Scenic on the Seine, when not in the best of health!

[Canal archive]

 

Just a little teaser if you look carefully you can see both ends of the Rainbow 🌈 sadly no pot of gold amazing what you see on the Seine.

[notamermaid]

28 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Were you the fair maiden they were fighting over?  😉

Grin. Not quite. I was the companion to the audience member who got to decide how much more the victor was allowed to torment the looser of the fight.

 

Reenactment can be so well done, whatever the topic. WWI, very moving for sure. I have always found the uniforms uncomfortable to look at when on display, but seeing it worn is kind of scary. Lost a great uncle in WWI.

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

 

DHs birthday so cake at L’Amour and we sat with another couple we had spoken with a few times and I was her birthday as well so two cakes that we shared with everyone, really goowey and light as a feather. Back to our cabin to find a very nice bottle of Champagne not his favourite which is  Dom but more than passable and we decided to drink it up on the top deck the next day. Which we did complete with nibbles, these butlers are worth their weight in gold. More on the food tomorrow which I’m almost sure was about the best ever on Scenic and its always been good. .

 

 

Lunch time snack gave us a giggle oh so very French.

 

[Canal archive]

The food on board was absolutely excellent our head chef was a young Portuguese lady and she was outstanding. At lunch we had a pasta chef again superb no waiting he had delivery off pat. The food choices were excellent something for everyone. At one stage my appetite just disappeared this caused consternation and I was assured that they would prepare absolutely anything for me. Any recipe just ask and a copy was in your cabin the next day.

Now we’re off on our way on the Maritime section of the Seine and that’s anywhere past Rouen. We’ve picked up the pilot - more on that later. 
Below the Pont de Normandy the last bridge before the turn into Honfluer harbour.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 10, 2023 by Canal archive

[Gourmet Gal]

Interesting about your Portuguese chef.  We had a lovely young Portuguese Chef on our Douro Tauck cruise.  She has a TV cooking show and is a media star in Portugal.  She was ending her term with Tauck after our cruise.  I’ve forgotten her name but would recognize it.  Do you know your chef’s name?

[Canal archive]

 

Here we are and this is one of the recipes the original was delicious.

[Gourmet Gal]

Thanks.  Yours is a different young, female Portuguese chef!

[Canal archive]

The food on board was absolutely excellent our head chef was a young Portuguese lady and she was outstanding. At lunch we had a pasta chef again superb no waiting he had delivery off pat. The food choices were excellent something for everyone. At one stage my appetite just disappeared this caused consternation and I was assured that they would prepare absolutely anything for me. Any recipe just ask and it was in your cabin the next day.

Now we’re off on our way on the Maritime section of the Seine and that’s anywhere past Rouen. We’ve picked up the pilot - more on that later. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Our first shot of the Pont de Normandie

 

 

 

[Canal archive]

I’ve had so many challenges with the above will try to sort it. a.s.a.p.

[1of4]

Thank you for posting about your cruise. It is bringing back such marvellous memories as this itinerary and boat was our first experience with river cruising in 2019. I am very interested in what, if anything has changed post Covid so I thank you for your observations. We are on scenic again in April 2024 for Tulip trip. 

[Canal archive]

Turning to reverse into the inner - inner harbour superb seamanship and teamwork from our maritime crew.

 

 

Not a lot of room but the skill was certainly on display.

[Canal archive]

We moored in Honfluer for two days absolutely wonderful.

Just a little on how Scenic has changed its way of operating since we last cruised with them in 2019.

Scenic employed  all of their crew except one from a German company who also supplied other cruise companies. The one exception was the cruise director.

Now Scenic employ all of their staff, maritime, hotel and catering directly except for one - yes the cruise director. Thinking about this and admittedly from only one cruise but also speaking to a few staff I pretty sure it’s a good move. More on qualifications etc later.

 

1of4 that’s a cruise we haven’t done so maybe a little arm twisting is called for.😆

 

 

 

 

 

[Canal archive]

It feels like we sneak out of Honfluer as we’re all fast asleep, Only four cruise companies have the required boats and crew to tackle the maritime section of the Seine and moor up in Honfluer harbour, if you get the chance to cruise on one of them do so it’s a river cruising experience not to be missed. So off we went to Caudebec en Caux pretty little place where DH decided on a bike ride which he really enjoyed (he does have his own electric bike) did you know that Victor Hugo lived there for some time and they now have a museum about him. News to me and DH who really enjoyed his actually rather long (not that the participants complained) bike ride. Whilst he and most of the other passengers were off doing other things I was wandering around reading etc. But also keeping an eye on our two Captains who were being put through the wringer by a group who came on board in the morning. After much machinations it turned out that they were both completing their testing on their competence to navigate to and into Honfluer harbour and to and from on the maritime section. So now Scenic has one Captain with the seniority and qualifications and one Captain one year short of his seniority but qualified. An absolutely wonderful thing to observe everyone on board was so happy for them. To have to go through that whilst in the middle of a cruise must add real tension.

[Canal archive]

Note to above - forgot to say these qualifications mean that as long as these Captains are on board no pilot is required.

[Canal archive]

Apparol Spritz whilst waiting for the cyclists return and then lunch in the sun. Beautiful day. 
Scenic Gem set off for Vernon super cruising weather, whoops spoke to soon. We had the most horrendous hail storm ever so heavy they even had to slow the ship down. Okay they have radar

but when the eye cannot see each bank of the river then I believe caution is not only recommended but top of the list. Wow what an

experience. Sorry no photos and this from a lady who always has

a camera of some kind to hand. But DH has just transferred this

taken in Ruone

 

 

 

 

I don’t remember it from our first visit.

 

More catch ups soon.
 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 14, 2023 by Canal archive

[Host Jazzbeau]

10 hours ago, Canal archive said:

Apparol Spritz whilst waiting for the cyclists return

That's my approach to cycling too!  🤣

[Host Jazzbeau]

10 hours ago, Canal archive said:

DH has just transferred this taken in Rouen

 

I don’t remember it from our first visit.

This is a sculpture ensemble by Christian Lapie titled Dans les ténèbres located in the courtyard of the new Historial Jeanne-d'Arc museum in Rouen.

https://www.historial-jeannedarc.fr/en/ 

[CPT Trips]

 

On 8/12/2023 at 5:39 AM, Canal archive said:

It feels like we sneak out of Honfluer as we’re all fast asleep, Only four cruise companies have the required boats and crew to tackle the maritime section of the Seine and moor up in Honfluer harbour, if you get the chance to cruise on one of them do so it’s a river cruising experience not to be missed.

An overnight or two or three in Honfleur is definitely a treat.
Grand Circle does not do a Paris round trip, instead a one way Paris to Honfleur or the reverse. Two nights on the ship in Paris and three in Honfleur. 

[Canal archive]

Beautiful beautiful day everyone off early to Vernon, on their return the usual amazement from all who had never been before.

Another quiz tonight yippee we won again what a team, U.K. - Australian - Canadian a few Americans accused us of cheating would you believe it because we worked so well together because we were all members of the Commonwealth. I wish we all could and stand together.
 

 

 

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

Lovely picture of Giverny!

[Canal archive]

Thank you yeah must admit quite proud of that one.

Edited August 15, 2023 by Canal archive

[Second seating]

Picture of the same bridge in May!  We were there years ago in October.

 

Second seating

Edited August 16, 2023 by Second seating

[Canal archive]

Isn’t it amazing how it shows the appreciation of the artists eye.

 

 

To have the ability to transfer to canvas, ohhh in my dreams. Okay very frustrated artist, got the exams but.

[Gourmet Gal]

Stunning photos.

[Canal archive]

Thank you so much please use them if you wish.