Cruise
through Provence plus Paris and Barcelona
Start
your vacation with three days in romantic Paris, then travel in style on the TGV
(high-speed train) to Lyon, France's gastronomic capital. From here, cruise on
a 122-passenger riverboat on the Rhone River through beautiful wine regions
where such famous wines as Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhône and Chateauneuf-du-Pape
are produced. Explore medieval Avignon and visit ancient Arles, the city that
inspired Vincent Van Gogh to paint many of his masterpieces.
Leave
the riverboat in Arles and continue by luxury motor coach to the walled city of
Carcassonne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Pass through the edge of the Pyrenees
to spectacular Barcelona, where you'll spend two full days before returning home.
Can't
take a two-week vacation? No problem - you can just do the one-week cruise from
Lyon to Arles.
Note:
on some departure dates, this cruise-tour operates in the opposite direction,
starting in Barcelona, cruising from Arles to Lyon, and ending in Paris.
TYPICAL
CRUISE ITINERARY
(actual program may vary)
B
= Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
Day
1 - Tuesday: Departure.
Board your overnight flight to Paris, France.
Day
2 - Wednesday: Paris.
After your arrival and check-in at your hotel, take the rest of the day to relax
or explore enchanting Paris.
Day
3 - Thursday: Paris
(B). See the most famous sights of Paris on this morning's panoramic tour: Notre
Dame Cathedral, the renowned Louvre Museum, the Arc de Triomphe, the Opéra,
the Church of the Madeleine, the famous avenue Champs Elysées and more.
The remainder of the day is yours to explore the many museums, parks and other
attractions that the city has to offer.
Day
4 - Friday: Paris (B).
Enjoy a full day to explore the "City of Light." You may want to take
one of various optional tours, walk through the Tuileries gardens, peruse the
Impressionist art masterpieces at Musée d'Orsay, or visit the Eiffel Tower.
Day
5 - Saturday: Paris - Lyon (B,D). Enjoy your last morning in Paris
before boarding the comfortable TGV (high-speed train) to Lyon, the gastronomic
capital of France, where the riverboat awaits you. Your afternoon city tour includes
a panoramic view from the Basilica Notre Dame de Fourviere and a walk through
the old city. After settling in your stateroom, you'll have cocktails and a Welcome
Dinner.
Day
6 - Sunday: Lyon - Trévoux
(B,L,D). After breakfast, enjoy some free time to visit more of Lyon on your own.
After lunch on the riverboat, you can relax as you cruise north along the Saône
River to the small town of Trévoux. Enjoy free time this evening to explore
the town.
Day
7 - Monday: Trévoux - Vienne (B,L,D).
This morning's tour will take you behind the village walls of Trévoux and
through Beaujolais, the Pays d'Or, or "land of the golden stones," so
named for the ochre limestone of its homes and castles. Enjoy a visit with a local
winemaker along this wine road, where you'll taste the world renowned Beaujolais
Nouveau before returning to the riverboat. From there, cruise south to the Rhône
River and on to Vienne, where you can stroll along the river and perhaps stop
at a sidewalk cafe.
Day
8 - Tuesday: Vienne - Tournon (B,L,D). Situated between the wine regions
of Burgundy and Beaujolais, Vienne has a significant Roman history, which is highlighted
by its well-preserved ruins. During this morning's mini train tour you will see
the 1st-century Roman Temple of Augustus and the medieval churches of St. André-Le-Bas
and Abbey St. Pierre, before returning to the riverboat and cruising on to Tournon
and Tain l'Hermitage. Facing each other across the Rhône River, these twin
towns are linked by a 19th-century suspension bridge. Tain l'Hermitage is the
premier producer of Côtes du Rhône wines by virtue of the fertile
soil and ideal climate of the region. Enjoy free time this afternoon to visit
the 16th-century castle, which is now a town hall, or visit the chocolate shop
for a taste of the confections once produced in Tournon's famous factory. After
dinner on board you will enjoy a wine tasting.
Day
9 - Wednesday: Tournon - Viviers (B,L,D).
This morning, visit a working farm in the Ardeche Mountains and then take a scenic
tour of the valley. Enjoy a visit to Boucieu-le-Roi and its local market featuring
handmade crafts, musical entertainment and wine tasting. Lunch on board the riverboat
while cruising to Viviers. After dinner, enjoy a walk through the old medieval
town.
Day
10 - Thursday: Viviers - Avignon
(B,L,D). Morning cruise to Avignon, where you will dock near the famous St. Benezet
Bridge. After lunch, a walking tour of Avignon will take you through the narrow
streets and elegant squares inside the well-preserved medieval walls to the Papal
Palace, which served as a fortress, a church and a residence of the 14th-century
French popes who once governed the Christian world.
Day
11 - Friday: Avignon - Arles (B,L,D).
This morning, take a scenic excursion to the nearby Provencal villages of St.
Remy and Les Baux and enjoy panoramic views of the countryside with its lavender
fields (in bloom late June - early July). St. Rémy was the birthplace of
Nostradamus and also where the famous painter Vincent Van Gogh spent some time
in the asylum St. Paul de Mausole. After lunch, enjoy a walking tour of Arles
and imagine how Van Gogh worked to capture the amazing Provencal light. You may
glimpse the sites that inspired "Starry Night" or "Terrace de Café
le Soir" as you pass Constantine's Baths, the Romanesque cathedral and the
still-used Roman amphitheater.
Day
12 - Saturday: Arles - Barcelona (B). This morning after breakfast,
leave the river boat and travel by luxury motor coach to Barcelona, capital of
the Spanish region of Catalonia. Along the way, you'll pass through the unique
landscape of the Camargue on the southern coast of France. Approaching the Pyrenees
Mountains, you'll stop in the medieval city of Carcassonne. A double ring of walls,
complete with 52 towers, stretches more than two miles around this strategic city,
a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you will have free time for lunch and exploring
on your own before continuing on to Barcelona.
Day
13 - Sunday: Barcelona (B).
Your full day in Barcelona begins with a panoramic tour to the top of Montjuic
Hill, where you'll catch glorious views of the city below while passing the National
Palace and the Olympic Complex. Next, you'll tour Plaça Catalunya and Las
Ramblas, the promenade and center of Barcelona life. Later you'll see the amazing
Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Família, designed by artist and architect
Antonio Gaudí and still under construction, and take a walking tour of
the Barrio Gótico (Gothic Quarter), King's Square, and the Royal Palace.
Day
14 - Monday: Barcelona (B).
Enjoy your last full day in Barcelona on your own. You can take an optional tour,
return to the markets of Las Ramblas, visit one of the many museums, or perhaps
enjoy some seafood in Barceloneta.
Day
15 - Tuesday: Depart Barcelona (B).
Transfer to the airport for your homebound flight.
On
alternate weeks, cruise-tour will be in the reverse direction.
This itinerary
is subject to change without notice.
[top]
Highlights
- Panoramic
tour of Paris, including visit of Notre Dame Cathedral
- Additional
optional tours and activities in Paris
- Tour
of Lyon, including Notre Dame de Fourviere and the Old City
- Beaujolais
tour and wine tasting
- Mini
train tour of Vienne
- Onboard
tasting of Cotes du Rhone wines
- Visit
to a working farm in the Ardeche mountains
- Visit
market at Boucieu-le-Roi (optional wine tasting)
- Walking
tour of Viviers
- Tour
of Avignon, including visit of the Papal Palace
- Excursion
to St. Remy and Les Baux de Provence
- Walking
tour of Arles
- Visit
to Carcassonne, a World Heritage Site
- Panoramic
tour of Barcelona plus walking tour of the Gothic Quarter
- Additional
optional tours and activities in Barcelona
Included
- 3
nights hotel accommodation in Paris including daily buffet breakfast
- TGV
(high-speed train) from Paris to Lyon
- 7-night
deluxe river cruise accommodation in an outside stateroom
- Superb
dining with all meals included during your cruise
- Unlimited
wines from France's great wine regions with every dinner on board the riverboat
- Cocktail
reception, welcome dinner and captain's gala dinner
- Motor
coach from the riverboat in Arles to Carcassonne and Barcelona
- 3
nights hotel accommodation in Barcelona including daily buffet breakfast
- Daily
sightseeing program as outlined in the itinerary
- Special
highlights including folklore dances, lectures, theme dinners, on board music
performances, and afternoon and evening piano music
- Services
of a professional cruise director
- All
local taxes
Available
at Additional Cost
- Roundtrip
air from many US cities and transfers to/from the river boat
- Optional
tours and other activities
- Soft
drinks and alcoholic beverages (wine, beer, and soft drinks are included with
dinner only)
- Health
and travel insurance
Not
Included
- Crew
gratuities (suggested 15 euros per person per day)
- Personal
expenses
- Other
items not listed in "Included" above
Riverboat
Features
- 30
English-speaking crew members
- Length:
360 ft.; width: 38 ft.
- Restaurant,
panoramic lounge with a dance floor and bar
- Onboard
boutique located in the entrance hall.
- Library
with an extensive selection of books for you to enjoy during your leisure time
on board the ship.
- Wellness
area with fitness room, indoor swimming pool, sauna and solarium.
- Whirlpool
on the sun deck.
- Non-smoking
environment (smoking only outdoors on sun deck)
Staterooms
- 57
deluxe double staterooms (130-140 sq.ft. outside cabins). Category
A, B and C staterooms have hotel-style beds that can be set up as two twin beds
or one queen bed. Category D staterooms have twin beds.
- 2
junior
suites (205 sq.ft.) with queen beds
- 1
triple (180 sq.ft.) stateroom with two twin beds (or one queen) plus a sofabed
- 1
single (115 sq.ft.) stateroom.
- Staterooms
feature panoramic windows and are equipped with TV, minibar, safe, hairdryer and
air conditioning
- Junior
suites are extra-spacious and feature a comfortable sitting area and a sizable
bathroom with both a bathtub and shower.
2010
Cruise Dates and Prices (in US$)
Cruise
Only = 7 nights beginning on Day 5 of the above itinerary
Cruise & Land
= cruise + 3 nights in Paris + 3 nights in Barcelona
Air, Cruise &
Land includes airfare from New York. Airfare is estimated and does not include
taxes, fees or fuel surcharges. Actual airfare from your nearest gateway city
will be advised at time of booking.
Depart
USA | Start
City | Cruise
Only* | Cruise
& Land* | Air,
Cruise
& Land* |
May
4 | Paris | $2,499 | $3,879 | $4,679 |
May
11 | Barcelona | $2,499 | $3,879 | $4,679 |
Jun
1 | Paris | $2,499 | $3,879 | $4,979 |
Jun
8 | Barcelona | $2,499 | $3,879 | $4,979 |
Jun
29 | Paris | $2,399 | $3,779 | $4,879 |
Jul
6 | Barcelona | $2,399 | $3,779 | $4,879 |
Aug
31 | Barcelona | $2,699 | $4,079 | $5,179 |
Sep
7 | Paris | $2,699 | $4,079 | $5,179 |
Sep
14 | Barcelona | $2,699 | $4,079 | $5,179 |
Sep
21 | Paris | $2,699 | $4,079 | $5,179 |
Oct
12 | Barcelona | $2,399 | $3,779 | $4,579 |
Oct
19 | Paris | $2,399 | $3,779 | $4,579 |
*Prices
are per person double occupancy in Category D (Emerald deck). To change to a different
category, adjust as follows:
Boat
Deck | Category | Amount
Per Person |
Ruby
(upper) | Jr.
Suite | +
999 |
A | +
649 |
Emerald
(lower) | B | +
299 |
C | +
169 |
Single** | +
799 |
Triple** | +
299 for 1st & 2nd person
- 500 for 3rd person |
**One single cabin and one triple cabin available on each cruise
Port
Charges: add
$133
per person
Single
supplements
-
Cruise Category A - D, twin cabin: 50% of twin price
- Cruise Jr. Suite: 100%
of twin price
- Land portion: $780
2011
Cruise Dates and Prices (in US$)
2011
pre-season special: 5% off cruise fares until July 30, 2010
Cruise
Only = 7 nights beginning on Day 5 of the above itinerary
Cruise & Land
= cruise + 3 nights in Paris + 3 nights in Barcelona
Air, Cruise &
Land includes airfare from New York. Airfare is estimated and does not include
taxes, fees or fuel surcharges. Actual airfare from your nearest gateway city
will be advised at time of booking.
Depart
USA | Start
City | Cruise
Only* | Cruise
& Land* | Air,
Cruise
& Land* |
Apr
26 | Barcelona | $2,599 | $4,159 | $4,959 |
May
3 | Paris | $2,699 | $4,259 | $5,059 |
May
10 | Barcelona | $2,699 | $4,259 | $5,059 |
May
17 | Paris | $2,699 | $4,259 | $5,059 |
May
24 | Barcelona | $2,699 | $4,259 | $5,059 |
May
31 | Paris | $2,699 | $4,259 | $5,059 |
Jun
7 | Barcelona | $2,699 | $4,259 | $5,359 |
Jun
28 | Paris | $2,599 | $4,159 | $5,259 |
Jul
5 | Barcelona | $2,599 | $4,159 | $5,259 |
Aug
30 | Barcelona | $2,799 | $4,359 | $5,459 |
Sep
6 | Paris | $2,899 | $4,459 | $5,559 |
Sep
27 | Barcelona | $2,899 | $4,459 | $5,559 |
Oct
4 | Paris | $2,899 | $4,459 | $5,259 |
Oct
18 | Paris | $2,599 | $4,159 | $4,959 |
*Prices
are per person double occupancy in Category D (Emerald deck). To change to a different
category, adjust as follows:
Boat
Deck | Category | Amount
Per Person |
Ruby
(upper) | Jr.
Suite | +
999 |
A | +
699 |
Emerald
(lower) | B | +
349 |
C | +
189 |
Single** | +
899 |
Triple** | +
349 for 1st & 2nd person
- 500 for 3rd person |
**One single cabin and one triple cabin available on each cruise
Port
Charges: add
$133
per person
Single
supplements
-
Cruise Category A - D, twin cabin: 50% of twin price
- Cruise Jr. Suite: 100%
of twin price
- Land portion: $780
[top]
