Timing a river cruise
 

We plan to take a Paris to Paris river cruise Sept 18 to Sept 25. Would you recommend planning another week in Paris before or after the cruise? We will be flying in from Los Angeles

I assume you have never been to Paris before, is that right? Are you thinking that the river cruise isn't going to give you much of an opportunity to see Paris itself? I think the before or after is really up to you. When we've added cruises to our own land itineraries we have usually saved the cruise until last but that is obviously a personal choice.

Why Paris and not somewhere else?

Are you asking if you should stay in Paris for a week or if you should do this before the cruise or should do this after the cruise?

Answers: Of course you should stay in Paris for a week. I would do it after the cruise.

Why does it matter where you're flying from? Is this significant?

I can't imagine not staying in Paris for an extra week if you have time.

Make a decision soon as you should book a hotel/apartment right now! September is a busy time in Paris.

How long is the cruise, and to where?

nukesafe - you've forgotten your specs again! :)

The info is in the first sentence of the OP.

I often do forget where I put my specs now-a-days, Adrienne, but Sid does not say where the voyage goes. He says he leaves Paris and returns to Paris. He does not say the route it takes or what stops along the way the vessel will make. I'm curious if it is a jaunt down the Seine to places like Le Havre or Honfleur, which would allow some exploration of towns larger than villages, or up the Seine and other waterways which would only touch very small towns.

I'd suggest the week in Paris AFTER the cruise. It might be more relaxing that way and if there are others from the cruise who are also staying on in Paris, you could meet up for meals or a day trip etc.

Kay

I also would say after--you'll have yourself oriented to the French life and will be ready to just settle into the Parisian style.

Sorry, nukesafe! Now I understand your question. I briefly misplaced my brain but I've found it again!

What a coincidence, Adrienne. If you come across mine while you are looking for yours please drop me a note.

At least age has made me believe in the hereafter. I often find myself in a room muttering to myself, "Now what in hell am I here after!?".

I would say after, as well, and agree with the advice to book accommodations forthwith - and not necessarily with the cruise company as you can usually book the very same hotel for far less and not "per person".

Or, you could plan a few days before and a few days after.

Paris to Paris cruise? So leaving and ending in Paris, right?. Thus you mean down a river to or from Paris such as we did a recent year with Grand Circle on the Seine, La Havre to Paris. As nukesafe says, that would mean exploring villages and such along the way, also such as Monet's Garden at Giverney. Yes, certainly extra days in Paris if time permits.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-the-seine.cfm

Suggest at least one or 2 nights in Paris before cruise, just to recover from flight and also takes stress out of any flight delays etc, we had 24hr delay on flight before cruise last year and just as well we had a day spare, or we would have missed start of cruise. Paris is at least 4 days min, been 4 time and will be back again after cruise this yr for another 3 nights before returning to NZ via LA for a night.
Have fun, enjoy the cruise and Paris

Definitely after the cruise; getting over jet lag is easier on the boat.

Sounds very nice!
We spent five days in Paris after a Lyon-to-Lyon cruise on the Rhone/Saone. Wish we had taken another two weeks for Paris!

I guess I got things off track with too short a question. Let me fill you in. The river cruise is Paris to Paris, north on the Seine. The location it turns around after a stop for the Normandy beaches (by bus). To give you a fuller picture of the travelers. When we saw the newsreels of the Normandy invasion, there was no TV. That’s how we saw what was going on.
I have made tentative plans to go opposite your recommendations, with the thinking that the weather was slightly warmer, less rainy, and the days longer, at the beginning of September. Our cruise is already booked for mid-September. I had not seen your recommendations because I had expected notification of the replies, but had gotten none. I guess I’ll have to rethink again. Does my reasoning affect your recommendations at all?
By the way, the additional time in Paris was never at issue. We have been there before, a couple of time, but not recently, and have been itching to get back. As long as I have your attention, any recommendations about good places to stay. We tend to prefer the simple, homier places, but not at the cost of inconvenience.
Thanks for your help and I look forward to hearing from you again.

Since you haven't booked a hotel in Paris, going before or after the cruise would depend on when you can get a hotel in your price range and location. You're getting late to book for September since that's a very busy month.

The end of September is usually warm enough. I've only been in Paris during October once and it was quite warm until the end of October. The gray and drizzling days didn't start until the 3rd week so that's a month after you'll be there. And no one can predict weather - it could be anything, any time.

The lights are so beautiful in Paris that a bit earlier sunset doesn't mean much. The difference is only about a half hour and you'll be eating dinner once it's dark so you'll have a full day of sunlight (hopefully!) for wandering around and sightseeing.

There are so many hotel to choose from. What's your budget. That would be the deciding factor.

Yep, SidWlt, sounds like our cruise two years ago. We were bused to LaHavre and then boarded ship. It is a nice relaxing way to enjoy scenery and historic sights and gardens. Enjoy!

Thanks for the perspective Adrienne. As for budget, we can probably do almost anything that is truly worth it. Frankly, Pat likes upscale, while like homey. We tend to meet in the middle. I guess that's how we have made it through 52 years. I guess what I like to look for is hotels that people like me have loved, not because of its opulence, but because of an intangible something. Does that sense? Are there any that YOU just loved?

Mostly I go on the cheap! Friends stayed at the hotel below and really liked it. It's very convenient for sights, bus, metro, and there are lots of cafes just down the street for an evening glass of wine or coffee before retiring.

http://hotelabbayeparis.com/?ald=1_E...9OgodgVcAdQ#/4

I've stayed at the next two hotels but I like the location of the one above better. If you choose this one then ask for rooms in the building across from reception as they are larger. There's a garden with tables for breakfast or dinner (plenty of take out places not far away).

http://www.hotel-grandes-ecoles.com/

I've stayed here before they redecorated when it was "shabby chic" and I liked it better then - old world Parisian; I'm not one for sparse and modern decor. Sent friends here and they said it was good. Again, prefer location of the first one.

http://www.balcons.com/

I think it would be great to see Paris before and then relax on the cruise after.

Can you split it up? If so, I think that's what I'd do. You'll get some sightseeing and acclimating in on the front end and when a cruise colleague mentions that gem of a site or restaurant you'll still have time to hit it on your return.

We also stayed at hotel-grandes-ecoles on our last trip to Paris in Oct. 2011, and recommend it. I think you can't book ahead more than 3 months, but check their website to confirm this.

We tried to book grandes-ecoles on an earlier trip, but it was full, so timing your reservation is important.

And I agree with Adrienne that you want to stay in the building across from reception. Our room was spacious and included a sitting area. The garden area was perfect for relaxing with wine in the afternoons.

My thought in seeing Paris last is that it will be much more of a highlight than the cruise. Put the best at the end.

I have been doing a lot of thinking about all of the posts and have decided on moving the stay in Paris until after the river cruise. The deciding factor was the ability to be taken from the plane to the boat and easier days on which to recover from the trip from Los Angeles. At the moment we are focusing on two hotels The Agora and The Designe Sorbonne. Would love to hear of any experiences and recommendations, positive and negative, relative to the two. Thanks for past help and I eagerly await more good ideas.

Hi Sid - it helps if you give links to your hotel choices. That makes it easier for the responders to look at the hotels and give advice.

SidWlt, so 52 years with your DW? We can top you by some years and are still speaking. Ah, yes, the compromises we make...
just which restaurant or movie or vacation choice, e.g.

Just this note...wished we had more time in Paris (again) but our time was mostly on Seine R. Wise to do Paris after the cruise I think. Can't advise on hotels. I should mention two cruise highlights were in Normandy, the D Day beaches and the Bayeau Tapestry.