LoneStarCruisinCouple

We will be taking the Viking Paris to Normandy river cruise next year. We are trying to decide if we should add the Paris pre-excursion beforehand. Can someone give me information on that. Thanks.

Our names are Lisa and Gary LoneStarCruisinCouple and we are getting ready ourselves to leave for Paris September 19 -25. Cruising with Scenic and doing the Spectacular South of France with Paris and Monte Carlo.

We have made our own plans as we have been so lucky in using the Concierge Desk at our hotel and from the moment we arrive until we set out for our ship have a Full NonStop itinerary of this magnificent city of Romance and Lights.

The evening we are arriving doing a VIP Seine River Dancing Dining River Cruise, the next morning a Private Tour of Versailles and Giverny with a Country Lunch, later that evening dinner at Duorant. The next day a Private Limo City Tour with Light Lunch and including photo stops and also a stop at Brethilon, that evening dinner at Le Jules Verne top of the Eiffel Tower, the next day a Private Tour of the Louvre with coming back to the hotel in the afternoon to meet some of our friends that are flying in from Canada, that evening having dinner at Le Grand Colbert. The following day all four of us have a Private Grainer Opera House Tour with also a Tour Backstage which is very hard to get. Across the street is a huge department store the name I forgot but you can ride up the lift to the roof and get a view of the city. That evening Lisa and I have VIP tickets to the Dinner Show at the Moulin Rouge. The next day we have tickets to go to the Meuss D'Orsay and that evening we are having our Reception that is put on by Scenic as to find out what time to be at the train station to ride the TGV down to Dijon and our awaiting ship the Sapphire and our cabin the Royal Owners Suite.

Just a matter of trying to decide what you want to see and arranging with Jean Marc the Head Concierge at The Marriott Opera Ambassador.

Hoping this may help as everyone has different ideas but at least we shall get to see a lot but not all while we are there.

We just decided we would fly in early and do some sight seeing on our own.

Best Wishes

LoneStarCruisinCouple

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Howdy Bolshoi, Lisa and Gary here.

If you should go on Scenic's Website scenicusa.com and at the top it list space ships and then highlight on the ship that you may be cruising with, like us we are getting ready September 24 to do the Spectacular South of France with Paris and Monte Carlo doing the Rhone on the newly redesigned Sapphire and lucky enough to be upgraded to the Royal Owners Suite 510 sq. ft.

Once you get the ship hifhlight and then go to cabin and deck plans and scroll down towards the bottom and there is a list of cabins and sizes and layout.

If you should happen to go to Cruise Critic and go to Scenic Spectacular South of France with Paris and Monte Carlo for 2017 my posting name is LoneStarCruisinCouple and there is a photo just in our living room.

We arrive into Paris on the 19th and have a NonStop schedule from the time we arrive until we set out on the TGV for Dijon and onto our awaiting ship in Chalon-sur-Saone.

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I totally agree with you amd1234

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Thanks for the prompt replies. Will look into Scenic and Uniworld

Lisa and I are getting ready to do yet another Scenoc with The Spectacular South of France with Paris and Monte Carlo and next two years on the Scenic Eclipse their New Ocean Cruise Ship. One to Cuba the other the Med.

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We really want to hear a concert in Vienna and understand we would have to pay extra. Some lines are no longer listing the concert as an option, but when asked by phone, they say it is. Who has done the concert and on which line? Thanks

Lisa and Gary

LONESTARCRUISINCOUPLE here.

We were on Scenic and a Private concert is given at Liechtenstein Palace with Opera Singing, Ballet Dancers, and yes a Magnificent Orchestra all just for our ship. Excellent. No extra charge as cruise line is All Inclusive..

Gary

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RiverCruiseAdvisor. There is a section that compares all the different cruise lines.

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Morning Hawkeye65

Like you have said the cruises are nothing short of being Spectacular and constantly changing with every twist and bend of the rivers, however like you say it is the Folks that you meet and the Friendships that are formed as those are the Ships that Shall be Sailing Forever and A Day.

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Looking forward to hearing about your trip and your ecperience with Emerald as we are cruising once again with Scenic. Emeralds sister company once again and doing a similar trip in September on the newly redesigned Sapphire in one of the newest additions that of the Royal Owners Suite.

Doing what is called the Spectacular South of France with Paris and Monte Carlo September 24.

Can't wait to read of anything that you may recommend to go and see.

Thanks Lisa & Gary

LoneStarCruisinCouple

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Hi Suite Traveler,

Like your Board Name.

Yes we ourselves have done this several times and like you say has worked out extremely well.

Just curious as to your cruise lines that you have tried.

We I guess are pretty much sold on Scenic and all the various Perks that one gets.

Have this one in September and two booked for their New Eclipse.

One for Cuba and also a Mediterranean Cruise.

Yes our Concierge at the Marriott Opera is being very helpful as we have a friend in Germany that owns a Winery and he is sending us a case of wine to our hotel for us to take on our cruise and Jean Marc head concierge is taking care of for us.

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Morning Pat and Frank,

We are doing the Spectacular South of France with Paris and Monte Carlo with Scenic on the newly redesigned Sapphie.

Flying out of Houston on September 18.

We are doing the VIP at the Moulin Rouge and had our Concierge at our hotel Marriott Opera Ambassador get our tickets along with Le Jules Verne a top the Eiffel Tower and Private Tour of Versailles and Giverny along with a VIP Seine Dinner River Cruise and other various excursions.

Our cruise begins on the 25. We were upgraded by Scenic to one of the Brand new Royal Owners Suites.

LoneStarCruisinCouple

Lisa and Gary

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So does Scenic and seeing that Emerald is owned by Scenic I would say you stand a very good chance.

Does Mlbcruiser stand possibly for Melbourne?

I live in Sugar Land, Texas but grew up my younger years in Melbourne. Was a buyer for Myers..

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The price that Viking was charging us for an Explorer Suite vs Royal Panorama Suite. Same itinerary same time of year in fact the Biking ship was docked right beside our Scenic ship. Viking was the Lif and Scenic was the Jasper. Had already placed a deposit with Viking an Cancelled.

Bad thing was that also at the time Viking wanted in full payment 16 months prior to sailing not the normal 90 days. So very glad we changed..

More a matter of what one wants. All are good just that some are better than others..

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You are more than welcomed. They all have there good points and some have a fun bad. It is more a matter of just going and having a great and wonderful time no matter what. Yes there are perks to some of the various lines and what we liked was All Inclusive. Everything was taken care of. Along with Limos and Private Butlers and Libations to your hearts content.

When we went it was $10,000 cheaper than Viking in a Royal Panorama Suite. This time The Royal Owners Suite.

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You may want to go onto a website called River Cruise Advisor . There is a section that compares River Cruise Companies. What are the differences between Viking, Uniworld, AmaWaterways, Tauck, Croisi Europe, A-Rosa and Scenic.

Very interesting comparisons.

We have cruised with Scenic Amsterdam to Budapest getting ready to do Spectacular South of France with Paris and Monte Carlo and booked on two more on the Eclipse.

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Oh joy oh Bliss so enjoyed reading about your cruise and looks to be that you had a wonderful time.

Have some folks posting on Cruise Critic Scenic Roll Call and they are posting photos of The New Royal Owners Suites and are you sitting down. They Lopk like a Cheap Hotel. Very Drab looking and no pictures on the walls folks on the ship are thinking that they didn't get the furniture before the ship set sail.

Very strange for a company such as Scenic . Doesn't look to be redesigned to the standards of the new ships at all.

Cheers

Ooroo.

Gary

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Morning Crystal,

Yes there is a Vitality Pool now on the Diamond, yes they are heated and not really huge. More like an oversized Jacuzzi. Has lots of Air Jets. One extremely large one at one end that you can lay on and really unwind and enjoy.

Did you get your AirFare taken care of?

Gary

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Howdy Ira,

LoneStarCruisinCouple Lisa and Gary here.

We are doing with Scenic The Spectacular South of France with Paris and Monte Carlo in September any info re Paris greatly appreciated. Did Amsterdam to Budapest 2015 with Scenic.

Shall be in Paris for 7 days prior to our cruise.

Smooth Sailings

Best Wishes

Lisa and Gary

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Howdy Aussie with Time,

LoneStarCruisinCouple Lisa and Gary

We did your itinerary back in September of 2015 on the Jasper and lucky enough that we were in one of the Royal Panorama Suites. We like you spent three days prior in Amsterdam staying at the Toren and three days after in Budapest and stayed at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace Hotel. Both rated by TripAdvisor as number one in each city.

Had private tours in each city and really enjoyed ourselves. Used Tom's Travel Tours ( Tom van der Leij ) in Amsterdam and excellent. Is also rated as one of the best travel photographers in Europe and a nice touch is as he is giving you a tour he is also taking photos and a very nice touch to remember your tour by.

We did a Dinner River Cruise of the Canals with Jewels Dinner Cruises and also enjoyed an Indonesian Rice Table at a Michelin Star Restaurant Tempo Doeloe. Been booked solid every single night for 23 years.

One thing not to miss in Budapest is Fisherman's Bastion. The view in the evening as the lights of the city are starting to shimmer and glow spectacular.

We are getting ready to do another river cruise the Spectacular South of France ( Wine Country ) with Paris and Monte Carlo in September of this year on the newly redesigned Sapphire and lucky enough to be in.one of the Royal Owners Suites. Looking forward to seeing what the differences are as we were upgraded by Scenic. Next year the Eclipse and Cuba in Depth.

We love Scenic as with All Inclusive no hidden Nickel and Diming you for this and that like some of the others.

Having lived my younger years in Melbourne my mother was Australian I loved being with all the Aussies that were on our ship.

100 Aussies, 40 Canadians and rest of us a mix.

You are on for a very Funtastic Cruising Experience and like most of us shall get Hooked..

Cheers

LoneStarCruisinCouple

Lisa and Gary

Ooroo!

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Hi wishwerrcruisin.

LoneStarCruisinCouple here and we are going to Paris in September 24,2017 and have had our Airline tickets now for quite some time .

If you go back into Cruise Critic and look at my Thread All Scenic Spectacular South of France 2017 the last post has my email. Send me an email and I shall see if I can send you some info. Which cruise are you doing? What ship?

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Morning,

Sounds as if you have your bags packed and are ready to go.

Hi, we are LoneStarCruisinCouple Lisa and Gary and I can only speak for Budapest as we cruised with Scenic on the Jasper but went from Amsterdam to Budapest.

In Budapest we stayed at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace Hotel. It is rated number one by TripAdvisor and it is also the most Luxurious Hotel in Europe and rated number three in the world.

Impeccable service, food excellent and location is right at the beginning of the Chain Bridge. Close to everything.

I would highly recommend that you make a reservation for what is called the Fisherman's Bastion. A restaurant up on Castle Hill next to the Coronation Cathedral and in the evening as the lights of the city are starting to shimmer and shine is like having a Fairyland at your feet.

We were celebrating our Anniversary so I arranged with the hotel to have a horse and carriage to take us up and bring us back. Very Romantic..

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Hi. I posted a question about Budapest hotels recently. I got good responses but I can't find them. Wondering what hotel to book the night before an AMAwaterways cruise. Responses told me where the ship would be docked and what hotels are near there. I can't remember if people suggested staying near there or somewhere more interesting and taxi to dock. Thanks.

Howdy there Pather,

LoneStarCruisinCouple here,

While in Budapest we stayed at The Four Seasons Gresham Palace Hotel. Not only rated by TripAdvisor as the number One Hotel in Budapest but also rated as The Most Luxurious hotel in Europe and number three in All The World.

Yes pricey in comparison to some of the other hotel that are mentioned but hey after all you are on vacation.

Is located at the beginning of The Chain Bridge and what a view that one has.

We were at the end of our cruise with Scenic and they were docked on the opposite side from The Parliament Building and oh what a view we had on the evening that we were still on the ship as we were in one of The Royal Panorama Suites on The Jasper and just simply breathtaking.

One thing that I would highly recommend if you want to go to an amazing restaurant make reservations at The Fisherman's Bastion.

Is located up on Castle Hill next to The Coronation Cathedral and in the evening as the lights of the city are coming on it looks as if you have a Fairyland at your feet.

I also booked a Horse and Carriage ride to and from the restaurant from our hotel. Just an Amazing Evening.

Wishing You Smooth Sailings and a Marvelous Time.

Best Wishes

Lisa and Gary

LoneStarCruisinCouple

We did a Scenic River Cruise in September of 2015 and they had an excursion to see the Lipizzaner Stallions and oh what magnificent horses that they are.

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Sounds like you guys got a bargin. When is your cruise as we shall be in Paris from September 18 -24. Doing Spectacular South of France with Paris and Monte Carlo with Scenic on the newly redesigned Sapphire and booked into one of The Royal Owners Suites. Can't wait to get spoiled once again.

Wishing you Smooth Sailings and a Funtastic time filled with Laughter and Fun.

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Hey cozzello, not that we are using Viking Air, but using Scenic Air, flying from Houston to Paris September of 2017 and already have flight tickets and seating assignments. Doing Spectacular South of France with Paris and Monte Carlo.. Would have thought that you would of had sometime ago.

Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Enjoy your cruise.

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Don't know why?

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