Eiffel Tower and Tiver Seine cruise

I have never taken a river cruise in Paris. Have been visiting for decades and have always seen the wonderful-ness of Paris from dry ground. That said, many on this board will have personal experience with river cruises and excellent advice for you.

I am chiming in to say, “safe to walk around Paris at night!?” Are you joking? Okay, I’ll calm down.

First: where in Paris are you talking about?

Second: what time of night?

Like all big cities, Paris has some neighborhoods that are less safe than others. But the vast majority of touristic/central Paris neighborhoods are perfectly safe at night. Follow the guidelines you do at home: don’t disappear down dark deserted alleys - don’t leave well-trodden paths - don’t go anywhere that you'd be reluctant to visit in the daylight, and keep your wits about you.

But also… explore! Walk about Paris! Enjoy! It’s awesome… not a crime-ridden hellhole.

l.kellymaharaj,It always throws me that most people refer to a Seine River "cruise". I think of a cruise as something that lasts for at least a few hours. The boat rides on the Seine are about an hour, unless you take a dinner cruise, which is a bit longer. A ride on the Vedettes de Pont Neuf can be reserved on their website or tickets can be purchased on the spot, but you should be there about 45 minutes before the ride. There is the Bateaux Mouches company as well. Definitely don't waste your money on a private company to buy your tickets. Google Vedettes de Pont Neuf or Bateaux Mouches to get to their websites.
There is a lot of activity in Paris rather late at night, so you should be safe. Follow Volva's common sense suggestions.
Have a wonderful time in Paris!

I just reread your post. Re the Eiffel Tower, you can go to their website to make a timed ticket reservation. It is a bit late perthaps to get one for August, and things seem to be altered due to the Olympics. Try putting "Eiffel Tower reservation" in the search bar for France for lots of info about using tour companies, etc.

You are not 'late' to buy for the ET; the biggest tranche of tickets is released 7 days ahead at 1 pm Paris time.

For river cruises, you just walk up to the dock and get a ticket. You can get a slight discount for Vedettes Pont Neuf by buying on line -- in the past you didn't have to specify when, but that may have changed. (all advice that isn't post COVID is likely to be slightly wrong LOL)

There is zero reason to go through a third party.

And yes it is safe to walk around Paris at night. I am an old lady and routinely take the metro cross down e.g. from the Bastille Opera to the 17th at midnight. my husband and I often walk from Barbes metro area in Montmartre where friends have an apartment to the apartment we rent near square Batignolles in the 17th. which is about a mile. Paris beautiful at night and hopping. the metro is full till it closes. Paris is very safe from violent crime; be sure you are always pickpocket proof i.e. no valuables in pockets. The ET is a great place to be pickpocketed as is the Louvre or Orsay and of course the metro.

Thank you so much for your advice everyone.
Really looking forward to our trip