Riverboat Cruise on the Seine on MS Cezanne

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Riverboat Cruise on the Seine on MS Cezanne

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Post by Manoverboard »

Riverboat Cruising makes a nice change to the sea faring variation ... or does it ?

The Cruise and its Operator(s)

We booked ' The Seine in Springtime ' through ' Titan HiTours ' who in turn place ' Group bookings ' with various Operators to create packages, ours was operated by a German Company called ' Nicko Tours '.

Titan provide an inclusive home pick up service plus porterage which in this instance meant that the driver placed our cases in the back of his vehicle and then drove us from Dorset, via a coffee / comfort stop, to St Pancras Railway Station for the 12:15 Eurostar service to Paris. On arrival we were met by Titan representatives in their distinctive bright red uniforms and were then instructed to trundle off with our cases for another coffee pending the ' group ' meet-up at about 10:00 am when we would all be taking our luggage to the Eurostar luggage handling / collection point. The next time we saw our cases, one medium plus one small size, was when they were delivered to our cabin about 10 minutes after boarding. The return journey was equally effortless, for this we were grateful as we saw quite a number of people who were obviously struggling with too much luggage for their independent rail journeys.

St Pancras has a number of outlets offering food in various forms plus a linked Shopping Mall including M&S should you wish to buy some of their packaged sandwiches instead but if all else fails the Buffet Cars on the train sell Waitrose sandwiches. Gare de Nord in Paris has a similar provision but parts of it are a bit old and grubby by comparison, there are however a number of cafes outside the station but we opted to settle for a coffee then a Waitrose sandwich on the train. For those who may wish not to use the food outlets there is very little seating in either station.

On balance Titan provided an excellent service in this regard but there did seem to be rather a lot of hanging about although it is no doubt better to arrive too early than to miss the train due to an unexpected delay of some sort.
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Re: Riverboat Cruise on the Seine on MS Cezanne

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Our Riverboat

Was the ' MS Cezanne ' which the owners rate as ' nnnn + ' and although she was aging and not without failings I would just about go along with a 4* rating. The boat itself was an ex Peter Deilmann craft and was beautifully fitted out in a luxurious French Chique Boutique style so certainly more akin to Poirot than Arcadia if you get the drift but that added significantly to our enjoyment of cruising in the Normandy Region. MS Cezanne also looked a bit like an old barge from the outside and was very dated in appearance compared to the likes of Viking and Uniworld's latest offerings but she did however have plenty of character and style inside.

As mentioned earlier it is operated by a German Company so it should not be a surprise to discover that it is extremely efficient throughout although the crew themselves originated from umpteen different Countries. The language spoken on board is normally restricted to German but it transpired that if a Group of 30+ place a booking then English will also be spoken, and indeed written, throughout. It was not to be a problem for us at any time.

There are only two cabin types but both are the same size at approx 160 sq ft. Those on the upper deck have floor to ceiling fixed windows but the vast majority are on the Main Deck and these as far as I am aware all have three port holes .. well, ours did anyway.

The single sitting dining room held approx 100 passengers and two thirds of them were Germans. Forget it ... they were all extremely polite, seemed to be able to speak English fluently and even wore Jackets to dinner whereas the Brits couldn't speak a word of German and only managed smart casual at best. They were obviously impressed by us all as they stopped wearing their jackets after about the third day.

Excursions were inclusive every day of the cruise with Titan but there were also a couple of optionals supplied by Nicko Tours.

Food and drink ...

Breakfast is an all buffet affair and although the choice was somewhat limited it was good quality and perfectly acceptable to us.

Lunch started with a buffet salad course, with lashings of real French Bread, followed by waiter service for soup, a main plus dessert then coffee / tea to finish.

Dinner was all waiter service and the number of courses varied between five and seven, the best part for us was the availability of French inspired dishes like Coq au Vin, Beef Bourguignon and Crepes Suzette etc.

The Menu for that day was presented at breakfast time and we were required to make our selections for lunch and dinner regarding the main course only as the other courses were fixed. The portions were not large but it was possible to order a larger portion of anything if required.

Booze on this cruise was NOT included but the cost for beer and wine etc was very reasonable, similar to P&O but a better quality I thought.
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Re: Riverboat Cruise on the Seine on MS Cezanne

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Our Journey

Day 1 - Saturday - London to Paris by Eurostar then transfer to the Quai Citroen, easy walking distance from the Eiffel Tower, to board our Riverboat.

Following embarkation we needed to select, or state preferences for, our dining room tables which would remain unchanged for the duration of the cruise. This provided an opportunity for travelling friends to sit together. Some of the usual suspects clamoured for riverside tables of course but we opted to be in the middle as we were then able to see both river views via the floor to ceiling panoramic windows.

This was followed by the daily event of ' Coffee n cake ' at four in the Lounge and that in turn was followed by a session which gave us useful information regarding the boat, or is she actually a ship, plus a safety briefing as per the usual formula.

Dinner was served this evening at 19:00 although the precise time would vary a little depending on our daily schedule.

We sailed at 21:30 .... precisely !

At some stage I awoke in a dark mysterious haze and reached up to ease away the curtain from my gleaming brass porthole until it slowly dawned on me that we had been bricked in, not only that but we were also in a lift of some sort ... can't be ... so got up for a better look and gradually realised that we were not entombed but were in fact in the first of the five locks that the Captain had mentioned earlier.

Day 2 - Sunday - Les Andelys

At about 11:30 we arrived in Les Andelys which is a pleasant little village situated in a bend in the River Seine, there is not a great deal to do here but nevertheless it was a nice little place to visit. After our village walk-about we had an early lunch, albeit with a couple of Gaviscon tablets due to French bread excesses, then it was time to set off on our first excursion when we are taken to see the impressive ruins of Chateau-Gaillard which was the stronghold of Richard the Lionheart overlooking Les Andelys. From there to Lyons-la-Foret which is a very beautiful village of historical importance and one that has been maintained in it's original form.

It was the Captain’s Welcome Dinner this evening when key members of the crew were introduced to us, bar the little dumpy German Chef who was preparing our dinner but she was bought to our tables for personal introduction and was well received as her culinary skills were much appreciated.

Day 3 - Monday - Caudebec-en-Caux

The daily schedule said that we arrived at about 04:00am so I guess we did.

After breakfast we set off for a scenic and ecclesiastically flavoured sort of day, firstly to Saint Wandrille with its impressive Church and thereafter to meet our smiling Monk who would escort us proudly round his Abbey at Saint Martin de Boscherville.

This afternoon there was an optional to Le Havre plus Etretat but we ducked that one and instead located a shop that was actually open on a Monday but more importantly one that stocked Nestle's ' Ricore ', an old fashioned blend of coffee and chicory, plus a favoured aged Calvados.

This evening we had a ' Chanson ' comprising a local singer ( presumed failed ) with his pianist.

Remained overnight in this little town but didn't venture out because it was raining just a tad.

Day 4 - Tuesday - Caudebec-en-Caux

Another ' after breakfast ' excursion today but this time to Honfleur which is a charming French Harbour town favoured by artists such as Gustave Courbet and Claude Monet, who painted its fishing boats and slate-covered houses, among other picturesque vistas that have changed little over time. We did a walking tour from the former smuggler’s Harbour of Vieux Bassin, the most often painted scene in Honfleur where the fishing village backdrop is seemingly unchanged from over 100 years ago, through the pedestrian streets, lined with artists workshops, to the medieval town centre and then we had free time to rummage about some more.

The two different routes to and from Honfleur were also very interesting, we thought, as they took us through previously unseen parts of Normandy with its variable scenery and distinctive housing styles including thatched properties that had turf and wild flowers instead of the crown that we are used to seeing here in the UK.

Lunch was served later today and at that point we sailed towards Rouen for an estimated 19:30 arrival time. The time of arrival was to prove important because it was still sunny as we approached the bridges prior to Rouen Cathedral so were able to sail slowly mid channel past approx 50 Ye Olde sailing ships from all over the World that were positioned on the river side pending ' Armada Day ' which is an event held here every 4 or 5 years and lasting 10 days.

Overnight in Rouen

Day 5 - Wednesday - Rouen
You guessed it ... today on our morning excursion we travelled back to the Middle Ages on a visit to the well-preserved city of Rouen, best known as the site where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431. Any visit to Rouen will take you to the stunning Romanesque Cathedral of Rouen, painted so vividly by Monet, the haunting Medieval quarter with its half-timbered, glazed-tile houses, the Vieux Marche – site of Joan of Arc’s punishment for her defiance, and the Gros Horloge, a Renaissance clock tower that arches overhead. Another must is the Rue Eau de Robac although this street was not included in our tour yet it is possibly the most impressive example of its kind in the Old City.

Day 6 - Thursday - Vernon,

Yet another included excursion ...

We visit Monet’s home in his beloved village of Giverny. The unique light of the area’s Seine River Valley in Normandy kept Monet in residence for 43 years, until his death in 1926. Explore Monet’s house, furnished as it was when the leader of the Impressionist School lived here, including his precious collection of Japanese engravings. Strolling the gardens, you will see the familiar Japanese bridge and Water Garden shaded by weeping willows, with its pond still full of water lilies that so inspired this Master’s work. If you like gardens and / or painting then you should go but it is not as large an area as I was expecting although every inch of it was crammed with floral interest ... stunning basically.

Captain’s Farewell Dinner this evening,

Day 7 - Friday - Paris

Our included excursion today was a coach tour to see, with a few photo stops, many of the best known highlights of this lovely City but having been to Paris previously it was of little interest to us although first timers would have found it to be a useful introduction. Having said that most of the major points of interest are about 5 miles away from the Riverboat Quay. We had hoped to book the afternoon optional excursion to re-visit Montmartre but pulled out because it was done entirely in German.

Day 8 - Saturday - Paris to St Pancras then back home to our own front door.
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Re: Riverboat Cruise on the Seine on MS Cezanne

#4

Post by Manoverboard »

Conclusions, after thoughts and / or observations

This was not a long holiday but it was the longest period of time that we have spent on a Riverboat, in a nutshell we will definitely be booking another one and then maybe another one after that. Such bookings will be at the expense of sea cruising because we thoroughly enjoyed the change even if some aspects were inferior to a P&O cruise.

Others have spoken of waves washing against the sides of these boats but although this was correct to an extent they were more relaxing than annoying but perhaps that was due to our mid ships location. We were not bothered by the bed being at or below the water line but we did enjoy watching a swan repeatedly pecking at our middle porthole and his mate carrying their three signets on her back which we would have missed had we been on a higher deck.

We booked with Titan and they have recently formed links with Saga so maybe this detail is mirrored in the age of many of the Brits who were on this cruise.. Most of then were very sprightly but three had falls with two resulting in Hospitalisation. When booking Titan gave us a discount as previous passengers and Bath Travel matched the amount ... which basically paid for our bar bill.

Entertainment was sparse but that didn't matter to us. There were a number of those quizzes where you fill in a form plus a film about Monet and a wine tasting event, each being done in English as well as German.

Everything was charged in Euros and it was usual to register a Visa or MasterCard credit card else settle by cash.

The Seine has five locks then 4 tides per day but due to the massive outflows controlled by sluice gates it seems unlikely that this river will flood to the extent seen recently in Central European waterways.
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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: Riverboat Cruise on the Seine on MS Cezanne

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Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Thanks for that Moby - which I've just read following our return from the good ship Aurora, where they've now finished painting over the graffiti you left on your trip on her. :sarcasm:

Some interesting comparisons and contrasts with our own previously reported river trip. We too will do it again sometime but we have a few more ocean cruises to fit in first, having, I suspect, worked through less of the P&O repertoire than yourself! :relaxed:

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oldbluefox
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Re: Riverboat Cruise on the Seine on MS Cezanne

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Post by oldbluefox »

Thanks for the review Moby which gave a good idea of a different type of holiday. You seem to have had plenty of excursions which I presume were all inclusive. River cruising certainly looks like something worth considering.

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Re: Riverboat Cruise on the Seine on MS Cezanne

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Post by Dancing Queen »

I enjoyed reading your review too Moby, it is certainly something we are considering for next summer.
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emjay45
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Re: Riverboat Cruise on the Seine on MS Cezanne

#8

Post by emjay45 »

I would love to do a river cruise. I keep seeing the Viking advert on the television and it looks wonderful. I've read meg's review and M&T's too. I'd love to see Monet's house and garden. :)

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Re: Riverboat Cruise on the Seine on MS Cezanne

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Post by Manoverboard »

Mervyn and Trish wrote:
Thanks for that Moby - which I've just read following our return from the good ship Aurora, where they've now finished painting over the graffiti you left on your trip on her. :sarcasm:
No worries, we will be back on Aurora fairly soon :wave:
Some interesting comparisons and contrasts with our own previously reported river trip ... :relaxed:
Yes, I thought so too ... on balance yours was probably ' posher ' and more suited to somebody who once worked for the BBC :sarcasm:

But I would say that the Seine is a slightly better choice than the Rhine on a cruise of equal duration 8-)
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Meg 50
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Re: Riverboat Cruise on the Seine on MS Cezanne

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Post by Meg 50 »

there were some probs with water levels on the Seine earlier this year - but not to the same extreme as the current Danube ones.


Even so, the Danube is on OH's bucket list
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Re: Riverboat Cruise on the Seine on MS Cezanne

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Post by Manoverboard »

oldbluefox wrote:
... You seem to have had plenty of excursions which I presume were all inclusive ...
With Titan we had an included excursion every day and if we wanted to do it then we simply got to the allocated coach ( always Number 3 ) at the appointed time, there was no head count and the coach departed on time plus 5 minutes-ish. We also had the opportunity, albeit not taken, to book two additional tours directly through the Riverboat Operator's Cruise Director but these would have been charged to our onboard Account.

The German Group had a similar arrangement although Monet's Garden was not inclusive for them ... odd that.
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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: Riverboat Cruise on the Seine on MS Cezanne

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Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Interestingly our neighbour, who is a seasoned river cruiser and who recommended we try Avalon, has just returned from a Titan cruise and his comments very much mirror those in Moby's report.

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Re: Riverboat Cruise on the Seine on MS Cezanne

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Meg 50 wrote:
there were some probs with water levels on the Seine earlier this year - but not to the same extreme as the current Danube ones.
Meg ... that was mentioned by our TA when they phoned to enquire if we had enjoyed our cruise etc but she added that coaches were used to complete the itineray.

There is a lesson to be learned perhaps as a consequence of all our recent experiences and that is to book them later, rather than earlier, in the season.
Even so, the Danube is on OH's bucket list
A good choice but please make sure that you book added days in Budapest if none are included.
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