We received a lovely letter from guests on a recent Meanderer luxury French canal cruise, and they have kindly permitted us to publish it.
Truth is, when we learned that [Susan and George] wouldn’t be onboard the Meanderer, we were all disappointed.
BUT, the crew we had for our wonderful week on the Canal de Briare could not have been better. To a person, they were special.
The captain/guide, Declan Morgan, was always a fountain of information, laughs, and skillful oversight of all details of the cruise. And his wife Aisling (cruise hostess) was always welcoming, cheerful, attentive to any and all needs of the guests. The two of them were a fount of knowledge about wines and cheeses as well.
Barge pilot Stephan Lhopital could not have been more skillful at the incredible task of negotiating the numerous écluses with centimeters to spare. Yet he couldn’t have done it so well without the attentive help of his wife/matelot, Flo, guiding and securing the boat. All the details Flo attended to did not interfere with her constant friendly greetings and, perhaps, the world’s best smile.
The fifth crew member, chef John McGarry, is (or should be) Michelin 5-star rated. He set a level of excellence in choice and preparation of meals that would be hard to exceed.
We will long remember the perfect crew you’ve assembled for the canal cruise.
With many thanks for a most memorable excursion!
Jerry and Dottie