Paris- Seine River Sunset Cruises

Dinner cruises can be fun but keep in mind that the food is secondary to the experience. We tried one where the meal was fine but the real joy was gliding past Notre Dame and under all those bridges. If you're with a group, a no-food option with drinks is probably better so you're not locked into a long sit-down meal. Sunset departures are prime time, so I'd say make a reservation no matter what company you choose

They all sail the same basic route, but we prefer les Vedettes du Pont Neuf for the live comentary. We've never done a dinner cruise, preferring to concentrate our attention on the scenery rather than splitting it with the food we're trying b to eat at the same time. YMMV. A reservation for a specific sunset cruise is a good idea, but I'd wait to make them until a day or 2 before, to make sure the weather would be good.

I took the Vedettes du Pont Neuf sunset cruise in August (the 9:45 departure). It's timed to arrive at the Eiffel Tower just as the lights sparkle. The commentary was fine, a live person speaking in English and French. As suggested above, buy tickets a few days ahead when you know what the weather is going to be like (I bought a month ahead because it was my only free night to take the cruise). I wouldn't have enjoyed trying to eat and also see stuff at the same time, so I suggest eating separate from the cruise. Note that when it's busy season (maybe not when you are there), the boats launch from the same area but two different docks - check in a the bigger dock (with the snack bar) to confirm where you should be. If you want a seat on the outside edges or the front, line up at least 30 minutes early.

We've never taken a dinner cruise. Can't really see the sights and eat at the same time. We haves taken several evening cruise with Vedettes du Pont Neuf, and have never had to have reservations. Would take their cruise again without any hesitation.

Thanks all for the quick replies! Vedettes du Pont Neuf sounds like the way to go . And I'm not sure if "Nerf" was my typo or autocorrect , but apologies for that one. Now I can't get the picture of a Nerf Bridge out of my head - like a giant bouncy house!

In 2022 my wife and I booked a dinner cruise on the Le Calife, a VERY OLD boat that docks by the Pont des Artes. It got good reviews, but I was worried: would such an old boat be dirty and disgusting? Would the meal be dismal, as I feared?

My fears were unfounded. We liked that they had kept an old boat running and well maintained. The meal was surprisingly good—better than some of the land—based dinners we had in Paris. We thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Wine list was short as I recall, but well-selected and not unreasonably priced. Service was cheerful. Only downside is that they allowed some French diners to smoke in the dining room. Fortunately, the smokers stopped during dinner service, so it didn’t detract much.

I'm another one who enjoyed the Vedettes du Pont Neuf sunset cruise back in April of this year. I had two grandchildren with me, and they really loved it. Check when sunset is and then book accordingly. When we were there, sunset was at 8:31 pm and we booked the 8:15 pm cruise, and that worked out perfectly. We got to the Eiffel Tower in time to see the lights and the sparkles.

cathybert,
I am another fan of the meal-less Vedettes de Pont Neuf cruises. I have been almost every time I've been in Paris. It is very inexpensive, the commentary is live, not recorded, you can reserve ahead of time online (with a small discount I believe). Get in line a bit early to snag a seat up top for the best views. Dress for the weather. To me, the top is best, even if it is cold. It is an hour long cruise, so sit where you are most comfortable, but I have not been in the winter. (April was the coldest month I went.) September should still be fairly warm. Have a good ride!

We took the Le Calife dinner cruise and were not disappointed. The dinner selection was delicious - my husband and I chose different things and loved every bite. The boarding location at the Pont des Arts was perfect for our hotel in Saint-Germain, about a 4 block walk. I was concerned about having to get back to our hotel that late from the boarding locations nearer the Eiffel Tower. The boat was pristine, and the waitstaff very friendly and attentive. I would love to experience this again.