We took the 3 day, July 7-9, 2014 river cruise from Montreal with an overnight stays at Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City and the Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu. These are beautiful top flight hotels...bucket list hotels.
The cruise was wonderful. If you want to see the Saint Lawrence Seaway the way the first explorers did (except much more luxuriously) this is the trip for you. Dining in the boat was great. The people were great....we met a couple that lives 2 degrees below the Artic Circle!
The crew are French first speakers...English was not a problem. Except during portions where the Captain lead the passengers in singing old french songs...it was hysterical...English translations of everything else were available. We even saw whales!!!! What else do you want?