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-   -   Paris Dinner Cruise (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/paris-dinner-cruise-384146/)

scottsara Jun 24th, 2008 06:41 AM

Paris Dinner Cruise
 
Hi All,
Does anyone have any recommendations of which Seine River Dinner cruise to take and whether or not it is necessary to reserve it ahead of time? We would be interested in doing the cruise on Wednesday 9th. Thanks!

ira Jun 24th, 2008 07:01 AM

Hi S,

Many folks recommend having dinner somewhere else and taking the cruise before/after.

The food on the boats is pricey and not as good as on shore.

((I))

StCirq Jun 24th, 2008 07:08 AM

Agree wholeheartedly with ira, but if you do decide to do this, I'm sure you'd need to make a reservation.

scottsara Jun 24th, 2008 08:43 AM

thanks, i will take your advice and do dinner before or after. any recommendations on which cruise to take? there seem to be a lot of companies offering the same type thing and I am wondering if it is multiple companies selling tix to the exact same boat.

chm Jun 24th, 2008 08:54 AM

We went on Bateaux Parisienes, www.bateauxparisiens.com and enjoyed the experience. It was wonderful to be on the river going by the beautiful buildings and having decent-not great-food and wine. We opted for the less expensive menu and were happy with the food and seating. The tables in the middle are on a raised platform and the view was fine. We were definitely glad we did it. Enjoy!

Michel_Paris Jun 24th, 2008 08:54 AM

Vedettes du Pont Neuf is a good one. You can eat dinner on Left Bank or one of the islands and stroll over for last cruise of night

www.vedettesdupontneuf.com

Larger boats near Pont Alma.

www.bateauxparisiens.com
www.bateaux-mouches.fr french site

Many of these lines will offer dinner cruises. You can also look at bus tours that include cruises. Companies such as Cityrama and Parisvision are the two big ones.

I've not heard raves about the food on these cruises, and the prices can be fairly steep.

Sice you probably would want to do a night one (buildings and brdiges lit up, Eiffel sparkling) it would be easy to have a dinner and then go fro the last cruise of an evening.






StCirq Jun 24th, 2008 09:29 AM

I prefer Vedettes du Pont Neuf.

ira Jun 24th, 2008 11:16 AM

Hi S,

Also consider www.batobus.com

You can cruise the river all day if you wish.

((I))

Gretchen Jun 24th, 2008 11:20 AM

We like the pont Neuf boats also. Buy a bottle of wine and some cups (before you get to the boat--it is expensive at their bar) to take on the boat with you to sip. We like to go at sunset as the lights begin to come on in Paris, but in the summer that may be too late a cruise.

Graziella5b Jun 24th, 2008 01:01 PM

I agree that is better to have dinner elsewhere, same with the Lido for instance. I have not been there in many years so someone correct me if things have changed. Last time I was there we paid to be seated in the bar, including two glasses of champagne, enjoyed the show .

mcnyc Jun 24th, 2008 01:11 PM

We enjoyed the Bateaux Mouches dinner cruise. You will need a reservation ahead of time. How much you pay determines where you sit on the boat.

chevre Jun 24th, 2008 06:45 PM

I have done both; Pont Neuf boats which was a cheap and on the half hour and then last year I did the dinner cruise w/parents. The food was AWFUL! Really, really bad. The wine was free flowing the wait service no nonesense but efficient. Eat dinner beforehand and then take the Pont Neuf boats. The ride is almost exactly the same and much less time taken. Do take the cruise at night!

scottsara Jun 25th, 2008 01:29 PM

Do you recommend reservations for the Pont Neuf boats or could we just show up since they run so frequent? I didn't see anything about reservations on their website.

Thanks!

nytraveler Jun 25th, 2008 04:25 PM

Nice cruise after dark but bad food. Eat elsewhere and do the cruise without food.

chevre Jun 25th, 2008 04:35 PM

Hi,
You don't need reservations for the Pont Neuf boats. However on the evening you want to take the cruise go and get tickets before dinner for a later cruise. In the summer if you show up at 9:00 for a 9:30 cruise you're likely to be out of luck but at 6 or 7 it would be no problem.


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