On the Seine
A Seine river dinner cruise in Paris is sold on the menu, but what people remember is the window. The listings name what goes past: the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Conciergerie, Les Invalides and the Pont Neuf, all of them floodlit. How much of that you see comes down to how long the boat is on the water — seventy-five minutes, or two and a half hours — and to what kind of glass is between you and the river: a glass-enclosed room, a canopy, bay windows, or an open upper deck. Fourteen sailings on this stretch, 52,461 reviews, fares from $68.
Quick answer
The short answer. For the river itself, book $132 — two and a half hours on an all-glass boat from the Eiffel Tower, past the historic quays with the monuments floodlit, with an à la carte dinner and live entertainment; 8,505 reviews at 4.7. If you want to be outside rather than behind glass, $68 is a panoramic boat with an outdoor terrace from the Pont Alexandre III at the lowest fare here, and $132 has an upper deck with a 360° view. For the shortest version of the same river, $100 covers the Pont Neuf and Notre-Dame in seventy-five minutes.
The river
The Seine runs through the middle of Paris, and the monuments people come for are lined up along it. That is the whole reason this niche exists: from a table on the water you pass in ninety minutes what would take an evening on foot, and you pass it from the one angle the city was built to be seen from. The listings are unusually specific about this. Between them they name the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Conciergerie, Les Invalides, the Parliament, the Pont Neuf and the Pont Alexandre III.
What differs is how long you have. $100, $100, $114 and $190 run seventy-five minutes. $75 runs one hour forty-five. $68, $92 and $127 run two hours. $132, $132, $77 and $76 run two and a half. A shorter sailing is not a worse view — the central stretch is short — but a longer one gives the courses room to arrive between the bridges rather than on top of them.
The second difference is what is between you and the water. Several of these boats are glass-enclosed: $100 and $92 both say so outright, and $91 and $114 use a glass canopy. $132 is described as an all-glass boat. Others put you outside: $68 and $75 have an outdoor terrace, $77 a large upper deck, and $132 a main deck with bay windows and an upper deck with a 360° view. In cold months the enclosed room is the better buy; in June the terrace is.
And the third is where you get on. Most of these sailings board by the Eiffel Tower, which puts the tower itself at the start and the end of the evening. $68 boards at the Pont Alexandre III, which its listing calls the most beautiful bridge in Paris. $132 uses the Bateaux Mouches pier, and $76 splits the evening in two — a one-hour sightseeing cruise from the Eiffel Tower and a three-course dinner at the Bistro Parisien on the quayside, in whichever order you choose. The boarding page covers the quays in detail.
On the water
The table below has the six numbers that decide a booking. What it cannot show is what each length of sailing feels like from a table, so here it is first.
Two and a half hours: four sailings. These are evenings rather than dinners. $132 is our top pick — an all-glass boat from the Eiffel Tower, an all-inclusive à la carte meal of three or four courses, Champagne and appetisers on some options, the historic quays of the Seine and live entertainment by a singer; 8,505 reviews at 4.7. $132 runs the Bateaux Mouches service with a three or four-course à la carte meal, wine by the glass or half bottle depending on the menu, live musicians on piano and violin, bay windows below and a 360° upper deck above; 4,267 reviews at 4.5. $77 sails the Diamant Bleu with a three-course menu Tuesday to Saturday, a buffet on Sundays only, an onboard chef, live singers and a DJ set to finish; 2,978 reviews at 4.4. $76 is the one that is half on land: an hour of sightseeing from the Eiffel Tower with commentary on the city and its architecture, plus a three-course dinner with a drink at the quayside Bistro Parisien; 1,525 reviews at 4.4.
Two hours, or just under: four sailings. $68 boards at the Pont Alexandre III, serves three bistronomic courses with butlers at the table, and passes the Louvre, Notre-Dame and the Conciergerie before the Eiffel Tower lights; 5,732 reviews at 4.2, and the lowest fare on the river. $75 runs one hour forty-five with traditional French cocotte cuisine, first course, main, dessert and mineral water, and an outdoor terrace for the views — 11,893 reviews, more than any other sailing here. $92 sails the Capitaine Fracasse, glass-enclosed with an outdoor panoramic terrace, three courses, 2,377 reviews at 4.3. $127 adds a glass of Champagne and a live singer to a three-course seasonal menu; 405 reviews at 4.4.
Seventy-five minutes: four sailings. The shortest time on the water, and the most expensive hour — which is the trade for what is on the table. $100 is a glass-enclosed boat with three courses, gourmet desserts, coffee or tea, sailing under the Pont Neuf and past Notre-Dame, with Champagne on some options; 5,915 reviews at 4.3. $100 sails Extime Paris Seine in the early evening as the floodlights come on, with a classic French menu and gourmet desserts with coffee; 941 reviews at 4.2. $114 puts Les Invalides, the Parliament and Notre-Dame past a glass canopy from the foot of the Eiffel Tower, with aperitif, wine, mineral water and coffee in the fare; 496 reviews at 4.6. $190 serves the Maxim’s de Paris menu with guaranteed window seating, a Champagne aperitif, wine, water and coffee, and a live singer pianist; 592 reviews at 4.5.
The same river in daylight: two lunch cruises. $91 runs two hours from the Eiffel Tower on a glass canopy boat, past Notre-Dame, with an all-inclusive à la carte lunch, a cheese course on the Privilege and Premier services and drinks included; 4.8 across 5,268 reviews, the highest rating on the site. $80 is ninety minutes in the midday sun under the Pont Neuf and past Notre-Dame with a classic menu and coffee; 1,567 reviews at 4.4. Neither shows you the lit monuments, and the lunch cruise page explains when that is a fair trade.
Every trip, current fare
All fourteen sailings with their live ratings. The cost-per-hour column is the only honest way to compare a seventy-five-minute dinner with a two-and-a-half-hour evening.
| Cruise | Length | Price | What is included | Cost per hour | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Course-Dinner Cruise on the Seine with live musicThree courses and live music | 2.5 h | $132 | Three courses and live music | $52.80 | 4.7 · 8,505 |
| Seine River Panoramic Views Dinner CruiseDinner with panoramic windows | 105 min | $75 | Dinner with panoramic windows | $42.86 | 4.3 · 11,893 |
| 3-Course Gourmet Dinner Cruise on Seine RiverThree-course gourmet menu | 75 min | $100 | Three-course gourmet menu | $80.00 | 4.3 · 5,915 |
| Seine River Bistronomic Dinner CruiseBistronomic menu on the Seine | 2 h | $68 | Bistronomic menu on the Seine | $34.00 | 4.2 · 5,732 |
| Lunch Cruise with 3-course menu from the Eiffel TowerThree-course lunch from the tower | 2 h | $91 | Three-course lunch from the tower | $45.50 | 4.8 · 5,268 |
| Bateaux Mouches® Dinner Cruise on the Seine RiverBateaux Mouches dinner service | 2.5 h | $132 | Bateaux Mouches dinner service | $52.80 | 4.5 · 4,267 |
| Gourmet Dinner Cruise on Seine River with Live MusicGourmet dinner with live music | 2.5 h | $77 | Gourmet dinner with live music | $30.80 | 4.4 · 2,978 |
| Romantic Cruise with 3-course Dinner on Seine RiverThree-course dinner for two | 2 h | $92 | Three-course dinner for two | $46.00 | 4.3 · 2,377 |
| 3-Course Lunch Cruise on the River SeineThree-course lunch cruise | 90 min | $80 | Three-course lunch cruise | $53.33 | 4.4 · 1,567 |
| 1-Hour Sightseeing Cruise and 3-Course Bistro DinnerSightseeing hour and bistro dinner | 2.5 h | $76 | Sightseeing hour and bistro dinner | $30.40 | 4.4 · 1,525 |
| Early Evening Dinner Cruise with Paris SeineEarly evening dinner service | 75 min | $100 | Early evening dinner service | $80.00 | 4.2 · 941 |
| 3-Course-Dinner Cruise with Wine on the Seine RiverThree courses with wine included | 75 min | $114 | Three courses with wine included | $91.20 | 4.6 · 496 |
| Seine River Champagne Dinner Cruise with Live MusicChampagne dinner with live music | 2 h | $127 | Champagne dinner with live music | $63.50 | 4.4 · 405 |
| Maxim's Dinner Cruise on the Seine with Live MusicMaxim's dinner with live music | 75 min | $190 | Maxim's dinner with live music | $152.00 | 4.5 · 592 |
The verdict
For the longest look at the river, book $132. Two and a half hours from the Eiffel Tower on an all-glass boat, the historic quays, the monuments floodlit on both banks, an à la carte dinner of three or four courses and live entertainment; 8,505 reviews at 4.7. It is our top pick and the deepest record on this site for an evening sailing with music.
To be outside rather than behind glass, book $132 or $68. Bateaux Mouches runs a main deck with bay windows and an upper deck with a 360° view, and invites you up for photographs; the bistronomic sailing is a panoramic boat with an outdoor terrace, boarding at the Pont Alexandre III, at the lowest fare on the river. $75 and $77 also have open decks.
For the most river per dollar, book $76 or $77. Both run two and a half hours and both are among the lowest cost per hour in the table above. The first splits the evening between an hour of sightseeing with commentary and a quayside dinner; the second keeps you on board the whole time with an onboard chef and a band.
If seventy-five minutes is all the evening you have, book $114. A glass canopy boat from the foot of the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, the Parliament and Notre-Dame from the water, and the drinks written into the fare — aperitif, wine, mineral water and coffee. 4.6 across 496 reviews, the second highest rating on this site. $190 is the same length with the Maxim’s menu and a guaranteed window seat.
If you would rather see the banks than the lights, book $91. Two hours in daylight from the Eiffel Tower past Notre-Dame, an all-inclusive à la carte lunch with drinks, and the highest rating here at 4.8 across 5,268 reviews.
On the water
Taken from the inclusions and highlights of the listings, word for word. The exact boarding quay is shown on the booking page for your date.
| What you sail on | How long | What the listing states | Which sailings |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-glass and glass-enclosed boatsthe room is closed in | 75 min – 2.5 h | An all-glass boat on one; a glass-enclosed boat on two; the view is through the window from the table | $132, $100, $92 |
| Glass canopy boatsroof of glass, sides open to the light | 75 min – 2 h | A glass canopy through the heart of Paris from the Eiffel Tower, with the drinks included on both | $114, $91 |
| Panoramic boats with an outdoor terraceyou can step outside | 1 h 45 – 2 h | A panoramic boat with an outdoor terrace on one; an outdoor terrace for panoramic views on the other | $68, $75 |
| Two decksbay windows below, open deck above | 2.5 h | A main deck with bay windows and an upper deck with a 360° view on one; a large upper deck for the Eiffel Tower views on the other | $132, $77 |
| Window seating written into the farenot left to the day | 75 min – 2 h | Guaranteed window seating on one; table seating that varies by the option chosen, with Champagne on the front-boat tables, on the other | $190, $114 |
| Cruise plus a quayside tablehalf the evening on land | 2.5 h | A one-hour sightseeing cruise from the Eiffel Tower with commentary, and a three-course dinner at the Bistro Parisien by the tower | $76 |
Book direct
The longest evening behind glass, the 360° upper deck, the outdoor terrace at the lowest fare, and seventy-five minutes with the drinks included.
★ 4.7 · 8,505 reviews
★ 4.5 · 4,267 reviews
★ 4.2 · 5,732 reviews
★ 4.6 · 496 reviews
When to sail
The bridges and the banks are where they were all year, and the boats sail through the winter. What the calendar changes is whether the terrace is worth having and how much light is left when you board.
Apr–Jun
The best weeks for this page. The light lasts long enough that a sailing can start on a bright river and finish on a lit one, which is the whole city in one evening. The terraces on $68 and $75 and the upper deck on $132 all earn their keep.
Jul–Aug
Warm evenings and full boats. The two-and-a-half-hour sailings are the ones to take — $132 and $77 — because the extra hour is spent on a river that is still light. Book a few weeks out.
Sep–Oct
The lights come on earlier and the quays are quieter. Glass starts to matter: $100, $92 and $114 keep the room closed in while the monuments go past. A good stretch for the shorter sailings.
Nov–Mar
Cruises run all year, and in winter the city is already floodlit when the boats leave, so seventy-five minutes buys the same view a longer summer sailing does. $190 and $114 are indoor evenings by design; the terraces are not the reason to book in these months.
Mistakes
Each of these is in the listing if you look for it.
$68 and $75 sell an outdoor terrace and $132 an upper deck. In June that is the best seat on the river. In January the glass-enclosed boats — $100, $92 — are the ones to book.
The central stretch is short. Two and a half hours on $132 buys a longer evening, not a longer river. If the view is all you want, seventy-five minutes on $100 covers the Pont Neuf and Notre-Dame for less.
Only $190 guarantees it in the listing, and only $114 sells seating as an option with the front-boat tables named. Everywhere else, where you sit is decided on the day.
The inclusions lists here are detailed and they differ. $75 lists first course, main, dessert and mineral water; $114 lists aperitif, wine, water and coffee; $77 lists half a bottle of water for two. That line is the contract.
$91 and $80 are lunch cruises on the same water. They are excellent — 4.8 and 4.4 — and they show you the banks in the sun. They do not show you the monuments lit. Check the departure time first.
Boarding is at a quay in the middle of a busy city, and some of these listings ask you to book hours ahead: one to two hours on several, five hours on $190. Arrive early, and book the sailing itself weeks out — free cancellation is shown on these booking pages.
Checklist
One minute, and the table you get is the table you pictured.
Seventy-five minutes, ninety, one hour forty-five, two hours or two and a half. This is the single number that decides how the evening is paced.
An all-glass room, a glass canopy, an outdoor terrace, or two decks with bay windows below. Match it to the month you are sailing in.
Between them these fourteen name the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Conciergerie, Les Invalides, the Parliament and the Pont Neuf. If one of those is the reason you are booking, find it in the text.
The Eiffel Tower for most; the Bateaux Mouches pier for $132; the Pont Alexandre III for $68. The exact quay is on the booking page for your date.
Shown on the booking page for these sailings, which is worth having when you are picking an evening in Paris weeks ahead.
Ready to take the river? Our top pick is $132 — two and a half hours on an all-glass boat from the Eiffel Tower past the floodlit quays, 8,505 reviews at 4.7. The lowest fare with an outdoor terrace is $68.
Compare all fourteen sailings→Common questions
The listings name the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Conciergerie, Les Invalides, the Parliament, the Pont Neuf and the Pont Alexandre III, with the monuments floodlit for the evening. The boats cover the central stretch of the river and turn back, so most sailings pass the same landmarks twice.
From seventy-five minutes to two and a half hours. $100, $100, $114 and $190 are the short ones; $132, $132, $77 and $76 are the long ones. The rest sit between at two hours.
For an open view, $132 has an upper deck with a 360° view and $68 a panoramic boat with an outdoor terrace. For a guaranteed window from the table, $190 states it in the inclusions. For the longest time looking, $132 at two and a half hours.
From $68 to $190 across these fourteen sailings. The price page sets out what each fare includes; the cost-per-hour column in the table above compares a short sailing with a long one fairly.
Most board by the Eiffel Tower. $68 boards at the Pont Alexandre III and $132 at the Bateaux Mouches pier. The exact quay and the arrival time are on the booking page for your date — the boarding page covers it.
These fourteen sailings carry 52,461 reviews between them, rated from 4.2 to 4.8. What the fare buys is a table in the middle of the river for the length of a dinner, with the monuments lit and no walking between courses. The worth-it page works through it fare by fare.
Go deeper
Fourteen sailings compared by menu, length and price.
Which is bestA straight answer for each kind of evening.
What it costsFrom $68 to $190, and what each fare puts on the table.
Bateaux MouchesThe oldest name on the river, and what its dinner service includes.
Lunch insteadThe same river in daylight, for less.
3-Course-Dinner Cruise on the Seine with live music
★ 4.7 · 8,505 reviews · Free cancellation 24 h