Paris - 3.5 Days Pre Cruise

[vacation fool]

agree with cruisemom. it is hard to find a place that would be in short walking distance of everything. paris is a very walkable city however a big walkable city ;) we stayed at hotel relais bosquet in the 7th. very walkable to rue cler area and eiffel tower. we used metro to get to louvre and montmarte areas. they offered a rick steves discount at the time and we got 10% off. i think it came to around $200-220 a nite. it is a little boutique hotel with a wonderful bakery on the corner, a little grocery store a few doors down, and 5 minutes to the corner to walk the rue cler neighborhood. another little tip: i used sightseekersdelight for some tours and also as a concierge service in which i paid them 100 euros and in return i got my3 day intinerary planned out with the proper metros to take, restaurant suggestions, etc.....it was money very well spent since we only had 3 days and did not want to spend half of it getting lost. Basically i let her know what we wanted to do and she "organized, fine tuned" it. It was great complete with all details we needed to navigate. Trust me, the workers in the metro do not care if you are lost and can be very rude and impatient if you do not understand the directions they are giving you. my husband and i had this experience and said to eachother that if there were not a glass partition between us and the person who made change she would have spat on us :rolleyes::eek: but despite that, it is a wonderful city and we are so looking forward to going back.....:)

[Cruise Junky]

We loved staying in the 7th. We were in the Rue Cler area which is a charming array of local cafes, bakeries, produce and cheese markets. Sidewalk stands of croissants, crepes, etc...Nothing more authentic than this. Alot of locals live, shop and eat here. We were about a 10 minute walk to the eiffel and about a 10 min walk to the metro.

 

 

Excellent - thanks. We're very much looking forward to being near Rue Cler with an Apartment Kitchen.

[jkt1220]

Well, after all of the great advice I have taken from you, I'm glad I could pay some forward to you.

 

The Cultivale Eiffel Tower tour surprised me too at how good it was. Obviously, I agree on use of Metro and Paris Museum Pass. Couldn't imagine a vacation in Paris without either.

 

Thanks so much for all the info- We are traveling to paris in late August 2013 precruise and will have 2 and half days to see the city. I'm trying to see as much as possible- with also trying to balance time to just take it all in- sitting at a parisian cage, a picnic in one of the gardesn...! Regarding the Eiffel Tower tour- was it in English? and I noticed on their website it states that tickets only included access to 2nd floor & that tickets to 3rd floor could be purchased on 2nd floor. Was there a line when you got to the 2nd floor? Can you still purchase tickets to the third floor in advance online?

 

Thanks!

[hubofhockey]

Thanks so much for all the info- We are traveling to paris in late August 2013 precruise and will have 2 and half days to see the city. I'm trying to see as much as possible- with also trying to balance time to just take it all in- sitting at a parisian cage, a picnic in one of the gardesn...! Regarding the Eiffel Tower tour- was it in English? and I noticed on their website it states that tickets only included access to 2nd floor & that tickets to 3rd floor could be purchased on 2nd floor. Was there a line when you got to the 2nd floor? Can you still purchase tickets to the third floor in advance online?

 

Thanks!

 

Cultival does both English and French tours. You should pre-purchase tickets online and, obviously, choose the English tour. Our tour was given by a bilingual parisen, who spoke English with an accent, but was easily undertandable. Yes, the tour gets you to the second level and you purchase tickets on the second level to go up to the third level. I am not sure if you can purchase tickets online to the third level. All of the information is in this link. http://www.cultival.fr/en/visites/les-coulisses-de-la-tour-eiffel-313

 

If you are Paris for 2.5 days, I suppose something will have to give, and even more if you do the picnic in the park type of thing. I would have done that type of thing and gone to a jazz club at night if we had a week and not 3.5 days. I wouldn't have given up Versailles, Orsay, Eiffel Tower, Paris walking tour, Seine river cruise, or Montmartre walking tour for a picnic. But you could pick and choose highlights and always see what you missed the next time you go. I would never do a ship's tour from Le Havre to Paris for three hours. But I think, given the opportunity, two to three days before a cruise, a trip to Paris is great.

Edited January 7, 2013 by hubofhockey

[hubofhockey]

Good luck to those looking for hotels. A good starting point for a search is Trip Advisor. Paris is not a cheap city when it comes to hotels. I think the most important thing was being near the Metro and also being in the more central arrondissements - lower number ones. We never felt as if we were more than a 15-20 minute Metro ride/walk from anything from our hotel.

[cruisemom42]

Thanks so much for all the info- We are traveling to paris in late August 2013 precruise and will have 2 and half days to see the city. I'm trying to see as much as possible- with also trying to balance time to just take it all in- sitting at a parisian cage, a picnic in one of the gardesn...! Regarding the Eiffel Tower tour- was it in English? and I noticed on their website it states that tickets only included access to 2nd floor & that tickets to 3rd floor could be purchased on 2nd floor. Was there a line when you got to the 2nd floor? Can you still purchase tickets to the third floor in advance online?

 

Thanks!

 

Our Cultivale tour was in English -- as hubofhockey says, you just have to choose one of the English tours (clearly marked) when making your reservation.

 

There was not a long lineup to get tickets to the 3rd level when we were there (despite there being long line ups at just about every other attraction in Paris!). I believe the guide said the tickets were around 5,50 euro each.

 

We opted not to go up. It was very windy and the second level is high enough that you get wonderful views.

Edited January 7, 2013 by cruisemom42

[jkt1220]

Cultival does both English and French tours. You should pre-purchase tickets online and, obviously, choose the English tour. Our tour was given by a bilingual parisen, who spoke English with an accent, but was easily undertandable. Yes, the tour gets you to the second level and you purchase tickets on the second level to go up to the third level. I am not sure if you can purchase tickets online to the third level. All of the information is in this link. http://www.cultival.fr/en/visites/les-coulisses-de-la-tour-eiffel-313

 

If you are Paris for 2.5 days, I suppose something will have to give, and even more if you do the picnic in the park type of thing. I would have done that type of thing and gone to a jazz club at night if we had a week and not 3.5 days. I wouldn't have given up Versailles, Orsay, Eiffel Tower, Paris walking tour, Seine river cruise, or Montmartre walking tour for a picnic. But you could pick and choose highlights and always see what you missed the next time you go. I would never do a ship's tour from Le Havre to Paris for three hours. But I think, given the opportunity, two to three days before a cruise, a trip to Paris is great.

 

Thanks for the info. We are skipping Versailles... but will be able to cover mostly everything else in our itinerary. Instead of the Sight Seekers Delight Montmartre tour we are doing a Culinary Tour in Montmartre which we are super excited about. Sight Seekers has been fabulous to work with and we are of course looking forward to their "Paris Along the Seine" tour. We will be in Paris 2 and half days before flying to Barcelona where we will spend 2 days pre-cruise (12night Med Cruise). I'm trying to balance being able to make the most of our time, without being so crazy running around that we forget to take a minute and just soak up being in these beautiful places!

[jkt1220]

Our Cultivale tour was in English -- as hubofhockey says, you just have to choose one of the English tours (clearly marked) when making your reservation.

 

There was not a long lineup to get tickets to the 3rd level when we were there (despite there being long line ups at just about every other attraction in Paris!). I believe the guide said the tickets were around 5,50 euro each.

 

We opted not to go up. It was very windy and the second level is high enough that you get wonderful views.

 

Thanks for the information. That was my only concern with doing the tour- I want to try to avoid lines! We'll be purchasing a museum pass and taking Rick Steve's advice regarding what days/times are best to visit certain sights. Since we only have a few days in Paris we want to avoid wasting time in line as much as possible.

[hubofhockey]

Thanks for the info. We are skipping Versailles... but will be able to cover mostly everything else in our itinerary. Instead of the Sight Seekers Delight Montmartre tour we are doing a Culinary Tour in Montmartre which we are super excited about. Sight Seekers has been fabulous to work with and we are of course looking forward to their "Paris Along the Seine" tour. We will be in Paris 2 and half days before flying to Barcelona where we will spend 2 days pre-cruise (12night Med Cruise). I'm trying to balance being able to make the most of our time, without being so crazy running around that we forget to take a minute and just soak up being in these beautiful places!

 

Those 12-day Med cruises are great and your vacation sounds amazing.

 

We were going to go back to Paris next year (2014 already), but have decided to go in 2015 with our kids and actually start in London, take a train to Paris, and then the overnight train from Paris to Barcelona. That overnight train looks pretty cool. I think for 2014, my wife and I will do a Baltics cruise. Our year off from cruising will have to wait one more year.

[jkt1220]

Those 12-day Med cruises are great and your vacation sounds amazing.

 

We were going to go back to Paris next year (2014 already), but have decided to go in 2015 with our kids and actually start in London, take a train to Paris, and then the overnight train from Paris to Barcelona. That overnight train looks pretty cool. I think for 2014, my wife and I will do a Baltics cruise. Our year off from cruising will have to wait one more year.

 

I heard once you go to Paris- you keep wanting to go back! I just noticed you're from Boston- we are too!! Watching Celts/Knicks as we speak! Judging from you "name" you must have been happy to hear there will be somewhat of a hockey season. Do you get to a lot of games?

[vacation fool]

Thanks for the info. We are skipping Versailles... but will be able to cover mostly everything else in our itinerary. Instead of the Sight Seekers Delight Montmartre tour we are doing a Culinary Tour in Montmartre which we are super excited about.

Can you share the details of the culinary tour in montmarte? Sounds intriguing. Thanks

[hubofhockey]

I heard once you go to Paris- you keep wanting to go back! I just noticed you're from Boston- we are too!! Watching Celts/Knicks as we speak! Judging from you "name" you must have been happy to hear there will be somewhat of a hockey season. Do you get to a lot of games?

 

We had the 1/2 season ticket plan last year. We went to weekends this season. I'm looking forward to seeing the Bruins back.

 

There really is so much to like about being in Paris. We'll be back within a couple of years.

[Got2Cruise]

It is very confusing, and besides that there is that River right in the middle:eek: :) I have found that hopstop.com is figured out for Paris! Yay. So besides Google maps I stick properties into Hopstop. I'm pretty good at reading the reviews at Tripadvisor always take things with a grain of salt. Plus there are ways of figuring if a reviewer is genuine or a "plant".

Good luck to those looking for hotels. A good starting point for a search is Trip Advisor. Paris is not a cheap city when it comes to hotels. I think the most important thing was being near the Metro and also being in the more central arrondissements - lower number ones. We never felt as if we were more than a 15-20 minute Metro ride/walk from anything from our hotel.

[TLCOhio]

I heard once you go to Paris- you keep wanting to go back! I just noticed you're from Boston- we are too!! Watching Celts/Knicks as we speak! Judging from you "name" you must have been happy to hear there will be somewhat of a hockey season. Do you get to a lot of games?

 

YES! Paris can be very addictive! Once you've been there, you're hooked. On NHL hockey, living in Columbus that has the worst team and lost their best player, Rick Nash, I was happy to see the strike happening. Our Blue Jackets have not lost a game in a long, long time. That streak will end soon.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 113,965 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[jkt1220]

Can you share the details of the culinary tour in montmarte? Sounds intriguing. Thanks

 

Hello- came across the tour while on tripadvisor- consistently got rave reviews. Cost 100 Eur p/p but includes 3 course meal with each course at a different restaurant. Description f/ website "Montmartre Movable Feast

The Montmartre Movable Feast combines three restaurant stops, where we will eat an Entree (Appetizer) of Charcuterie and Fromage, A Plat (Main Course), and A Dessert. All Plates are paired with appropriate Wines and Cider. Between restaurants, we will take in the sites and explain the history of Montmartre and its inhabitants, and what makes this quarter of Paris so unique" website culinarytoursofparisdotcom

 

They also offer a "Latin Quarter Tour" which looks good too, but unfortunately is not offered during our time there. I've been in touch with

"John-Paul" who operates the tours and he has been great to work with.

[Cruise Junky]

http://www.culinarytoursofparis.com/montmartre-tour.html

 

Here's the link. (I think). I'm bookmarking this for our trip - thanks

[karen sharpe]

Wow...wonderful itinerary..in fact I think we will try to model Our 4 days after yours! THANKS.

[cars0153]

Great pictures! We are doing Paris to Normandy In August on Avalon. Out friends were on this ship.

We are going 3 days before cruise any suggestions especially for restaurants

[3dogmom]

We are doing 3 days pre-cruise July 2014 before departing from Harwich to the Baltics. Sight Seekers is definitely on this list and the Cultival tour looks good, too.

 

Thanks for all the tips, pre-planning is a must!

[hubofhockey]

We are doing 3 days pre-cruise July 2014 before departing from Harwich to the Baltics. Sight Seekers is definitely on this list and the Cultival tour looks good, too.

 

Thanks for all the tips, pre-planning is a must!

 

I'm happy to help. We are also doing a Baltics July 2014. But we are doing it out of Copenhagen. Going back to Paris will wait until 2015 for us.

:cool:

 

Three days is tight and planning is important. But it's definitely enought to get a great feel for the city.

[Millenia98]

I'm happy to help. We are also doing a Baltics July 2014. But we are doing it out of Copenhagen. Going back to Paris will wait until 2015 for us.

:cool:

 

Three days is tight and planning is important. But it's definitely enought to get a great feel for the city.

Agreed. 3 days is tight for us and we're doing Paris pre-cruise this year (3 days, this July 2013). Very excited!! I planned this trip 10 months ago and our Paris schedule in three days is the tightest of any other trip I've planned. But I'm sure we'll love Paris and the business will be well worth it.

 

We went back to Rome for longer and I'm sure we'll one day be back to Paris for longer.

 

I'd be happy to send over my schedule if it helps you plan :)

[3dogmom]

Agreed. 3 days is tight for us and we're doing Paris pre-cruise this year (3 days, this July 2013). Very excited!! I planned this trip 10 months ago and our Paris schedule in three days is the tightest of any other trip I've planned. But I'm sure we'll love Paris and the business will be well worth it.

 

We went back to Rome for longer and I'm sure we'll one day be back to Paris for longer.

 

I'd be happy to send over my schedule if it helps you plan :)

 

I'd love to see your schedule, thanks!:) It will give me more ideas to cram into each day.;) If you don't want to post here, you can email me: threedogdunedin at yahoo dot com

[Millenia98]

I'd love to see your schedule, thanks!:) It will give me more ideas to cram into each day.;) If you don't want to post here, you can email me: threedogdunedin at yahoo dot com

HAHA, I hear ya. I'm actually a very private person 90% of the time, but I sure don't mind posting this for some reason! Keep in mind this is to my liking. I'm 30/my husband is 35/my brother in law is 29 - and we're traveling with my in-laws in their 70's, but I like to move and we love the night scene. Hope it helps:

 

Day 1 Sat- buy book of tickets (blocks of 10 for 13.30euro) for metro- only really need zones 1 and 2. Check in/relax/freshen up. Take metro from Rue de Boulets to Hotel de Ville stop for Notre Dame (open until 7:15p Saturdays), walk to Ile de la Cite (birthplace of Paris), walk along Seine river to Place de la Concorde (viewpoint) to see view of Eiffel tower, look down Champs Élysées and Arc de Triomphe (10 mins). **If u must, skip Placa Concorde.** Then take metro or walk to Trocadero scene and twilight ride up Eiffel tower. Ride to the top is 13.40 euro. Have dinner at Le Relais d L'Encontrote for steak fries - 19 min walk. Or Les Cocottes 7 min walk.

 

Day 2 Sunday- 1. By 10:30a, Musee d'Orsay (great reviews)- 9:30-6p, i believe first sun of the month is free or otherwise 9euro, 2. 2:30p booked walking tour of Le Marais district (old Jewish quarter)- 12euro/meet at Metro St. Paul (tour should include monument Place de la Bastille, or u can walk there in 10 mins). 3. Eglise de la Madeleine (church)-((stop at Laduree Royale for tea and cakes)), 4. then go out at night in St Germain neighborhood - fun neighborhood shops, bars, coffee shops, etc. 5. Clubs. Le Duplex in Champs Élysées or Panic room in Oberkampf nightlife district.

 

Day 3 Monday- 1- start with Montmartre (most romantic and beautiful neighborhood in Paris). Take metro to Abbesses or Blanche. Visit streets like rue des Abbesses, rue des Trois Freres, rue des Martyrs, see Moulin Rouge, 2- Basilique du Sacre (wedding cake basilica)- Same metro stop as Monmartre. 3- booked wine taste of Paris at 5p with O'Chateau. 4. Spend time in GB packers bar at night and the Bastille barrio or St Germain.

 

Day 4: Fly out 10a.

[3dogmom]

Thank you so much for sharing your plan. It does help and seems doable to me.

[hubofhockey]

Thank you so much for sharing your plan. It does help and seems doable to me.

 

Try to save half a day for Versailles.