An in-Seine Day in the Life aboard the Scenic Gem

River cruising is one of those whimsical things that most people wonder about, occasionally receive brochures or mailings about and might even think “oh that could be a nice getaway” but don’t always act on taking one of these trips. Well let me tell you, it is an incredibly nice getaway and for anyone looking for a relaxing, comfortable, well planned and fun vacation a river cruise is a good option! 

From the moment we walked on-board (we arrived 2 hours early with the intention of dropping off our luggage and returning at the precise embarkation time of 3PM), to our early morning transfers on the last day, we had 8-days of attentive service, delicious food, great wines and cocktails, not to mention the countless friendly and fun interactions with the staff and happy guests onboard

On our river cruise which was operated by Scenic Cruises every day was planned out, yet there was lots of flexibility and opportunities to explore independently. 

A river cruising day went something like this:

Wake-up and pull back the curtains to see which port we were in and what view we had from our stateroom. Give a ring to our fabulous butler Coco for a pre-breakfast cappuccino and croissant.  We wouldn’t want to go hungry so down to the dining room we headed to peruse the morning buffet feast (fresh fruit, delicious breads and spreads, yogurts, fluffy eggs and piping hot sausages) with a side of champagne if that was your thing. “Morning Bubbles” as one guest called them! 

 By 9AM it was time for a morning tour. We enjoyed a coach ride to Versaille, a cycling tour of Rouen, guided walking tour of Honfleur, and other unique stops along the beautiful Seine. The morning activity or excursions typically finished around 12PM at which point it was time to lunch. 

Most days we worked up an appetite and had meal choices from the Cafe (sandwiches, salads, and other deli items), or a seated lunch buffet and lunch menu in the dining room (pastas, entrees, etc). 

Post lunch there were days that everyone stayed aboard and we set off for another port. Let me tell you, an afternoon on the sun deck, cocktail in hand, and the poplar lined river bank passing by was an unbelievably relaxing experience (there may have been a few afternoon naps during this cruising time). On days where we did not leave port after lunch the afternoon was yours, from exploring the towns on your own, to biking along the river and one day we even took a stroll through Le Havre down to the English Channel for a swim.  The day wouldn’t be complete without your Cocktail Hour and Pre-Dinner Port Talk conducted by the Cruise Director. This is the best time to learn about the plans for the next day, which port you will be visiting and what excursions or activities are planned. 

Following the lively Port Talk was… you guessed it, DINNER! Each evening was a seated event with a plated menu that consisted of 3 appetizers (2 hot and 1 cold) to choose from, 3 main course options (meat, fish, vegetarian), 3 dessert options (2 sweet and 1 cheese plate). Not to mention you always had a chef’s recommendation, and alternative choices (steak, salmon, etc) along with the healthy choice recommendation. Without a doubt they did a great job of having food available for just about every guest and palette onboard. 

The dining room set-up allowed you to mingle with others or spend a nice dinner with your traveling companion. Each night was lively with lots of chatter and laughter as the red and white wine options came around the room. 

For anyone looking for some post dinner fun the Main Lounge is where most people would congregate to enjoy a musical performance from the Cruise Director, a local band, or the special guests musician and guitarist fill the air with fun songs. Each night had a different flare and offered a tasteful amount of entertainment as the bartenders came around taking drink orders until you told them you were done drinking.  Before turning in and to get some shut-eye before the next big day, we always had to make one trip to the Sun Deck to check out the night sky. The stars along the Seine were phenomenal most nights. Cruising along the French countryside with a full moon over the poplar trees, we had our very own Starry Night to enjoy (in all reality there was one evening where it looked exactly like Van Gogh’s Starry Night). 

Back to our cabin we wandered, welcomed into our cabin with an itinerary for the next day and our beds turned down for us to fall into a blissful sleep dreaming of all the fun we would have the next day.