What is the best luxury river cruise line for France

[cruiserfromalabama]

We did our first river cruise in August 2014 with Tauck and loved it! Our trip hit all the great little cities along the Rhone and the large cities of Paris and Lyon. Tauck is a great tour company and they honestly take wonderful care of their clients! Felt very pampered and loved this cruise! Read my review if you want a day by day review!

[alexandra cruiser]

is Scenic Gem. That s why we choose it and went in June. Do get a brochure and look at website. Really 5 star in most areas.Everything REALLY inc. even tips to guides,drivers,etc. Plus butler service, good food,free drinks,ALL free excursions,...could go on and on. You really DO GET what you pay for.

Got off last mo.,,,so any questions,,please ask.\

Do read all the fine print about ports and length of bus trips to some cities on the other lines.This one docked right in the towns.]

Also enjoyed all the major lines,and AMA great too...but this one better due to this point.Also, NEW ship.:)

[harbourside]

is Scenic Gem. That s why we choose it and went in June. Do get a brochure and look at website. Really 5 star in most areas.Everything REALLY inc. even tips to guides,drivers,etc. Plus butler service, good food,free drinks,ALL free excursions,...could go on and on. You really DO GET what you pay for.

Got off last mo.,,,so any questions,,please ask.\

Do read all the fine print about ports and length of bus trips to some cities on the other lines.This one docked right in the towns.]

Also enjoyed all the major lines,and AMA great too...but this one better due to this point.Also, NEW ship.:)

 

I am looking at using Scenic Azure for the Douro River. They are putting on a new boat similar to the Scenic Gem but smaller , 96 passengers, and this boat will be owned and operated by Scenic. All my trips will have been with APT/Amawaterways. APT is just like Scenic in that everything is included. The trips run by APT have been enhanced so that there are no costs involved for New Zealand and Australians. Did you find that the food and service was comparable to Amawaterways . Also, the Douro cruising part will be 11 days compared to 8 with AMA and Uniworld. I will also be adding the Lisbon and Madrid extension. Need longer trips with the long flights to Europe for Z

Did you post a review of your Scenic Gem trip??

Edited August 7, 2015 by harbourside

[alexandra cruiser]

Can find under river section by using search engine mode,plus there was a great,detailed one before mine.

 

Re.food. The French one had very FANCY food, many liked it,but too too for me.But I m one for "plainer food" ..so hard to compare. Similar(or better) to food on the 3 AMA cruises I took.

 

We also took Douro cruise(but on Uniworld)and just a great area.More scenic in fact than French one.Good you re doing a few days pre and post on both.

 

Scenic certainly provides a luxury experience and love the really ALL inc. features.We got off and had NO BILL to pay.

[marco]

I'm sorry to hear of your bad experience with Viking. We just got back from a Viking "Portraits of Southern France" and thought everything about it was superb! This was our 8th European River cruise and they all have been on Viking, Grand Circle or Vantage. I would recommend any of the three and would base my decision on a future one on any of these 3 lines only on dates and itinerary.

[howland]

Alexandra Cruiser - I am interested in the Scenic Gem cruise on the Seine for Sept. 2016. A determining factor is whether they dock at Honsfleur. Did your cruise dock at Honsfleur and what did you think of the Normandy Beach excursion? Thanks - howland

[howland]

Could not find your review of the Seine cruise on Scenic Gem. Can you be more specific as to where you posted it? You can email me at fingers-3@verizon.net. Thanks - Heidi Finger

[harbourside]

Could not find your review of the Seine cruise on Scenic Gem. Can you be more specific as to where you posted it? You can email me at fingers-3@verizon.net. Thanks - Heidi Finger

 

I also could not find the review, even after searching every possible variation, and all postings done by Alexandra Cruiser??

[APFBarb]

This may be too late, but just returned from a great barge trip with French Country Waterways in Burgundy. Everything was fantastic. I've never met a staff that worked so hard and so seamlessly to make sure the guests had a great time. The food and wines were fantastic. I just posted a review about our experience in Burgundy.

[Balto Bob]

This may be too late, but just returned from a great barge trip with French Country Waterways in Burgundy. Everything was fantastic. I've never met a staff that worked so hard and so seamlessly to make sure the guests had a great time. The food and wines were fantastic. I just posted a review about our experience in Burgundy.

 

Where is the review??????

[alexandra cruiser]

and I too could NOT FIND IT.

A brief review;;;3rd Scenic cruise and LOVE the rooms with tub(jr suite)and butler with room service. Also, have real balcony and can have AM coffee out there,,great treat.Free pressing of 2 articles a day, nice touch.

Every detail covered, all tips, drinks,excursions,airport pk up,bus and guide tips,...you name it. Get off ship owing NADA.

Food can be a little to fancy for me, but Im unusual and picky.Others LOVED variety and choice of 3 restaurants.

Did northern France and YES, did dock in Honfluer. Would book extra day pre and post cruise in Paris(or more) if you can.

 

Hope that helps...did take Avalon,yrs.ago,for southern France. What a mess,,,all the good things about Scenic NOT available on that one.And would NEVER take another, same with Viking.