ACWMom "Official" Trip Review-Uniworld SS Joie de Vivre-Paris to Normandy

[acwmom]

A few more river sights, before arrival. Chateau de Rosny sur Seine was impressive from the river.

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

[CDreamer]

ACWMOM, just chiming in again to say I really appreciate you taking the time to post your trip pics along with your review. Very informative, and your photos give us future Uniworld travelers a good idea of the general layout of the ship (& meals served!) as well as a real sense of all these wonderful places that you visited.

[acwmom]

ACWMOM, just chiming in again to say I really appreciate you taking the time to post your trip pics along with your review. Very informative, and your photos give us future Uniworld travelers a good idea of the general layout of the ship (& meals served!) as well as a real sense of all these wonderful places that you visited.

Thank you! I wish I could move faster, but work seems to get in the way:-). We are already trying to figure out our next cruise....

 

Robin

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

[ShyOne60]

Those food and sailing pics are fabulous!

[IowaGirl1]

Thank you for the pics! On our Tauck Bridges cruise this summer, we will be going to Chateau Gaillard & I so appreciate all the photos! I also loved the photos of Rouen as we will be there as well. It makes me excited about our trip!

[acwmom]

Like Steve, SOShrink, we chose to do Marie Antoinette's Hamlet, aka the Petite Trianon and gardens.

 

We had visited the main palace 3 years ago, and hated the crowds. However, the tour this time went to some secret rooms, off the beaten path, so not exactly the same.

 

It was rainy and drizzly, off and on, so the outdoor tour was a little unpleasant, but overall, it was a nice, low key tour.

 

If I were going in warmer weather, I would try to make arrangements onboard to rent a bike or golf cart, and spend the time touring the gardens of Versailles.

 

The staircase in the petite Trianon, a view of the formal garden from the music room, the music room, the kitchen fireplace, and the billiard room, with M.A. on the wall

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

[SOShrink]

Like Steve, SOShrink, we chose to do Marie Antoinette's Hamlet, aka the Petite Trianon and gardens.

 

We had visited the main palace 3 years ago, and hated the crowds. However, the tour this time went to some secret rooms, off the beaten path, so not exactly the same.

 

It was rainy and drizzly, off and on, so the outdoor tour was a little unpleasant, but overall, it was a nice, low key tour.

 

If I were going in warmer weather, I would try to make arrangements onboard to rent a bike or golf cart, and spend the time touring the gardens of Versailles.

 

The staircase in the petite Trianon, a view of the formal garden from the music room, the music room, the kitchen fireplace, and the billiard room, with M.A. on the wall[ATTACH]420647[/ATTACH][ATTACH]420648[/ATTACH][ATTACH]420657[/ATTACH][ATTACH]420658[/ATTACH][ATTACH]420659[/ATTACH][ATTACH]420660[/ATTACH]

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

 

 

 

Robin, did you have the guide that called on the group to role play the different historical figures! It was a blast!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[acwmom]

Robin, did you have the guide that called on the group to role play the different historical figures! It was a blast!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

We did not. Our guide must have looped the pond in the Hamlet at least 3 times, in the rain.....not too pleased! I think my husband and I would have had to play billiards if we had been asked to role play:D;p

[acwmom]

On to the Hamlet.....first, the Temple of Love. The construction site is the Queen's house...like she needed another one...

Then, the gardeners house. I'm not sure what the final two in this post are, Google doesn't have them listed

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

[SOShrink]

We did not. Our guide must have looped the pond in the Hamlet at least 3 times, in the rain.....not too pleased! I think my husband and I would have had to play billiards if we had been asked to role play:D;p

 

 

 

Slowly but surely each of us got married off or committed adultery, and lived in excess and eventually got beheaded!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[acwmom]

Sounds like fun, right up to that last part:-)

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

[acwmom]

A few last pictures, including my favorite umbrella reflection picture. And, what do you do when it's cold and rainy? Yep, Angelina's hot chocolate. It was farewell dinner night, so we had to have a cocktail when we returned. The menu, with food pics in the next post

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

[acwmom]

It wouldn't be a Farewell Dinner dessert without Baked Alaska, and the photo in the lobby with the CD (and hotel manager). The butlers though.....a special treat and special memories:-)[ATTACH]420709[/ATTACH][ATTACH]420710[/ATTACH][ATTACH]420711[/ATTACH][ATTACH]420712[/ATTACH][ATTACH]420713[/ATTACH][ATTACH]420714[/ATTACH]

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

[acwmom]

It wouldn't be a Farewell Dinner dessert without Baked Alaska, and the photo in the lobby with the CD (and hotel manager). The butlers though.....a special treat and special memories:-)[ATTACH]420709[/ATTACH][ATTACH]420710[/ATTACH][ATTACH]420711[/ATTACH][ATTACH]420712[/ATTACH][ATTACH]420713[/ATTACH][ATTACH]420714[/ATTACH]

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

Not sure why pics don't always attach

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

[capriccio]

Robin - did you see this current thread about Uniworld no longer offering gentle walkers tours? Do you remember if that was announced on your cruise?

[acwmom]

There was no announcement either way, meaning, he didn't say there wouldn't be a gentle walker group. I also don't recall a specific announcement FOR a gentle walker group. In fact, I don't recall there being one on our Rhine cruise last year, either.

 

On this cruise, there definitely wasn't one to La Roche Guyon or Les Andelys. We went to Mont St Michel, so don't know if there was one in Rouen, perhaps Steve can comment. Golfed at Etretat, so don't know about Honfleur.

 

Honestly, the one time I recall the gentle walk

er group, in Verona, they actually passed our regular group! It seems like most recent guides have gone at a pace where everyone could keep up, while also choosing routes which were navigable for all.

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

[SOShrink]

There was no announcement either way, meaning, he didn't say there wouldn't be a gentle walker group. I also don't recall a specific announcement FOR a gentle walker group. In fact, I don't recall there being one on our Rhine cruise last year, either.

 

On this cruise, there definitely wasn't one to La Roche Guyon or Les Andelys. We went to Mont St Michel, so don't know if there was one in Rouen, perhaps Steve can comment. Golfed at Etretat, so don't know about Honfleur.

 

Honestly, the one time I recall the gentle walk

er group, in Verona, they actually passed our regular group! It seems like most recent guides have gone at a pace where everyone could keep up, while also choosing routes which were navigable for all.

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

 

 

 

Robin, we had gentle walkers on most of the daily tours last week. I know because we joined them on several occasions! By the way, our supposed slower group ended up being ahead of some of the other groups along the way! In other words, they tailor it to the group and go as fast or slow as we need and everybody eventually catches up.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[acwmom]

Robin, we had gentle walkers on most of the daily tours last week. I know because we joined them on several occasions! By the way, our supposed slower group ended up being ahead of some of the other groups along the way! In other words, they tailor it to the group and go as fast or slow as we need and everybody eventually catches up.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Good to know. We usually choose our group, if able, based on the personality of the guide, more than the designation of the group.

 

At La Roche Guyon, we did have one woman who was upset because there were no elevators, and she wasn't able to navigate the staircase. There was really no gentle walker alternative there.

 

I think tailoring all groups, as needed, is a good description.

 

Robin

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

[ShyOne60]

Thanks for reattaching those marvelous pictures!

[acwmom]

We woke up in Paris, in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. We opened our curtains, and had a great view of the Statue of Liberty.....well, at least the back of her, but, still......The weather was sunny, and warm, with the forecast near 60. Since we had been to Paris before, and neither of the included tours appealed to us, we decided to set off on our own. Our destination? The Sacre Cour. We confirmed directions, and headed off to the Metro. It was an easy trip, only having to transfer at one station.

[acwmom]

Good morning Paris!

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

[acwmom]

A few more views, before heading back to the ship

 

 

 

 

[CDreamer]

ACWMOM, thank you again for your wonderful report & all your great pics!

 

Have enjoyed following along and appreciate your and SOShrink’s detailed reviews of this particular cruise itinerary.

[acwmom]

ACWMOM, thank you again for your wonderful report & all your great pics!

 

Have enjoyed following along and appreciate your and SOShrink’s detailed reviews of this particular cruise itinerary.

Thank you! A few more pics to share.

 

On our return to the ship, we spent some time on the sun deck, spoke to our CD about future bookings, and onboard booking discounts, and then went and explored the nearby shopping mall.

 

We watched as a few shipmates prepared for the sidecar tour, and found it interesting that the small boat was "investigating" ours so closely.

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

[SOShrink]

ACWMOM, thank you again for your wonderful report & all your great pics!

 

Have enjoyed following along and appreciate your and SOShrink’s detailed reviews of this particular cruise itinerary.

 

 

 

Robin, all your photos brought me right back to our trip! I particularly enjoyed photo 10/17 view of the Eiffel Tower from the the train station (I think) and 14/17 of the Eiffel Tower in the mist from the rooftops which was very atmospheric!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums