New Year's Eve Seine Cruise
 

Hello, my husband and I will be in Paris on New Year's Eve and are considering taking the Bateaux Parisiens dinner cruise. However, it is big bucks and way beyond what we would consider to be even a splurge (approx. $1100/couple) and I would like to know anyone has done this and if it is worth it. There seems to be a lot of wine offered with the meal and I don't drink at all and my husband drinks very little. What do you all think. Yea or Nay?
I would appreciate your input very much!

Wow, that's way more money than I've seen quoted anywhere lately - must be last-minute rush or something.

To each his own, of course, but even at the recently quoted $200 per person it seems like "no way Josay". You're a captive, if there's something you don't like, you're stuck (Loud music? Loud and obnoxious "jolly" MC? A cold draught at your table? Obnoxious people at the next table? So-so food?).

A few days later prices will be sane again.

WK

Hi, are you serious? That's $550 per person! Honestly I wouldn't take that dinner cruise no matter the wines offered. Okay, I've never had dinner aboard these river cruiseships but I know someone who took a dinner cruise on a non-NYE night. The food was not memorable was her comment. I would prefer spending a lot less and eat in a restaurant and take the cruise afterwards if possible.

The food is ok, The wine was good, The ambience is very nice. However, what ruined it for me was the smoking. You cannot escape from it. Unless they become non-smoking I won't be taking another dinner cruise. I would not under any circumstance pay $1100.00 for the dinner cruise. It is my understanding that most restaurants up the prices for New Years Eve and there is not a whole lot else going on. Lots of drinking and rowdiness on the Champs Elysee and around the Eiffel tower. Most Parisians have private parties in their homes. Perhaps some of the bigger hotels offer New Years Eve Celebrations. All things considered this might be a nice night to get cozy and stay home.

Even when it's not New Year's Eve or some other special occasion, the food on the boat cruise is mediocre at best. That's an astonomical price to pay, especially if it''s the actual Bâteaux-Mouches line, which I hate because of the huge size of the boats.

You're far better off, IMO, taking a bot cruise and then going for a lovely dinner - BUT it's really, really late to be booking a NYE dinner anywhere inParis now, so you'd better do it now!

Our intention was to do this for Christmastime, but decided not to after hearing the 160 e per person was for an inside table. My husband said for that kind of money we should see what was happening out the windows so we have opted to do the dining/viewing separately. We leave Thursday and all of you are helping me pass the hours of anticipation at work! It will be the first time back in 25 years since I lived in Europe and am very excited.

I've taken 3-day cruises in the Greek aisles for less than that! I would say no, definitely not worth it. I thought this must be a mistake, but checked their website and they do have some seatings sold for 500 euro per person, but that is not super-special service. They do have the event beginning at 300 euro per person (which is still too much for me), depending on location and service level. So, it includes the dinner, alcohol, the cruise, and live orchestra. 300 euro for that is actually not too surprising, given what restaurants charge on NY eve.

Part of what you are paying for is both wine and champagne, I believe, so in your case, that makes it not a very good value for sure.

Thanks everyone. I admit to a momentary bout of insanity. I think I'll remodel my bathroom when I get home instead :-)

MC

If you go in paris, you must eat at least on time on one of the "Bateaux Mouches" . Batreaux Parisiens is only one of the numerous companies operating of the river.
At this price, I would choose another day. You will have the same pleasure, and even more with a lower price !

You will do much better, New Year's Eve or any day, if you take the cruise and then have a special dinner somewhere on dry land where the food is good and more reasonable.

<i>If you go in paris, you must eat at least one time on one of the &quot;Bateaux Mouches&quot;</i>

I couldn't disagree more. A boat trip - definitely. But the dinner cruises really aren't worth it w/ overpriced, iffy food.

Miss_Chloe: As for NYE - as others have said, you have left things very late. Maybe you should just contact the hotel's concierege to find you a nice restaurant for dinner that night.

Holy mother of God are you mad paying that price for a meal and a trip on a boat!! We did the boat trip on its own in September for &euro;10 so I assume that you are paying the rest for a meal!! There is no way on god's earth i'd pay that kinda money for a plate of food!

Hi Chloe,

When I visited Paris and other areas of France, the one and only disappointment was the Seine cruise on the Bateaux! And it was a very big disappointment. We didn't do a dinner trip thank God. The views weren't that great from the boat, the boat was kind of dirty and wet, the loud speaker commentary was deafening and not that informative, and the smoking was horrible. I spent the whole time standing outside in the cold and rain because it was better than sitting inside. Can't imagine how the food must be.

Good luck with New Year's!

The quality of the cruise depends on which boats you take. The B&acirc;teaux-Mouches are huge and dirty and packed. I like the Vedettes de Paris much better.

The various excursion-boat companies are best for &hellip; excursion-boat tours. They are not good places to eat.

Practically every restaurant in Paris hikes its prices for New Year's Eve, sometimes by literally adding a zero to everything, it seems. I doubt that any of them are worth the money, but I <i>especially</i> doubt that for the excursion boats.

I always stay indoors on New Year's Eve, as the streets are filled with drunks and huge firecrackers that are a safety hazard. New Year's Day is better because all the alcholics are unconscious on the floors of their apartments and the city is quiet and pleasant, at least until they wake up.