Can anyone tell me anything about their experiences with ParisTrip.com?

I am interested in two tours that they offer: the package of illuminations and nighttime Seine cruise for one night and the Moulin Rouge visit. (I suspect that Moulin Rouge is over-priced and rather touristy, but my daughter has her heart set on going.)

The ParisTrip.com packages appeal to me because they pick up and deliver from the hotel and I don't want to have to negotiate metro and/or taxis at night (two women alone) in a city where I don't speak the language fluently. If someone can suggest another tour group that does the same sort of thing, please advise.

You could try ParisVision also.

Thanks. Is ParisVision better? I just want to make sure that I am picking a reliable tour company. ParisTrip seems to be part of some association of travel agents, but what does that mean? (I know someone who got his cat accepted into a very prestigious professional organization. Ever since then, I've become skeptical.)

Why do you think it,s some association of travel agents? Their web site lists them as a Parisian company with offices in the 17th arr., they are a member of the Paris Tourist Office, and look like a regular tour company to me.

These kind of tours are staples of the tour companies in Paris -- Parisvision and Cityrama have been around a long time (I've taken one on Cityrama and they were very good). however, you may be right in that I don't think they usually have hotel dropoff after those kind of tours, they drop you off around their main office (near place de la Concorde or the Pyramide). If you really don't want to deal with that (and there probably are plenty of taxis around those points), paristrip may be your best bet, I agree. It could be a fine company. I probably would book it as a company probably can't mess up simple trips like that very much. I have read about them on other French web sites, also, they are mentioned a bit, so I don't think they can be terrible.

Christina: On their website they have a seal (top right hand side of the page) that says they are members of ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents). I know they are a Paris-based company, but they seem to have some affiliation with US travel agents as well (at least nominally).

I know taxis are supposed to be plentiful. But I have horrible memories of nine years ago in Greece trying to flag down some of the "plentiful" taxis to take me and my mother back to our hotel after we had visited my father at the hospital. (He had been in an accident while sightseeing.) The taxi drivers would stop or not as they chose, and when they did stop they would sometimes drive off when we told them where we wanted to go.

Maybe they are not that way all over the world, but I have had my problems getting a taxi in New York and Boston and had drivers in Mexico City refuse to take me where I wanted to go as well.

In short, for evening things in strange cities, I try to have guaranteed transportation that does not rely on fickle taxis or on possibly dangerous public transport. It's worth the slight extra expense, if the service is reliable.

Thanks for the feedback re ParisTrip. It does seem that they are the only ones who offer pick up from hotel instead of a "central location."

oh, I think a lot of companies are affiliated with ASTA and cooperate with travel agents, that's not unusual (and is probably a good thing that they are a member of ASTA)--it doesn't mean they are a company run by travel agents or consisting of agents. All of those bus tour companies cooperate with travel agents (in terms of some commission or something) as they are an important part of their business.

I can understand the way you feel about the taxi thing, as I've had that problem myself sometimes. In particular, I've heard it can be hard to get one around Moulin Rouge when everybody gets out at the same time. I think the central drop-off point would actually be better in that regard, but if I were you and it looks like what you want, I would book the one with paristrip to make it easier logistically.

If you are interested in other kinds of day trips, I can recommend the Cityrama company highly for that. www.cityrama.com

Thanks for the Cityrama recommendation.

I didn't mean that I thought ParisTrips was "run" by travel agents. I meant that even though the affiliation with some organization of travel agents might suggest to some that they were a reputable company, I wanted more than just the affiliation because sometimes it means nothing.

So far the people e-mailing me from ParisTrip seem responsible and well-informed, so unless I hear something horrible about them in the next day or so, I will probably go ahead and book for the Moulin Rouge. I'll look some more into options for illuminations/Seine cruise, which I kind of think will be lovely for our last evening in Paris.

My wife and I used it the last time in Paris and thought it was worth it. They picked us up in a van and since he had another couple to pick up and was running early he took us on a whirlwind ride around the city. Took us to the show, picked us up right outside, and dropped us off at our hotel. Worth it.

Thanks Oberost! That is the sort of report I like to hear. (That they are not only on time but early and that they got you there and back.)