Visiting Paris on a Cruise Tour

[holidaysaver75]

We've got an option of a day in Paris when we go on a cruise but the official excursions don't really fit the bill. There's a "Paris on your own" option which gives you 4 hours free time, I believe dropping off at the Eiffel Tour. Would there be time to do one of the Open top bus tours to catch the main sights? Is it easy to pick up? I'm just absolutely paranoid about missing the coach back as it's a 3 hour drive back to the port.

[Beth_Disney]

Are there any other port excursions that you’re interested in? I would personally prefer to explore the town at the port and enjoy the ship than spend six hours on a coach. Paris is beautiful and I’m not sure 4 hours would do it justice, you could spend 4-hours in a queue to get the lift to the top of the Eiffel Tower. There are river boats that leave from by the Eiffel Tower and they do nice sightseeing trips up the Seine.

We’re going on a cruise next month and have booked a trip using Cruising Excursions. I’d prefer a ship organised trip but as they’d sold out of the one I wanted I looked elsewhere. They do guarantee they’ll get you to the next port if you miss the ship but I sincerely hope that doesn’t happen!

[Posiesmum]

We’ve cruised a few times and we much prefer to do our own thing at the ports rather than spend ages in a coach. I’m also paranoid about missing the ship. In Stockholm we once saw a couple running towards the ship as we pulled away. I’d have been mortified. The only place we chose an excursion (not arranged by the cruise line) was St Petersburg (Russia) where we had a tour with just a few other passengers. It was brilliant!

[skalexander]

I’d save Paris for its own trip. You can spend a few days there and barely scratch the surface.

[holidaysaver75]

There’s a part of me that hates the idea of the drive but DS1 and DS2 want to see the Eiffel Tower. It’s tricky to find something for us all as we have my aunt (a relatively mobile 85), my FiL (72) me and DH plus 3 sons (10 / 12 / 15). The bus tour seemed a good compromise, without too much walking but with things to see.

[DonnaD]

6 hours on a coach to spend 4 hours in Paris? The Eiffel Tower is not that exciting IMO. My mother had just returned from a Med cruise and found the day they spent mostly driving on an excursion quite frustrating.

[SquishTheWhale]

When we docked at Le Havre we opted to stay on board that day, on the basis we could get to Paris faster from home than we could from Le Havre! If you want to do it and dont mind the coach then go for it though.

I know excursions to Normandy were also on offer with less of a commute

[Loopylooloo]

We are calling at Rouen later this year on a cruise and initially I thought of going to disney paris for the day, then found out its three hours each way!
Even Paris is a good couple of hours distance, so we are sticking with Rouen and enjoying what the local area or the ship has to offer instead. Sometimes a day on the ship can be bliss when everyone else has got off!

[Omega1]

I agree with others about not rushing to Paris for a four hour visit. Paris is worthy of a trip in its own right. There are lots of interesting/ beautiful places to visit relatively close by.
Etretat to the north.
With the recent 75 th anniversary of DDay there are lots of exhibitions/ displays along the landing beaches - our kids were fascinated by all that.
Bayeux - cathedral and tapestry.
Honfleur - beautiful.
I’ve only scratched the surface.

[Minnie18]

Personally I wouldn't do it. 6 hours traveling on a bus would be too much just to see a massive mast. I would do something else and visit Paris another time.