CRUISE CONTROL

We step on board a floating pied-a-terre, aptly named the S.S. Joie de Vivre, for a seven-day roundtrip cruise from Paris to Normandie along the Seine River a journey steeped in wonder and quintessential French charm.

- FRANÇOIS OOSTHUIZEN

My first impression of the S.S.Joie de Vivre, as it lays anchored in the Seine River, just a few hundred metres from the Eiffel Tower, is its (what seems like) imposing length. Yet, this latest offering in Uniworld's stable of luxury river boats measures only 125 metres - a nifty size that enables it to slip through France's winding channels to dock at moorings that are simply too small for larger vessels. Stepping on board would reveal several other pleasant surprises, too.

The S.S. Joie de Vivre, as its name suggests, promises to bring the "joy of living" - a love song to the French good life-to guests checking in to experience a river cruise that explores the charms of the northern French countryside in a leisurely, indulgent way along the Seine River. A quick exploration of the boat reveals handcrafted furniture and fine antiques, original artwork and signature accents, inspired by 20thcentury Parisian designs from the 'Golden Twenties' to the free-spirited 1960s - all blending seamlessly with modern conveniences. Along with that comes a welcoming crew that goes out of their way to get guests settled in.

My Deluxe French Balcony cabin measures only 18 square metres but seems much bigger thanks to the large window and clever use of space. In total there are 16 of these cabins, 29 French Balcony cabins (same size), nine Classic cabins (15-17 square metres), eight Suites (24 square metres), and two Grand Suites (38 square metres). All staterooms and suites are decorated in a plush way with bright splashes and beautiful dark-wood furnishings and panelling, marble-lined bathrooms stocked with L'Occitane amenities, handcrafted Savoir of England beds (complete with 100-percent Egyptian cotton sheets), a pillow menu, and European duvets.