Autumn magic on the Seine

Individual arrival in Paris at the ship’s mooring near the Eiffel Tower. In the evening, we warmly welcome you aboard Excellence Royal with a welcome cocktail. Afterwards, you will enjoy an exclusive à la carte dinner on board. Overnight stay on board the ship in the heart of Paris on the Seine. The ship is attended around the clock, and you may come and go as you please.

After the breakfast buffet on board, an optional guided city tour with a German-speaking guide is scheduled for the morning. You will visit Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre and pass, among other sights, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Élysées and the restored Notre-Dame Cathedral. After the lunch buffet on board, the afternoon is at your leisure. In the evening, enjoy an à la carte dinner on board or join an optional glamorous excursion to the Moulin Rouge with apéro, dinner and show, or apéro and show. Overnight stay on board in Paris.

After the breakfast buffet, you have the option of taking a Seine sightseeing cruise with the famous Bateaux Parisiens. A coach will take you to the landing stage by the Eiffel Tower, from where you will discover numerous landmarks from the water; afterwards, the coach will bring you back to the ship, or you may spend the day independently in Paris. After the lunch buffet and a free afternoon, you will enjoy an à la carte dinner on board. At 9.30 pm, it is finally time to say: au revoir, Paris – cast off. MS Excellence Royal leaves behind the lights of the metropolis and sets course for Normandy. Overnight stay on board.

In the late morning, we reach the picturesque little town of Les Andelys, idyllically set on a bend of the Seine. High above the river rise the ruins of Château Gaillard, built at the end of the 12th century by Richard the Lionheart; those who make the short ascent are rewarded with a magnificent panoramic view over the Seine Valley. One of the most beautiful stretches of river on the journey then begins, passing chalk cliffs, wooded banks and dreamy villages. Towards evening, we arrive in Rouen, the historic capital of Normandy. After an à la carte dinner on board, you will stay overnight in the port of Rouen.

After the breakfast buffet, you may optionally join a guided walking tour of Rouen and discover the old town with its half-timbered houses, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Gros-Horloge and Joan of Arc’s market square. After the lunch buffet on board, there is an optional opportunity in the afternoon to take a guided tour of the Musée des Beaux-Arts and its important collections. Afterwards, return to the ship or enjoy free time in Rouen. After the à la carte dinner, we invite you to a pleasant one-hour chanson evening in the large lounge. Overnight on board in the port of Rouen.

In the morning, the Excellence Royal departs from Rouen and follows the course of the Seine, while the ship berths at Caudebec-en-Caux at midday. During the day, you may optionally join the full-day excursion to Mont-Saint-Michel, including a packed lunch, a German-speaking guided tour of the abbey, which is over 1,000 years old, and time to explore the medieval village at your leisure. For guests remaining on board, a buffet is served at lunchtime. Alternatively, an optional gourmet experience is offered at the Manoir of Michelin-starred chef David Goerne, with a 5-course menu, wine pairing and Calvados. After the à la carte dinner on board, you will stay overnight in the port of Caudebec-en-Caux.

After the breakfast buffet, you have the opportunity in the morning to join an optional excursion to the chalk cliffs on the Normandy coast. By coach and accompanied by a German-speaking guide, you travel to Étretat, see the iconic Elephant Cliff with its natural arch, and enjoy free time on the seafront promenade, on the paths leading to the chalk cliffs and in the fishing village. After lunch on board, the afternoon is devoted entirely to cruising on the Seine, with coffee and cake as well as magnificent scenery along the river. In the evening, the ship moors overnight in a quiet harbour near Les Andelys. Farewell dinner and overnight stay on board the ship.

Early in the morning, the Excellence Royal continues towards Paris. After the breakfast buffet, you enjoy the final kilometres on the Seine and the passage through the locks into the centre of Paris. Lunch buffet on board the ship and arrival in Paris in the late afternoon. In the evening, you enjoy an à la carte dinner on board. Optionally, you may visit the legendary Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione in the evening for a traditional circus performance with live orchestra. Overnight on board in Paris.

After breakfast, we bid farewell to the Excellence Royal. With many unforgettable impressions of Paris, Normandy and the most beautiful landscapes along the Seine, you begin your individual journey home.

MS Excellence Royal