I Tested the 5 Most Popular Paris Dinner Cruises. Here’s The One Worth Your Money.

⏱️ TL;DR: I booked the 5 most popular Seine dinner cruises in Paris myself. Bateaux Mouches is the one I would book for a special night: the best food and the friendliest service of the five, a live violin and piano duo, and an open rooftop deck to step out on after dinner.

4.412k+ reviews · 4 sites▾

Average of 4 booking sites, weighted by number of reviewsTiqets4.6(400+)→GetYourGuide4.5(4.8k+)Viator4.4(5.3k+)Tripadvisor4.3(1.7k+)

PriceFrom €1144-course menus €114 to €170

Duration2 h 15 minboarding 19:30, departs 20:30

PierPont de l'Alma15 min walk from the Eiffel Tower

CancellationFreeup to 72 hours before

CHECK DATES FROM €114 →

Every Paris dinner cruise promises a romantic evening, the Eiffel Tower and a gourmet menu, and they all have thousands of good reviews. With prices from €55 to over €200 per person, picking the wrong boat can spoil an anniversary. So during my 12 days in Paris I booked the 5 most popular dinner cruises myself and ate every course.

I judged the food, the drinks included in the ticket, the service, the music, the boat and how much of Paris you actually see from your table. Below is the short version: which one won, why, and when one of the other four is the better pick for you. The full menus and photos are in my complete dinner cruise ranking.

How the 5 Dinner Cruises I Tested Compare

Cruise	Price	Best for	Main drawback
🏆 Bateaux Mouches 2 h 15 m, Pont de l'Alma 4.412k+ reviews · 4 sites▾ Average of 4 booking sites, weighted by number of reviewsTiqets4.6(400+)→GetYourGuide4.5(4.8k+)Viator4.4(5.3k+)Tripadvisor4.3(1.7k+)	from €114	A special night: best food and service, violin and piano, open rooftop	Not at the Eiffel Tower pier, 72 h cancellation
Bateaux Parisiens 2.5 h, Eiffel Tower 4.520k+ reviews · 4 sites▾ Average of 4 booking sites, weighted by number of reviewsTiqets4.7(340+)→GetYourGuide4.7(9k+)Viator4.4(7.5k+)Tripadvisor4.3(3.1k+)	from €115	Boarding at the Eiffel Tower in an all-glass salon	Slower service, no rooftop deck
Paris City Vision (La Marina) 2 h, Musée d'Orsay 4.28k+ reviews · 3 sites▾ Average of 3 booking sites, weighted by number of reviewsGetYourGuide4.3(6.1k+)→Viator3.8(1.6k+)Tripadvisor3.7(330+)	from €105	The best live singer of the five, cozy window tables	No open-air deck, drinks not included
Paris en Scène 1 h 45 m, Port de Javel 4.216.9k+ reviews · 4 sites▾ Average of 4 booking sites, weighted by number of reviewsTiqets4.2(340+)→GetYourGuide4.3(12.4k+)Viator3.7(3.3k+)Tripadvisor3.6(840+)	from €55	A real dinner cruise on a budget, armchairs facing the river	Bland mains, no live music
Le Diamant Bleu 2 h 40 m, Pont de Grenelle 4.56.7k+ reviews · 4 sites▾ Average of 4 booking sites, weighted by number of reviewsTiqets4.4(160+)→GetYourGuide4.5(3.3k+)Viator4.4(1.9k+)Tripadvisor4.6(1.3k+)	from €79	A livelier night with a singer and DJ	Below-average value, rooftop closed until mains are cleared

Why Bateaux Mouches Took the #1 Spot

Bateaux Parisiens is the dinner cruise everyone recommends, so I expected it to win. It didn't. Bateaux Mouches did everything that matters a little better: better food, more drinks in the ticket, faster and warmer service, and a real open deck. It was the only boat where I felt the crew wanted to make my evening special. Here is what I found on board.

1. The Food Was the Best of the Five

Everything is prepared fresh. My dinner started with herb and garlic cheese scones, then a thinly sliced smoked beef carpaccio that was exquisite, and a well-cooked fillet of sea bream as the main.

Dessert was a choux pastry profiterole, honestly the best one I have had. Courses came out quickly too, which was not the case on every boat.

2. Three Menus, With More Drinks Included

• Harmonie (€114): kir and appetiser, starter, main, dessert, 1 glass of wine or soft drink, water, coffee.
• Prestige (€135): 3 to 4 courses and half a bottle of wine per person.
• Excellence (€170): 4 courses with higher-end dishes, a 24-month Comté cheese course, Moët & Chandon Champagne and window seating priority.

For the price, you get the most for your money of all the cruises I tested. Vegetarian dishes are available (also vegan, gluten-free and nut-free).

3. A Big Boat With an Open Rooftop

The boat is huge (about 500 guests), elegant and spacious, with large windows. The best part: a large open-air rooftop deck you can go up to at any time. When the Eiffel Tower starts sparkling, you can watch it outside instead of through glass. Bateaux Parisiens and Paris City Vision don't have this.

4. The Friendliest Service and a Live Violin and Piano Duo

The staff were unusually friendly, chatty and fast. A violin and piano duo plays through dinner: elegant and romantic, but quiet enough to talk. The cruise is timed so you pass the Eiffel Tower while it sparkles.

What I Didn't Love

• It doesn't leave from the Eiffel Tower. The pier is at Pont de l'Alma, about a 15-minute walk away. If boarding at the tower matters, Bateaux Parisiens is the better pick.
• Seats are first come, first served. Window priority is only guaranteed with the Excellence menu, so arrive early for boarding at 19:30.
• The entry menu includes only 1 glass of wine. If you want wine with every course, Prestige is better value.
• Free cancellation ends 72 hours before, not 24 hours like most of the others.
• No Wi-Fi on board. Probably a feature on a romantic night.

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