Travel agent recommended. Everything was wonderful. We enjoyed the room very much except for the septic odour that was prevalent on a number of occasions and the lighting, which was not very good, especially for the application of make-up. The cleaning staff did an excellent job of taking care of any requests we had and tried on a number of occasions to get rid of the door, with some success but it did not last long. The odour did make it difficult to sit on the balcony for any length of time. The staff was absolutely wonderful, extremely helpful and very personable. They made the trip as wonderful as it was. I would recommend Scenic to my friends based on the excellent service the staff provided. The food was excellent and the selection of shore excursions gave everyone an opportunity to see many various parts of the country. Great job again by the crew. 6 stars out of 5********. Read Less

I had done the Rhine River Cruise before and thoroughly enjoyed it. This one was equally as brilliant but maybe a little less “hectic”. A joy from beginning to end. The staff were so friendly, welcoming and professional. The food was exceptional. The scenery and tours were all first class, five star all the way! Everything was so well organised that you knew every day exactly what time to expect everything to happen. The executive chef, captain, crew, manager, cruise director bar attendants, restaurant, waiters and waitresses were all very professional and friendly. Every excursion we went on was extremely interesting and the guides were very interesting and friendly. I would not hesitate in recommending this cruise to anyone. The only thing I would advise is to make sure you are reasonably fit because even the tours said to be easy walking etc could be very tiring. Do it now! Read Less

Our third time with Scenic Tours, one land tour and two river cruises. They have always been very well organised and the Rhone river cruise was no exception, with cheerful and highly professional staff, beginning with a warm welcome on board. The Free Choice excursions were well chosen with a good selection and everyone got their first choice. All were accompanied by authorised Tour and City guides who were both knowledgeable and entertaining. The food was of an exceptionally high standard with a large range to choose from for every meal, with snacks and drinks (alcohol, soft drinks, tea and coffee) available throughout the day. The staff were always available and nothing seemed too much trouble.The daily Port Talks by the Tour Director were informative and detailed; information on walking distances and number of stairs was especially helpful. Everywhere was kept spotlessly clean and the cabins were serviced twice a day by the friendly stewards. The very complicated disembarkation went like clockwork. Read Less

been on prior scenic cruises twice before..though they could never exceed previous levels but they did..ship completely updated with hot tub, gym, masseuse, hairdresser, manicurist...staff attentive to all our quirky requests and needs..doing our laundry was huge. food is gourmet and plentiful. always have special needs food for vegetarians, gluten free diets..staff actually learns your names and constantly asks if there is anything they can do for you..bar variety is extensive with top shelf liquors and amazingly interesting cocktails beyond the usual..side trips and all transportation so well planned that it is effortless to travel with scenic..would have like the gift shop to be a little more extensive as the cruise line extends a 100 euro credit per person..no better place to spend it than on presents for the grandchildren but selection not extensive..needless to say we are looking forward to a fourth cruise with scenic as the exceeded all our expectations Read Less

A Rhone cruise seemed the best way to explore this area of France. Scenic are not cheap but are all inclusive so there's no need to spend any money if you don't want to. Scenic set high standards - equivalent to a five star hotel but informal - smart casual is as good as it gets for evening dining. This cruise delivered what it said it would. The captain was excellent - visible and approachable at all times. The staff were attentive and helpful, (one even lent me her personal iPhone charger when our luggage was delayed at Paris CDG.). The only thing which prevented a five star rating was our Cruise Director,who the reception staff called grumpy grandpa. He was efficient but tired. Dining was first class with plenty of choice and regional dishes available with wines to match. Cabin was fine with good air con, clean towels and face flannels replaced daily and a free minibar topped up at the same frequency. Nice little touches from our steward made us feel welcome (see photo).Balcony had an electric full width window, which when closed shut out all external noise. There was a good choice of inclusive daily shore excursions and some very good guides. (If you visit Avignon or Arles and can go with Emmanuel, do so. He is entertaining, informative and has an amazing singing voice). Chalon-sur Saone, the northern terminus of the cruise was a pleasant little town, but it might have been more interesting if we could have cruised further south than Tarascon on the Rhone instead. All transport functioned according to plan - other than our hold luggage which failed to make the Paris CDG transfer in time. It was however efficiently dealt with, and was delivered to the ship 24hours later. Scenic have a good system of check in and out, with named ID badges and bar codes - but a lanyard would be preferable to the clips which are not easy to attach to all clothing and have to be removed every time you leave the ship. Would we travel Scenic again. Most definitely. Read Less

This is our second time with Scenic, the first being 14 nights from Amsterdam to Budapest. The Scribe in Paris was our pre cruise hotel and it was wonderful. The room was very comfortable and the staff very friendly. Scenic was able to extend our stay with their rates for 6 nights which helped for a smooth transition. We bussed from Paris to Chalon Sur Seone where we embarked. Bus ride was about 5 hours excluding a stop for lunch along the way. Embarkation was easy! We stayed in a Royal Balcony Suite which was great. The extra space was well worth the extra cost and our butler and cabin attendant were terrific. Maybe it's because we were in France but the food and wines were outstanding. The entertainer was very versatile and good. Ports were fine although we wondered why we stopped at Vienne, but my guess is because of spacing and availability for the boats along the river. There was not much to see and we were only there for a few hours. The "special experiences" offered by Scenic were also great...Scenic enrich, sundowner cocktails, and the two specialty dinners. The best part of everything is included. It's always nice to leave with no need to pay for anything else. Granted you pay it in the fare but it's still nice not to get charged for "extras" like so many other cruise lines do. I would travel with them again and highly recommend. They are two for two with us! Read Less

This is our fifth cruise with Scenic and it has been impossible to find fault with any of them. We have found on this cruise, as with the other cruises, that all of the staff go “the extra mile” to ensure that you have an enjoyable voyage. There is a variable and high standard of cuisine with quality wines and a large variety of alcoholic beverages. There is also a 24/7 self service machine for coffee and other hot drinks. Transfers at both the start and end of the voyage are arranged and carried out efficiently with the occasional chauffeured pick up and return to home on some voyages. The guides on the various inclusive tours are also friendly, knowledgable and fully fluent in English as well as other languages. We believe that Scenic “all inclusive “ prices give the best value for money. We chose this cruise because it was in a part of France that we had not visited before. Read Less

We chose this cruise because of our previous experience with the luxury of Scenic cruises and because it fit very well the busy schedules of six adults. We could not have been more pleased with our cruise. The ship and the cruise exceeded our expectations in every respect from the quality of the ship to the service, dining, and activities. The service could not have been better, as good as our last cruise with Scenic two years ago, and better than any other we have experienced on 6 cruises to date. Our adult children (51 and 49) and their spouses experienced their first cruise and were completely in awe of the experience. There was a wide variety of activities and entertainment. The availability of the e-bikes was a special treat of which we all took advantage. The ports along the Saone and Rhone Rivers offer much to see and experience. We felt that we got the luxury promised and outstanding value for the money expended. Read Less

Value for money and the all-inclusive nature of the cruise. Meals, extra food, drinks, local tours and most 'before and after arrangements'; all the things taken care of so that we could concentrate on total enjoyment of our time on board and on land. Ship was an impressive sight and was maintained spotlessly throughout the cruise. Staff were excellent in every way; attentive, caring, generous with their time, smart, alert, knowledgeable, receptive and totally pleasant. Excursions were well-planned, well-organised, comfortable and well-timed. They maximised opportunities available in all docking places. Local entertainment was varied and interesting. The resident musician was a little limited in style but did provide an adequate 'back-ground' ambience during the evenings. Dining was unquestionably excellent in quality, variety, preparation, presentation; the use of regional specialities and simple produce, including wines, was a high-point in itself. The meeting and collection at Lyon Airport was marred by a degree of panic on our behalf, as the actual meeting point description proved to be confusing and we feared that we had missed our transfer. I had to contact the Scenic emergency number at a time when I really needed to relax after flying in from Perth, West Australia. Yes! We certainly would cruise with Scenic again and will recommend it personally. Read Less

This river cruise was completely spoilt by choice of cabin. Whilst service, food and excursions all matched expectations, our very expensive cabin was dreadful. Royal Panoramic Suites are the second most expensive on the ship and Suite 334 has several issues. (See below under Cabin Review). We are not inexperienced travellers and had expected some engine noise at the back of the ship but we also expected to get a standard of comfort that we had paid for, which we did not get. Because of faulty/poor air conditioning and other issues we were unable to use our expensive suite and slept every night in a tiny cabin two doors down. We could have saved a fortune! On return we wrote to the UK Managing Director of Scenic but to add to our initial dissatisfaction, we have not even had the courtesy of a reply some three weeks later. Our holiday did not start well as the transfer from our hotel in Lyon to the boat was terrible. Too many people (8) were crammed into one minivan because the driver turned up 35 mins late and did not organise the passengers correctly. He then drove well above the speed limit on the motorway to make up time. A very unpleasant experience. On the plus side, the staff/crew on board ship all work tremendously hard and offer excellent service. The food on board is of a high standard. Read Less

From the moment you board, everything is provided - Service ( the crew are first class ) - Dining - ( the food is excellent ) entertainment ( very good ) Excursions and guides ( all well organised and very interesting ) the ship/cabins were spotless, The whole cruise ran like clockwork . No complaints whatsoever. From start to finish we did not really need to open our wallets. Our Cruise Director organised all the excursions personally . All the ports of call were extremely interesting and very enjoyable. Whilst the River Rhone is not the most beautiful of rivers, we all enjoyed the variety of towns visited. Lyon, Avignon, Tarriscon, just to mention three. The evening in Avignon was spent in the Popes Palace where we attended a concert given by a classical music trio ( harpist, flautist celloist ) this was absolutely brilliant, We are now considering where to go on our next Scenic cruise. Read Less

We had been to many of the cities along the European river cruises and we wanted to go somewhere different. Our cruise experience met our expectations especially with the daily fine dining. All of the ship crew were extremely helpful and at all times displayed a very professional application to their individual roles. The Cruise Director, Eric, was very personable and very organised throughout the cruise. The variety of off ship excursions allowed individual choices to be made. All of the tour guides were well educated about the area that we were visiting and it made the excursions very enjoyable. One of the highlights for us was the gala dinner and classical concert in one of the grandiose rooms of the Pope's Palace in Avignon. Our cabin was very comfortable and the balcony with its motorised window allowed us to enjoy the passing French country side when sailing. One negative regarding disembarkation was that we were transferred to the Marseille Airport but we were not leaving France at that time which meant we then had to take a taxi to our hotel in the centre of Marseille which is some distance from the airport. There were a number of guests in this situation and it would have been better for us to be transferred into Marseille itself. Read Less

My husband retired in June and we decided to celebrate by going on this cruise. We had contemplated planning and organizing an itinerary on our own (which is what we do most of the time) but decided to leave it to Scenic! We had made our own arrangements, arriving several days earlier to enjoy Paris. We checked into the hotel provided with our cruise, Le Scribe (Sofitel) which is always good. Others went to the Westin and I understand that it was equally very good. Thereafter we took a TGV to Chalon sure Soane where we boarded our Ship. Embarkation was a breeze and our luggage was already in the room. In the past, when we traveled with my in-laws, all the women received a rose but no longer- a minute change which I did not miss but noted! The Sapphire ship is the oldest of the Scenic fleet but it had been refurbished so it appeared to the the same as two others we had been on. Our cabin (junior suite) was comfortable and had a shower tub combo. Our butlers, Vlad and Dominik were solicitous, discrete, efficient and went out of their way to ensure we were well taken care of, which we were. The lady that cleaned our room was equally efficient, warm and caring. The fitness area had three modern machines (Elliptical, treadmill and bicycle and hand weights/balls and the like) which I did use three times. The first time the room was very warm but this was quickly remedied after I reported it to the cruise director . "Dragun", the fitness expert had daily morning exercise/stretching classes which were excellent. The entertainment was good and varied (as per my husband as I did not attend most of them because port excursions were early morning) . If port excursions had had started one hour later as I would have been able to attend the evening entertainment, as in the past, I always did attend them but then we cruised at night (which we did not on this cruise). Unlike most people on board, I am not retired and had to go back to work upon our return so I wanted to be rested! If there is something Scenic could change, is perhaps doing a bit more travel in the evening (and even at night?) so that excursions could start later.... Dining /meals were very good to excellent- However we were disappointed at the meal served at "L'Amour" (a plate of charcuterie as part of appetizer?) as we were with dinner served at the Pope's palace in Avignon-such a beautiful venue with a live ensemble but food (except for dessert) was not good at all. Additionally, we had two bottle of wines for a table of 8 and when someone asked for another bottle we were told "there is no more wine"- Perhaps having a cocktail reception (with Chateauneuf du Pape wines)with an ensemble and include the daily port talk by the cruise director as an alternative? Our cruise director, Eric was outstanding- self -assured, with excellent public speaking skills, knowledgeable, solicitous, warm & with attention to details, he ensured that we (and the staff which appeared to get along well with one another, and be cohesive ) had a good time, while at the same time managing the unexpected. For example, we were to disembark in Tarascon but because of water issues the cruise did not end there- he reviewed with us our alternatives and efficiently arranged transportation to Nice. As cruise director, Eric should probably mentor those wishing to follow in his steps! Of all our cruises, I remember only another cruise director,and not for the same reasons! Our captain was visible, accessible, and friendly. The sommelier "Agostino" (equally approachable and knowledgeable) presented daily offerings, and explained well why they were chosen. The chef prepared regional dishes which were well executed. Buffet breakfast and lunch were varied ,very good, and provided a certain amount of time efficiency. Of note is that we observed one of the chef going out on bicycle to buy gluten free bread for a passenger! Port excursions were varied, with options for the "gentle walkers " to more active ones (cycling, hiking) which we enjoyed, even hiking the vineyards of Chateauneuf du Pape! Overall, this was a memorable cruise. I was very sad when the vacation came to an end. Beautiful destination with outstanding service. I would recommend it to anyone. Read Less

We have sailed with Scenic once before and our experience was extremely positive, so we decided to take the plunge and do another one. We were not disappointed on any level. We did the Spectacular South of France cruise because this one involved no nighttime cruising, and was a little slower paced in the afternoons for the most part, which appealed to us NEGATIVES: The things that could have been better are few and far between, but there's always room for better. Scenic did our flight arrangements, and we found out a month or two before leaving (after setting it up well in advance), that our flight out of Nice was too early and could not get to the airport in time. To their credit, they did fix it, but it was a little disconcerting to be up in the air (so to speak) for a while. We arrived in Paris, and the next morning took a bus to the train station, and then the high speed train to the Sapphire. It's a little nicer on other cruises to arrive in the embarkation city and be on the ship right away. Can't be helped in this case since there's no large airport in Chalon-sur-Saone where it starts. A couple of the excursions had tour guides who were very slow at finding the English word for explanations, which was a slight hassle. The ship has been redecorated well, but the toilet roll holders are attached with one screw and are all coming loose or tearing from the wall. (Nit picky, I know.) Beer selection is fair, although I kind of fell in love with a french beer, so it really didn't matter. Be prepared to moor with other ships and people walking through your lobby. To be honest, this was minimal, and I could have cared less; just that a lot of people mention that. They all do it. POSITIVES: So the rest of the cruise is great. I'll try to give a feel for what my wife and I experienced. In Paris Scenic put us up at the very posh Westin, in a perfect location. Loved it. The welcoming person was so very nice, and did a very nice informational meeting. The ship is beautiful. All very sleek greys, black, white and silver, with small splashes of color. Sort of an urban chic. Always spotless. Staff members are constantly cleaning and polishing. Sanitizer dispensers are strategically placed, and they asked that everyone use them when entering and leaving the main areas - we like that. There are germs from all over the world on any ship, and that helps a lot. We had one of the "royal" suites, which involves a few extra perks, although any level has perks. No tipping, which is wonderful. You absolutely feel no pressure to tip - wow! Every excursion you choose is included, no extra fees ever. Beer, wine and alcohol are all day and night at no charge. You can relax in the afternoon with a glass of wine without waiting for dinner. We both thought the meals were wonderful. I know some people get huffy over the fact that lunch is a buffet. With only 153 passengers, I don't find that a big deal at all, and there are still menu items at both breakfast and lunch if you don't wish to stand in line for 30 seconds. My wife has some dietary restrictions, and once they caught on, it was wonderful how they catered to her. No gluten or dairy - and the chef even made her three separate desserts for her birthday following those restrictions. That was above and beyond to us. If you don't care for the menu options, at all the meals you could simply order a chicken breast, salmon, rib eye, and a couple others. I had the rib eye one night and my wife had the chicken breast - both were delicious. Service was timely, the wine flowed freely, and the dining room was lovely. The host discussed the wines for the night each evening, so you could choose knowing what you were getting. They weren't the very expensive wines, but excellent medium range wines. If you don't like one, tell the waiter and try another. Can't ask for more than that. Breakfasts were great too, large buffet, and a omelet station. I had the eggs benedict 5 or 6 times it was so good. Fresh fruit always. And the desserts were works of art. Kudos to the staff and chef for the service and quality. Special dinners each night were explained at length by the chef himself, which is a nice touch. I'd like to mention the staff. The butler, Edita, who showed us our suite was so welcoming and efficient. I can't say enough about her service throughout the cruise. Also, our two male butlers than helped us, Dominik and Vladi were practically begging us to give them tasks. And we did, from laundry to ironing to breakfast in the room, etc. All done quickly and so nicely. I had two massages from a young man named Dragan, who also led exercise programs each morning (which we didn't do). He was professional and also fascinating to talk to. Such a nice human being we had great discussions while he worked his wonders on my muscles. Best massage ever, really. The Eastern European people are so genuine, hard working, smart, and family oriented. A breath of fresh air. A young lade, named Sevit, at the front desk went out of her way to help, and give recommendations for visits to towns and shopping. She is also to be congratulated for her wonderful demeanor and knowledge. The cruise director, Eric, was everywhere, putting out fires, making sure things went well on the excursions, etc. Well done. I guess to summarize the staff, superb. I'm running out of superlatives here! Loved the bar staff, and the bartender was great. We did tip some of these staff, although there's no need, but how could we not? The daily life and excursions and entertainment were memorable, filled with culture and history. I'll mention some of the ones we did just to impart a flavor of what they're about: All afternoon and evening the lounge has a very competent piano player named Paolo, which adds a nice touch to the feel. He could play most anything. We went to the town of Beaune and Hospice Hotel Dieu, which was a lesson in history along with a perfectly preserved hospital from the 1400's. The architecture was fabulous, with a colored-tiled roof that is simpy not to be missed. E-bikes were available almost every day, on your own or organized rides. We didn't use them, but friends we made did and thought they were very easy to use and fun. One of my favorite excursions was to a truffle farm, where a family farmer and his dog, Chinook, took us into his truffle trees to hunt. He loved telling us all about the truffles, how they are grown, the dog, everything. This is something special, as opposed to just looking at churches and castles (which also is interesting). His wife then took us into their 16th century farm house and served us truffle butter she made, with wine and bread. This was a gem outing......don't miss it. We ate at the special L'Amour Restaurant on night. Really nicely done with impeccable wait staff. Also ate at the Captain's table, and he was personable and interesting. We didn't do the Table La Rive because we were busy, but heard it was also good. Had a band one night, Krystal Live Band, fun music. Al little schmaltzy, but talented. Went to Cluny where the great Abbey once stood. A part is still there, and the museum with models and explanations helps you understand the grandeur and importance of the place: Largest church in the world until St. Peters was built. Another favorite and highly recommended "Scenic Freechoice" was Medieval Perouges. A walled city very intact, and there's not a corner or nook that isn't ripe for an amazing pose or picture. The tour guide was so very good, and some free time and fun shops. That day we had a silkpainting demo on board in the afternoon. Very interesting. One evening went to the Scenic Rouge Circus Performance for a show and dessert. Lots of young talent and acrobatics. Had a French Paradox Talk, which was fun too. In Tournon we had evening aperatifs after dinner on the terrace of a castle with a panoramic view that was killer. Along with some live music, it was relaxed and delicious. Later was a music quiz that was lively and fun. They really try to keep you entertained if you desire. We picked a trip to Tain L'Hermitage and the Valrhona Chocolate factory one day, which was imformative and who doesn't like taste testing chocolate. Spent a little money there I'm afraid. The chocolatier who gave us the talk was a little long-winded, but the museum there taught me a lot. Two dancers one night" Pierre and Faustine" were so good they almost put dancing with the stars to shame. A delight. The Ardeche Park and Lavender museum was very nice - again, we learned about something we knew little of, and also saw some splendid natural beauty. That night we had a fench female singer who did Edith Pilaf among others, and she had a great sound. We Did the Chateauneuf-du-Pape vinyeard/village tour with wine-tasting. The history was superb, I loved this one, and the wine was so good we ordered some to be shipped home. We didn' do a lot of wine-tasting excursions, but this one was a gem. We toured the Pope's palace in Avignon later that same day. Just look at a couple of their pictures and you'll know it's deserving of it's UNESCO world heritage designation. A different favorite of mine was Pont du Gard and Uzes. If you're at all considering this excursion, look at some pictures of the 2,000 year old aqueduct, and you'll be hooked. The museum there was outstanding also, and the tour guide gave us plenty of time there, per the recommendation of Eric, our tour director. A special evening was dinner at the Pope's Palace. The room was so "important", can't think of the right word, because 5 papal enclaves were held right there in the 1300's. So much history. The food was fancy, but not my favorite, except for the really good pear dessert. They had a string quartet that was as good as any I've ever heard....wow. We went to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, with a fascinating church, right on the Mediterranean coast. Lots of interesting little shops. Also went to the bird Park, but it started raining and most elected not to go in (including us). That evening was a gypsy show, and they were so much better than I expected. A real treat. Another excursion I would highly recommend was Les Baux-de-Provence and Olive Oil Farm. Baux was a very cool little walled city, picturesque and fun, with lots of fun shops amidst the cobblestoned streets. And the olive farm, once again, was something I knew little about. It is a family business, and has been for many generations, even with their own 14th century private chapel. The process of making the olive oil was so well done, as was the intriguing tasting we did with one of the owner's daughters. Do it. I will say we loved the Scenic Tailormade devices. On one of ours the battery was bad, and they quickly replaced that. The sound was usually very good, except in a very windy situation. You can also take them out on your own when roaming around, and they have a built in GPS that will give you pertinent info on anything you're near. Also, take them around the ship and set to cruise mode, and they alert you to interesting things you're passing on the shore with a history. Once again, I highly recommend Scenic. It's not at all like a huge cruise ship where there are so many stores, restaurants, venues, pools, etc. But that's the charm of a small boat; almost like a temporary community expertly formed and guided by the staff. We met so many fun people. Don't get me wrong, everyone doesn't become friends, but it was easy to make some, and it made the cruise so much better. I'm 63 and there were some a fair amoung younger and quite a few a little older (retired), and a few elderly. I think all ages can enjoy this type of cruise. Of course, motion sickness is no issue here. I have read negative reviews of Scenic. Everyone isn't pleased with the same things, but I feel like with the amazing service and the multitude of choices in entertainment, food and excursions, I can't imagine not having the best of vacations on the Scenic Sapphire. Thank you Scenic for your concept and execution. You are worth the little extra money that one pays as compared to some other river cruise lines. Read Less

Choose Scenic because everything was included. And it was. As Royal Suite guests all staff went the "extra mile". Yes it was very expensive but it was worth it! The ship is modern and kept very clean. We were surprised at the lack of security when rejoining the ship each time though!! Also the top sun deck was out of use for long periods due to the low bridges. Our suite was as expected and we had excellent service from butlers Vlad and Edita. Air conditioning was vey efficient throughout the ship. The food overall was consistently good - apart from the "al dente" vegetables which had not seen hot water!! When we wanted a table for 2 in the evenings we always got one. Whilst most people upheld dress standards it was disappointing to see 2 gentlemen in the dining room for evening meal in shorts when the dress code forbid this!!!!!!! Entertainment was low key and we had only one evening of a visiting singer. The places visited were interesting and "scenic". We mainly did our own exploring ashore. What really made this cruise were the staff. Mention must be made of reception staff Sevil and Daisy. Nothing was too much trouble. But special mention must be made for Frank the hotel manager, He made our trip as good as it could be. He even arranged for us to dine with our friends at the captains table on gala night. Thankyou. Read Less

We had a wonderful cruise on the Scenic Sapphire on the Rhone River from Chalon-sur-Saone to Tarascon. We first flew to Paris on our own. We took the train to Lyon where we connected to a local train to Chalon-sur-Saone. The ship was great with a sizable fitness center, massages, a beauty salon. Our cabin was on the #2 deck. Most of the cabins have an outside balcony with a window that lowers to waist height. While other cruise lines have the "French balcony" with the window that lowers, Scenic is unique with an outdoor deck with chairs.The food onboard was very good. As opposed to other river cruises where you had to arrive at dinner at 7:00pm, Scenic makes a point of telling you they will serve you anytime between a range of hours. There were cooking classes onboard every day at 4:00pm. There were ample excursions to meet every desire. The service onboard was superb. Everyone was kind, outgoing and helpful. I will take Scenic again. Read Less

We had and excellent holiday on board and off board. The ship was well maintained, our cabin was perfect. I particularly liked the balcony to sit out on and have a glass of wine. The optional outside glass window (up or down) was a nice amenity when the weather was too hot. Service, was the best you can imagine. Our wait staff, bar staff (Rosie) and cabin staff had us wanting for nothing! The food on board was amazing, every morsel was delicious. The choices for dinner were varied and well presented. The choice of ports were great, the tour directors knew their "stuff" and everything went seamlessly. We learned so much about making wine and even olive oil! We always had 3+ different tours to take. Our tour director was incredible, Yvonne always kept us informed about everything that was going on daily. She was very confident and professional, but like to make us laugh as well. The front reception staff were efficient and answered any questions, without hesitation. Scenic is an excellent choice for those that want 5 star service on an all inclusive holiday. You could literally walk on board without a dime and everything is paid for. However, massages and hair salon are extra. They have a great loyalty program, credits toward a next cruise saves you money. The fly free benefit is also a great perk. Read Less

First Impression Upon boarding our riverboat, the 2008 Sapphire was showing its age despite being rebuilt in 2017 with a few added features. Stateroom (see below) Food Overall considered fair compared to our previous experiences. The highlight was dinner at the Captain's table, an epicurean delight served in grand style. At the opposite end, was a subpar dinner in the reserved dining area. Excursions Very well organized, interesting and informative with the impression of stepping back in history. With the Tailormade GPS devices you can choose group guided tours or individual ones. These small units equipped with an earphone paired well with an e-bike provided by Scenic. Staff First rate, a special mention to Cruise Director Simona assisted by Nick who were informative and entertaining. The surprise was the omnipresent convivial Captain Frank. He set the bar high for the rest of the crew. By all accounts the majority were up to the task, especially those attending to our staterooms. Entertainment Not too exciting. Extras A small gym and spa were located on the lower deck. All inclusive Contrary to other cruise lines, extras do not pad the bill. No bar tab, a varied wine selection, fun e-bikes and gratuities were all included along with our spa visits. Final Comment The absence of blaring early morning daily activity announcements over the speakers was appreciated. Read Less

We like all inclusive cruises. we had many friends and acquaintances recommend scenic, as did our travel agent. you could book your cruise southbound from paris to nice, but the dates worked better for us to go from nice to paris. i can't see why it matters where you start and end. going up river was fine. picking the best dates of the cruise for our group were more important. the trip was wonderful. the two of us went with 4 other friends and we had so much fun together. the entire staff went out of their way to make our cruise very pleasurable. we started in nice arriving three days early. the transfer from le meridien hotel to the docks at tarascon on the rhone river was by bus and was about three hours, but the bus was a first class vehicle and we stopped half way for a lunch break. embarkation and disembarkation were very well handled by the scenic staff. once on the cruise, everyone in our group were blown away by how knowledgable and pleasant every tour guide was. i am sure scenic made sure they had the best of the best. guided tours were so much better than just getting off the boat and wandering around by yourself in our opinions. we went through 12 locks on our trip. the rooms were typical cruise-small, but well appointed - and the balcony had an electric glass window that lowered to give you a nice balcony experience in the warm weather days. we danced many nights to some good live performers. great meals and wines of course. the "special table" dinners were very very good. we finished with three nights in paris on our own before flying home. Read Less

Food great! Service was exceptional. Off boat actives we’re included that was great. Hoever the actives were abou 2-3 hrs. Tour guides were very good. Scenic Taylor made guides devices were not always reliable. There were no replacements! You had to try to stay close to tour guide to hear what was said. I thought we could spend the rest of the day exploring on our own! No....the boat often was leaving during the day for another port. Due to low bridges you could not be on the deck - which meant you were inside the boat!!!! This was very disappointing for me. I spent a lot of money and saw very little. If I ever go again I will have to ask the question as to when the boat sales. Shame on sexism for not disclosing this info. Other disappointment - arrived on boat 4pm on day it did not leav port until the following evening so we were docked at a port that had nothing. We did the off boat activity - had to take a 45 minute ride to get there. On the last day of tour - new port - off boat by 8:30am. This cruise was on the Rhône River. Read Less

We were anxious to experience The Rhône Valley...... the antiquities, wine, food, people and culture. Unfortunately; we spent to little time in port to fully explore the area. We cruised through out the day after a few hours in port with the sun deck closed must of the time. We would recommend more free time in port while cruising in the evening and through the night. The food was excellent, service exceptional and the area beautiful. The cruise director was energetic, approachable and engaging. We were fortunate to have the same table and waiter (Marin) for the majority of meals. He was attentive, helpful, friendly, outgoing and respectful. The bar was generous with their portions and cocktails were skillfully made. One waitress (Rosetta) was exceptional and extremely hardworking while always smiling and engaging. She quickly knew what our preferences were. The cruise was advertised as 9 days but in reality we cruised for only 6 days. The count the day before embarking and the day of disembarkation and one full day with no movement as part of the cruise....... it’s not! Read Less

We have been on three previous river cruises, two with Scenic, and enjoyed them very much. The staff are wonderful, the food and wine excellent and the boat is lovely. The staterooms are a bit small but we didn't spend a lot of time there anyway. The excursions were interesting and good value for time and money. I did feel the population of the cruise was a bit older than I expected but it all worked out ok. The entertainment provided was great with the exception of the French singer whose name escapes me.. she was very good but not to our taste. The service from the staff was really exceptional - from the butlers delivering breakfast to the bartender to the servers to the sailors working the boat - every one was cheerful, helpful and hard-working. Scenic is lucky to have such good staff on this ship! There was a medical crisis at one point during the cruise and we both felt the staff handled it very, very well (we both worked in the medical field all of our careers). They stayed calm and helped the other passengers do the same while giving the ill person the attention required. They should be commended for this.. thankfully things turned out alright and the gentleman is ok. Having said that perhaps some further first aid training and a review of basic equipment on board might be worthwhile. The aging population of the guests would lead to concluding that things of this sort could happen again. Read Less

The Toronto Globe & Mail sponsored and structured this extraordinary cruise. Having senior writers from the Globe was valuable and value added. We did the Globe cruise from Istanbul back in 2009. The Scenic Globe cruise was equal and surpassed this first cruise experience. The staff of Scenic are outstanding. I was a senior executive with The Walt Disney Company and know something about customer and guest experience. Tours, food, hospitality, onboard infrastructure all excellent. We also knew many of the fellow guests so that was a huge plus. The Rhone and the south of France seen from the cruise ship truly the experience of a lifetime. Congratulations and thanks to the Globe & Mail and Scenic for a truly inspired cruise. Bravo! From Paris to Dijon to Lyon (arrived at night to full light show) to Avignon to Nice and every stop and tour in between, truly brought the culture, history and beauty of Burgundy, Beaujolis, Provence and related Rhone River areas to life. 2000 year old Pont du Gard Roman acqueduct not to be missed. Chateau Neuf du Pape worth the hike. Pope's Palace and dinner in Avignon spectacular. Read Less

Having previously done 4 river cruises with Viking and been totally happy we chose this cruise because Scenic offered more time on the rivers than its rivals. We wanted longer than one week to appreciate the area and the idea of all inclusive certainly appealed. We travelled by Eurostar direct to Lyon where we were picked by a comfortable people carrier and transported to Chalon-sur-Saone. Embarkation was smooth and we received a very friendly welcome from all staff who greeted us. We were able to relax in the bar until we decided to go to the cabin which was spotless. We loved the fact we could use the balcony as extra space and open and close the window as and when we wanted. There was a good selection of trips to choose from and as they were all half day trips we didn't feel as though we were always on the go. Most were morning trips with plenty time to have the tasty buffet breakfast on offer. We returned in time for lunch and we always just ate a light lunch in the lounge which was always satisfying. The evening meals were excellent and we never had the same thing any night. There were a few nights when the service was very slow but it improved when some extra staff came on board. The guides we had on our trips were all knowledgeable and interesting and didn't bog you down with too many historical facts. Because we were only sailing short distances we were often docked with time to walk into towns and explore on our own using the maps provided or the GPS machines. The 2 Enrich nights were great fun - Cirque Imagine in Lyon and the private dinner and concert in the Pope's Palace Avignon. Simona the cruise director was a wonderful organiser and always available to answer questions. Captains Frank and Romuald were so friendly and approachable and always ready to welcome us back on board. They worked so hard and were never afraid to help the nautical staff with any jobs. The hotel manager was always ready for a laugh and the bar staff were amazing. In fact every member of staff seemed to go out of their way to be friendly and helpful. My one niggle is that we have been non-smokers now at home for 14 years but when we are on holiday we like to relax with a drink and a cigarette. The smoking area was by the wheelhouse and people had to pass by there all the time to get onto the sun deck. We think a table with chairs and an ashtray would make netter for smokers and non-smokers alike. Read Less

Scenic River cruises are the 5 star of River Cruising. The ship was fantastic, but the cabins are a little small. The dinning was exceptional, more selection that you can imagine. All port and shore excursions are included, sometimes there were to many choices, hard to chose. The embarkation & disembarkation were very smooth with very little effort on our part. We had part of a day in Paris before we travelled to Dijon by TVG, again a very smooth experience, and then to Chalon-sur-Saone where we boarded the Ship. At the end of the River Cruise, we were coached to Nice, France where we stayed over night, before flying out, bound for home. If I could make a couple of recommendations: 1) redesign the layout of the state rooms, as noted below. 2) somewhere have a board with all crew members pictures & names. We see the faces and were introduced but can't recall their names. Read Less