Issue No. 25

Friendly, fun and festive
On one night there was a touch of Strictly
Ballroom in the salon with waltzing
Frenchies and tango dancing Malaysians
mixed with disco dancing octogenarians,
though 86 year old Evelyn who comes from
nearby Avignon refrained from dancing on
account she said, of breaking her leg doing
the cha cha cha at a party a while back. She
did however don a black curly wig to mime
to Edith Piaf belting out La Vie en Rose at
the crew Show. We all joined in the chorus
and gave her a huge round of applause.
The crew show is a tradition and it’s clear
that they love doing it. The French guests
especially love it though it’s probably not
what US and UK holiday makers are used to.
In fact for a group of cynical women travel
writers we found it remarkably easy to let
our hair down and join in - who can resist
Mama Mia or Le Madison - a line dance
favourite in France for more than 50 years -
which if you don’t know it before your
CroisiEurope trip, you certainly will by the
time you’re finished. Sure it’s a little bit kitsch
but it’s great fun and if your holiday makes
you laugh, then it’s a good holiday!
There’s a lot of laughter on this boat. On day
1 the crew are introduced one by one. Anis
the Purser strolled in to the sound of “I’m
sexy and I know it”, the bar staff paraded to
“The Eye of the Tiger”. The guests clapped
everyone enthusiastically from the captain
and his brother the deputy captain, to the
chefs and housekeepers and Lilla the laundry
lady (Pretty Woman if you must know).
You’re drawn into the “family” of
CroisiEurope crew and it’s up to you if you
want to or not but on this trip, everyone
loved it, whatever their age or nationality.
The crew are part of the journey and by the
way, they all speak English.