Grand Circle - Bizet

[PCruzer]

My husband and I are considering our first trip to France using Grand Circle. The trip is The Seine: Paris to Normandy. Is anyone familiar with the boat, the Bizet? Is it nice? Brochure says it was built in 2002. Any input on this trip would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Carhut]

Sometimes pictures speak louder than words. I picked out some pictures I took a couple of years ago while on the Debussey (Romance of the Rhine and Mosel). The Debussey is a sister ship of the Bizet. We actually met up with the Bizet at one point and there are a couple of pictures of her. I'm sure she is a carbon copy of the one that we were on. Just to give you some idea of what you can expect if you choose to sail on the Bizet. We did a French trip last year but on a different boat. The trip was great and really enjoyed our time in Paris. I want to go back there. The Seine trip looks good. Maybe next year for us as this year we are going to Russia.

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/Carhut/DubusseyBizet?authkey=Fj9wdJe2WKA

[PCruzer]

Thank you so much for your response and the pictures. My husband and I have never been to Europe. We usually travel around the US. Mostly the national parks of the west. Unfortunately, we are starting to run out of national parks to visit! I received the Grand Circle brochure in the mail the other day. Thumbing through it, I came upon the France trip, which sounded really great. My sister has traveled with GCT a number of times and also has gone on trips with OAT, which she said is one of their divisions. She has always had very positive feedback about these trips. Seeing your photos (which, by the way, I thought were really great), I believe that we will go for this trip. We are thinking of Sept. I am retiring in July, so this would be a perfect celebration! Again, thank you for responding. It helped make up our minds on this trip.

[paper7]

Thank you so much for your response and the pictures. My husband and I have never been to Europe. We usually travel around the US. Mostly the national parks of the west. Unfortunately, we are starting to run out of national parks to visit! I received the Grand Circle brochure in the mail the other day. Thumbing through it, I came upon the France trip, which sounded really great. My sister has traveled with GCT a number of times and also has gone on trips with OAT, which she said is one of their divisions. She has always had very positive feedback about these trips. Seeing your photos (which, by the way, I thought were really great), I believe that we will go for this trip. We are thinking of Sept. I am retiring in July, so this would be a perfect celebration! Again, thank you for responding. It helped make up our minds on this trip.

I have been reading this boards and have heard some critical things about GCT. We traveled last year on the DuBussy and cant wait to travel again with GCT. Our trip was wonderful. We enjoyed the DuBussy so if the Bizet is similar, you will love it. We want to do the Romance of the Rhine/Mosel trip and would love to hear more about that trip from anyone(whomever). I think we thought about the trip you are looking at but were concerned about the land travel. Concerned is not the right word. But when the trip is mostly on the ship, all meals are included. With the dollar being so weak, it is costly doing land. We did post trip in Brussels (Bruge, Antwerp, Delft) and loved in but it got a bit spendy!

Gerri

[Precious Patty]

I have been reading this boards and have heard some critical things about GCT. We traveled last year on the DuBussy and cant wait to travel again with GCT. Our trip was wonderful. We enjoyed the DuBussy so if the Bizet is similar, you will love it. We want to do the Romance of the Rhine/Mosel trip and would love to hear more about that trip from anyone(whomever). I think we thought about the trip you are looking at but were concerned about the land travel. Concerned is not the right word. But when the trip is mostly on the ship, all meals are included. With the dollar being so weak, it is costly doing land. We did post trip in Brussels (Bruge, Antwerp, Delft) and loved in but it got a bit spendy!

Gerri

 

We went with GCT on their Great Rivers of Europe trip from Vienna to Amsterdam last April and had a lovely time (except for the flights over and back). The crew and program directors behaved as if their greatest pleasure was seeing that we were comfortable and had fun. Now we are looking forward to the Romance of the Rhine and Mosel in April on the DeBussey.

[Carhut]

Gerri and Patty--- My friends and I have gone on 4 GCT river boat trips and have #5 booked for this summer in Russia. Our favorite was the Great Rivers and next best was the Rhine and Mosel. Both are great itineries and the good thing is spending the whole trip on the boat (all meals provided). I don't like the idea of spending so much time on land as you said, the meals are on you plus anywhere you go, you pay your way (admission charges, transportation, etc.) We did the Danube to the Black Sea and the French trip on the Rhone and Soane. But those were both only a week on the boat and the rest on land. Russia is going to be the same way. Oh well. We want to see Russia, so we will go for it.

I've seen some of the complaints listed here about GCT but we loved all our trips. No major complaints from me or my friends. I've seen complaints about Uniworld and Viking and maybe some others. You can't please everyone all the time.

[lsbauer]

We are scheduled on the Bizet for the Rhine and Mosel trip on September 1, 2008 so I can't yet tell you about the Bizet but we did GCT to Egypt last year and it was wonderful.

 

Larry

[happy taveler]

I just noticed that the M/S Bizet came in first place in a reader's poll of 37 small ships that carry 500 or less people in the February 2008 issue of Conde Nast Traveler Magazine with a score of 97.6. The M/S Bizet holds just 120 people and is a nice ship as I sailed on her in 2006 on The Romance of the Rhine and Mosel Rivers starting in Antwerp Belgium to Basel Switzerland. This was my fourth river cruise with Grand Circle. having sailed on the M/S River Aria twice which holds 164 people and the M/S River Debussy the other time which holds 120 people. I enjoyed all three ships as the crew the food and entertainment was always to my liking. Also I liked just unpacking once on the trip and not having to keep packing as your hotel (ship) just comes along with you

[dinosaur]

My husband and I are considering our first trip to France using Grand Circle. The trip is The Seine: Paris to Normandy. Is anyone familiar with the boat, the Bizet? Is it nice? Brochure says it was built in 2002. Any input on this trip would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

We are taking that trip in April 16. The Bizet is supposed to be very nice. Friends of ours were on the boat last year & gave it high marks.

[PCruzer]

A big "Thank You" to everyone who responded to my post. We now hold reservations for our trip, The Seine: Paris to Normandy. We are really excited about our 1st trip to Europe! Thanks for your help! :)

[calabash]

We will be taking GCT's T"he Seine: Paris to Normandy" cruise in October. Actually we will be going in the opposite direction - Normandy to Paris. How were the optionals? Also what is there to do in Deauville? Any other information would be greatly appreciated.

[Carhut]

My friend and I just booked the Bizet for June 25 from Normandy to Paris on GCT. I did the southern France rivers (Soane and Rhone) last year and ended in Paris. Really liked that trip so I'm excited about this new one. I've been on the Dubussey (Rhine & Mosel) which is a sister to the Bizet, so know it's a good ship. We picked this cruise from the "last minute" deals. Good price and a balcony cabin. This is my 5th GCT river cruise, so you know I'm sold on GCT.

[Car-Stan]

We are looking into France river cruises for next year. Would love any info from your experiences, and any counsel re either companies or thoughts comparing the cruise from Paris to Normandy vs the cruise in southern France, which includes Marseille, etc.

 

Car-Stan

[chucklicht]

My friend & I thoroughly enjoyed the Rhine, Maine, Danube trip in 2001 and are booked for the May 8, 2009 Paris to Normandy cruise. We had originally booked for a Normandy to Paris itinerary but discovered that trip doesn't offer the optional tour of the Bayeau Tapestries which is a very important part of the trip to us.

 

We've travelled with GCT 11 times and have only been disappointed once and that was because we had a Program Director from HELL. The Rhine trip was done with us supplying our own air tix as will the Seine trip.

 

Does anyone know where the Bizet is docked in Paris?

[Carhut]

My friend & I thoroughly enjoyed the Rhine, Maine, Danube trip in 2001 and are booked for the May 8, 2009 Paris to Normandy cruise. We had originally booked for a Normandy to Paris itinerary but discovered that trip doesn't offer the optional tour of the Bayeau Tapestries which is a very important part of the trip to us.

 

We've travelled with GCT 11 times and have only been disappointed once and that was because we had a Program Director from HELL. The Rhine trip was done with us supplying our own air tix as will the Seine trip.

 

Does anyone know where the Bizet is docked in Paris?

 

I just got home last night from the Seine trip on the Bizet. We docked on the west side (Quai Andre). Some walked to the Eiffel tower (about 1/2 hour walk).

[LunaSeaRetreat]

I just got home last night from the Seine trip on the Bizet. We docked on the west side (Quai Andre). Some walked to the Eiffel tower (about 1/2 hour walk).

 

 

We are thinking of taking this trip next year. When you catch up on your sleep and laundry, will you post here and let everyone know how the trip was?

Thanks in advance,

Cynthia

[CalTom]

What is Grand Circle?

[Juniperberry]

Hi! Does anyone have any experience with the cabins on both the Soprano and Alto decks of the Bizet or the sister ship, Debussy?

It appears that the Alto deck has more storage but that the view is very limited by being near the water line?

Any comment on the comparison will be appreciated.

[Carhut]

What is Grand Circle?

 

It's the name of the company that I have taken 5 riverboat trips with. They also do other land tours. Big company, headquarters in Boston. Go to http://www.GCT.com and look at their web site.

[Carhut]

Hi! Does anyone have any experience with the cabins on both the Soprano and Alto decks of the Bizet or the sister ship, Debussy?

It appears that the Alto deck has more storage but that the view is very limited by being near the water line?

Any comment on the comparison will be appreciated.

 

I have been on both boats and on both Soprano and Alto decks. Send me your email and I'll send you pictures of both cabins. caesker@hotmail.com

[Carhut]

We are thinking of taking this trip next year. When you catch up on your sleep and laundry, will you post here and let everyone know how the trip was?

Thanks in advance,

Cynthia

 

OK. I typed up a short version of the trip and will copy it here. If you have any specific questions, I'll be glad to answer.

 

My friend & I booked this trip just 35 days before as a “last minute” deal and we paid a lot less than the original price. It was a 13 day trip, but of course 2 of those days were taken up flying over and back from France. We arrived in Paris DeGaulle airport around noon the next day from when we left. We did lose 6 hours due to time difference. A van driver picked us up at the airport and drove us to the hotel where we met Jean Pierre, our program director who was with us all the way. He was great and could speak 5 languages. Later that day we had an orientation meeting and met our fellow travelers. The next morning we were on a bus heading north to Normandy. We stopped midway in Caen to visit a Peace Memorial. Our destination was Trouville close to the English Channel. Our hotel room was quaint, 6th floor attic room. But we had a wonderful view of the harbor and the sister town of Deauville. The next day we spent visiting the beaches where our soldiers stormed ashore on D-Day in 1944. We had a local guide that was just full of history . We started at St. Mere Eglise, Utah Beach, Point du Hoc, Omaha Beach and then the American Cemetery. We have a neighbor whose 1st husband was buried there and we visited his grave putting some flowers there and taking pictures to bring back to her. (She’s never been there and couldn’t believe we could find the grave, let alone the pictures. She was so overcome with gratefulness.)

The next day we were bussed to Honfleur, which is wonderfully picturesque. There our boat was docked and about noon we boarded the boat for the next 7 days. We cruised down the Seine River toward Paris, stopping every day at some interesting town and had tours. We visited where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. We visited the town where Vincent De Gogh lived his last two years and the cemetery where he and his brother were buried. We visited Claude Monet’s home and gardens. We had a lovely home hosted visit for a couple of hours one afternoon. They served us wine, cakes and cheese and we had the nicest visit. She spoke very good English as she taught English as a school teacher. On the 7th day we arrived in Paris about noon. We docked and in the afternoon had a tour to the Louvre. That evening the boat cruised the Seine from one side of Paris to the other and back. The next morning we left our boat and spent the morning on a bus getting a tour of Paris. That afternoon we had a tour to Montmartre. There is a basilica high on a hill and you can see all of Paris from up there. The next morning we had to start our journey home.

[chucklicht]

I have been on both boats and on both Soprano and Alto decks. Send me your email and I'll send you pictures of both cabins. caesker@hotmail.com

We have travelled on several river cruises and will always opt for a cabin WITHOUT the balcony in the future. Usually, the balcony space is carved out of the room itself so you're sacrificing interior space for the balcony which is usually very narrow. Most of our time is spent on the upper decks with panoramic views of the scenery while your room offers only that side of the river. Plus there is a heft premium for the balcony.

[dinosaur]

My wife & I were on the Bizet last April on the same cruise but wwe went from Normandy to Paris. The boat is fine. We were in room 205 Alto Deck and had no problems. The Captain & crew were fantastic. The food was great & the presentation was more than acceptable. I would STRONGLY recommend the Bizet & the cruise. Have a GREAT time.