like a toy in a vast steel cradle, offering breathtaking views across Wallonia’s rolling hills. It’s a surreal moment: a floating hotel suspended in the sky.

Further along, the barge moors near Oudengaarde, a picturesque Flemish town famous for its tapestries, ornate belfry, and charming riverside cafés. Guests can stroll or cycle along the towpaths, exploring Gothic architecture and enjoying a quiet drink in the town square as church bells echo across the rooftops. In the evening, Raymonde becomes a cozy retreat, her lights glowing softly in the reflection of the canal.

Belgian Pleasures Along the Way

MS Raymonde

The Raymonde’s compact size belies her comfort. Each cabin is elegantly fitted with picture windows, soft lighting, and modern amenities. Meals are an event in themselves—Belgian cheeses, freshly baked bread, and regional specialties like waterzooi or carbonnade Flamand paired with robust local beers. On deck, guests sip aperitifs or enjoy a glass of bubbly in the spacious hot tub while the barge glides through green fields, quiet villages, and rows of poplars that seem to march along the canals.

After six leisurely nights, the Raymonde glides into Ghent.

Guests disembark with new friends, a camera full of momentous moments, and perhaps a few extra souvenirs: a box of chocolates, pralines, a bottle of Trappist beer, and the memory of “mussels in Brussels,” shared over laughter and candlelight.

In a country celebrated for its art, architecture, and indulgence, a cruise aboard CroisiEurope’s MS Raymonde offers something more, a chance to slow down and see Belgium not just as a destination, but as a living, breathing landscape best admired from the water.

Website: CroisiEurope https://www.croisieurope.travel/en
* Written by John Savage

Captain Dinh Hoe Navigates the Mekong

Captain Tran Dinh Hoe

Captain Tran Dinh Hoe is a veteran of the Mekong River. His 35-years navigating one of the world’s major waterways owes as much to his ‘feel’ of the River as it does his understanding of its shifts and moods. On paper, the voyage from bustling HoChiMinh City to the temples of Siem Reap is a straight blue ribbon. In the wheelhouse however, it’s a living experience requiring real know-how to steer through Vietnam’s vibrant Mekong and later, manage quiet waterways in Cambodia. The captain needs to constantly create safe pathways – adjusting for shifting currents and depths. He also needs to stay alert to floating debris and river traffic. His command requires equal part navigation, diplomacy, weather-watching, and old-fashioned seamanship. Captain Hoe meets the challenge with a smile.

“Most working rivers have currents,” he says. “The Mekong has moods. Some days she pulls like she’s impatient, other days she barely wants to move. The trick isn’t to fight her, it is to listen and remain patient.”

“I have had passengers ask me how I know when to slow the engine or shift course. Truth is, you feel it in your bones. If you are respectful the Mekong will carry you all the way into Cambodia from Vietnam without a whisper of trouble.”

I’m on the 14-cabin Toum Tiou 2 New Discovery Tour, a 9-day 8-night cruise from CFMekong by CroisEurope (CFM) that begins in HoChiMinh City (HCMC) Vietnam, Saigon to locals, and ends at Koh Chen south of Siem Reap, home to the stunning Angkor Wat temples, You can also do the reverse.

We begin our journey with a city tour of HoChiMinh City (HCMC) that includes the former colonial neighbourhoods and buildings from the French colonial era including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Saigon Central Post Office followed by a tour of the War Remnants Museum.

Toum Tiou 2

The New Discovery Tour offers more light adventure than a typical river cruise. As well as excellent onboard facilities and delicious cuisine, passengers enjoy walking, bike-riding, visits to local villages, handicrafts, cooking classes, and a variety of kayaking/sampan/ rowing boat/motorboat experiences - all tailored to suit individual preferences and ages. Our cruise includes My Tho for walks, sampan rides in narrow waterways and biking through fruit orchards and local villages. We then explore the sleepy town of Sa Dec, noted for its vibrant markets and Ancient House. At Cai Be it’s a visit to a craft village and then lunch at a local restaurant where a local cook heads a small cooking class. The itinerary also includes visits to Khmer, Cham and Vietnamese communities, walks into the unspoilt Tra Su Forest and climbs to stunning Udong Hill. Included is a cable car ride to the top of Sam Mountain in Chau Doc, and ‘insider’ highlights of bustling Phnom Penh.

Aboard the Toum Tiou 2 in Cambodia, passengers enjoy isolated Mekong waterways and views of lush greenery, bamboo hamlets and buffalo-ploughed rice fields. Many different water birds are found here as well as floating villages, majestic temples and cloudless skies.

The Toum Tiou 2 is purpose-built for these waters: low profile, flat bottom, and a modest draft to ride over the Mekong’s shifting sandbars and to slip under bridges at high water. Her twin engines deliver just enough thrust to muscle through strong fresh-season currents but idle whisper-quiet while it noses into narrow canals lined with orchards and stilt houses.

The Mekong and its tributaries, especially the Tonlé Sap system, expand and contract by several meters across the year, reversing flow in places as monsoon run-off pulses downstream. For a captain, that means two itineraries for the price of one, and a readiness to switch between them.

Toum Tiou 2

The TT2 reflects a bygone era of romantic river cruising and service. Built of teak with the safety of a steel hull, passengers relax in comfort and safety. Standouts include cosy air-conditioned double cabins, large lounge areas, panoramic viewing and strolling spaces, and a serviced bar and restaurant. The upper deck hosts six cabins while the lower deck features eight cabins: All offer uninterrupted views of the river and breathtaking sunrises.

Special discounts for the CFM New Discovery Tour are now available beginning at AUD$2,419.45 (US$1,559) per person for a shared main deck cabin and AUD$3,226.46 (US$2,079) for a double cabin with single use.

*Full details of promotion prices: www.cfmekong.com

For more travel inspiration read the daily online "The Holiday and Travel Magazine" https://theholidayandtravelmagazine.blogspot.com/

MAGICAL MED CRUISE AROUND MALTA

MV La Belle de l’Adriatique Crew

The captain, crew and passengers were gyrating to the well-known YMCA singalong. They had gathered for the introduction to the Croisi Europe MV La Belle de l’Ádriatique Med cruise. A glimpse of the onboard entertainment set the scene for a spirited cruise around Malta and Sicily. And all the fun and frivolity were underway before we left the port of Valetta, the capital of Malta.

The usual seafaring pomp and ceremony greeted us as we boarded MV LA BELLE DE L’Á ADRIATIQUE. The staff introductions on the first night by Cruise Director Pedro and Captain Goran Favro created an entertaining on and off board eight-day seven-night port to port cruise.

The multi-tasking top-of-the-range crew members not only skillfully fulfilled their ship’s duties but also excelled at dancing and singing, with a number well credentialled to take part in any TV talent quests anywhere in the world.

As well as an entertaining crew we had on board a lively five-piece jazz band that paid their passage with nightly concerts. They joined one of the CroisiEurope cruises every year, a bonus for passengers.

The MV La Belle de l’Adriatique is a stylish, four-deck vessel designed for intimate cruising of the Mediterranean and cultural discovery. This 110-metre ship accommodates 197 guests, served by a dedicated 47-member crew, providing comfort, personalized service, a warm, friendly atmosphere and top-notch entertainment throughout the voyage.

Commanded by Captain Goran Favro, a Croatian mariner with decades of experience – including years spent navigating island cruises in Australia, La Belle de l’Adriatique takes us on a journey steeped in heritage, history, and local flavour, visiting some of the most captivating ports in Malta and Sicily.

“The Australian sailing experience is mainly of sun and beaches and far different from the heritage and history cruises of Malta and Sicily” Captain Favro explains.

The itinerary for The Best of the Mediterranean follows -

Day 1 - 3 Valletta, Malta

MV La Belle de l’Adriatique Chefs

Begin the adventure in Malta’s magnificent capital, Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famed for its golden limestone architecture and panoramic harbor views. Step aboard Croisi Europe’s La Belle de l’Adriatique and settle into one of the elegant cabins. As evening falls, enjoy a welcome cocktail and the ships all dancing all singing show. Apart from the historic vibe, Valetta is a city that doesn’t sleep. Literally hordes of people 17 to 50 years old partying in restaurants clubs and around the main entertainment area at four in the morning.

Day4 — Pozzallo, Sicily

The first Sicilian port with a local guide is the sun-drenched coastal town of Pozzallo. Stroll along its sandy beaches or relax in a seaside café as fishermen haul in their morning catch. Optional excursions explore nearby baroque villages and the relaxed rhythm of southern Italian life.

Day5 — Catania

Set against the dramatic backdrop of Mount Etna, Catania offers a blend of fiery energy and stunning architecture. Explore its bustling markets, baroque squares, and historic streets built from volcanic stone. Shore excursions can include a scenic drive up Mount Etna or a visit to Taormina, with its Greek theatre and spectacular coastal views.

Day 6 — Siracusa

Few places capture the grandeur of ancient Greece like Siracusa. Discover the Archaeological Park, the famed Ear of Dionysius cave, and the charming island of Ortigia with its ornate piazzas and sea-lined promenades. Back on board, enjoy regional Sicilian cuisine and an evening of Swing.

Day 5 — Gozo, Malta

Sail to Gozo, Malta’s greener, quieter sister island. Visit the prehistoric Ggantija Temples, explore Victoria’s Citadel, or simply unwind by the turquoise waters of Xlendi Bay. A traditional Maltese dinner awaits on board, highlighting local olive oil, capers, and freshly caught fish.

MV La Belle de l’Adriatique

Day 6 — Ragusa and Modica

Docking once again in Sicily, the highlights are the baroque masterpieces of Ragusa and Modica. Wander Ragusa Ibla’s labyrinth of narrow lanes lined with noble palaces, then sample Modica’s famous Aztec-style chocolate—still made using age-old techniques. Enjoy scenic countryside views as we return to the ship in the late afternoon.

Day 7 — Cruising the Mediterranean

The final day is at sea enjoying the pleasures of life on board. Take in sweeping sea views from the sun deck, enjoy a drink in the lounge, or attend a talk on Mediterranean history hosted by the crew. In the evening, the Captain’s Gala Dinner celebrates your unforgettable voyage, accompanied by live music and fine cuisine.

Day 8 — Return to Valletta Early morning arrival in Valletta. 

Enjoy a final breakfast on board before disembarkation. Bid farewell to the crew and your fellow travellers and take the indelible memories of golden coastlines, ancient cities, the enduring charm of the Mediterranean and the entertainment offerings of the very talented crew with you. 

More information: www.croisieurope.travel/en

*Written by John Savage