Having been on 3 other river cruises, we found one that went down the Rhone, which we had not gone on before. The Rosa Stella is about 12 years old, but extremely well kept and very clean. In fact it is the cleanest cruise ship we've ever been on. Our cabin was a decent size - not large but well appointed and the beds were comfortable. We had a French balcony, meaning you could open the doors for fresh air but not sit out. We kept them open with the screen as one of the enjoyments of a river cruise is watching the shore line and hearing the water gently move. The staff was superb - they went out of their way to be accommodating and were friendly, smiling and efficient. Louise was the person who interfaced the most with us and she gets a gold star. The spa, run by Nadya, was heaven and I had three massages for a reasonable price. The service was excellent. The swimming pool was my favourite - larger than most and warm. I spent time every day in it. There is also a fairly wee equipped gym and a sauna.

This is a German ship, so the food, though we were in France, was mainly German, as was the major language. Food was buffet style but they also grilled fish and meat as the buffet and in special dinners on the deck for BBQ. Plenty of meat suited my carnivorous husband and fresh, lovely salad bar every day suited me.

Excursions cost extra, but, since the ports were all in town, we walked and explored without guides. The best ports were Avignon, Arles and Lyon which kept us busy for the entire times were there. People who went on shore excursions said they were happy, so I can only rate them based upon the experiences of others. Read more