Viking Shore Excursion Deviation

[Whodo]

We are booked on Viking Trade Routes of The Middle Ages in October.  At the Paris (La Harve) port, we will be taking the Paris On Your Own, because other shore excursions are sold out.  We are looking to hear from those with experience on this shore excursions about it's details.  

 

The duration of the excursion is 10.5 hours. As we understand it, the drive to Paris is about 3 hours one way (Ugh!).  The description goes on to say 3 hours on your own.  That leads us to believe they drive you around Paris for 1.5 hours before letting you off. 

 

As we have been to Paris before, we would like to utilize that 1.5 hours doing our own thing rather than driving around the city.   What we would like to know is if they (Viking) will let you off the bus as soon as it reaches Paris.  Also, if anyone knows the approximate location you can get off and where the pickup spot is.  Viking says you can "probably" arrange this, but said you have to wait and ask the cruise director.

 

Any help from experienced cruisers would be greatly appreciated. 

[Mpc524]

8 hours ago, Whodo said:

We are booked on Viking Trade Routes of The Middle Ages in October.  At the Paris (La Harve) port, we will be taking the Paris On Your Own, because other shore excursions are sold out.  We are looking to hear from those with experience on this shore excursions about it's details.  

 

The duration of the excursion is 10.5 hours. As we understand it, the drive to Paris is about 3 hours one way (Ugh!).  The description goes on to say 3 hours on your own.  That leads us to believe they drive you around Paris for 1.5 hours before letting you off. 

 

As we have been to Paris before, we would like to utilize that 1.5 hours doing our own thing rather than driving around the city.   What we would like to know is if they (Viking) will let you off the bus as soon as it reaches Paris.  Also, if anyone knows the approximate location you can get off and where the pickup spot is.  Viking says you can "probably" arrange this, but said you have to wait and ask the cruise director.

 

Any help from experienced cruisers would be greatly appreciated. 

We did this a couple of years ago, so it may be different now. We made an early stop to get good pix of the Eiffel Tower and wish we had left there, but you Need to find out how to get to the bus to return! The drive through the city was frustrating because of the traffic! We drove around in circles because of the streets( we passed the opera house 3 times!). We sat at a light for literally 15 minutes, to “see” Notre Dame, then we turned the corner and saw it for 3 seconds on the move. Again, perhaps they’ve changed it now. It would be better for them to drive in and just drop off and let people spend the time seeing what they want to see.

[longterm]

I don't know if this would interest you, but you'll only be 50 miles from the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach in Normandy; I don't know if you can find a tour company (Viator does lots of tours in France) that would pick you up at the harbor, but if you can, it would make for a great day. Visiting the D-Day beaches, the museum, and the cemeteries is a profound experience, one of the best things I've done on visits to France. 

You'd probably also find a tour that includes a lunch in one of the local restaurants in that area; the towns are quaint, scenic, and we've often had our best meals in small French towns.

 

If you're adventurous, you could probably rent a car, which would be a really inexpensive way to do the same day trip; driving in France isn't bad, and since you'd be so close to the area, would make for a fun day.

 

A six-hour bus ride to Paris and back sounds like a LONG day...

 

Edited July 24, 2022 by longterm

[Whodo]

17 hours ago, longterm said:

I don't know if this would interest you, but you'll only be 50 miles from the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach in Normandy; I don't know if you can find a tour company (Viator does lots of tours in France) that would pick you up at the harbor, but if you can, it would make for a great day. Visiting the D-Day beaches, the museum, and the cemeteries is a profound experience, one of the best things I've done on visits to France. 

You'd probably also find a tour that includes a lunch in one of the local restaurants in that area; the towns are quaint, scenic, and we've often had our best meals in small French towns.

 

If you're adventurous, you could probably rent a car, which would be a really inexpensive way to do the same day trip; driving in France isn't bad, and since you'd be so close to the area, would make for a fun day.

 

A six-hour bus ride to Paris and back sounds like a LONG day...

 

Thank you for the suggestion.  I looked into several companies but all seem to be geared to six or seven people.  Definitely not cost effective for two.  If anyone is putting together a group like this we would certainly consider it.

[Whodo]

On 7/24/2022 at 6:52 AM, Mpc524 said:

We did this a couple of years ago, so it may be different now. We made an early stop to get good pix of the Eiffel Tower and wish we had left there, but you Need to find out how to get to the bus to return! The drive through the city was frustrating because of the traffic! We drove around in circles because of the streets( we passed the opera house 3 times!). We sat at a light for literally 15 minutes, to “see” Notre Dame, then we turned the corner and saw it for 3 seconds on the move. Again, perhaps they’ve changed it now. It would be better for them to drive in and just drop off and let people spend the time seeing what they want to see.

Mpc524.  Do you remember where you met the bus for the return trip?   I understand that may have changed.  But it would be good to know as they probably meet in the same area.

[Mpc524]

4 hours ago, Whodo said:

Mpc524.  Do you remember where you met the bus for the return trip?   I understand that may have changed.  But it would be good to know as they probably meet in the same area.

Honestly, I do not….sorry

[Peregrina651]

On 7/25/2022 at 11:21 AM, Whodo said:

Thank you for the suggestion.  I looked into several companies but all seem to be geared to six or seven people.  Definitely not cost effective for two.  If anyone is putting together a group like this we would certainly consider it.

 

Cruise Critic allows us to arrange "tour shares" only in the roll calls, so that's where you should head: Viking Ocean Roll Calls (find your ship and then look for your sail-date). Even if you don't end up arranging a tour share, at least you will have a change to chat with some of the people you will be sailing with and to exchange ideas for what to see.

 

I agree with the rest of the crowd, 6 hours (plus toilet stops coming and going) is a little much for just three hours in Paris -- especially when there is so much to see in Normandy.

 

On 7/24/2022 at 9:52 AM, Mpc524 said:

but you Need to find out how to get to the bus to return!

 

I believe that the standard pick-up point for Viking in Paris is the Churchill statue by the Petit Palais (a block or two from the Place de la Concord, where you will find toilets for a fee).

[Whodo]

On 7/26/2022 at 8:46 AM, Peregrina651 said:

 

Cruise Critic allows us to arrange "tour shares" only in the roll calls, so that's where you should head: Viking Ocean Roll Calls (find your ship and then look for your sail-date). Even if you don't end up arranging a tour share, at least you will have a change to chat with some of the people you will be sailing with and to exchange ideas for what to see.

 

I agree with the rest of the crowd, 6 hours (plus toilet stops coming and going) is a little much for just three hours in Paris -- especially when there is so much to see in Normandy.

 

 

I believe that the standard pick-up point for Viking in Paris is the Churchill statue by the Petit Palais (a block or two from the Place de la Concord, where you will find toilets for a fee).

Peregrina,

 

Thank you for your reply.  I am still looking into other options for Normandy.  Thanks for helping me zero in on the pickup point.  That was very helpful.

[Let Me Travel!]

Since the excursions seem to be pretty much sold out, I would think Viking and the other pax would really welcome independent tour info…the best place to talk about it would be in the roll calls because it would be for a specific cruise in a specific port…makes sense.

[Peregrina651]

9 hours ago, Let Me Travel! said:

Since the excursions seem to be pretty much sold out, I would think Viking and the other pax would really welcome independent tour info…the best place to talk about it would be in the roll calls because it would be for a specific cruise in a specific port…makes sense.

 

Check out the Cruise Critic ports of call forum as well:

Ports of Call

 

In the meantime, don't completely give up on Viking excursions. Write Viking at tellus@vikingcruises.com to urge them to add more spaces on the tours you want. Tell them how disappointed you are are.

 

Keep checking MVJ for additional spaces to be added. They are sold first-come-first-served  with no announcement made should space become available.

 

 

[Twitchly]

We went on this cruise a few years ago and loved it. That said, everyone we talked to who took the Paris bus excursion was disappointed. All day on a bus, with little opportunity to get out and experience Paris. Maybe do Paris another time when she can have more of your time? 
 

We did the Monet’s Garden and Rouen excursion in France, and it was a highlight of the cruise. Highly recommended. If Viking’s version is sold out, maybe check out Viator?

[Peregrina651]

9 hours ago, Twitchly said:

We went on this cruise a few years ago and loved it. That said, everyone we talked to who took the Paris bus excursion was disappointed. All day on a bus, with little opportunity to get out and experience Paris. Maybe do Paris another time when she can have more of your time? 
 

We did the Monet’s Garden and Rouen excursion in France, and it was a highlight of the cruise. Highly recommended. If Viking’s version is sold out, maybe check out Viator?

 

Monet's Gardens in Giverny are much closer to Paris than to Le Havre, but Rouen is an hour away by train -- and the cathedral is magnificient.

[biggerbearmom]

We did this cruise in April. Check the excursions every single day, it is tedious but it paid off for us. We had two days where every excursion was sold out, Le Havre (we actually docked in Honfluer due to a dock strike) was one of them. I eventually was able to book Monet’s Garden which is a fantastic excursion and one in Porto, due to other passengers cancelling.