6-Course Cruise, Live Music

A 6-course festive menu served aboard a glassed-in Seine boat, with music and holiday lights along the banks.

Overview

Boarding happens at Port de la Bourdonnais, right beside the Eiffel Tower, on a glass-canopy Bateaux Parisiens boat. A glass of Champagne is poured as an aperitif, then a six-course meal is served at a private table, with white wine, red wine, mineral water and coffee accompanying the food. A singer performs live while the boat moves along the Seine.

The route follows the Seine past the central riverbanks. The boat passes the Eiffel Tower, Pont Alexandre III, the Musée d'Orsay, Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Conciergerie, Place de la Concorde and the Grand Palais, among other landmarks, so the sightseeing comes continuously rather than at a single stop. The whole cruise runs about 2 hours 15 minutes and ends back at the departure point.

This suits travellers who want a long, seated Christmas meal with the city scrolling past the windows, rather than a walking tour or a quick hop-on cruise. Several reviewers described celebrating Christmas Day here with their families, and one called it the highlight of their Christmas. The dress code is smart casual, and a vegetarian option is available on the spot.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Check in at Port de la BourdonnaisArrive at Bateaux Parisiens, Port de la Bourdonnais, pontoons 5 or 7, by the Eiffel Tower. For the December 24 and 25 dinner, check-in is at 7 PM with departure at 8:30 PM; for the December 25 lunch, check-in is at 11:30 AM with departure at 12:45 PM.
2. Board and toastTake a seat at a private table in the center of the glass-canopy boat. Champagne is served as an aperitif, with more poured later alongside dessert.
3. Six-course meal with wineA six-course menu is served, accompanied by white wine, red wine, mineral water and coffee. A vegetarian option is available on the spot.
4. Live music while cruisingA singer performs live aboard throughout the meal.
5. Pass the landmarks of the SeineThe boat passes the Eiffel Tower, Le Dome des Invalides, Pont Alexandre III, the Assemblee Nationale, the Musée d'Orsay, Saint Germain des Pres, Pont Neuf, Notre Dame, the Latin Quarter, Le Marais, Hotel de Ville, Ile Saint-Louis, Pont Marie, the Conciergerie, the Louvre, Place de la Concorde, Pont de la Concorde, the Grand Palais and the Statue de Liberte.
6. Return to the meeting pointThe cruise ends back at Port de la Bourdonnais. The dinner cruise returns at 11 PM, ending around midnight; the lunch cruise returns at 2:45 PM, ending around 3 PM.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help you plan the day, drawn from the listing and from what travellers reported after taking this cruise.

• Dress code. The listing specifies smart casual. This is a seated meal cruise, so most travellers dress for a restaurant rather than a sightseeing walk.
• Fixed menu. The meal is a set six-course menu, and a vegetarian option is available on the spot. Several reviewers praised the food, and one described the portions as generous.
• Drinks included. Champagne arrives as an aperitif and again with dessert, plus white wine, red wine, mineral water and coffee. One reviewer mentioned the nice drinks among the highlights. Extra food and beverages outside the package are not included.
• Finding the dock. One reviewer found the departure point hard to locate and the check-in confusing, since check-in happens at one boat and boarding at another. Allow time to find pontoons 5 or 7 at Port de la Bourdonnais, near the Eiffel Tower.
• Group size. The boat carries a maximum of 200 travellers, so this is a large-group event rather than an intimate dinner. One reviewer described the boat as crowded, while most others did not raise it as a problem.
• Accessibility. The listing states the cruise is wheelchair accessible and pushchair accessible, service animals are allowed, and the meeting point is near public transportation. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Common issues. The set menu is the main practical limit: travellers with strong preferences have to accept what is served, though a vegetarian option exists on the spot. One reviewer reported slow service, which they attributed to short staffing on the boat. Photos taken by the photographer aboard cost extra, and no hotel transfer is provided.

Choosing Your Christmas Tour