In 2022, many Europe-bound travelers are creating lengthier vacations by booking back-to-back cruises, particularly doing so on different French rivers. It’s a great way to combine incredible cuisine, fine wines, art and architecture, hiking, biking, walking tours and heritage.
Hopping between Paris’ Seine River and the Bordeaux area’s Dordogne and Garonne rivers or, alternatively, the Saone and Rhone Rivers from Lyon or Avignon, travelers can remain within France, yet create a longer vacation. Best of all, they don’t have to cross other borders and meet other nations’ entry/testing requirements.
France Intensive
Assisting guests who want to combine voyages, AmaWaterways has created same-day embarkations/disembarkations for most of its France itineraries. So, guests disembark from their first AmaWaterways river cruise in the morning, and travel to another French city to board a second river cruise on the same day. For the “grand shebang,” travelers can even select a trio of back-to-back France cruises to create a three-week trip.
For example, the luxury line offers a seven-night “Impressions of the Seine and Paris” itinerary that debuted in 2021 between Paris and Le Havre. Sailing on the 144-passenger AmaDante, they’ll explore Paris, Giverny, Normandy, St. Malo and the island monastery of Mont St. Michel; this relatively new itinerary operates on many dates. Also, now through early November 2022, AmaDante and the 144-passenger AmaLyra will operate seven-night “Paris and Normandy” cruises on the Seine River roundtrip from Paris; guests can add a two-night, pre-cruise stay.
On many disembarkation dates, travelers completing either itinerary then can transfer to AmaWaterways’ seven-night “Colors of Provence” itinerary (wine-themed on some dates) with the 156-passenger AmaKristina cruising between Lyon and Avignon. Or, depending on timing, cruisers might combine their Seine cruise with “Taste of Bordeaux,” a roundtrip cruise on the 144-passenger AmaDolce from vineyard-rich Bordeaux; some departures are also wine-themed. Alternatively, travelers can combine all three French regions.
Separately, this year, AmaWaterways is kicking off a new Ancestry partnership to help travelers trace their family’s “roots.” Pre-cruise, guests will receive an Ancestry DNA Kit, welcome call and five-hour consultation with an expert genealogist. Aboard their river vessel, they’ll listen to two genealogical and historical presentations. Shore excursions will include destinations that are part of the guests’ ancestral history.
The first Ancestry sailing is a seven-night “Heritage on the River: Your Personalized Ancestry Journey” on Europe’s Rhine River. Departing July 30, 2022, the 156-guest AmaStella will sail between Basel, Switzerland, and Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Among the ports visited is Strasbourg, France, where guests can opt for “The Gem of Alsace” tour or a Strasbourg bike tour.
Also appealing to travelers seeking lengthier vacations, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises offers a 15-day “Grand France” itinerary, operating from Paris to Avignon with luxurious voyages in two French river regions. Or, for the “grand shebang,” a triumvirate of French river exploration, check out Uniworld’s 22-day “Ultimate France” itinerary on multiple dates in 2022.
On that robust, three-week itinerary, guests will cruise on the Dordogne/Garonne, Seine, and Saone/Rhone rivers first on the 62-passenger Bon Voyage, then on the 64-passenger Joie de Vivre, followed by the 79-passenger Catherine. They’ll visit seven UNESCO World Heritage sites and have many luxury inclusions, among them first-class TGV train travel between Lyon and Paris, and Paris and Bordeaux.
New for Uniworld’s guests are “Nights Out” evening experiences, which will debut within France for 2023. That said, the line has debuted five introductory “Nights Out” events this year elsewhere in Europe. One is offered on the 11-day “Remarkable Rhine & Historic Holland” itinerary between Amsterdam and Basel, Switzerland, which also offers one French port call in Strasbourg. For that voyage’s “Nights Out” event in Switzerland, guests will sample brews and view original copper brewing barrels at the Feldschlosschen Brewery.
In 2022, every European-based Scenic Space-Ship including those sailing within France will offer an array of new programs. Most notable from Luxury Travel Advisor’s perspective is the addition of a new onboard enrichment manager on each ship. That expert will host cabaret nights, cooking lessons, wine tastings and lectures. Plus, Scenic is offering new activities too, such as painting lessons for guests sailing the Rhone River.
Also in France, Scenic will partner with “Top Chef” favorite Bryan Voltaggio for the culinary-themed, 11-day “Spectacular South of France” itinerary on October 20, 2022. While sailing roundtrip on the 149-passenger Scenic Sapphire from Lyon, France, guests will interact and learn from Chef Voltaggio during a welcome reception, cooking demonstration, lectures and a four-course meal that he prepares.
In 2022, Scenic also offers a culinary-themed, 11-day “Flavors of Bordeaux” itinerary, where guests enjoy onboard Scenic Culinaire cooking classes. The 149-passenger Scenic Diamond will sail roundtrip from Bordeaux on May 25, August 7 and September 30. On that itinerary as well as the 11-day “Beautiful Bordeaux” itinerary, new Scenic Enrich programming will offer after-hours access to Les Bassins de Lumieres, the world’s largest digital art exhibition, housed in Bordeaux’s cavernous former submarine base.
For families desiring to cruise in France, Tauck offers two new Tauck Bridges family adventures this year. One is the eight-day “Family Fun Along the Seine: Paris To Normandy” itinerary with exploration of Paris, Versailles, Giverny, Les Andelys, Caudebec-en-Caux and Normandy’s beaches; departures are offered on several dates in June and July 2022. What’s fun? Tauck is offering families an exclusive Tauck scavenger hunt in the Louvre Museum.
Another option is Tauck’s “France Family River Cruise” itinerary during June and July 2022. Families will spend two nights at a Paris hotel and sail for five nights on the 98-passenger Emerald. They’ll explore Tournon, Provence, Arles, Avignon and Lyon. One Tauck exclusive is a family hayride and traditional Provencal lunch at a La Camargue private ranch.
New ships are plying French rivers this year too. In March 2022, Viking christened eight new Longships including four that are purpose-built to sail France’s Seine River. The 168-guest Viking Kari, Viking Radgrid, Viking Skaga and Viking Fjorgyn now sail from an exclusive docking location within Paris’ city center, a short walk from the Eiffel Tower. While they sailed a bit last year, they’re operating their first full Seine River season this year.
Also new in France, Viking will offer a new eight-day holiday sailing, “Christmas on the Seine,” in 2022, and in 2023, will offer a new, three-night “Paris: A Culinary Experience” as a post-trip extension for its eight-day “Paris and the Heart of Normandy” itinerary. Guests can immerse themselves in Paris’ culinary history, taste gastronomic delights, attend a croissant baking workshop and enjoy an evening wine and cheese tasting with a sommelier at a private wine cellar.
Avalon Waterways is offering several new France itineraries this year including a new nine-day “Active & Discovery on the Seine,” which sails roundtrip from Paris on many dates. Guests can choose from 23 included “Active,” “Discovery” and “Classic” shore excursions.
Another Avalon Waterways’ itinerary is “Sex & The City of Light.” Operated roundtrip from Paris on July 19, 2022, this Seine River cruise will feature a special guest, Candace Bushnell, best-selling author of Sex & The City and other books. Other river lines too offer French river options. So, luxury travelers can easily lengthen their vacation — simply by combining multiple river cruises in different regions of France.
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