DAY 1 / PARIS / EMBARKATION 

After embarking in the evening, meet the crew and enjoy a welcome cocktail and dinner aboard the ship. Tonight, you’ll discover Paris and its monuments—including the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Palais, and the Notre-Dame Cathedral—from a rare and spectacular vantage point on a cruise along the Seine River. Mooring overnight in Paris.

DAY 2 / PARIS / VERNON 

Over breakfast, take in an urban panorama, including views of La Défense, the futuristic business district just west of Paris. After lunch, disembark in Poissy and set off on an excursion to the Palace of Versailles*. Set amidst spectacularly landscaped gardens, this enormous palace was built in the 17th century, when France’s monarchs were at the height of their glory. The construction involved some 30,000 labourers, and the price tag was so hefty that it nearly bankrupt the kingdom. Inside the palace, see the famous Hall of Mirrors and the Queen’s Apartments. Rejoin the ship in Mantes-la-Jolie in the afternoon, where the cruise will continue to Vernon to moor for the night.

*Note: On Mondays, the Palace of Versailles is closed and either the Château de Malmaison or the Auvers Sur Oise Chateau will be the replacement excursion.

DAY 3 / VERNON / ROUEN / DUCLAIR 

Float past plunging limestone cliffs as the Seine twists and turns on the way to Rouen. Enjoy breakfast and lunch on board before arriving in Rouen in the early afternoon. Here, you will set off on foot for a guided tour of Normandy’s gastronomical, cultural, and historical capital. Only a five-minute walk from the ship, the magnificent Rouen Cathedral incorporates architectural features from several Gothic periods. Next, see the market square where Joan of Arc, France’s iconic medieval heroine, was burned at the stake for heresy in 1431. Back on board the ship, float past characteristic Norman villages on the way to Duclair and in the evening, celebrate with a gala dinner on the way to your final stop in Honfleur.

DAY 4 / DUCLAIR / HONFLEUR 

Today will be a highlight of the cruise as you embark on a full-day excursion to the site of the Normandy Landings, where on D-Day, Allied forces launched a seaborne invasion—the largest in history—of German-occupied northwestern Europe. See Omaha Beach, Arromanches, Gold Beach, Juno Beach, and Sword Beach, and learn how this momentous operation changed the outcome of World War II.

DAY 5 / HONFLEUR / DISEMBARKATION 

Savour a buffet breakfast on board the ship before saying farewell to the crew and debarking in Honfleur.

• The cruise on a full board basis, with meals commencing with dinner on Day One and ending with breakfast on the final morning
• Drinks including water, wine, beer, fruit juices and coffee served by CroisiEurope during meals on board; drinks served at the bar (excluding Champagne and wines on the wine list)
• Accommodation in a double air-conditioned cabin with shower and WC
• Onboard entertainment
• The services of our hostess on board
• Welcome cocktail
• The Gala evening
• Insurance covering aid and repatriation
• All port taxes

Travel Documents / Visas

1. Passport

Canadian citizens must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months after the last date of travel to enter France (EU).

Citizens of other countries should consult with their travel agent or our office.

2. Visa

No visa is required for France for leisure stays of up to 90 days.

Packing List

A handy checklist of what to bring on your trip can be downloaded here.

Insurance

We very strongly recommend the purchase of appropriate travel insurance for any trip outside of Canada. Information on travel insurance options can be found here.

Smoking

Not permitted anywhere indoors. There are designated areas on the outside decks.

Weather

April / May – cool days in the 10’s and low 20’s. Occasional rain but seldom steady.

June to September – warm days in the mid 20’s and cool evenings. Mostly dry.

October – cool days in the mid to high 10’s. Occasional frost but mostly dry.

Arrival / Departure

Upon booking, we will provide detail instructions on how to meet your ship on embarkation day. If you have not made any pre or post tour arrangements with us, you will have to arrange your own transportation to and from the port of embarkation. We are happy to provide advice or to assist in arranging transfers.

The ship will not be ready for check-in before mid-afternoon. If you have luggage that you need to deposit so you can enjoy some free time in port, the purser may be able to accommodate you provided we know in advance.

The cruise will finish in the morning (usually around 9am) on the final day. It is necessary to have settled your onboard account and to have disembarked by this time as instructed by the cruise director on the day before.

Money

The currency is the EURO. It is uncommon for local shops and restaurants to accept any other currency.

Credit cards are acceptable for larger purchases in retail shops, but often not in restaurants or cafés.

ATM’s accepting most international debit and credit cards can be found in abundance.

Gratuities (Tipping)

As always, gratuities are at your own discretion. If you feel the service has met or exceeded your expectations, the ship suggests an amount of EURO $ 5-10 per person per day.

Laundry

Unfortunately there are no laundry facilities on board so bring what you need for the cruise.

Excursions

Most of our programs include a full complement of excursions. Some additional excursions may be available on board at an extra cost. Please check with us or consult the purser onboard for additional information.

Excursions will usually involve a lot of walking, often on cobblestone streets. If you have difficulty walking any distance, please let us know in advance and we will advise how best we can accommodate you.

Regrettably, most of our excursions are not suitable to those confined to a wheelchair.

Activity Level / Strenuousness

Light – At most, participation in the shore excursions requires the ability to walk reasonable distances and some stairs.

Food

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all included in your cruise fare so you shouldn’t be too hungry. It is worthwhile to sample the local cuisine though. Dishes with apple are a local favourite here, whether it’s a cider, jam, jelly or some delicious pies.

If you have the opportunity for dinner, the Rouen specialty Duckling à la Rouennaise (Duck in blood sauce) is a superb dish where the duck is pressed to extract all of the flavour.

Language

Your shipboard staff all speak English of course, but when you are wandering through the shops in small villages, the local folk may have little English. Time to brush up on that high school French or bring along a phrasebook or translation app.

Medical Facilities

There are no medical personnel onboard the ship. However, the purser can contact onshore medical people for emergency and non-emergency situations and rapid evacuation can easily be facilitated in the most urgent cases.

Phone & Internet

There is a phone in each cabin. As is typical, the charges for overseas calls are relatively high.

Free Wi-Fi is available in the main public areas of the ship but not necessarily in all cabins. As internet is provided through a mobile network, bandwidth (speed) will vary depending on the number of concurrent users, the proximity to a cell tower and other factors.

If you would like to have regular data and phone connection, we suggest either arranging an overseas roaming plan with your mobile operator, or pick up a local SIM card if you have an unlocked phone.

Health / Vaccinations

There are no vaccinations required to travel to France. As always, we recommend being in good health prior to any long distance travel. Consult your physician with any specific concerns in regard to this program.

Safety & Security

Despite recent events, France is extremely safe. Particularly the small cities and towns on this voyage, you should have nothing to be concerned about. This being said, being constantly aware of your surroundings and not taking unnecessary valuables with you is always recommended. Leave your passport, extra money and any other belongings you do not need during the day in the safe in your cabin.

You can access current information about the security situation in France by referring to the Canadian government travel advisory site at https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/france 



Suggested Reading

The Secret Life of the Seine

D-Day: The Battle for Normandy

Michelin Green Guide Normandy