Le Harve Shore Excursion to Paris

[AZbobkats]

We are looking at the Princess Cruise shore excursion from Le Harve to Paris. Need advice on which excursion to take - Paris on our own, a guided bus tour or a guided bus & river tour. We will only have 5 hours in Paris.

[tony s]

If never to Paris take the guided one. If been before and know what you want to do the on your own 

[edinburgher]

The "on your own" will likely drop you off and give you a"meet back here" time, otherwise your time is your own to go wherever YOU want to go.

 

The other two may include a lunch stop which couldeasily  use up an hour or so of your already short time there, but on your own you could pick up a snack/sandwich and a drink and eat quite quickly.  

 

The other two actual tours take you places you already visited on previous trips, or take you places you have little interest in.

 

Really it is your decision to make. tony s has offered one solution.

Edited May 19, 2022 by edinburgher

[gkkapp]

In 2012 we and another couple took the "on your own" tour to Paris.  We planed out what we wanted to see and allowed for stops along the way.  Of course, Notre Dame Cathedral is not really there in it's glory anymore but you could easily plan something else.  Do some research and go on your own and see what you want to see.

 

<<<Karen>>>  

 

Today we booked a ship's tour – Paris on Your Own. Basically we paid for a bus to take us from the ship into Paris and get us back in time before the ship sailed. We had a very early breakfast in the buffet, and went to the ship's theater to await our tour group being called. The trip into Paris was uneventful and took about three hours. The scenery along the way was nice. Arriving in Paris we rode down the Champs Elysee, past the Arc de Triomphe and were let off near the Place de la Concorde. Luckily, we quickly found a taxi that would transport four people (many taxis won't) and we rode to Notre Dame Cathedral. We walked around the outside, taking pictures as we went. On the north side of the Cathedral under the rose window is a sidewalk cafe we discovered on the Internet called La Rosace. We ate lunch there, a ham and cheese sandwich for us and crêpes for our friends. We took advantage of their free restroom. After lunch we got in the long but fast moving queue to visit the inside of this vast church. In spite of the wall-to-wall people we were able to take a few pictures and admire the architecture. Leaving the church, we walked past the flower market and in front of St. Chapelle. We then crossed the Seine River and started walking along the river towards our bus pick-up point. Karen was able to purchase an oil painting of the Arc de Triomphe along the way. When we came to the Louvre, we walked through a large archway into a courtyard. A second archway took us to the famous glass pyramid. Lots of photos were taken. We continued on through the Tuileries Gardens and around the Place de la Concorde. It was time to return to the pick-up point for our return to the ship. On the way back we drove past the Eiffel Tower, which we had only seen from a distance, so we had a great photo opportunity. Traffic was a bit heavy as we rode back to Le Havre and got worse as we neared the ship. Finally we were there, and quickly made our way to the dining room for our “last supper”.

 

 

[CruiserBruce]

The is a discussion on the more relevant France board on the same topic, here:

 

 

[Markanddonna]

We did the Paris on Your Own back in 2018 with NCL. I'm not a huge fan of France, but this was probably my only chance to say I saw Paris. This was before the Notre Dame fire so we were very lucky.

 

We started out almost an hour late and they gave us 20 mins at the end to compensate. 😠

 

There is a rest area that the buses stop at. You can also purchase food and drink there. 

When we arrived, we taxied to Notre Dame and then walked the rest of the way back by the Seine. We stopped at the Louvre for a very short time.  Really, I just don't get the fascination with Paris.  I suppose it is because I have been spoiled with a lot of wonderful travel experiences. 

 

[firstbase]

On 5/22/2022 at 8:12 AM, Markanddonna said:

We did the Paris on Your Own back in 2018 with NCL. I'm not a huge fan of France, but this was probably my only chance to say I saw Paris. This was before the Notre Dame fire so we were very lucky.

 

We started out almost an hour late and they gave us 20 mins at the end to compensate. 😠

 

There is a rest area that the buses stop at. You can also purchase food and drink there. 

When we arrived, we taxied to Notre Dame and then walked the rest of the way back by the Seine. We stopped at the Louvre for a very short time.  Really, I just don't get the fascination with Paris.  I suppose it is because I have been spoiled with a lot of wonderful travel experiences. 

 

 

[firstbase]

Ya really overrated.  Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, Montmartre Sacre Coeur, Bastille, Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, trip on the Seine, Champs Elysse, Luxembourg Gardens, Arc d'Triomphe, Concorde, french cuisine and cafes on every corner.  A real drag. 

[Hlitner]

Lets talk about DIY vs guided tour.  From LeHavre, going to Paris is a very long day.  You will likely spend at least 5 hours (round trip) on a bus which does make many folks tired.  If taking a guided excursion you can just sit back and go with the flow.  This is a great option for folks that enjoy large group excursions.

 

If you do a Paris on your own excursion, you will also spend at least 5 hours on a bus and will be dropped at a popular location in Paris.  In the past some of those buses would drop folks at the Place de la Concorde (Right bank near the Orangerie and a few blocks from the Louvre) or in the Eiffel Tower area (Left Bank).  Either location is great for starting a walking tour and also give you easy access to the Metro (subway), Hop On Hop Off buses, etc.  Paris is large city, but for many of us who love the city it is wonderful for lots of walking.  However, because you are always going to feel rushed on a port day you will probably want to use some public transit.  You also need to do your pre-visit homework and have some kind of plan/itinerary.  

 

DW and I consider Paris one of our favorite cities in the world.  We always suggest that cruisers find a way to extend their trip and visit Paris for several days (or weeks) pre or post cruise.  A partial one day visit (port day) will just give you a quick taste of this great city.  DW and I enjoy visiting Paris so much that we would never consider going there on a port day from Le Havre.  Le Havre has lots of other options that do not mean spending 5-6 hours on a tour bus and we tend to stay in that Normandy region and leave Paris for a week visit (we like 1-2 weeks because we can rent an apartment).

 

Just a note about museums.  Paris has many and they are fantastic.  But you need to consider that it would take weeks just to walk through most of the Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay (our favorite Paris Museum) needs at least 2-3 hours just to walk though and enjoy part of the collection.   When our DD was 8 and we took her for her first visit to Paris we managed to get her through the Louvre in about 40 minutes which was just enough time to walk to the Mona Lisa and also visit Venus de Milo.  DW and I have literally spend several days inside the Louvre and have still not seen nearly all the collection.   The Eiffel Tower is popular with tourists and the area around the bottom is always crowded.  But keep in mind that it costs about $30 per person (to go to the top via elevators) and the lines can be long and very slow.  Just going up to the top can use up a good part of your rushed port day.

 

I have a theory that most folks who do not like Paris have simply done a bad job planning their visit.  Consider the things that are of most personal interest and plan you day around those activities.  If you are interested in the food/wine, take the time to enjoy a long lunch.  If you don't like museums do not spend your day in museums.  It sounds like common sense, but it is amazing how many folks do things they do not like and are surprised that they do not enjoy their day.   

 

Hank

 

Hank

[Hlitner]

On 8/8/2022 at 4:33 PM, firstbase said:

Ya really overrated.  Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, Montmartre Sacre Coeur, Bastille, Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, trip on the Seine, Champs Elysse, Luxembourg Gardens, Arc d'Triomphe, Concorde, french cuisine and cafes on every corner.  A real drag. 

My wife once had a hairdresser who took his first European trip to Paris.  He hated the city and complained to us that everything was so old.   Such is life.

 

Hank

[cruisemom42]

On 5/22/2022 at 8:12 AM, Markanddonna said:

Really, I just don't get the fascination with Paris.  I suppose it is because I have been spoiled with a lot of wonderful travel experiences. 

 

I'm puzzling over this.

 

I can understand that everyone has natural affinities and sometimes a place just doesn't strike you.  

 

But your post seems to suggest that people only like Paris because they haven't experienced many other "wonderful" travel experiences. I think that's a pretty bald statement to make.

 

For example, I don't really get much from places known for natural beauty. Hawaii I can take or leave. Amalfi coast is nice inasmuch as I can find some interesting architecture and a few ruins here and there. I can't imagine taking a cruise to Polynesia -- b-o-r-i-n-g.  But I would never suggest that it's some failing in others that keeps them from sharing my point of view. 

 

For what it's worth, I've traveled pretty extensively and have also had wonderful experiences. Yet Paris remains firmly in my top 5 places and I'd return there any time for a few days or (better) a few weeks. The city has had such a bearing on painting, sculpture, dance, music, food, clothing, architecture, history, religion....   It's hard to imagine how Paris wouldn't have something to appeal to just about anyone.

 

[Markanddonna]

10 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I'm puzzling over this.

 

I can understand that everyone has natural affinities and sometimes a place just doesn't strike you.  

 

But your post seems to suggest that people only like Paris because they haven't experienced many other "wonderful" travel experiences. I think that's a pretty bald statement to make.

 

For example, I don't really get much from places known for natural beauty. Hawaii I can take or leave. Amalfi coast is nice inasmuch as I can find some interesting architecture and a few ruins here and there. I can't imagine taking a cruise to Polynesia -- b-o-r-i-n-g.  But I would never suggest that it's some failing in others that keeps them from sharing my point of view. 

 

For what it's worth, I've traveled pretty extensively and have also had wonderful experiences. Yet Paris remains firmly in my top 5 places and I'd return there any time for a few days or (better) a few weeks. The city has had such a bearing on painting, sculpture, dance, music, food, clothing, architecture, history, religion....   It's hard to imagine how Paris wouldn't have something to appeal to just about anyone.

 

Not sure why you are puzzled. As you stated, other places such as Hawaii, Polynesia, the Amalfi coast are not on your favorites list but others love it. Some of my emotions about Paris come from its WWII history and the fascination of writers who set many of their fluffy novels in Paris. Let's face it, France doesn't have a glorious reputation. Read about the Phoney War. Also, I prefer to visit places and study them through the eyes of the average person rather than the elite or royalty. I prefer a skansen to a palace. 

 

Then, my opinions are my opinions. I don't know why anyone would make an effort to be critical. We all have our preferences, as do you.

 

[cruisemom42]

8 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

Then, my opinions are my opinions. I don't know why anyone would make an effort to be critical. We all have our preferences, as do you.

 

Yes, but as a self-identified writer, I'd think you would be a bit more careful about how you phrase things. You give the impression that you are writing from some lofty height of experience while the rest of us are blinded by our first travel experience....  

 

France doesn't have a glorious reputation?  What????  Every nation that's been around longer than a few decades has some eras that they might prefer to forget. (Slavery, anyone? Civil War? Reconstruction?)  

 

While the contributions of the French don't begin and end with Versailles, the wealthy Bourbon monarchs were instrumental in funding the arts. Even Da Vinci chose to live out the last years of his life as a client of the King of France, who knew a good thing when he saw it and lured him away from Italy. Louis XIV was a patron of writers as well, including Moliere and Racine.

 

Napoleon, love him or hate him, basically created an effective modern administrative government out of nothing. 

 

How many late 19th and early 20th century artists flocked to Paris because they were inspired by the ideas, the atmosphere, the artistic and creative freedom (that was largely stifled in the puritan US and Victorian UK) of the period?  

 

Modern cookery as we know it today wouldn't exist without La Gastronomie Francaise (and Michelin stars remain one of the ultimate honors).  Viniculture originally developed in France underlies modern wine production.

 

And what about all of those skilled artisans who created masterpieces like Notre Dame?  They certainly were "of the people", yet their contributions transcend time.

 

 

 

 

[Markanddonna]

26 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Yes, but as a self-identified writer, I'd think you would be a bit more careful about how you phrase things. You give the impression that you are writing from some lofty height of experience while the rest of us are blinded by our first travel experience....  

 

France doesn't have a glorious reputation?  What????  Every nation that's been around longer than a few decades has some eras that they might prefer to forget. (Slavery, anyone? Civil War? Reconstruction?)  

 

While the contributions of the French don't begin and end with Versailles, the wealthy Bourbon monarchs were instrumental in funding the arts. Even Da Vinci chose to live out the last years of his life as a client of the King of France, who knew a good thing when he saw it and lured him away from Italy. Louis XIV was a patron of writers as well, including Moliere and Racine.

 

Napoleon, love him or hate him, basically created an effective modern administrative government out of nothing. 

 

How many late 19th and early 20th century artists flocked to Paris because they were inspired by the ideas, the atmosphere, the artistic and creative freedom (that was largely stifled in the puritan US and Victorian UK) of the period?  

 

Modern cookery as we know it today wouldn't exist without La Gastronomie Francaise (and Michelin stars remain one of the ultimate honors).  Viniculture originally developed in France underlies modern wine production.

 

And what about all of those skilled artisans who created masterpieces like Notre Dame?  They certainly were "of the people", yet their contributions transcend time.

 

 

 

 

I concentrate on WWII and therefore, have a particular point of view.  My point of view.  Why do you enjoy critiquing people for their opinions?  You are certainly well traveled, that can't be denied.  Enough of your criticism, please.  I'm off to the zoo with my husband.    

[Hlitner]

On 8/17/2022 at 9:27 AM, Markanddonna said:

I concentrate on WWII and therefore, have a particular point of view.  My point of view.  Why do you enjoy critiquing people for their opinions?  You are certainly well traveled, that can't be denied.  Enough of your criticism, please.  I'm off to the zoo with my husband.    

Since you are a student of WWII (as am I)  you should visit the Memorial de Caen (which is actually a museum) which sets forth a lot of the history of the failed peace after WWI and then does a good job explaining many facets of WWII in France.   And you might go back further in history and consider that there may not have been a USA if it had not been for the help from the French.   While France is far from a perfect country (we cannot cast stones in that battle) the country has a fascinating history not to mention amazing food and wine ::).

 

The truth is that there is much to criticize about our own role in the 30s that led to WWII.  There was a time that England stood alone against the *** and had reason to doubt that the US would ever come to help.  While some school history courses teach about the failed diplomacy of England (i.e. Neville Chamberland) 

 

DW and I have been fortunate to have explored most of Western Europe (mostly in rental and leased cars).  While there is much to enjoy in many countries of Western Europe, France remains one of our favorite places to explore (and we have explored most of the country).  And we also share Cruisemom''s admiration for the art history that is a major part of France's history.  

 

While many of our history books speak to the failed English diplomacy of Neville Chamberlain, we certainly should not cast stones in that direction as we had our own "Chamberlain's" not the least of who was Charles Lindbergh and some key members of the Roosevelt administration.    History is always interesting, but it has unfortunately been so politicized that it can be difficult to pull the facts out of the chaff.  

 

Hank

[XuGator]

Definitely Paris on your own if you are fairly active and mobile. If I was only in Paris as a day trip from Lehavre and hadn’t been there, I would first and foremost book one of the 1 hour Seine cruises from one of the reputable companies. They run all day and are only like 15 euro and give a great overview and viewpoint of many of the big attractions. After that just walk around the seine, across the bridges, walk around the louve etc. The metro system makes it very easy to get around as well. 

Edited August 29, 2022 by XuGator

[Hlitner]

This thread has haunted me for a few days as I have always been curious as to why some folks dislike Paris.   I say this, not being critical or a travel snob, but more out of curiosity.  The thread also got me thinking about why both DW and I consider it among our favorite cities of the world (and we have visited more than 150 countries and lots of cities).  IMHO, Paris is one of the most delightful cities for those of us who like to take long walks.  There are just so many different parts of that city that are very walkable, offer amazing architecture, interesting shops (window shopping), fabulous restaurants, and several of the greatest museums you can find anywhere in the world.  

 

Then I started thinking about a comparison to Honolulu.  DW and I like Hawaii for its weather, beaches, and the adjacent sea (we love to swim, snorkel and dive in the Ocean).  But after two days in Honolulu, other than going to the nearby beaches, we are bored.  But when we stay in Paris (sometimes for 1-2 weeks) we are never bored, and we always must pick and choose what to do out of too many options In Honolulu, one can go to place like Pearl Harbor, take a few nice walks (mostly along the sea) but then what?  When we are staying in Honolulu, I think our mind is normally thinking about, "where shall we go today?"  which is usually somewhere outside of the city.  But in Paris we never find ourselves thinking we must leave the city to find something to do or see.  A rainy day will likely find us in one of the many fabulous museums.  A nice day will find us taking a long walk along the Seine or in one of the many fascinating arrondisements (neighborhoods).   Eating out is always difficult in Paris because there are so many excellent dining venues making it hard to choose.  

 

I have also been thinking about our favorite cities for a longer stay,  Besides Paris, NYC (our original home town) is very high on our list.  We have also enjoyed parts of Washington, DC (especially around the Mall).   Istanbul, Prague, Rome, and Florence would all be high on our list as would Kyoto and Hong Kong.  Buenos Airies also has a lot of charm, but one must always be cautious about safety (this is true in many cities)  And Queenstown, New Zealand (although a relatively small city) is among our favorite places.   What do you think?

 

Hank

 

Hank

[XuGator]

We have travelled all over the world as well and Paris wouldn’t be high on the list. New York City  would probably be at the very bottom of the list, along with DC. . I think for us Paris is too much like New York City (although Paris is safer, classier and much for beautiful than New York City ). Both big cities though with a big city feel. Police and ambulance sirens ringing through the night constantly , always having to be on the lookout in the metro, bums sleeping on every street corner  etc. we. Give us somewhere like Amsterdam , Venice , any city in Ireland or the Greek Isles any day of the week over Paris. I guess we prefer places with a little more charm. 

[cruisemom42]

3 hours ago, XuGator said:

We have travelled all over the world as well and Paris wouldn’t be high on the list. New York City  would probably be at the very bottom of the list, along with DC. . I think for us Paris is too much like New York City (although Paris is safer, classier and much for beautiful than New York City ). Both big cities though with a big city feel. Police and ambulance sirens ringing through the night constantly , always having to be on the lookout in the metro, bums sleeping on every street corner  etc. we. Give us somewhere like Amsterdam , Venice , any city in Ireland or the Greek Isles any day of the week over Paris. I guess we prefer places with a little more charm. 

 

I guess there are some for whom the things that go along with a large, urban setting are off-putting. But I like the energy, excitement and VERY broad range of things available in large cities ranging from great museums to great restaurants and often great cultural events.

 

I find the Greek Isles very one-note. Pretty for a day or two, but could I stay there much longer and be happy?  Not really...

 

Same with Venice -- Venice as a city is a jewel. Every time I go there I feel in danger of succumbing to Stendhal syndrome.  But I get bored after a day or two. It doesn't have the depth of a Rome, Paris, Istanbul (or Tokyo or London or St. Petersburg).  

 

Florence is in a class on its own. I think it appeals to those who appreciate depth and layers but it is also very appreciable at all levels.

 

 

[XuGator]

8 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I guess there are some for whom the things that go along with a large, urban setting are off-putting. But I like the energy, excitement and VERY broad range of things available in large cities ranging from great museums to great restaurants and often great cultural events.

 

I find the Greek Isles very one-note. Pretty for a day or two, but could I stay there much longer and be happy?  Not really...

 

Same with Venice -- Venice as a city is a jewel. Every time I go there I feel in danger of succumbing to Stendhal syndrome.  But I get bored after a day or two. It doesn't have the depth of a Rome, Paris, Istanbul (or Tokyo or London or St. Petersburg).  

 

Florence is in a class on its own. I think it appeals to those who appreciate depth and layers but it is also very appreciable at all levels.

 

 

We agree with a lot of what you said. I think that is why we like cruising so much because many cities across the world , we would be happy with seeing for a day. The big cities though like Paris , London , Rome , St P etc definitely all need at least 3 days to truly appreciate. Places like Rome , although a big city , never really had the big city urban feel for us and probably along with St Petersburg and Amsterdam are among our favorite big cities.  Paris is still a memorable place with great restaurants and many things to do. We enjoyed our time just walking along the seine , Versailles was something to see , we aren’t really museum people but enjoyed the Louve for an afternoon , montmarte and I personally as a sports fan loved watching a match at Roland Garros but Paris compared to some others didn’t have that magical feel for us. I wish I could explain it better. Maybe it’s the size as well.  I think that’s a part of why Rome and Amsterdam are so high because you can walk many places + we found the Italian and Dutch people much more friendly. 

Edited September 6, 2022 by XuGator