Booked a cruise on The Seine! Trying out Tauck for this one.

[Lois R]

Hi cruisers, I have been on 2 river cruises before......one on Uniworld and the other on AMA.  I enjoyed both of them very much. I just booked my first one

with Tauck on the Esprit 10 nights on the Seine😃 I have been wanting to take a cruise on The Seine for a long time now and it will be my first time visiting Paris too..

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!  This is for the summer and yes, I know it can be hot at that time of year. That is ok with me.

 

Thanks😃

[Gourmet Gal]

How many times have you been to Paris?  I don’t want to make redundant recommendations.  If you’ve been a few times perhaps I can suggest you drill down to some more unusual sites and activities and we can make some suggestions.
 

I’ve sailed three times with Tauck and enjoyed the quality of the excursions, especially on the Rhône.  On that cruise the pre-cruise hotel was The Intercontinental next to the opera house.  Nice location but the hotel was not great.  Really musty and rather dumpy.  Paris is a wonderful city to splurge on a true luxury hotel. I would highly recommend The Reserve or The Peninsula.  Beyond that, I’m sure you'll have a great time and I would be very interested in your thoughts as to the comparison between Tauck, Uniworld and AMA…I really trust your opinion.

 

 

[gnome12]

37 minutes ago, Gourmet Gal said:

How many times have you been to Paris?

@Lois Rstates that it will be her first time in Paris.

[Roz]

@Lois R, Paris will blow you away.  I felt like I was on overload.  So much to see and do and take in.  

 

Like @Gourmet Gal, I'll be interested in your impressions of Tauck vs. Uniworld.

[Lois R]

Hi again🙂....yes, this is my first visit to Paris.  I need a hotel for 1 night pre-cruise. Any suggestions that won't blow my VISA out of the water? Seems hotels in Paris are quite $$$$.

GourmetGal, your suggestions are welcomed🙂and thank you for that compliment. I appreciate it.

[Lois R]

1 hour ago, Gourmet Gal said:

How many times have you been to Paris?  I don’t want to make redundant recommendations.  If you’ve been a few times perhaps I can suggest you drill down to some more unusual sites and activities and we can make some suggestions.
 

I’ve sailed three times with Tauck and enjoyed the quality of the excursions, especially on the Rhône.  On that cruise the pre-cruise hotel was The Intercontinental next to the opera house.  Nice location but the hotel was not great.  Really musty and rather dumpy.  Paris is a wonderful city to splurge on a true luxury hotel. I would highly recommend The Reserve or The Peninsula.  Beyond that, I’m sure you'll have a great time and I would be very interested in your thoughts as to the comparison between Tauck, Uniworld and AMA…I really trust your opinion.

 

 

The Reserve is not available and the Peninsula looks like it is over 2000.00 per night😮.....that is way beyond what I want to spend. 

[Gourmet Gal]

Hopefully you’re not going in August as a lot of restaurants and small shops will be closed.  But then you have only one day pre-cruise…is the cruise RT so you could spend more time post-cruise?

[jpalbny]

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

Hi again🙂....yes, this is my first visit to Paris.  I need a hotel for 1 night pre-cruise. Any suggestions that won't blow my VISA out of the water? Seems hotels in Paris are quite $$$$.

 

Lois - since you only have one day, I suggest that you figure out what things you want to do/see in Paris, then stay somewhere nearby that's going to be walkable. There are a lot of small hotels that are (somewhat) more affordable, BUT if you only have one day then location is more important. 

 

If you're looking for a top of the line luxurious place where the hotel is the destination, then it's going to be beaucoup bucks, even with the great exchange rate these days. It sounds like you are trying to avoid that, which is smart.

 

So, what do you want to see? You can't even get an overview, let alone see everything, in one day. We've been 4 times and we're not even close.

Edited March 1, 2023 by jpalbny

[Lois R]

1 hour ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Hopefully you’re not going in August as a lot of restaurants and small shops will be closed.  But then you have only one day pre-cruise…is the cruise RT so you could spend more time post-cruise?

I am sailing in July.and yes, it is roundtrip. I plan to come home at the end of the cruise.

[Lois R]

20 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

 

Lois - since you only have one day, I suggest that you figure out what things you want to do/see in Paris, then stay somewhere nearby that's going to be walkable. There are a lot of small hotels that are (somewhat) more affordable, BUT if you only have one day then location is more important. 

 

If you're looking for a top of the line luxurious place where the hotel is the destination, then it's going to be beaucoup bucks, even with the great exchange rate these days. It sounds like you are trying to avoid that, which is smart.

 

So, what do you want to see? You can't even get an overview, let alone see everything, in one day. We've been 4 times and we're not even close.

Hi JP, thanks for chiming in. No, I am not spending 1,000's of $$$ on a hotel......that is for sure.

Do you and Chris have a place or 2 you want to suggest?  I haven't thought about everything Paris offers to be honest.......The Louvre would be on my list though.🙂

[LibertyBella]

If you have never been to Paris, you need to add in more than one day.  The city is beautiful and magical.  Of course, there is the Louvre, but also not to be missed are the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame (but since you cannot really tour inside yet, head to my father's favorite church, Sainte-Chapelle.). I cannot even begin to list everything else to see, but we are always enchanted with Versailles and Fontainebleau.  

Our favorite hotel in Paris is the Crillon, but prices are now sky-high, so to keep in budget, you may want to go down to the four stars category of hotel.

We are leaving for a Viking Danube cruise in less than a month, and heading to Rome this Summer (I do not mind the heat, either--in fact I love sunshine!), but my heart is always in Paris.

Have a wonderful trip!!

[jpalbny]

OK Lois,

 

You could probably stay in the Latin Quarter for a (somewhat) reasonable price, and depending on where you are, it's an easy walk to the Louvre, Île de la Cité, and a number of major attractions.

 

As a bonus, that area is on the RER B line which goes directly to CDG so you could transfer to your hotel for about €11 on the train (I don't think you would want to do that, but others might).

 

Last time we stayed in that area and enjoyed it. Lots of quaint bistros and you can put together a nice walking tour from that area and see a bunch of iconic sights. We stayed in the Hôtel Europe Saint-Séverin which was reasonably priced and a nice place for one night. Their elevator was broken and we had a sixth-floor room which we didn't mind but something to consider...

 

From that hotel it was an easy walk to Luxembourg Gardens, the Sorbonne, Saint-Sulpice church, and all the attractions on Île de la Cité. The Louvre, Jardin des Tuileries, and Place de la Concorde are walkable too. If you push it you could probably make your way as far as the Grand Palais, cross Pont Alexandre III, and see Les Invalides before wandering back through St-Germain and the Latin Quarter. Musée d'Orsay is also within striking distance.

 

Another place nearby (not exactly in the Latin Quarter but close) is Hotel Victoria Palace. It's between Luxembourg Gardens, Tour Montparnasse, and Les Invalides. A bit further to Île de la Cité and the Louvre. But it was a bit more upscale than the other hotel above.

 

Neither is really close to the Eiffel Tower though, unless you really want to walk a fair distance. When we stayed at Hotel Keppler, off the Champs-Élysées, it was a nice easy walk. But that was almost 10 years ago and Hotel Keppler has become ridiculously expensive. Too bad; we loved it there and would be happy to return some day.

 

So - look at a map and see what you'd like to visit while you're there, and then base your hotel selections according to that. Hope this is helpful!

Edited March 2, 2023 by jpalbny

[Got2Cruise]

3 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi again🙂....yes, this is my first visit to Paris.  I need a hotel for 1 night pre-cruise. Any suggestions that won't blow my VISA out of the water? Seems hotels in Paris are quite $$$$.

GourmetGal, your suggestions are welcomed🙂and thank you for that compliment. I appreciate it.

Lois check out the Hotel Vernueil St Germain. It is a small boutique hotel located in a former mansion. 

[Lois R]

Hi JP, you are the best🙂.  Tauck will pick me up at the airport and take me to whatever hotel I am staying at. I am thinking about going 2 days early instead of just 1. And your postings are always helpful🙂 I will check the properties you mentioned and see what is what price wise. 

[Lois R]

1 minute ago, Got2Cruise said:

Lois check out the Hotel Vernueil St Germain. It is a small boutique hotel located in a former mansion. 

Thanks for the tip! Will do🙂

[Ritabob]

I've only been to Paris once, so do not have a long list of 'you must see/do the following.   However if you are anywhere near the large department store...(someone help me  I can't remember the name)  go up to the top floor and then find the way up to the roof deck . A fabulous view of the city for free.

If you are interested in watching some YouTube videos,  then ' Les Frenchies ' has a whole series of where to, how to, etc in Paris.

RB 

[Gourmet Gal]

51 minutes ago, Got2Cruise said:

Lois check out the Hotel Vernueil St Germain. It is a small boutique hotel located in a former mansion. 

That was the first hotel I stayed at in Paris, 30 years ago.  Back then I would never have recommended this place to anyone…it was awful.  Hopefully it’s been remodeled and improved since then.

Edited March 2, 2023 by Gourmet Gal

[Gourmet Gal]

Totally agree with LibertyBella.  Paris is a city that needs at least 3 days to get a good overview.  Even a week flies by, there’s just so much to see, do and eat!

[jpalbny]

1 hour ago, Ritabob said:

However if you are anywhere near the large department store...(someone help me  I can't remember the name)  go up to the top floor and then find the way up to the roof deck . A fabulous view of the city for free.

 

Do you mean the Galeries Lafayette, behind the Opera Garnier? We go there for the food and wine shop (Le Gourmet), diagonally across from the main building.

[Got2Cruise]

1 hour ago, Gourmet Gal said:

That was the first hotel I stayed at in Paris, 30 years ago.  Back then I would never have recommended this place to anyone…it was awful.  Hopefully it’s been remodeled and improved since then.

It’s been remodeled recently. Very good reviews on TripAdvisor. We enjoyed our stay there. 

[jklc123]

I do hope you can add at least one more day. Looking at Tauck’s Seine itinerary, it looks like you’ll be spending a day with Tauck in Paris before cruising, with various excursions to choose from. So of course you need to research what else you’d like to do on your own beforehand. Have fun planning!

[texasstar]

I would recommend the Madison in St Germain.  It has recently been remodeled and is a lovely smaller hotel.   

[Canal archive]

If you’re only staying one night check out the Ibis hotels they’re not pretentious, clean and straightforward. Don’t go to the Louvre you’ll get lost for the day, yes it’s a must but when you got more time. Try for a tour I know it’s sounds gouache but you will at least see many of the sights of this special city. To get into the flavour of the city walk up at least part of the Champs-Elysees towards the Arc de Triumph (driving around there is bordering on horrific especially on a scooter). Go to Montmartre if you can have lunch or  a drink on the pavement and visit the Sacre- Coeur. Parisians are not the most patient of French but enjoy because your next day you’ll be wiped out, don’t forget jet lag. Have a great cruise and enjoy one of the world’s fascinating city’s.

[Coral]

I had a cruise to Paris planned during April 2020 (didn't happen). I had 2 nights post cruise after spending 25 days on a cruise ship. I soon realized 2 nights was not nearly enough but I couldn't justify being gone that long.

 

I have not gone but have spent time planning time there and would try to spend at least 3 days there, if not longer.

[ljandgb]

https://www.carondebeaumarchais.com/en/

 

We've done a few trips to Paris, one arranged by a French company. They recommended this hotel in Marais, which was spot on.  It is in a great location, was very cozy, and the staff were friendly.  It is tiny - 3 rooms per floor, with a small breakfast room in the basement (also cozy with stone walls.)  Lots of bistros in walking distance.

 

I agree, skip the Louvre if you'll only have a day or two.  It's insanely busy and huge. All the main pieces are surrounded by tourists.  It will be overwhelming.  Consider seeing Monet's Waterlilies instead at the Orangerie, or if you like Impressionists, going to the d'Orsay.  Both are MUCH smaller with amazing art works.  If your cruise goes to Monet's gardens, then pick the waterlilies.  We did both in the same day and it was a perfect pairing.

 

Get comfortable taking the Metro and/or the buses.  You can get anywhere for cheap.  I use the app Moovit, which will tell you exactly how to get from A to B.