Paris Dinner Cruise
When I traveled to Europe over the holidays, I had to check out a Paris Dinner Cruise around the Seine River. As a travel agent, I’m always recommending sightseeing tours and excursions on my clients’ trips. They are a great way to get to see the destination a little deeper. It also adds a little heightened fun on the trip. One of the biggest advantages of pre-booking certain tours: less in-destination expenses. Just about everyone loves to eat, so why not pre-book a few dining experiences before you go? That way, there’s less costs while you’re actually there.
For example, if you’re headed to Barcelona why not go on a tapas tasting tour? If you’re going to Bangkok try a cooking class and local market tour. Leaving for Buenos Aires? Pre-book yourself a nice steak & empanada dinner. Go on a dim sum and hot pot tour in Shanghai. Roll your own sushi in Tokyo. What better way to immerse yourself in that area? Another option if you didn’t want to cook yourself or a do a lot of walking… is a dinner cruise. Many cities offer them: Dubai, Sydney, Cartagena, Baltimore, and of course Paris. After searching a few options, I came across Bateaux Parisiens’ dinner cruises for a very decent price. The cost was about $85 USD per person and included a 3-course prix fixe meal with a bottle of wine.
Prices
Currently, on their website, you’ll see different cruise options*. You can choose Dinner Cruise (8:30PM, 6:15PM, Christmas Eve, Christmas Dinner, New Year’s Eve). We chose the 6:15 PM Dinner Cruise and did not spring for the guaranteed window seat. Truthfully, you can see the huge windows regardless of where you’re sitting. It wasn’t any less romantic without the window seat. But if you have the extra funds, why not splurge?
*Please note prices are what’s currently available at the time of this post. They are subject to change at the company’s discretion.
Ambiance
You can easily take an Uber to the drop off point, Port de la Bourdonnais. From there you’ll find your cruise (they have certain numbers on the dock. My fiancé and I strolled around the dock for awhile being in awe of the Eiffel Tower lit up at night. It was a beautiful, albeit cold, night. Because we visited during the holidays, the cruise was decked out accordingly. They had a decorated Christmas tree both outside and inside of the cruise.
Check-in is about 30 minutes – an hour before the cruise sets sail. At check in, you’ll exchange your paper confirmation receipts for actual tickets. Then a host(ess) will take you to your seat for the evening. The cruise is very spacious and open in the foyer area. A little more snug in the dining room area. I enjoyed it though… very cozy and intimate. I mostly saw couples dining here but I’m sure in the spring and summer, you’ll see more children.
Driving around the Eiffel Tower lit up at night was beautiful. We were viewing the 5-minute light show as we were jamming out to Christmas music! I love me some Christmas tunes this time of year.
Food
Let’s dive into the best part… the food! If you go on Bateaux Parisien’s website, you likely won’t find their menu. My guess is, because they switch up the menu often (based on seasonality). So you have to go here with an open mind and ready to try what the chef recommends. Below, you’ll find the 3-course prix fixe menu options that were available on the night of our cruise. That way it’ll give you an idea of what to expect if you’re thinking of booking the cruise. I’ve bolded the options below that we ended up choosing, so the photos below correspond.
Appetizers:
- Duck, pear and chestnut pâté en croûte, tangy pumpkin condiment, almonds and raisins
- Haddock, potatoes and snow peas, coconut milk and lemongrass bouillon
- Fois gras royale, grilled shitake mushrooms, light cream infused with mushrooms, figs in wine and kumquat
- Poached egg, Jerusalem artichoke mousseline, roasted eryngii mushrooms, grilled bacon and red wine reduction jus
- Pressed quinoa and tofu terrine, light cream of watercress soup and pickled red onions
Main Entrees:
- Pearly hake, potatoes with white wine, braised bok choy cabbage, shellfish and shrimp cream
- Parsnip cottage pie-style duck in orange sauce
- Tender veal, white radish cake, creamy rustic polenta and herbed lemon condiment
- Variation on pork – belly, loin and black pudding, potato puree and mustard seed jus
- Buckwheat with silky tofu, plain confit of seasonal vegetables and red wine bouillon
Desserts:
- Chestnut and pear Vacherin cake
- Semolina with raisins, roasted pineapple and whipped cream with rum
- Poached pear with black berries and pear sorbet
- Chocolate and hazelnut, combination of soft and crisp
Overall, the food quality was excellent! Just the right portion sizes to not feel overly full afterwards. I enjoyed the pie-style duck in orange sauce and although it was a sweet flavor the duck’s savory flavor complemented it out to perfection. I’m posting some photos below. They might not photograph well (LOL) but trust me… they were all divine.
Service
I’m going to end this Paris dinner cruise review with a praise of our server. The service here was impeccable. With so much going on, our server never missed a beat. According to the menu, 1 bottle was included for up to 4 adults. I’m pretty sure Corey and I drank an entire bottle by ourselves. They kept the pours coming which I appreciated. A nice little warm buzz to get you through the cold night to grab your Uber! Overall, I highly recommend this dinner cruise. I also recommend booking different food experiences in the different destinations you visit. Planning a trip to Paris? Need some help planning? Shoot me an email: cassandra@accent-on-travel.net. Have you been on this dinner cruise (or another on in Paris)? Feel free to leave a comment!
