Scenic Gem: 11 day Gems of the Seine plus Normandy (hopefully live thread)

[Got2Cruise]

Croissant making class is something you’ll all remember the rest of your lives. How wonderful. 

[1of4]

Monday was jam-packed: sunrise photo shoot at Place du Trocadero to celebrate DD 18th birthday.  Then off to Sainte Chapelle to view the stained glass.  Across the street to have lunch then off to L’Orangerie to view Monet’s Waterlily series.  Then a nice 900 meter stroll back to the hotel through the Tuileries Gardens and across the Seine.

 

7:00 photos with a few other people who had the same Idea.  Lindsey is fantastic and is the photographer behind Pictours Paris.  She is an American who now lives in Paris with her husband.

 

 

 

After changing and breakfast we were off to Sainte Chapelle.

 

 

 

 

[puppycanducruise]

Fabulous photos.

A croissant making class in Paris - perfect!

Thanks

[sharkster77]

Whenever I see the intensity of the blue color at St. Chappelle I am blown away---gotta see this in person someday!!

[djh1959]

Your St. Chappelle photos are stunning!

 

We got lucky at L'Orangerie a couple of years ago and had the water lillies room to ourselves.  Made for great photos.

 

Best reason to travel off-season.

[1of4]

We also went to L’Orangerie on Monday and visited Monet’s Waterlily paintings.  I have wanted to see these for decades!

 

 

 

 

 

 

in case you were wondering...here I am:

 

[*Miss G*]

How strange that you’re exactly how I pictured you!  Enjoying your reports and loving your pictures.  Thank you!!

[1of4]

Tuesday was say goodbye to DD and change hotels from the lovely Hotel D’Orsay to the nice but huge, crowded and noisy Westin Vendôme.  Please note, taxi drivers in Paris want to know the exact address of where you are staying, not just the name.  I figured a 460 room hotel in a prominent location wouldn’t need an address but I stood corrected.

 

it is nice but generic and as I type this I can hear people talking in the next room.  There are stains on the chairs and carpets and bangs out of the wood furniture.  I paid for an upgrade to a Eiffel Tower view, not cheap, so was a bit disappointed to be assigned a room on the second floor directly across from the flume ride.  Yes I can see the Eiffel Tower but I can also see a slide with many hundreds of blinking lights, hear the screaming of the people as they descend the flume and have a pole for a bubble launch Tyler ride in my direct view.  Not what I was envisioning when I agreed to pay a huge amount for this room ( more than double the suite at the Hotel D’Orsay without breakfast)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1of4]

 

 

 

 

 

[*Miss G*]

Yikes!  Sorry to hear it’s double the price for less quality.  That would be disappointing.  But it still looks nice and the Eiffel Tower will be lovely tonight!

[1of4]

The view did not disappoint...if you ignored the greasy window...which, apparently, was my fault for not reporting to housekeeping so they could clean.  No apology or admitting that it should have been cleaned by housekeeping before we arrived.

 

 

 

 

 

[1of4]

We are now onboard the Scenic Gem.  In fact it is the morning of our first full day.  Our cabin, a deluxe balcony is very comfortable and has enough storage for both of us.  The suitcases fit nicely under the beds.  The walk in shower looks like it will be a learning curve with jets everywhere but lots of room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1of4]

Our cabin as we arrived.  Our luggage was already waiting and our butler escorted us to our suite to explain all its features.

 

There are sufficient outlets but they are all European so bring your adapters or you can borrow from the front desk.  There is a complimentary mini bar including: beer, coke, juice, wine tonic water, gin, vodka, rum red win, and scotch.  There are also Pringle’s and waver cookies.

 

After unpacking

 

 

 

Before starting 

 

 

 

 

 

The shower is something else...lights, jets, temperature control, massage!

 

[1of4]

Take a closer look.  It took staring at it for a few minutes to really figure it out.

 

 

It is difficult to get a full, clear picture 

 

 

The rest of the bathroom from the shower.

 

 

 

The sun lounge with the window that you can open (halfway)

 

 

and our departure last evening was not disappointing!

 

 

Edited August 8, 2019 by 1of4

[*Miss G*]

This is exciting!  I love the little lounge.  Are those L’Occitane products in the bathroom?

Edited August 8, 2019 by *Miss G*

[canadianbear]

Amazing photos!  Love traveling along and reading your adventures!

[puppycanducruise]

Loving your report and pictures.

Hope the cruise is fabulous.

Looking forward to reading more, thanks for sharing.

[cat shepard]

What a beautiful ship! I love how they offer 3 breakfast opportunities. All I could think of was the Hobbits with their Multiple breakfasts. 

 

I can wait until you are home for answers to the following:

 

How many passengers? Did it ever feel crowded to you?

Are all excursions included?

Are those bottles of water on the counter provided? Or did you bring them?

Did the cabin steward explain the shower controls to you? Perhaps they are so used to them, they do not even think about the need to do that.

 

 

Have a wonderful time. Am looking forward to finding out everything you want to share.

 

Thank you!

 

 

[mj_holiday]

Thanks for sharing your cruise with us.  Is there another venue to eat a light dinner rather than the large dining room?

[1of4]

3 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

This is exciting!  I love the little lounge.  Are those L’Occitane products in the bathroom?

 

Yes they are...replaced daily if used

 

[1of4]

2 hours ago, cat shepard said:

What a beautiful ship! I love how they offer 3 breakfast opportunities. All I could think of was the Hobbits with their Multiple breakfasts. 

 

I can wait until you are home for answers to the following:

 

How many passengers? 110:  2 Kiwi, 10 Canadian, 10 American, 6 British and the rest Australian

 

Did it ever feel crowded to you? Not yet.  Breakfast and lunch are Buffet style.  Dinner is full service.  At the very beginning of the buffet times it is a bit hectic as people are STARVING but room for all.  There are always a few “me first” in every crowd.

 

Are all excursions included? EVERYTHING is included, even tips to guides and drivers.

 

Are those bottles of water on the counter provided? Or did you bring them?

included.  They even ask your preference and bring that if you like sparkling.  They hand out water bottles as you leave the boat.

 

They ask what you want in the mini bar and put it in.  They will do what you ask.

 

2 hours ago, cat shepard said:

Did the cabin steward explain the shower controls to you? Perhaps they are so used to them, they do not even think about the need to do that.  The butler and room attendant forgot.  It just took me a minute.

 

 

Have a wonderful time. Am looking forward to finding out everything you want to share.

 

Thank you!

 

 

 

I’lltry to remember to take a picture of the extensive, and free, wine cellar!

[1of4]

2 hours ago, mj_holiday said:

Thanks for sharing your cruise with us.  Is there another venue to eat a light dinner rather than the large dining room?

 

Iwill try to remember to look tomorrow as tonight is gala dinner night so no.  If you are on the diamond deck is certain cabin categories you can have your butler serve dinner in your room.  There are light selections every night as well as vegetarian and steak, fish, etc.  I will copy the menu.

[cat shepard]

57 minutes ago, 1of4 said:

 

 

I’lltry to remember to take a picture of the extensive, and free, wine cellar!

Wow!

 

Thank you for responding so quickly.  The wine cellar is included, that alone might be worth the price of the cruise!

[1of4]

Here is the wine selection in the dining room.  Each night there is a French red and white paired with the meals and it is unlimited

 

 

there is also wine wine in each stateroom 

 

 

The menu for for night 2

 

 

and the selections that are always available, but really you can have anything as I cannot eat cream so tonight they brought me consume.

 

 

we have been invited to the specialty restaurant tomorrow night

 

 

Thursday, Day 3, program

 

[cat shepard]

Sorry, more questions...

 

Do they have a fitness room with a machine or two & weights? I appreciate that they offer a variety of class types.

Any specialty coffee options, such as lattes or cappuccinos?

How quiet is your stateroom?

 

Was your airfare included in the cost of the cruise?