Published on Nov, 2024
I booked this tour since our cruise ship arrived in Le Havre at 700 and we weren't leaving until 2000--so we had a full day. Since it was not "cruise-ship approved" tour (not sponsored by the cruise), the buses have to park a little further away, but not too far out of the way that you have to walk a long way. The bus did not have any USB plugs for your phone or AC outlets, so bring a portable charger if you need to keep your phone charged (after a full day of pictures and using the maps app, I'm glad I brought my portable charger). The trip was about 2.5-3 hours. Traffic was fine--no backups or issues that delayed our trip. We did stop about an hour outside of Paris for a reststop/bathroom break. The issue with this though is that all the other buses (both from our cruise and other cruises) seems to stop there. Hence, there is a huge group of people looking to use the bathroom and buy refreshments and souvenirs and the line to check out is long. Keep this in mind since the stop is only supposed to be about 15-20 minutes--and one person can delay holding up the whole bus. The drop off was near the Eiffel Tower, and the pick up was near the Arc de Triomphe. The guide, Robbie, provided a map and was kind enough to share his contact information should tardiness or getting lost in the city. After I got off the bus, I was provided a bottle of water and a cup that had a Madeleine and two macarons! What a little treat--completely unexpected but appreciated! The day was on my own, and the bus was at the pick-up location even an hour before the meet-up time. We had 5 hours in Paris before having to meet up at 1500. When I got back to bus, Robbie was pouring French sparkling wine to all the riders! Another unexpected treat. The ride back was smooth; we again stopped about hour before arrival back in port. We were back a good hour before the posted back-on-ship time. Robbie and driver, Fabrice, were wonderful guides for the day. Thanks!