Paris to Normandy need guidance

[Cruising Quilter]

First off, I miss the search function. Despite trying to read many previous posts I haven't had many of my questions answered. My DH and I have been on ocean cruises but never a river cruise. We want to go to Europe as we haven't been there before. We realize we will only see a very small portion in the under 2 weeks time frame we have. France and/or England are our first choices. I like art and want to see "castles" - not just ruins. My DH likes history and would also like castles for their structures. We thought the seine river trip would suit us we'll for our first trip to Europe. However I am having a great deal of difficulty comparing the different trips offered by different cruise lines.We have to consider the expense and cannot afford the most expensive. Some cruise lines spend more days on the trip and cost per day is less. Should we consider more than a 7 night cruise? Will I actually see castles? Bus tours of the area seem to go to more. However we prefer a cruise to a bus. Some seem to have more optional things and I often think I would like to do these but this adds to the cost. I'm not sure if we choose a trip that has more included or not. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

[alexandra cruiser]

I booked Scenic,because its a new ship.Has more ports I want to see.Many perks inc.

Considered 5 star,but can book lower decks for similar to what you d pay for some others and EVERYTHING inc.,,,tips,guide and bus both,airport transfer(even if book on own),all drinks,shore exc.,,you name it.

Also, looked at AMA.Very nice line and little less expensive.Think a few others do it,but I like the above itinerary best.

Plan to spend a few days in Paris on own prior.

If your first river cruise,look at all the details when comparing cruiselines.Get brochures from ea,look at websites,read reviews,etc.

You DO get what you PAY for.;)

[Got2Cruise]

The Paris Normandy Seine cruise sails past no castles and the only real palace you will have the option to visit is the Palace of Versailles near Paris. If you want to see castles then perhaps another itinerary would be better

[pbnjrockette]

We are taking a Paris to Normandy cruise (then back to Paris and on south to Marseille) in July. (this cruise is a combo or two river cruises of 10 days each) Do not expect to see Castles along this cruise--mostly small towns along the rivers. We are flying to Paris a few days in advance to tour on our own.

 

We are traveling with Vantage as we have been very happy with our previous tours with them. Although not "all-inclusive" there are very few extra expenses (tips and some optional tours are not included). We got free airfare for this trip so that was a big savings.

 

It may take a little effort to compare the different river cruise lines as each one offers slightly different itineraries and what is inclusive. Get brochures from all you are considering to be able to compare. The responses on this board seem to indicate satisfaction with most all of the lines mentioned.

 

Good luck with your sleuthing… you will love River Cruising!!

[seabreezer]

I might get flamed for this but if you've never been to Europe you cannot go wrong with staying in Paris, the most beautiful city in the world, and seeing all the incredible sights, museums and neighborhoods. You can actual take a train trip to and from Normandy as a day trip from Paris and book a tour of the WWII sights. There's plenty of history right in Paris including the castle unearthed in the basement of the Louvre.

[Yggdrasil98]

Ditto. We are repeating the Seine cruise, and later I am doing Bordeaux and the Arles one, leaving Avignon. You'll see no castles in the north, and a few if you chose the Avignon to Arles/Marseilles. But France is not like Germany, they aren't dotted along the river like the Hungary to Amsterdam route.

 

River cruising is a different experience IMO than the big ships.

[cbb]

I suggest you go a few days earlier to whatever city your cruise begins from. One, it gives you a chance to recover from the trip over, secondly, it gives your luggage a chance to catch up, and thirdly, it gives you the opportunity to walk around and see things you are interested in.

 

If you don't want to visit Paris, for example, on your own, there are tour companies that will help you or there are "hop on-hop offs" in many of the major cities in Europe.

 

As far as history, your husband will love the Seine trip. Normandy and WWII, Rouen and Joan of Arc, Les Andelys and Richard the Lionhearted's fortress are among the places he'll see.

 

Other posters are correct in that there are few "castles" on the Seine, but there are some extraordinary buildings to see on this cruise.

 

For you there will be fabulous Van Gogh things to see as well as the amazing Giverny and Monet's gardens.

 

Do not go in late October and in November. "Due to the closure of museums in Auver sur Oise, Malmaison and Versailles on November 2 "some of the itineraries must be changed. (taken from the Avalon website)

 

We like Avalon because every morning is an included city tour that takes us to the major sites. We can break away from the group at any time (after telling the guide we're leaving) and go off and explore on our own.

 

Then in the afternoon if we want we can purchase extra excursions to the places we might have difficulty getting tickets for such as Versailles.

 

I think your choice for a first cruise is wonderful. Trust me, castles and cathedrals get old after a week! This itinerary gives you a wide choice of things to see and will whet your appetite to go on the Rhine and Danube for longer cruises! (or you may decide you don't like river cruising and won't do any more but at least you've seen Paris!!)

 

http://www.avalonwaterways.com/Product.aspx?trip=4WPP&content=overview&source=AW_Cruises_France

[FuelScience]

You might want to consider one of the "Paris to Prague" trips. They typically begin in Paris and bus or train you to Luxembourg/Trier where you board a ship and cruise to Bamberg or Nuremberg. From there you take bus or train to Prague. We did Viking's "Cities of Light," and we had the opportunity to go through castles in Paris (on our own), the Reichsburg in Cochem (included tour), the Marksburg south of Koblenz (included tour), the Heidelburg castle (included tour), the Residenz in Wurtzburg (included), and the Prague castle (included).

 

That's quite a few, and of course, you can view the castles along the Rhine gorge. There are also a few along the Moselle valley--for my money, the prettiest scenery anywhere along the route.

 

FuelScience

[rogerdawhip]

GCT's Paris to Normandy cruise consists of 11 days on the ship going in one direction and visits many more cities/villages than some of the other lines. It is almost the most affordable. I went one this trip last July. We started in Paris (2 nights onboard ship) and cruised all the way to Honfleur. I did the post trip to Brittany which included a visit to Mt St Michael.

 

Many travelers do not like the fold down Murphy style beds that GCT ship have but I am 6'2" and have never had a problem with them. Their ships are a little older but you wouldn't know it once on board.

[dcruisers]

First off, I miss the search function. Despite trying to read many previous posts I haven't had many of my questions answered. My DH and I have been on ocean cruises but never a river cruise. We want to go to Europe as we haven't been there before. We realize we will only see a very small portion in the under 2 weeks time frame we have. France and/or England are our first choices. I like art and want to see "castles" - not just ruins. My DH likes history and would also like castles for their structures. We thought the seine river trip would suit us we'll for our first trip to Europe. However I am having a great deal of difficulty comparing the different trips offered by different cruise lines.We have to consider the expense and cannot afford the most expensive. Some cruise lines spend more days on the trip and cost per day is less. Should we consider more than a 7 night cruise? Will I actually see castles? Bus tours of the area seem to go to more. However we prefer a cruise to a bus. Some seem to have more optional things and I often think I would like to do these but this adds to the cost. I'm not sure if we choose a trip that has more included or not. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

 

We did our first river cruise last Sept...on Viking Grand European. We thought -well we will be paying for airfare anyway, might as well do the 2 week down the Rhine, Main and Danube. Great decision. We really loved it! You definitely will see castles..lots of castles and a lot of history. If 14 days is too much for your schedule, I would recommend a trip down the Rhine-lots of castles!

We are now looking at a Uniworld trip because starting this year, the price includes all tips/gratuities as well as wine, beer etc all the time not just at lunch and dinner

Whichever you choose, you will enjoy a river cruise.

Edited March 3, 2014 by dcruisers

[CruiseGirlKS]

The Paris Normandy Seine cruise sails past no castles and the only real palace you will have the option to visit is the Palace of Versailles near Paris. If you want to see castles then perhaps another itinerary would be better

 

My suggestion also. :)

[id est]

My suggestion also. :)

Folks are correct: it is not Germany. However there are castles. Here is a quote from Viking website:

---------------------------

DAY 6

LES ANDELYS & CONFLANS

 

Enjoy a leisurely morning cruise to the small town of Les Andelys, known for its imposing castle, Château Gaillard, built in 1196 by Richard the Lionheart. After lunch, join a guided walk to this fatally flawed masterpiece of Middle Ages architecture.

---------------------------

We had a tour of it. I have to admit it is not very well preserved. However it is a castle and it has pretty interesting architecture.

Edited March 3, 2014 by id est

[beverlyjack]

The Seine River cruises are not big on castles, but it is a wonderful itinerary, heavy on art and WWII history, as well as medieval history in such cities as Rouen and St.-Malo. For a blog/trip report on Grand Circle's itinerary. See http://jackthetravelingman-seine.blogspot.com. The small towns that you visit are charming and unaffected by the small cruise ships visiting, unlike mamouth ocean cruise ships.

[Got2Cruise]

Folks are correct: it is not Germany. However there are castles. Here is a quote from Viking website:

---------------------------

DAY 6

LES ANDELYS & CONFLANS

 

Enjoy a leisurely morning cruise to the small town of Les Andelys, known for its imposing castle, Château Gaillard, built in 1196 by Richard the Lionheart. After lunch, join a guided walk to this fatally flawed masterpiece of Middle Ages architecture.

---------------------------

We had a tour of it. I have to admit it is not very well preserved. However it is a castle and it has pretty interesting architecture.

 

 

The OP said she didn't want ruins. I took the Seine cruise last July and loved it but Chateau Galliard is considered ruins in my book.

[Ichiban Nekko]

On our first (and so far, only) river cruise, we saw castles - glorious castles - on a Rhine & Mosel itinerary with AMA!

 

As for the overall river cruise experience, we did AMA's pre-package in Paris with pick-up at CDG, hotel room available on arrival. Three glorious days in Paris also gave us an opportunity to meet with some fellow passengers and meet our Tour Manager. AMA transported us to the AMA Dolce, with a stop at Luxembourg (including the American Cemetery).

 

We had a glorious week on AMA Dolce. When we booked this trip, we had some difficulty comprehending the much higher per diems compared to ocean cruising. Well. Now we understand. Our Tour Manager was like a concierge. So much was included. The boat was fabulous (even in 'aquarium' class, LOL!). The menus were not as extensive as on ocean cruises, but excellent. With only approx 140 passengers, we had many opportunities to meet and mingle with our fellow passengers.

 

The included touring at the various ports of call was outstanding. Based on activity level and interest, we were broken into various groups. Bicycles were available for those who wanted to tour a city independently.

 

DH is a WW2 history buff. For our next river adventure, we looked very closely at a Normandy cruise, but for a variety of reasons ultimately decided on a Prague to Budapest itinerary on the Danube. We just feel we cannot go wrong wherever we go with this product.

 

We are booked to go on the Eurodam in a few days time, only because dear friends encouraged us to join them and found great rates. Our group has grown and we have endured a seemingly never-ending winter that has us looking forward to experiencing trade breezes, palm trees and cocktails with little umbrellas in them. How we will respond to signing for so many a la carte items remains to be seen. We know we will enjoy ourselves, but it will be a very different kind of experience.

 

Whatever you decide, if our experience is any guide, you will have a wonderful time on a river cruise! Please drop a note on this forum to let us know what your final decision is!

[4774Papa]

First off, I miss the search function. Despite trying to read many previous posts I haven't had many of my questions answered. My DH and I have been on ocean cruises but never a river cruise. We want to go to Europe as we haven't been there before. We realize we will only see a very small portion in the under 2 weeks time frame we have. France and/or England are our first choices. I like art and want to see "castles" - not just ruins. My DH likes history and would also like castles for their structures. We thought the seine river trip would suit us we'll for our first trip to Europe. However I am having a great deal of difficulty comparing the different trips offered by different cruise lines.We have to consider the expense and cannot afford the most expensive. Some cruise lines spend more days on the trip and cost per day is less. Should we consider more than a 7 night cruise? Will I actually see castles? Bus tours of the area seem to go to more. However we prefer a cruise to a bus. Some seem to have more optional things and I often think I would like to do these but this adds to the cost. I'm not sure if we choose a trip that has more included or not. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

If you want to see castles in France, the Chateaus in the Loire Valley are wonderful. Normandy is great, we did a long day excursion from Le Harve that visited the D-Day Beaches, American Cemetery and the Bayeux Tapestry.

[cruzersky2]

Not sure if chateau's count as castles, but we are doing the Paris/Normandy cruise on Viking in July. A couple of us have already been to Paris, and decided to add on 3 days in the Loire Valley - chateau & wine region. We will take the train, about 1.25 hrs, to Tours, and have booked a three day tour through GrapeEscapes. There are others too, but this one had good reviews and fit into our schedule. Paris is very expensive, and after researching other options, found we could do a really nice tour for less than the cost of a so-so hotel in Paris.

 

Also, check your flight options! I stumbled on a return connection thru Madrid and now have a bonus 3 days there :)

[Canal archive]

Paris to Honfleur with Scenic also has Chantilly castle to actually visit and chateaus, if your thing is castles that are complete check the cruise lines which actually visit them, you wii see loads along the Rhine Moselle and Danube but visit very few of them and some are reconstructed a little web searching may be an idea, enjoy your trip whichever you choose.

[delraydoll]

You'll see ruins of castles all along the Rhine.

 

If you want to visit the inside of castles, besides Versailles, you should go to France's Loire Valley, which is about 1 hr. south of Paris. Travel to Orleans to visit Blois, Chambord, Chennenceaux, Amboise. You'll need at least an overnight. Check on tours from Paris. If you go to France, you MUST stay in Paris for at least 3 nights -- there's just soooo much to see and do.

 

Whichever city you go to, check the hop on/off bus.

[notamermaid]

Although I am not so keen on Seine trips from what I have read, for a mix of European history intertwined with American history it probably can hardly be beaten.

 

The castles along the Rhine are mostly ruins apart form Marksburg - and there is the mobility issue as well.

 

Paris is amazing for art lovers. May I whet your appetite?

 

http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/home.html?cHash=1030a57d48

 

The museum is in an old train station, probably a spectacular site in itself. And the Louvre is a "small town" full of art...

 

So if you have only two weeks for Europe in all, 3 days in Paris pre-cruise and then a cruise along the Seine sounds good to me. Then maybe take the Eurostar from Paris to London - a nice rail experience - and fly home from there?

 

Have fun planning.

 

notamermaid