by350

My wife and I are leaving for Paris in 2 days. We are very interested in doing the cruise down the Seine (not for dinner) and were wondering which is the best one? Also, where is the best/cheapest place to get tickets. Any info would be much appreciated!

Travelnut

There are several companies plying the Seine. You can find them at the tip of Ile de Cite (Square de Vert Galant), near the Eiffel Tower/left bank, and at Pont d'Iena/right bank. They probably all follow pretty much the same loop. Expect to pay somewhere around 8-10E pp, I would think. Here is one website:

http://www.vedettesdeparis.com/index_a.htm

Margie

You may want to check into the Batobus. Glass-roofed boats that cruise the Seine all day long in a loop. You can get 1 day or 2 day unlimited rides, and the boat runs into early evening so you can see the lights etc. Very reasonably priced. I liked this better than a more traditional cruise because no one was shouting out the names of things, you simply relax and ride! Here's the website: http://www.batobus.com/english/qui.htm

TimS

Both www.vedettesdeparis.com (9 EUR) and www.vedettesdupontneuf.com (10 EUR)offer 2 EUR discounts if you buy your tickets online. From their Web sites it looks like they offer non-dinner cruises. I expect those boats are correspondingly smaller--with fewer crowds--that the dinner cruise boats.

got1tiel

i took a vedettes du pont neuf cruise this summer and can recommend it. it cost me 9€.tickets from the quay. ride is around an hour.we took the 22:30 one. sit down upstairs or to the very front of the boat. note that point neuf metro station in front of samaritain is closed.

Sam

Budman

We also did the Pont Neuf with the 2 euro discount coupon on line.

It is a BYOB. You can bring your own or you can buy from the concession stand where the boat docks. (Bring your own).

We took it in February at sunset then went out for dinner.

ira

Hi by I also preferred the Batobus. You can get on/off at the different stops, and the boats are smaller.

GeoffHamer

There are four firms running very similar sightseeing trips, each with departures normally every half hour (www.bateaux-mouches.fr, www.bateauxparisiens.com, www.vedettesdupontneuf.com and www.vedettesdeparis.com). The main difference is in the departure point and in the size of the boats - the first two are bigger and thus more impersonal. The biggest boats (Bateaux Mouches) carry up to a thousand passengers, so there is never a need to book in advance. The Batobus go along the same stretch of the river but make stops so you can hop on and off. A day ticket for the Batobus costs about the same as a sightseeing trip with the other firms.

carcassone

When we were in Paris last month, we went on Bateaux Mouches (http://www.bateaux-mouches.fr/English_index.htm) because:

1) They went around Lady Liberty
2) Longest duration, 1hr 10min
3) Has open roof
4) Largest, ie, no need to reserve
5) Count my 12 year old as a child
6) Cheapest, 7 euros / adult

Have a nice trip!

mdmomof7

Last August we did this cruise http://www.vedettesdeparis.com/angla...receptions.htm

We wanted a live, in person, narration and not a recording. It left late, about 10:15PM, and we could take it after a sunset visit to the Eiffel Tower. It was recommended as more intimate because it's smaller. I liked it and would recommend it. We're going w/ a group next Tuesday and plan on doing the exact same first night itinerary. It was a great way to orient yourself to the city and a memory making first night in Paris. I'll be sure to print off the discount coupons.

kayd

I thoroughly enjoyed my evening cruise on the vedettes du Pont Neuf. It had live narration in French and English by a young woman. Other tours I have taken involved recorded narration in about five languages, so if this factor matters to you, check details with the various boat operators.