cruises down the seine river

Sheila, are you talking about the short sightseeing or dinner cruises in Paris? Or are you talking about a multi-day river cruise on the Seine starting or ending in Paris?

Are you talking multi-day cruise to Normandy, or just the 1 hour tour through Paris?

If you are talking about a short cruise while in Paris -- you can get these near the Eiffel Tower, at Pont Neuf and at Pont d'Alma and a couple of other spots. They are cheap 12 euro or thereabouts and you can just grab them whenever you feel like it.

If you are talking about the longer cruises, well I have seen them and they dock not far from the Eiffel Tower and I have seen them docked in Honfleur -- but don't have personal experience on that.

Just to complicate it further, Canauxrama offers day cruises up and down the Seine and Marne from Paris, beyond the familiar central loop. Sheila, let us know what you're looking for.

I've taken several of the day/night tours on the Seine and enjoyed most. The one I would avoid is the Bateau Mouche, which leaves from the Pont de Alma area. These are very large boats, filled with hundreds of tour bus groups - too crowded, too noisy for me. I prefer the smaller boat companies myself, such as Vedettes du Pont Neuf and others.

Good information, merci. Here is the website link for the Vedettes du Pont Neuf cruises. Currently offering a discount on tickets good for one year from purchase! www.vedettesdupontneuf.com

Wow, that sounds like a good deal. Has anyone purchased these online tickets? Any problems? Good choice of a company for a one hour cruise?

This is one of those moments that we all agree we can sometimes disagree with each other. I disagree with Holly - my choice are the Bateaux Mouches at the Pont de l'Alma. I am a photographer and two reasons that I like these boats is that they are the largest boats on the Seine and therefore sit up highest off the water, giving you the best views over the sea walls that line the river along the quays. Also, I found that the large upper deck gives me the best room to easily move around to take pictures. It is a photographer's delight at sunset especially if there are clouds to diffuse the sun somewhat. The sky color becomes very dramatic especially against all the famous sights. The smaller boats (Vendettes) sit too low to the water for me, there is much less outdoor space to stand to take pics and I can't stand shooting through glass from the inside. I always recommend to people to take the river ride twice; once in daylight and the other at night. Same sights; totally different feeling. Try one of each type of boats and decide for yourself.

Thank you everyone for the many suggestions. I really was at a lost for what options we had, until I got the many replies. I was thinking more of just an hour cruise, without huge group of people. And was definitely thinking about nighttime. It would be more romantic and all since we would be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. Thanks again for the all suggestions! Sheila

I've only ridden the Bateaux Mouches. It was indeed crowded with bus loads of people. Tom may be right about it sitting higher and giving better views. The flip side of that though is that since the water was high when we went, the upper deck was closed. The boat also turned around before Pont Neuf. We didn't go past Notre Dame, etc. and that was a disappointment. But we'd prepaid for the tickets so went anyway.

Next time, I won't try to save a few euro by prepaying, and I'll go on the closest boat. And I'll ask how high's the water, mama.

Took the night cruise last sept. It was a 1 hour cruise , bought tickets that day for the 10pm cruise just down from the Eiffel Tower with no problem. Go and have a glass of wine and sit on the banks of the seine after the cruise , very romantic

Not really an answer but another question. Dave suggested having a glass of wine. Can one purchase wine on board or does one bring one's own wine? Would this work for the smaller boats and the larger boats? I had been thinking that a nighttime cruise with a glass of wine or champagne would be wonderful. Also thanks for the information of the longer cruises on the Seine. I'm very interested in the longer cruise for another time.

I have done the Vedettes POnt Neuf with a coupon I bought on line; you just present your coupon at the dock whenever you want to go and they give you a ticket. We took an evening cruise and sat ahead of the wheelhouse on the front and had a great view. It is smaller and it is true you cannot get up and move around (and stand in front of those seated hogging the view as happens on the flat boats where those with video cameras in particular exercise their right to obstruct and annoy)

You purchase drinks on the dock for the Vedettes Pont Neuf. We did the Bateaux Mouche so long ago that I can't remember how drinks are handled but I would assume they don't want people hauling their own aboard anymore than you wouldn't bring your own food and drink to a sidewalk cafe.

I've also been on the Bateaux Mouches at the Pont de l'Alma two times. If you're taking it in the evening, plan to take one that starts on the top of the hour. The Eiffel Tower will be sparkling at the top of the hour, so you will be nearby the Eiffel Tower with time to walk towards it and watch the 5 minutes of sparkling lights.

Also, make sure to go on-line & purchase reserved tickets for the Eiffel Tower a couple of months before your trip, so you don't need to waste time in a long line.

Re Eiffel Tower tickets -- they go up 90 days in advance and during popular months sell out within minutes. So you need to be up in the middle of the night in the US poised on your computer all dialed up and ready to hit send the moment it is 8:30 in Paris. If you wait until breakfast in the US, the tickets will probably be gone.

Of course you can always stand in line when you get there.