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Viking Paris to Normandy River Cruise....Pre Paris Stay....Viking or on our own?


lovetotravel#1
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Hello.....We have booked a trip for August 2019. We are considering the Pre Paris stay thru Viking. The cost at this time is $1600, I believe about $1000 is for the hotel. That leaves $600 for the transportation to and from, and to the ship, plus a walking tour. I am wondering if I can't do this much cheaper thru my TA. The Pullman Paris Eiffel Tower Hotel is not centrally located. My husband has some walking issues so was hoping to be closer to an area more like a "neighborhood" with shops, restaurants, etc. We do want to see some of the main venues, but plan on taking the bus or metro....or cabs. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you....we are very excited. I was in Paris 2002 and made my own reservations with no issues.

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Hello.....We have booked a trip for August 2019. We are considering the Pre Paris stay thru Viking. The cost at this time is $1600, I believe about $1000 is for the hotel. That leaves $600 for the transportation to and from, and to the ship, plus a walking tour. I am wondering if I can't do this much cheaper thru my TA. The Pullman Paris Eiffel Tower Hotel is not centrally located. My husband has some walking issues so was hoping to be closer to an area more like a "neighborhood" with shops, restaurants, etc. We do want to see some of the main venues, but plan on taking the bus or metro....or cabs. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you....we are very excited. I was in Paris 2002 and made my own reservations with no issues.

 

I always travel independently, and if you are comfortable doing that it's always the way to go. You pay a lot for hand holding to basically get a few optional offerings. You can hold your place while you investigate the cost of hotels and activities and then do the math. I find taxis can often be hard to get in the Latin Quarter even staying with a taxi rank nearby. Metros are so very easy to use in Paris but also a lot of stairs. You can also use a tourist company like Paris Vision or tours by locals.

 

It will cost a bit to get to the ship though. We opted to book a driver who took us to Fountainbleu where we toured the lovely chateaux & rode the little train on the grounds before going on to the ship. We could also have chosen to do Versailles and for two that drive would actually have been cheaper than the Viking excursion there.

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  • 2 weeks later...

We did this cruise last April. The Pullman, our meeting spot for departure, was out of the way for everything. So we stayed at a hotel on the left bank near the Sorbonne for a few days and loved it. Much cheaper too! If you stay near a metro station, getting around should be easy-peasy--there are elevators to the underground, just have to look for them. And by all means, try to arrange your own tours in Paris. Look for the Paris Passlib, a city/museum pass which has a transportation option.

Edited by sofietucker
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The ships all seem to dock along the river down from the Eiffel Tower; ours (Avalon) was near the Javel-Andre Citroen metro. But rather than hassle with exactly where they'd dock--as it can vary from day to day--we went to the Pullman the afternoon of the departure, met the rest of our shipmates, and took their bus (along with our luggage) to board the ship.

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The ships all seem to dock along the river down from the Eiffel Tower; ours (Avalon) was near the Javel-Andre Citroen metro. But rather than hassle with exactly where they'd dock--as it can vary from day to day--we went to the Pullman the afternoon of the departure, met the rest of our shipmates, and took their bus (along with our luggage) to board the ship.

 

Viking no longer docks in Paris. The size of the new longboat was apparently an issue for the river authorities, and Viking was moved to LePecq. The transfer to the ship is easiest with the precruise, but your own transfer should only add 50€ or so.

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I know Viking uses different hotels in Paris. On our October pre-cruise Viking booked us at the Hotel Rochester- Champs Elysses. It was maybe 100 yards or less to the metro and 2 blocks from the Champs Elysses. We bought 3 day metro passes, museum passes and Eiffel Tower passes in advance. We did our own thing. The hostess for Viking will offer excursions for a fee but we already had made our own plans.

You mentioned DH had walking problems. I'll warn you.....Paris is not at all handicap friendly. For that matter most of Europe is not. It is not unusual for metro stations to be 100 feet underground and the only way out is climbing stairs. After 3 days of walking on uneven surfaces and climbing the stairs at metro stations we had, had enough. Don't want to discourage you by any means. Just be prepared to do a lot of walking.

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Hello.....We have booked a trip for August 2019. We are considering the Pre Paris stay thru Viking. The cost at this time is $1600, I believe about $1000 is for the hotel. That leaves $600 for the transportation to and from, and to the ship, plus a walking tour. I am wondering if I can't do this much cheaper thru my TA. The Pullman Paris Eiffel Tower Hotel is not centrally located. My husband has some walking issues so was hoping to be closer to an area more like a "neighborhood" with shops, restaurants, etc. We do want to see some of the main venues, but plan on taking the bus or metro....or cabs. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you....we are very excited. I was in Paris 2002 and made my own reservations with no issues.

If you're using Viking Air, don't forget about the Air Deviation fee of a $100 per person to fly in early and/or leave later.

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If you decide to book your own hotel I can highly recommend the Hotel du Louvre. It's just across the street from the Louvre so very centrally located to many of the sites you'd wan to see. There is a metro station just outside the from door & the bell staff will be happy to hail a taxi for you to at least get you where you wan to go. We've stayed there twice & our last stay was before our Uniworld cruise from Paris to Normandy. The day we headed to the ship the bellman hailed the taxi for us & in rapid fire French told the driver exactly where the ship was docked & where he needed to get us. It was so easy, would do it again anytime. Enjoy your trip!!

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I have always booked my own hotel, transport, etc. myself. It was much less than Viking was charging. We stayed in the Rue Cler neighborhood. Lots of restaurants and shops near by. We used BT Transfer to get from the airport to the hotel. We were there in October, the cost was 55 euros and the driver spoke English. Happy Travels!

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If you decide to book your own hotel I can highly recommend the Hotel du Louvre. It's just across the street from the Louvre so very centrally located to many of the sites you'd wan to see. There is a metro station just outside the from door & the bell staff will be happy to hail a taxi for you to at least get you where you wan to go. We've stayed there twice & our last stay was before our Uniworld cruise from Paris to Normandy. The day we headed to the ship the bellman hailed the taxi for us & in rapid fire French told the driver exactly where the ship was docked & where he needed to get us. It was so easy, would do it again anytime. Enjoy your trip!!

 

Hotel de Louvre is a Hyatt property and very convenient. Easy walk to Louvre, Musee d’Orsay, Orangerie, Opera, and LQ. In LQ, I like Hotel Parc Saint Severin, just across the river.

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I so appreciate all the feedback, suggestions and information. I like to plan and not be surprised. I am still quite concerned about my husband, I want this trip to be fun for him not disappointing. He always been reluctant to travel to Europe due to the long flight from Seattle, but now that there are direct flights into Paris more appealing.

We had friends who did the Amsterdam to Budapest and raved about their experience. They are a bit younger and more fit than either one of us. I have no issues. But they really emphasized that Viking usually has one excursion every time that is geared towards people with walking issues, so thought we'd do great. I am actually not worried once we're on the boat but being on our own before hand. My husband really wants to fly in early to acclimatize to the time difference. Can anyone be specific about once we are on the boat, I understand there is almost 2 days before the boat leaves, and depending on our flight home, with excursions in Paris. I don't want to do those same ones on our own before hand. It will not be until next year I get the true itinerary. Thanks...so much again. Those of you going....enjoy!!!!! I love reading trip reports.

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rcaruso, On the day we went into Paris from LaPeq and back. The bus ride was easily 1 hour each way. There is a main road but once you turn off to get to the boat it seemed there were a few turns here and there. I know some people have mentioned taking RER but I'm not sure where the station is in LaPeq.

 

lovetotravel#1 I am going to give you a link to a 3 part video I posted to YouTube not long ago. We took the Paris to the Heart of Normandy cruise this past October (2017) with Viking.

 

 

 

As far as repeating the same excursions that Viking does; I don't think that will be a problem. The day after embarkation Viking provides a bus into the heart of Paris. You can either choose the bus that drops you off for the day somewhere around the Grand Palais or take the bus that makes a bus trip around the highlights of the city. We got off the bus for a tour of Notre Dame and a "pit stop" near the Eiffel Tour. We had done Notre Dame on our own but with the Viking guide we learned a lot of information we didn't get on our own. In all shore excursions the Viking guides are topnotch and they know their "stuff". We did the 3 day pre-cruise as well. They offered a night tour to the Moulin Rouge and a walking tour separately. The walking tour was included, the night tour was at your cost. I believe it was around $200 per person. While in Paris you might want to wait for the optional tour to Versailles at the end of your trip as opposed to doing it on your own. Again, the guides are very knowledgeable when it comes to providing information. As I mentioned in my previous post....there is a lot of walking and cobblestones with this itinerary. I recall that one passenger was provided a wheelchair to get to the American National Cemetery. We had done the Rhine Getaway/Christmas Market cruise a few years before and there was less walking than there is on the Normandy cruise. I hope this helps.

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I so appreciate all the feedback, suggestions and information. I like to plan and not be surprised. I am still quite concerned about my husband, I want this trip to be fun for him not disappointing. He always been reluctant to travel to Europe due to the long flight from Seattle, but now that there are direct flights into Paris more appealing.

We had friends who did the Amsterdam to Budapest and raved about their experience. They are a bit younger and more fit than either one of us. I have no issues. But they really emphasized that Viking usually has one excursion every time that is geared towards people with walking issues, so thought we'd do great. I am actually not worried once we're on the boat but being on our own before hand. My husband really wants to fly in early to acclimatize to the time difference. Can anyone be specific about once we are on the boat, I understand there is almost 2 days before the boat leaves, and depending on our flight home, with excursions in Paris. I don't want to do those same ones on our own before hand. It will not be until next year I get the true itinerary. Thanks...so much again. Those of you going....enjoy!!!!! I love reading trip reports.

 

Day 1- After you transfer to the ship, your cabin probably will not be ready. Viking offers a bus into LePecq and a walking tour.

It was fine, but LePecq is not Paris.

Day 2- The included tour is the Panoramic bus tour of Paris passing the major sights. You will only stop to get out twice. First at Notre Dame for an interior tour and have enough time for a leisurely lunch on your own. (Some left the tour at ND to continue the day on their own). After reboarding, the bus continued to a stop at the Eiffel Tower for photo ops. There will not be time to go up the tower.

 

The optional excursion is a full day tour of Paris including an interior tour of the Louvre.

 

Day 7- The included tour is an AM guided visit to Chateau de Malmaison.

 

The optional excursion is an AM guided visit to Chateau de Versailles.

The evening optional excursion is a bus tour of Paris, illuminated in all her glory.

 

So, once you decide your optional Viking excursions in Paris, you can work in any sights you want to see precruise without conflict.

 

The Louvre and other museums, d’Orsay & Orangerie, are a short walk or taxi from the Louvre to see on your own precruise.

 

*I did the Versailles excursion. Personally, I wasn’t thrilled. It was expensive, and back to the ship for lunch without an opportunity to visit the garden or the back buildings. If interested in visiting, it is a convenient trip using the bus. Viking charged $159 pp last year. You can, however, arrange a guided tour from Paris for less (or perhaps combine a visit with a transfer to the ship).

 

You might want to check with viking what accommodations can be made if you husband needs any assistance. The walk in Versailles, and from the bus to Monet’s house are not short walks. In Giverny, the bus stops in a lot across the highway and I know of one time a taxi was requested.

 

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Day 1- After you transfer to the ship, your cabin probably will not be ready. Viking offers a bus into LePecq and a walking tour.

It was fine, but LePecq is not Paris.

Day 2- The included tour is the Panoramic bus tour of Paris passing the major sights. You will only stop to get out twice. First at Notre Dame for an interior tour and have enough time for a leisurely lunch on your own. (Some left the tour at ND to continue the day on their own). After reboarding, the bus continued to a stop at the Eiffel Tower for photo ops. There will not be time to go up the tower.

 

The optional excursion is a full day tour of Paris including an interior tour of the Louvre.

 

Day 7- The included tour is an AM guided visit to Chateau de Malmaison.

 

The optional excursion is an AM guided visit to Chateau de Versailles.

The evening optional excursion is a bus tour of Paris, illuminated in all her glory.

 

So, once you decide your optional Viking excursions in Paris, you can work in any sights you want to see precruise without conflict.

 

The Louvre and other museums, d’Orsay & Orangerie, are a short walk or taxi from the Louvre to see on your own precruise.

 

*I did the Versailles excursion. Personally, I wasn’t thrilled. It was expensive, and back to the ship for lunch without an opportunity to visit the garden or the back buildings. If interested in visiting, it is a convenient trip using the bus. Viking charged $159 pp last year. You can, however, arrange a guided tour from Paris for less (or perhaps combine a visit with a transfer to the ship).

 

You might want to check with viking what accommodations can be made if you husband needs any assistance. The walk in Versailles, and from the bus to Monet’s house are not short walks. In Giverny, the bus stops in a lot across the highway and I know of one time a taxi was requested.

 

 

For those that don't already know, there is even more information about your cruise on the Viking website on the itinerary page of whatever cruise you are interested in. Viking has a full page for each port of call; here is how to find it. Go to the cruise you are interested in; for illustration purposes, I'm using Paris & the Heart of Normandy and this link will take you there. Scroll down the page until you see the day-by-day itinerary and then click on Read More (start with Day 2 because there are usually no tours on arrival day). Read more will take you to a full page dedicated to that days activities, including descriptions of the included and optional tours. Be sure to note the caveat at the bottom of the page: * Shore excursions vary by departure and are subject to change.

 

This works for all Viking itineraries, Rivers and Oceans. If there is no "read more" link, then just click anywhere on the band for the day you want to see. Once you get into the day by day section, there are navigation arrows to next and previous.

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For those that don't already know, there is even more information about your cruise on the Viking website on the itinerary page of whatever cruise you are interested in. Viking has a full page for each port of call; here is how to find it. Go to the cruise you are interested in; for illustration purposes, I'm using Paris & the Heart of Normandy and this link will take you there. Scroll down the page until you see the day-by-day itinerary and then click on Read More (start with Day 2 because there are usually no tours on arrival day). Read more will take you to a full page dedicated to that days activities, including descriptions of the included and optional tours. Be sure to note the caveat at the bottom of the page: * Shore excursions vary by departure and are subject to change.

 

This works for all Viking itineraries, Rivers and Oceans. If there is no "read more" link, then just click anywhere on the band for the day you want to see. Once you get into the day by day section, there are navigation arrows to next and previous.

 

The only problem I find with Viking is that the description does not usually include the interiors you tour. While you may “see” major highlights, you may just drive past them. It would be very helpful to have Viking be more specific.

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The only problem I find with Viking is that the description does not usually include the interiors you tour. While you may “see” major highlights, you may just drive past them. It would be very helpful to have Viking be more specific.

 

I have found that with a little patience and a careful reading --and a map -- I can usually get a good handle on what we will seeing.

 

For example, here is the description of the included walking tour in Rouen:

 

STROLL THE CITY OF A HUNDRED SPIRES

 

Explore the medieval quarter of the cultural capital of Normandy.
A short transfer
with your guide delivers you to the historic city center. Known as the “Ville Aux Cent Clochers” or “City of a Hundred Spires,” Rouen’s most magnificent steeple rises from the Notre Dame Cathedral, a favorite subject of Claude Monet.
Visit its breathtaking interior
, burial place of Richard the Lionheart, English king and Norman duke. You will also
pause to admire
the ornate gold face of the Renaissance-style Gros Horloge Astronomical Clock.
Admire
the Bourgtheroulde Mansion and several beautiful half-timbered houses, and
see
the 14th-century abbey where Joan of Arc was sentenced to death and the Place du Vieux Marché, where she was burned at the stake. A statue of Joan marks the place of the pyre. At tour’s end, return to the ship at your leisure, a few blocks away on the beautiful Seine River.

We will go from the boat by bus to someplace near the cathedral, we will tour the inside the cathedral. Afterwards, we will walk from the cathedral to the Place du Vieux Marché. Along the way, we will stop to look at a couple of different buildings but we will not tour the interior of any of them. The tour is 2 hours in duration and marked easy.

Here's one of the optional tours in Rouen:

WHERE NORMANDY’S MOST CHERISHED PRODUCTS BEGIN

 

Experience the daily life of a working Norman farm as you enjoy a leisurely visit to a bucolic homestead. Normandy is renowned for its creamy cheeses and endless apple orchards that produce delicious cider and calvados, the region’s beloved apple brandy. Join your guide for a scenic drive to Saint-Michel-d’Halescourt, a tiny French commune amid vast fertile fields where these iconic products have their roots. Your destination is the Domaine Duclos Fougeray, a beautiful rustic farm whose 18th-century buildings are made from stone, mud and timber. The owners have been making award-winning cider and other products here for more than two decades and invite you to visit the orchards and watch a lively shepherd dog demonstration. During your visit, you will sample calvados and its close cousin pommeau with homemade apple tart and Norman cheeses. After time to savor your snack and the glorious setting, return to your ship.

This is a bus ride into the country and time spent wandering around the property. It is not clear if it is a guided tour of the property or if you will be just wandering on your own. Three activities are specified-- visit orchards, shephard dog demo and sample some of their products (aka snack). A quick consult of the map and Google directions says that it is about an hour drive to the farm, which means two hours on the bus and three hours visiting the farm.

With practice and patience, you can get a pretty good idea of what they are saying and what will happen on the tour.

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The smaller ports are usually easy to figure out. I’ve toured Rouen with Viking and it was as described. The problem I have found is with the large cities that have so many sights to see precruise, you don’t want to be redundant if also planning to do included tours. One tour may list “see” without stopping, yet another may stop to tour when not expected.

 

After 4 Viking river cruises, I still can be unsure what will actually be an interior tour when Viking says “see” vs “visit”. I do my own research so I’m not disappointed.

In Budapest, for example, the Viking tour description mentions visiting “along” Matthias Church and from past experience I know Viking does an interior tour, yet it will be closed to visitors on Sunday morning due to mass. “Along” must be a noncommittal term.

Also the optional city hike excursion states you can visit the market, yet that too is closed on Sunday. So it’s further confusing when description has no allowance for specific days of your cruise. What one poster describes on their cruise may not be what will necessarily be included on yours.

Edited by MURPHY27
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They seem to have moved this thread from the All River Roll Calls, do you know where? I found it under my own profile info.

I have looked on the Viking Website but it's way too early for any detailed information on excursions. It's my understanding I won't find anything until 90 days out. But research with you is invaluable. I hope to read some posts during the next year that others have made this same cruise. I do appreciate your advise. Thanks so much

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