CroisiEurope recently announced the start of construction of the third paddle-wheel riverboat to join the company’s fleet, the MS Elbe Princesse II. Construction has officially begun at the STX shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France.
The design of the third paddlewheel-propelled ship comes following the success of the MS Loire Princesse in 2015 and the Elbe Princesse in 2016. After a four-month design phase, the steel cutting ceremony was held in December in Saint-Nazaire.
The new ship will measure 331 feet long and 34 feet wide. The ship will have a shallow hull draft, a low air draft and a ballasting system, all designed to help with the navigational limitations often found on the sailed rivers. As it’s to be powered by paddlewheels, its cruising speed will reach between nine and 10 miles per hour.
The Elbe Princesse II will be the second ship operating between Berlin and Prague on the Elbe and Vltava Rivers. The new ship’s design will be sleek and contemporary, much like the original MS Elbe Princesse, which launched in 2016. It will contain open spaces, large picture windows and modern colors for an elegant feel. The ship will house 90 passengers within 45 cabins, containing more than 150 square feet of space with French balconies on the upper deck. Onboard, an expansive 1,184 square foot restaurant, a 1,560 square foot panoramic lounge, a patio and a near-11,000 square foot sun deck all provide a variety of relaxation destinations for cruise guests.
Slated for delivery in February of 2018, the MS Elbe Princesse II will sail round-trip between Berlin and the heart of Prague. Guests will experience a unique itinerary between Germany and the Czech Republic, including Potsdam, the gardens at Sanssouci Palace, Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Meissen, Litomerice and “Golden” Prague.
Main technical details for the MS Elbe Princesse II include:
Overall length: 331.59 feet
Overall width: 34.44 feet
Design draft: 2.95 feet
Ballast-water draft: 4.27 feet
Maximum air draft: 22.96 feet
Ballast-water air draft to fixed point: 14.24 feet
Passenger cabins: 45
Full itinerary details for the MS Elbe Princesse II and other Elbe cruises can be found at www.croisieuroperivercruises.com/elbe-cruises-berlin-and-prague.