This is a review of the dinner cruise 'Paris Illuminations' that Bateaux Parisiens offers that departs at 8:30PM. Before we booked I looked into all of the tour companies offering dinner cruises on the Sienne- this one seemed to win out, but there weren't too many reviews between Yelp and Trip Advisor. I'm definitely glad we took this one. Very nice interior- it's like being in a restaurant with contemporary decor more than being on a boat. We booked the 'privilege' level of service which included window seating and wine-a-plenty. Overall we were very happy with this and you will too, despite the price. PS If you've never had Foie Gras before you can get it as an appetizer... but it was a disappointment to me. Don't see what all the hype is about personally. read more

We went on a dinner cruise with this company for our last night in Paris. It was so beautiful. We cruised down the Seine. We started near the Eiffel Tower went down the river, and turned back. We arrived just in time for 10:00 to take pictures in front of the Eiffel Tower all lit up. The had live music which was pretty good and not too loud, which can be hard to do on such a small boat. It sounds like when you do the day cruise, they point out the sights, but for the dinner cruise, they just let you enjoy them while you eat. The food was delicious. You can choose your meal beforehand. They gave us some olive bread poppers and bread to start. We had shrimp with salad for an appetizer and beef tournedos for our entree. There was a delicious chocolate dessert as well, but I traded my niece for her crepe. I would definitely recommend this dinner cruise. read more

Do yourself a favor and get dinner at a great restaurant and take a stroll down the street, or ride a scooter around the water. The food on this "cruise" was the absolute worst tasting we have had in all of Europe. It's not fresh at all and was likely made earlier in the day. We did not eat our entrees and the waiter did not ask any questions about if we enjoyed the food or not. They are just getting ready for the next cruise. Worst customer service! For the money, you can have amazing food and a better dining experience elsewhere in Paris. (We paid $300€ for nothing) HUGE WASTE! Do not recommend at all! read more

My family and I booked a dinner cruise to celebrate coming back to Paris. First of all, the staff was amazing and super super kind. They have us complimentary champagne and extra bottles of wine. There was a photographer on board who spent quite a bit of time taking pictures of all eight of us, which turned out wonderful! The food was amazing, I believe we had the winter menu (we went on April 1). Overall, I loved the dinner cruise and would love to go back again!! read more

Bateaux Parisiens - Main course, I believe it's steak with broccoli cream and vegetables. Super delicious. - French Near Me - Paris, 75

What I thought would be a romantic way to see Paris while dining, turned out to be a nightmare. The staff were rude, rude, rude. It is apparent they do not like Americans and they did not even try to hide this fact. From the desk clerk checking customers onto the cruise to the almost stereotypical snotty maitre d (thought I was in a Monty Python film). For such an exorbitant cost for dinner one ought be treated better. Want another drink or one that's worth a shit? Upgrade. Want a nicer dessert? Upgrade. Save your money, go on a cheap boat cruise (just down the docks), you can bring your own bottle of champagne too! Then use your money to have a lovely dinner elsewhere! Sooo many other places to choose from with friendlier staff. read more

You get what you pay for, and what you are paying for is a 60 minute cruise down the Seine. It's not terribly fancy, but there is a gentleman speaking in about 5 different languages about the landmarks along the way, which was nice (English, French, Spanish, German and Italian.) When I went, it was a nice breezy May day. If you have a Paris Visite card (Paris Metro card) be sure to get a map from the Paris Metro, it offers 25% off (and when you are dealing in Euro, that can be a big difference in USD!) read more

Hubby Hal W booked us for a romantic dinner cruise down the Seine which was a great way to see the sights while resting our overwalked feet. See his review for the details.... Food was delicious, there was ample English spoken by the wait staff, and we had fun joking around with the table next to us. There was live music and souvenir photo ops (we totally cheesed out and got one). Overall a great night in Paris. read more

Real bargain. You can get deceived by all of the online options for boat rides down the Seine. I recommend that you wait till you get to Paris and definitely head over to the pier where you can see many options for a 1 hour tour which won't break the bank. We paid 11 Euro's a person for the ride. It was nice and definitely worth it. Its amazing how the women on the boat spoke every language you could think of. read more

When we asked our friends about what we had to do in Paris, the dinner cruise always came up so we decided to do it. First thing's first, it's not cheap. They offer 4 different levels of service ranging from 99 euros to 175 euros and if you're not willing to fork over at least 160 euros, you're not getting a window seat. Is it really necessary? From our point of view (we went with the lowest option), we saw everything just fine. It's more about the experience. Food was decent, better than expected. For apps we had the foie gras and the broccoli/scallop mousse. My wife enjoyed the mousse, I on the other hand thought it was a little weird. Our entrees were the chicken (good, standard chicken) and the steak (which came with a piece of foie gras on top), both were good. I also decided to spend the additional 5 euros for the cheese plate which was a bad idea. Both pieces of cheese were not very good so I would recommend skipping that. Desserts were fine. Overall, it was a fun experience cruising down the Seine. We were fortunate enough to be sitting next to a friendly table that kept us entertained throughout the night. I would definitely recommend this to Paris first-timers but for we ourselves wouldn't go again. read more

Terrible experience, pre booked tickets in January went in May . 2 hours in a queue waiting for a boat and when it arrived we were pushed aside for a load of tours and told we had to wait till next boat. When going through the turnstyles one of the staff pushed my friend and she tripped. Instead of helping her she laughed and when we questioned the time frame waiting they were very rude. We ended up having to leave the queue and head back for the last train but not before the man at the ticket office was also rude. I spoke to him and told him I would like a refund as we were waiting two hrs and had to leave. He shrugged his shoulders at me and kept calling next over me. Eventually he shoved a piece of paper with an email address on it at me and said ring them and then called next again. So rude!!! I have used them before and somewhat enjoyed the cruise. This was part of a present for my friend's birthday and they ruined the goodness of the evening with it. I won't be returning. read more

My sister and I are spending our last day in Paris. We decided to take a boat tour and have a quick brunch here before leaving. When we arrived at the restaurant, the host quickly informed us that the brunch was "34 euros!!" I said "Yes, table for two please." He seemed annoyed to be seating us and did not offer to check our coats. He has asked the other French patrons who have entered after us. We're both dressed nicely and are very polite. The food selection is decent, but definitely nothing special. It's pretty limited, considering the price. I ordered a Bloody Mary, which I quickly returned, because it was just a cup of tomato juice. There were no garnishings and if there was vodka, it must have been minimal. Overall, 2 star experience and I wouldn't return. read more

Top notch dinner & cruise. It's probably a little pricier than others, but I can guarantee it's well worth the price. My husband and I did this the first night we were in Paris, and worried it would be super touristy, but wanted to do it anyway. Our server was fantastic and spoke some English, which was helpful. Champagne to start, two bottles of wine (a Chardonnay and a Bordeaux) and surprisingly fantastic food. Add the gorgeous views, and it's all quite perfect. We plan on cruising again when we return! read more

Everything was amazing. My sweetheart ordered the tickets from there website over a month prior. The tickets were Premier Service. We dressed up took lots of amazing pictures and had an fantastic time! Staff is great. Food was superb! 2 bottles of wine 2 glasses of champagne and 4* star dinner. My sweethearts steak was topped with foie gras. Mmmmmm! All I can say is just go! read more

Don't bother with premiere seating - they let all passengers crowd onto gangway and block views from premiere tables. Waiter said it happens every night. Food is fine and waiter was nice but it's too much money to spend and not get any value. Our view was "the butts of Paris" read more

Bateaux Parisiens - French Near Me - Paris, 75

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We did the day scenic cruise. This is a wonderful activity to do if you sit at the top you will get some wonderful views of the city and especially the eiffel tower. It also gives you a good idea of the layout of the city. I love to do this activity when I need a break or if I have just arrived. It is relaxing but great. Go straight to the top and enjoy!! read more

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A MUST-DO while in Paris. Very unique perspective of the city, which you'll remember for the rest of your life. We went in summer, so weather was beautiful. Unfortunately, city doesn't get dark until after 10pm, so you miss out on all the lights. A few drawbacks: Not very romantic, as large tour groups swarm these boats. Also, tourguide is in 4 languages goes by very rapidly. Would recommend doing this early, to get lay of the land read more

Service ok food only ok selections limited Get upper deck window seating for best view Pretty pricey at 150 per person Friday night skip the photos they are not with landmarks just at the table they asked for $330 Dollars with paper frames or $20 euros each previous trips they were more reasonable This guy was nasty Suggest you decline the shoot to avoid controversy read more

We went on a night time city tour boat ride in the middle of the winter. Yes, it is touristy, but the views and photo ops were spectacular! Dress warm, and relax, enjoy the ride. Take pictures. I will take visitors in the future- no need to get tickets ahead, just walk up and buy for the next cruise! read more

Bateaux Parisiens - Great views of Paris at night! Bring your camera, and a jacket! - French Near Me - Paris, 75

My friends and I had a great experience on the late evening boat cruise. Our waiter got along great with us and even slipped in a free additional bottle of red (maybe because I spoke French). My friends didn't speak French which wasn't a problem at all, the staff was still very friendly. As long as you make it to the right dock off the river, they'll direct you to the right boat. We had the more economic seating in the "center" of the boat which had almost the exact same beautiful view as the more pricey seats right against the edge; with glass ceilings and walls you can still see all the sights. The food was delicious, wine was great, and I believe there was live music but we were having too much fun to notice. Opportunity for taking pictures outside too! Worth the price. read more

My husband and I took the 1 hour night sightseeing tour. Pros: great view of the city and though we have been walking along the river for days it had quite a different feel and was very romantic even though we were on a boat full of strangers Cons: the commentary was lacking on clear description of what buildings they were talking about and some of the comments could have been more detailed to give a deeper history of Paris We will probably take a cruise every time we return but try some of the more unique and romantic cruises we passed along the river. read more

Beautiful place, beautiful people, amazing view. The staff was so friendly, they took a picture for me and my family and printed it out for us. The food is great and so is the lemonade. If you are a tourist in Paris, then you absolutely must visit this place to really see the Seine River. read more

Horrible Seine river cruise. Crew would not doing anything about screaming group of 40 teenagers. One hour of relentless yelling. If you are seeking quiet and romantic Parisian cruise, stay away from this company. read more

We arrive a short time later to the Seine launching point. Our driver goes ahead to clear the path, then whisks us to the front of the line for priority seating. The boat is impressive, completely roofed in glass panels for a full view of all sights. Our table is well-appointed with white wine chilling alongside. Our waiter offers us a champagne apertif, which we gladly accept. As we clink glasses, we believe we are in for the greatest experience of our lives! Well,... The trouble start immediately. My water glass has a chip out of it and our less-than-attentive waiter takes forever to replace it. Literally, 20 minutes and several reminders. The food comes out rapidly, not at all like the leisurely French meals to which we've grown accustomed. Feeling adventurous, I ordered the swordfish marinated in thin slices with spiced avocado. Little did I know this was fishy-smelling carpaccio-thin discs of swordfish accompanied by marinated vegetables. My first bite is all fish. Yuck! I bravely move forward with my choice, and find that when mixed with the veggies, the fish taste actually dissipates. I nearly finish it all, and at the very least get a glimpse into how foods can make other foods taste completely different. The white wine--a 2007 Côtes de Provence from Château Real Martin--doesn't quite do its job. Shockingly, I order the beef tournedos for my main. They are pretty good, especially when paired with the amazing ratatouille side. Blizzam! The tart ratatouille overshadows all other side dishes. I want another turine of this, please! Our bottle of 2007 Saint-Estèphe from Château Morin pairs very nicely, and turns out to be the best red we've had since we arrived. The cheese plate is pretty good, but I'm counting on dessert to bail me from the lackluster experience: Crepes Suzette with orange butter and Grand Marnier. They arrive flaming and, like most of the food, are pretty good...but not worth the money in the long run. Although we're not the most romantic people on the face of the Earth, the scenery and atmosphere--with views of the Eiffel tower and Notre Dame all lit up--does lend itself to quiet conversation and stolen glances. (Though the rooftop terrace at Hotel Raphael beats all for romance.) If the quality of the food had been higher, or the service been closer to what we paid for, the cruise might have been a success. As it stands, it'll probably be the last we take. read more

I am only giving one star because I have to give to something. THIS IS A COMPLETE SCAM. the boat never took off. After begging for bread, begging for our wine and slowly watching one couple after another leave the boat and then watching 14 people leave at one time, we asked why we werent leaving the dock to be told the motor was broken and we weren't leaving in the first place. They never announced the broken motor. They took people on board even knowing the boat was broken. THEY ARE COMPLETE FRAUDS. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY THE WORST. when you see this kind of poor business, you have to wonder what kind of emergency preparedness they would have enacted if there was an water emergency!! I think we may have avoided a potentially hazardous evening!! They won't reimburse us! They say we have to go through the agency to get our money. They gave up the contact info of this supposed agency begrudgingly. They refused to refund the cab fare. Again, use at. your own risk!! read more

We just went to Paris on our honeymoon. Having never been to the city before, we took the advice to go on a sunset river cruise one night. The staff was kind and helpful, but out of a week of wonderful, fun experiences, this was our one real disappointment. It's a river cruise, so, not shockingly, the food is pretty boring and bad. It was the worst meal we had all week. However, that we were prepared for. What surprised us was how boring the ride was. It was hard to see the city from inside the boat (it was lightly raining and cold outside). The boat was almost empty, so we asked to sit by a window. We were told that would cost extra. From where we sat, the light was too bright to really see outside. Truly, we had better sunset tours of the city every other evening by just being outside and walking or standing atop the Pompidou. Do not waste your money on this tour. Instead, get a hot chocolate from Angelina's and walk along the Seine. Then, use the money you saved to start planning your next trip to this exquisite city. read more

BEWARE! Do not -I repeat, do not- opt for the "Privilege" boat dinner. It was the worst money I've ever spent on fine dining. "Prawns" that look like frozen convenience store shrimp, cold scallops, disgusting soup, rock hard bread and cheap wine... These are the treasures that await you after wasting hundreds of dollars on a complete tourist trap. read more

What a beautiful night. My only complaint is the dress code specified no jeans or sporty shoes or sneakers. We went out of our way to make sure we brought dress clothing and shoes just for these 3 hours. At check in a party of 4 not well dressed all in sneakers and jeans was let on board! Other than that- our evening was fantastic. The service was ok-took long time to get bitter for bread and hardly any wine poured by steward. We helped ourselves as we had paid $$$$ for premium experience with upgraded wines and special window seating. The singer was wonderful and the pianist was good too. They even sang happy birthday to us. I wax surprised that we had to pay for two birthday presentations. It worked out for us as our two birthdays were 2 days apart. But sort of weird request and it costs more!! The ambiance wax terrific. Unfortunately, we didn't know you could go outside to see icons and take pictures. My son figured it out at the end when the Eiffel Tower lit up and he was exploring after dinner. Hard to take pictures be if glass reflection. Food is haute French read more

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The cruise was geart and wow but the food. Was not that good wish that they offer better food than this The price its high comparing to the food quality Even that the photo it realy high price almost 20e whict it to high foor photo read more

I want to summarize my experience by saying this place is absolutely unsafe for those with gluten allergies. I read the mixed reviews on this establishment before I booked. So I emailed the establishment to see if they could accommodate gluten allergies before I made my reservation. Their representative wrote back saying they have a gluten free menu. I made the reservation and emailed the representative again who confirmed that gluten free menus were added to our reservation. We go to the boat for the night of the cruise, and they placed vegetarian menus on our reservation instead of gluten free menus. We alerted them of this mistake, and the receptionist assured me that we would receive gluten free menus. We were seated, and our waiter makes no mention of a gluten free menu, but he says that they can modify anything on the regular menu to make it gluten free. So we place our orders. My wife has an extreme gluten sensitivity so we stressed to them the importance of having gluten free food. I even ordered gluten free that night as well to assure no confusion or cross-contamination. Well, the waiters and kitchen had no idea what gluten free meant. They brought me out a dish with pasta although I asked for gluten free food so I had them send it back. They proceeded to bring my wife out steak covered with gluten containing onion ring crumbs, and my wife had to educate them that it contained gluten so she sent it back. They brought back the meal with gravy (that likely was made with flour, and they could not assure us whether it was safe or not) two more times. We asked to speak to the manager who said the only thing she could eat was a vegetarian meal. We had to educate him that gluten free and vegetarian are two different things. We assured him that if he brought her a steak without the crumbs or gravy then the food should be safe. For dessert, the waiters has told us that any dessert could be made gluten free so we placed orders. The waiter decided just to bring us cut up fruit instead to ensure my wife's safety. We did file a complaint with the head receptionist when we finished. And I even sent an email to the complaint department. But no one has contacted us back. Overall, the staff was very friendly and the atmosphere was very nice. But this establishment misrepresented the fact that they could accommodate gluten allergies. I highly recommend for those with gluten allergies to stay away. read more

The atmosphere was great. My date and I had a center table to ourselves. The views were amazing and food delicious. But that's where the compliments end. The service was Disappointing considering the price. the food was delivered almost at random instead of well timed. While others were getting their desserts we were still waiting for our main entreé. By the time we got our dessert we had docked and were told we need to hurry because they need to prep for the next customers, with a very rude attitude. I had to ask for bread multiple times before receiving it. And eventually got fed up with not getting our wine refilled that I went and did it myself, whereas other customers had bottles actually on their table with them. Overall, the meals and drink were good. But the management yelling at the waiters constantly tells me they were understaffed and not managing their customers and time efficiently which resulted in the patrons around me including myself and my date paying the price. I would do it again with hope that there would be a different result, as it really was a nice time and had the prospect of being 5 stars. I would also like to mention at the end the doormen were kind enough to send us to a great district with bars and clubs which resulted in tons of fun and drinking. read more

This is one of my favorite things to do in Paris! Go straight to the riverside ticket area on the docks and confirm your cruise time. Depending on crowds there could be a bit of a wait. If you have a time gap it is pretty to walk along the river walk and there are food and drink vendors as well as restrooms. As your cruise time approaches go get in line to board. The order in line determines your order boarding and therefore seat selection. Go straight through and up the stairs to the top deck as it has the best views and a nice breeze on a sunny day. The river cruise is a great way to see the Seine bridges and many landmarks like Notre Dame. It is beautiful to take your cruise at sunset or even at night and see the city lights. The cruise only takes about an hour and is definitely worth doing! Transportation Tip: The Metro stop Pont del l'Alma is close by. read more

If $400 is a drop in the bucket for you, enjoy! Otherwise, the river cruise is okay, the food is alright, at best. The appetizers were insipid but at least the entrees were better. Wine is free flowing so feel free to enjoy those. Especially upsetting is that a photographer will take your picture and then offer you the prints for 20 euro each; only after printing them and handing them to you. This predatory move completely spoiled the cruise and made us feel cheated. They probably burnt the prints they made of us. Server were nice enough. read more

I took a Bateaux Parisiens cruise in Paris, France on the 11th of July 2013. My riverboat was the "Diamant" but they have five total.. I was there with a tour group from the cruise ship Sea Princess which was anchored in Le Havre that day. Viewing Paris from the river Seine was a relaxing and enjoyable way to see the sights. The "Diamant" passed close by both the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame Cathedral. Plus the food was exceptionally good while the service was much better than I expected considering the ship was sold out with people. As an added perk they had a wonderful singer singing French songs as we ate. A great way to see Paris. read more

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Highlight of trip! We selected the 6pm dinner cruise (9 too late for us and it was dark enough to see city lights halfway back) and the food was so much better than anticipated on a boat. The boat was beautiful - all glass. Definitely the most attractive of the boats available. Waiters were very entertaining and spoke English well. For us, it was also convenient to get from our hotel, since it started from Eiffel Tower. At 89e a piece for a window table it was totally worth it since you get a great dinner with a wonderful cruise. read more

Bateaux Parisiens - Menu choices. You select 1 from each section. - French Near Me - Paris, 75

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This is a must if in Paris, take an evening dinner cruise up and down the river Seine in one of the floodlite boats, serving excellent food whilst viewing the sights along the river including the Isle de Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty. This finishes any evening off in the City for Lovers. read more

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Ticketing policy is ridiculous. If you buy an eTicket online you still have to wait to purchase a ticket with everyone else once you get there. Online ticket is only good for the Eiffel tower locations which you do not know until you get to the other location and find out. Terrible customer service- waste of time and money. read more

What could be seen like a good deal in terms of Paris Seine cruises, with hop-in hop-off stops valid for 24 hours, turns out to be a waste of time. The ticket sellers and advertisement says boat frequency is 20-25 minutes. But I waited 40 to get into the first boat at Tour Eiffel. Apparently this was because of an issue with one of their boats and I was told that frequency is not sky about 30 mins, still not as advertised. I could have done other things in this time. Further, there is no fixed schedule but approximate times between stations. So you can waste more time if you hop-off and wait I board again. If you add this to no descriptions of the sights, I think one is better off with a fix time cruise of 1 hours with a real guide and several languages, and be done with this. read more

The dinner cruise didn't leave the dock due to mechanical problems. No options were given until customers demanded refund!!! Well that option was not available but they did agree to give us an hour sightseeing cruise. The service sucked, we got there at 8:15pm and we didn't have dinner until 10pm. So, before paying the high price check and make sure there is no mechanical problems....or you will be having dinner facing the parking lot. read more

The only thing good on this cruise was the view even in the rain, the food for the price terrible you would be better picking up a "royal with cheese" and going on a less expensive cruise, The waiter was very slow in bring our dinner and the wine that comes with the cruise was not good at all and if you didn't like the wine you had to pay a up charge for anything else. I wanted this to be a great night for my wife for her birthday, although she was happy to be just on the cruise and she loved seeing everything so like said in the beginning the view was the only thing good on this cruise. read more

Terrible queuing system. If you bought tickets on the Big Bus Tour, you must exchange your tickets and that takes forever. They let Huge groups on 1st. I was number 30 or so in line for the 6:00 pm boat and didn't get on because they let in excess of 5 groups board first who arrived just prior to departure. Been waiting in line now for 1 hour and 45 min and I think I may make the 6:30 pm departure. I could have seen a lot of Paris in that amount of time. Never again. read more