Paris Louvre & Seine Cruise: Skip-the-Line Review

Thinking about visiting the Louvre Museum in Paris and doing a Seine River cruise? The “Paris Skip the Line Louvre Museum and Seine River Cruise” tour could be a really good option for you. Yet, you should know this combination tour is super sought after, and tour operators promise you the experience of a lifetime, it is wise to check if they walk the talk. So, this is my full, in-depth review that can assist you in planning that special trip. Hopefully, this should tell you what to prepare for, so too, it helps you to get your expectations just right, and whether this combo ticket is the best deal for you!

What to Expect From the Louvre

First, a little bit about the Louvre, OK? It’s not just some stuffy old art museum; it’s arguably one of the biggest and most well-known museums around! It’s located in the middle of Paris. It used to be a royal palace, too it’s now home to art like the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. People travel very far, from literally everywhere, to view this building itself is rather magnificent with its awesome architecture, but when you get inside, you’ll have your mind blown.

You know, seeing the art is amazing, but it’s almost difficult to find a piece to yourself given how many others want to experience the Louvre as well. Anyway, this tour promises that “skip-the-line” access. This is pretty big, specifically if you’re visiting Paris when there is a lot of tourism because it saves a lot of time. Still, prepare for security. Even with this, everyone still needs to go through security checks, so, too there still might be a short wait.

The art is mind-blowing of course! You know, plan which exhibits that strike your fancy ahead of time so that you can make the best use of your visit. I mean, you could literally get lost in there for days if you tried to see absolutely everything. The galleries that house Egyptian artifacts and French Renaissance paintings is worth considering! These were two of my favourite galleries from when I visited, they should hopefully get you hooked as well.

The Seine River Cruise: A Different Perspective

Now, let’s look at the Seine River cruise part of the deal. OK, so this cruise gives you totally other views of Paris and it is very pretty. You may have taken the Metro and saw a bit of Paris, that’s great. You may have visited some of the galleries too, superb. Yet, seeing the important sites from the water has a really distinctive and romantic feel. That can only really be captured on the Seine.

The boats usually have, in some ways, open-air decks plus enclosed areas, very much depending on the boat used. You might want to dress for the weather of the time. I’m talking like hats, scarves, gloves when needed! Anyway, the trip goes by lots of well-known spots, almost such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame (which is being repaired) plus other landmarks, basically which are all really interesting to witness. Tour guides also, very usually, give information along the ride. They also sometimes come with it pre-recorded that give details and light historical facts for everything you pass.

That can almost typically last around one hour, so, too, this gives your legs a very welcome break after all the walking at the Louvre. Really, that’s just about it. You want to double-check all departure locations as well, like your tickets. That’s especially when your legs feel like lead so you can get yourself on board correctly after you hop off from seeing the Mona Lisa! I was just beat! But I made it.

The Benefits of a Combo Tour

Alright, what’s quite enticing about booking this as one package? Firstly, convenience is absolutely a factor to think about. Handling only a single booking makes it really easy. Yet, sometimes you do get the impression that booking separately would still let you be a bit more flexible with your itinerary. Though booking separately still demands some organization, as one does have to plan!

OK, I think cost is, actually, the other point to mull over. I find that these combination deals do tend to offer a saving when compared to paying for everything individually. Though, it would be useful if you looked at everything piece by piece and add things up! I did get quite a big saving, specifically as prices can actually vary by season, so that may have been it as well, you see.

Having it all planned, sort of, for you can definitely take away all the worry. Really, someone who’s been there can just do things rather spontaneously and find things out themselves. However, what is special about package deals is they can sort everything if, arguably, you’re not fond of doing things alone! All in all, consider what kind of travelling works well for you.

Is “Skip the Line” Really Skip the Line?

OK, let’s talk about what “skip the line” actually looks like since, arguably, I get that some things don’t quite follow through the promises made in adverts and promotional brochures. This isn’t some, “walk straight in” type of magic trick. What it literally does, is it gets you into a shorter line for everyone who has pre-booked a ticket or tour than people buying on the spot.

When you eventually get there, still, prepare to have everyone pass security checks. I mean, you will still get rather closely herded through security with big groups of folks, like your tour groups. That does mean there will likely be, a bit, a queue as well. Even though, that line does go a good bit more speedily than the other folks! Don’t get me wrong.

I do not regret doing it! Still, it can come as a shock that things aren’t exactly how people envision them. Manage those expectations a little bit. Anyway, I was able to view much more art and spend more time enjoying it without having wasted it standing outside!

Final Thoughts: Worth It?

Well, here are some thoughts: Doing the “Paris Skip the Line Louvre Museum and Seine River Cruise” really depends on exactly what you like. I suggest it if you don’t want waiting in lines and also, if you really desire doing a museum and water tour all together.

Make sure you look for deals, think about doing what fits your plans and get prepared for queues, even when they are slightly faster. I will actually tell you to have fun since it is so magical! Really, you should hopefully get heaps out of having seen important bits of what Paris provides by the end of it!