10 things we loved about our CroisiEurope river cruise that had us visiting Venice, Milan, Lake Como in Italy

To get to the places mega-ships can’t, it’s all about the river cruise, and CroisiEurope’s reputation is unparalleled in Europe. Their all-included packages take the stress out of multi-destination trips, and the service and food are like that of a French boutique hotel. In October 2024, I decided to veer off the beaten path on a journey from Venice to Milan. Taking to the waters instead, my trip began aboard the MS Michelangelo parked in Venice, and sailed through to Chioggia, Porto Viro, Ostiglia, Verona, and Mantua. Disembarking, we tacked on an extended two-night stay in Milan, which included a visit to the spectacular, albeit rainy, Lake Como. Here’s what we loved about our seven-day itinerary on the CroisiEurope Milan and Lake Como & cruise from Renaissance-infused Mantua to the Canals of Venice, complete with real photos to authentically illustrate the experience.

Everything you need to know about the ​​CroisiEurope Venice River Cruise

1. All meals are included WITH alcoholic drinks

Most of the cruises we’ve previously done have a separate charge or package if you want to consume alcoholic beverages. At Croisi, they’re all included (you’ll see by the end of this article, pretty much everything is included!). 

Located on the upper deck, the restaurant is where all meals are served during the cruise. It seats all guests at tables which vary in size, and views are panoramic. The atmosphere is casual yet elegant, with fine French (and on this itinerary, some Italian) gastronomy on board. 

On Croisi’s all-inclusive cruises, everyone benefits from full board throughout the cruise with drinks included both with meals and at the bar (excluding premium brands and special wine list). Our dish of the week was a quail filet and parsley in port wine sauce, with mixed veg on the side, and we loved both the French and Italian bottles, crafted and generously poured with every meal.

2. All rooms come with a view

There are no sad budget rooms without windows here. At Croisi, every guest deserves a romantic vista. Upon boarding, you’re welcomed by the crew who will help you settle into your cabin. Ours came with two twin beds, a bathroom, and a desk. Admittedly, it was small and a little dated, but the room was efficient and clean, and those sights made all the difference. 

Our room also had heating and air conditioning, and surprisingly in October, we had to use both due to rather extreme weather conditions in the region for that time of year. 

3. The Wi-Fi is free

Wi-Fi is included for the duration of your sail, and it’s fast. We actually wrote this article and uploaded the photos whilst on the ship, so you can most definitely attend to business if that’s on the agenda. There’s also no limit to how many devices you can connect to at a time, so you can work on your laptop, use your phone, and stream at the same time. There are televisions in the room, but they are older and do not have streaming. Hopefully, in future updates, Smart TVs will harness the benefits of fast Wi-Fi on this Italian itinerary.

4. You can practice French

As the company hails from France, you’ll find most of the clientele is French. On our particular cruise, that was about 95% (we shared a table with six other English-speaking guests). That’s all fine though—the staff are multi-lingual, and announcements are made in both languages. 

As some of us have an interest in the language, it was a great opportunity to practice, not only with staff and other guests. We can say a whole lot more than the Lady Marmalade lyrics, now. If you’re travelling on one of their French itineraries, this is a nice opportunity to really immerse yourself.

5. The excursions are really good (and included!)

Did we mention everything is included? When you book a CroisiEurope trip, your tours each day are also part of the package (there are also optional add-ons, but the standard ‘classic’ inclusions will more than suffice). Our included excursions were very well organised, despite weather conditions shifting dates and times. 

Lake Como was pouring with rain the day we had our tour, but if it were sunny it really would have been a perfect, all-bases-covered, adventure, which included a boat tour, a ride up the famous funicular, lunch at a local Italian restaurant, and guided tour of its historical monuments. We also enjoyed tours of Mantua, Verona, and Venice.

6. There are no kids

The clientele was definitely older, mostly retirees, but everyone had a sense of adventure and at least in our English-speaking group, had good physical ability. The guides are also very happy to modify tours according to individual preferences. For example, on day one, we joined for part of a tour, and then were allowed to skip off to explore the city on our own. There are no kiddie play stations and no screaming families, just the sweet sound of serenity (and the odd karaoke session).

7. Excellent hotels are partnered with on-land

We did the three-day, two-night extended stay in Milan at the end of our trip. This part was not on the cruise ship. Accommodation was in the four-star Hotel Splendid instead, which was gorgeous and sat right on Lake Maggiore. Meals were also served here in the hotel’s restaurant (we noticed a few cruise lines with signs here) in a set meal situation. Our room was a standard twin with mountain views, and some members of the party were lucky enough to score lake views. 

8. Once you’re on, there’s no need to think about logistics

What’s great about having every excursion and meal included, is you don’t have to think about logistics or reservations. Every evening, the team runs through the following day’s schedule, which is also printed as an itinerary in-room, and shows up on channel 91 of the TV. You simply follow it, or not—you’re fine to stay on board or explore a stop on your own. 

Travel logistics were also taken care of for the off-ship portion of the trip in Milan, and if you have transfers included, there is a team for that too. Easy.

9. You can focus on romance

As a result of not having to think about getting from A to B, or what restaurant to reserve, you can focus on making memories with your travelling companion.  We had a lot of spare time outside of working on board to plan some fun, booking a gondola ride in Venice (which was extortionate – not recommended). Since every corner of the island is so photogenic, we booked a Flytographer alongside the trip (excellent value and very recommended), a local professional to do our holiday snaps right. Clearly, other travellers had the same idea, and we spotted a photographer on more than one gondola. If you’re thinking of wrapping the experience up for a loved one this holiday season, Flytographer has gift cards. You’re welcome.

10. The ship parks right by the action

The benefit of a river cruise over a mega cruise is the size of the ship, and its ability to get to places where the biggies can’t. That includes parking. The size of this MS Michelangelo allows it to cruise the Venetian Lagoon and to moor close to Saint Mark’s Square, so you’re within walking distance and don’t need to wait for a coach of a tender. Think of it as your city centre hotel on water—it’s all about location.

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