Paris On your Own in Half a Day

[prish]

One suggestion we have posted (several times) is that cruisers that have Le Havre near the end of their cruise (this is common with cruises that end in England) consider disembarking a day early (you can get permission from most cruise lines for this) and then take the train to Paris for a few days (or longer). There are lots of possibilities for combining a cruise with some land (either pre or post cruise) and it is a great way to take advantage of the fact that one happens to be in Europe...so why not enjoy some quality time on land. Or course this has to be reconciled with budget and time restrictions....but its fruit for thought.

 

Hank

 

We cruise mainly because it's an easy way for my mother to travel, most years my brother, sister and I take her on an European cruise. But we always make it a point to add on a land tour, sometimes both pre and post cruise, luckily we have been able to schedule this despite work constraints. We have also gone back to stay in ports/cities we visited on cruises, like Tallin and Dubrovnic for instance, places I would never have thought of going there before seeing them on a cruise.

 

 

This year too my sister and I have a family vacation planned for Provence, DH & I have been there many times since we lived in Paris but my sister fell in love with the region on a Med cruise and suggested we go there for a couple of weeks this June.

 

Re. booking cruises, we usually do it while onboard to avail of the added incentives, then transfer to a TA who gives us refundable OBC. We've also been added to a group at times, with a lower rate, as well specialty dining vouchers. It always helps to shop around and talk to several TAs and see who offers the best deal. You usually have up to 60 days to transfer the booking.

[rocklinmom]

Thank you for this information! I just booked a 2019 cruise with the day in Paris from Le Havre and this is helpful.

[Airrace]

Get a copy of Rick Steve’s guide to Paris. A lot of information on doing Paris. Clearly it’s going to be the fastest half day of your life. I would like to suggest you spend more time in a few different places, rather than just a world wind adventure. I think you are going to spend more time on transit rather than enjoying the sites.

 

 

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[rocklinmom]

We will be happy with a few hours in Paris, my daughters really want to see the Eiffel Tower. A few selfies there and they will be thrilled. Anything beyond that would be a bonus.

[Got2Cruise]

We will be happy with a few hours in Paris, my daughters really want to see the Eiffel Tower. A few selfies there and they will be thrilled. Anything beyond that would be a bonus.

 

 

 

After your selfies you can take a river tour of the Seine with narration. It goes down to Notre Dame and then turns around. You get it right at the Eiffel Tower.

 

 

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[ollienbertsmum]

Get a copy of Rick Steve’s guide to Paris. A lot of information on doing Paris. Clearly it’s going to be the fastest half day of your life. I would like to suggest you spend more time in a few different places, rather than just a world wind adventure. I think you are going to spend more time on transit rather than enjoying the sites.

 

 

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I share the feeling that, like most big cities, Paris cannot be "done" in half a day. However with the right planning - Rick Steves' podcasts are helpful too - I think that half a day experience can be vastly superior than sitting on a bus being driven around the city.

 

I recall our first family visit when we stayed at Eurodisney. I had spent three weeks in Paris as a teenager but was new to travelling with children. We booked a tour from Eurodisney. It was so frustrating because sat on a bus passing boulangeries that the children wanted to stop at. This would have been their first choice rather than a picture beside the Eiffel Tower. Doing DIY you have the opportunity to make changes in your itinerary (although you have to think fast).

 

Oo la la Paris.