Scenic Gem: 11 day Gems of the Seine plus Normandy (hopefully live thread)

[Senga]

I'll need an idea of where you posted on TripAdvisor so I can locate the post and send a PM.

Senga

[1of4]

2 hours ago, Senga said:

I'll need an idea of where you posted on TripAdvisor so I can locate the post and send a PM.

Senga

 

I just reviewed a bunch in Paris today so they aren’t posted yet.  Hotel D’Orsay will be one. I posted on Selfoss Geyser, Hellgrimskirkja, and the Canopy by Hilton Reykjavik, among others, in Iceland in July 2018.

[1of4]

Just thought I would share my first Paris project using one of the leathers I bought on the last day of the Scenic cruise.  This was a quick project for our DD who just moved into residence for her first year university.  She loves using reusable straws so I made this zipper pouch to keep them clean in her backpack.

 

The leather is shiny.  The other material is cork.

 

 

 

Inside is laminated cotton so easy to wipe clean; also bought in Paris.

 

 

On to larger projects now school will start on Tuesday and I can get some quiet.

Edited September 1, 2019 by 1of4

[markperth]

Hi 1 to 4,

 

a dietary query if I may.

 

did you notice if the food offered had gluten free options, whilst I am not celiac, I do have an intolerance for gluten, I can have it but.....

 

without making a fuss fuss about it, did they have gf bread as a standard offering etc.

 

cheers mark

[Ritabob]

Mark,

Uniworld is very good to those with dietary requests.  Just let the chef know on your first  day.  

On a past cruise I tried a gf croissant.   Not quite as flakey and decadent as a regular one, but with extra butter and jam, not bad at all.

One chef, years ago, had sourced a very good gf pasta and used it for all the meals that evening, and no one ever knew  .

 

And just to hijack this one time, to answer your question from another post, the difference in price from September to October has to do with weather and daylight hours.  September can still be  warm, and the harvest season is very popular.

RB

[1of4]

3 hours ago, markperth said:

Hi 1 to 4,

 

a dietary query if I may.

 

did you notice if the food offered had gluten free options, whilst I am not celiac, I do have an intolerance for gluten, I can have it but.....

 

without making a fuss fuss about it, did they have gf bread as a standard offering etc.

 

cheers mark

 

Hi Mark,

 

 I have a food issue with cream so I understand intolerances.  The boat will speak to you after you board if you disclose your issue on the preboarding documents.  If you didn’t, just tell your waiter first meal or speak to the Hotel manager and they will ensure you are looked after.  I didn’t notice gluten free bread but I wasn’t looking for it.

 

Enjoy your trip.  Scenic really does take care of everything for you.

Edited September 2, 2019 by 1of4

[markperth]

Thanks for reply, will talk them when we board.

cheers

[cruisequeen4ever]

What a joy to read a blog of yours again! I’m thrilled for you to be able to cruise again on any kind of water. I look forward to your next adventure!

[1of4]

On 9/18/2019 at 12:22 AM, cruisequeen4ever said:

What a joy to read a blog of yours again! I’m thrilled for you to be able to cruise again on any kind of water. I look forward to your next adventure!

 

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!  I was thrilled too to be back on the water and I am missing it already.  I’m trying to convince DH we need to go again before 2021!

[Host Jazzbeau]

@1of4 Thank you so much for this review.  Neither Scenic or this itinerary were on my radar when you first posted it, but now this exact cruise is being planned for 2022!  So I have a couple of questions, if you are still following:

(1)  was the date for L'Amour negotiable?  We wouldn't want to have that big dinner on the evening that the pâtissier was coming on board!

(2)  they try to soften the huge upcharge for a Royal Balcony with 200 Euro OBC – but what is there to spend it on?

(3)  was your pre-cruise night at the Westin included?  or booked for convenience with the transfer?

[Canal archive]

Sorry to jump in but I can answer a few of your questions, just ask your butler he/she will book L’Amour for you when you want or as close as possible. OBC can be used in the on board shop, the hairdressers for a massage or have your nails done. Sorry don’t know about the hotel. CA

[1of4]

On 11/13/2020 at 10:07 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

@1of4 Thank you so much for this review.  Neither Scenic or this itinerary were on my radar when you first posted it, but now this exact cruise is being planned for 2022!  So I have a couple of questions, if you are still following:

(1)  was the date for L'Amour negotiable?  We wouldn't want to have that big dinner on the evening that the pâtissier was coming on board!

(2)  they try to soften the huge upcharge for a Royal Balcony with 200 Euro OBC – but what is there to spend it on?

(3)  was your pre-cruise night at the Westin included?  or booked for convenience with the transfer?

sorry for the delay.  We have another Scenic River cruise booked in December 2021 but we are thinking of moving it to the South of France in summer 2022 because of Covid so just started looking again today.

 

first, we loved this cruise and it was our first river cruise.  We booked the BD, 204, on Sapphire deck, because I use a cane and wanted the location and the bigger shower.  The extra room at the end of the bed was a bonus. There was no small desk/wall unit that is shown on the floor plan next to the sun lounge.  But we had enough storage so didn’t miss it.

 

i believe if you are on the Diamond deck you can have your butler make your dinner reservations when you like for both L’Amour and the Wine pairing dinner with the captain.

 

The OBC can be spent on any purchases from the shop (really just in the lobby but some nice items.  We bought a real Swiss Army Knife for our son but there is the traditional stuff along with jewellery, sunglasses, etc).  You can also book massages, spa services and hair appointments.
 

We didn’t book the formal pre-package because we were in Paris for a week before the river cruise.  We changed hotels from The Hotel D’Orsey, which we loved, to stay at the Westin for only 1 night because of the transfer.  We didn’t like the Westin.  They knew nothing about Scenic, couldn’t tell me anything about how to meet up nor were they interested in finding out.  My credit card was skimmed in the 2 minutes I had it out of the RFID folder to pay.  The walls were so thin we could hear everything in the next room.

 

i booked it separately myself to get credit for the points and it was much cheaper that way, then I called Scenic with my reservation # and they linked it to the river cruise booking.  So we didn’t get picked up at the airport nor get breakfast.  We walked down in front of the gardens and found a lovely café for breakfast. No biggie. 
 

I had a long conversation with the North American manager for Scenic when I returned about the Westin and the issues we encountered as I honestly thought it didn’t do them any favours.  Hopefully things will have changed so st least a letter will be given upon checkin with information about meeting the transfer.

 

I willheck back so if you have other questions please ask.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Thanks, this was very helpful.  You mentioned a photo review in your post on my thread; I assume this is the review you meant?  As you can see, I had already found it.  I downloaded all your Daily Programs and menus – our itinerary differs slightly, but this gives me a guideline to the times we can expect.  I think they took your comments seriously as I notice some of the changes they made.

 

No pre-cruise package for us because we will be taking the Thalys train from Amsterdam the day the Scenic cruise beings.  Scenic includes airport transfers at the beginning and end of the cruise, and I see from your photo of the disembarkation instructions that they do provide a transfer to the Gare du Nord – but I don't know if we gave that up by taking the airfare credit.  If not, a taxi ride from Gare du Nord to the ship should be too expensive.  After the cruise we will be staying on Ile-Saint-Louis in a hotel we loved in 2015, so again we'll use a taxi to get there.

 

We decided on the PD suite.  For some reason I hadn't caught that you were in a BD when I read the review the first time.  I have now gone back and downloaded all your cabin photos.  [And I 'borrowed' freely from your lovely photos of Sainte-Chapelle, Rouen and Honfleur, which add to my own from our trip in 2015.]  Another great help!

 

Thanks so much for this review.  I know from my own experience that it is a lot of work, so it's important that people point out how much help it is as we travel vicariously with you!

[1of4]

8 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Thanks, this was very helpful.  You mentioned a photo review in your post on my thread; I assume this is the review you meant?  As you can see, I had already found it.  I downloaded all your Daily Programs and menus – our itinerary differs slightly, but this gives me a guideline to the times we can expect.  I think they took your comments seriously as I notice some of the changes they made.

 

No pre-cruise package for us because we will be taking the Thalys train from Amsterdam the day the Scenic cruise beings.  Scenic includes airport transfers at the beginning and end of the cruise, and I see from your photo of the disembarkation instructions that they do provide a transfer to the Gare du Nord – but I don't know if we gave that up by taking the airfare credit.  If not, a taxi ride from Gare du Nord to the ship should be too expensive.  After the cruise we will be staying on Ile-Saint-Louis in a hotel we loved in 2015, so again we'll use a taxi to get there.

 

We decided on the PD suite.  For some reason I hadn't caught that you were in a BD when I read the review the first time.  I have now gone back and downloaded all your cabin photos.  [And I 'borrowed' freely from your lovely photos of Sainte-Chapelle, Rouen and Honfleur, which add to my own from our trip in 2015.]  Another great help!

 

Thanks so much for this review.  I know from my own experience that it is a lot of work, so it's important that people point out how much help it is as we travel vicariously with you!

Yes I meant this review!  So glad you found it and revived it as I enjoyed reading it again.  I am so glad to hear that changes have been made to the transfer process as they were so needed, especially for people who were new to Scenic or river cruising.

 

i would get clarification on the transfer to the boat.  It really wasn’t too far from the Eiffel Tower so only 15 minutes from the Westin in mid day traffic.  I would be surprised if the transfer from the Gem to the end hotel wasn’t included as they honestly include everything.  Like I said, we didn’t book the pre stay through Scenic but got the transfer.  Worth the inquiry.

 

Glad to help with the cabin photos.  I like to see actual cabin photos myself and need to call Scenic as the cabin we are interested on the Diamond has a floor plan that shows one thing and a cabin photo that shows something else, like that elusive desk in the BD that isn’t there.

 

 I much appreciate your kind words.  Glad to help.