Booking choice: The one-hour sightseeing cruise, from $21 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
Most Seine cruises follow the same stretch of river, between the Eiffel Tower and Ile Saint-Louis. What changes is the length, the food, the time of day and where you board.
Below are the main options on Viator: six from Bateaux Parisiens at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, plus Bateaux-Mouches, the Batobus and an Eiffel Tower combo.
The quick answer
For a first look at Paris, the one-hour Bateaux Parisiens sightseeing cruise ($21). For the best meal and views, the lunch cruise (4.7 stars). For a special night, the 8:30 pm dinner cruise. For getting around, the Batobus. For an undated ticket, Bateaux-Mouches. For the tower and the river in one day, the Eiffel combo.
How do the Seine river cruises compare?
The sightseeing cruises are cheap and short; the meal cruises cost more and rate higher; the Batobus is transport rather than a tour.
| Cruise | Type | Length | Rating | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bateaux Parisiens sightseeing | Audio-guided loop | 1 hour | 3.7 (2,747) | $21 |
| Lunch cruise | Seated lunch, wine | 2 hours | 4.7 (2,928) | $96 |
| Dinner cruise | Gourmet dinner, music | 2.5 hours | 4.4 (7,463) | $144 |
| Early dinner cruise | 6:15 pm dinner | 1 hr 15 min | 4.3 (98) | $132 |
| Bistro Parisien + cruise | Dinner ashore + 1h cruise | 3 hours | 3.9 (776) | $83 |
| Batobus | Hop-on hop-off | 1 or 2 days | 4.0 (3,595) | $27 |
| Bateaux-Mouches | Loop from Pont de l'Alma | 70 min | 3.7 (909) | $20 |
| Eiffel Tower + cruise | Guided tower + 1h cruise | 2.5 hours | 4.4 (1,044) | $103 |
Best for a first look: the one-hour sightseeing cruise
The Bateaux Parisiens sightseeing cruise is a one-hour loop from the Eiffel Tower past the Louvre and Notre-Dame, with an audio guide in 14 languages.
It is the cheapest option here at $21 (18 euros direct online), and the ticket works on any departure on your date. It is a recorded commentary, not a live guide, and there is no food. See the ticket guide.
Just want the classic view? The one-hour cruise works on any departure that day.
Check dates for the one-hour sightseeing cruiseBest meal and views: the lunch cruise
The 12:45 pm lunch cruise is the best-rated cruise here, at 4.7 from 2,928 reviews.
Three to five courses with wine, a private table under a glass roof, and the monuments in full daylight. Official prices run from 79 to 134 euros depending on your seat. See the lunch cruise guide.
Best for a special night: the dinner cruises
The 8:30 pm dinner cruise is the full evening, with a singer and the lights; the 6:15 pm early dinner is shorter and back before 8 pm.
The 8:30 pm cruise has by far the most reviews of any Seine cruise here (7,463). Choose your service level with the seat in mind: only some levels guarantee a window. Details in the dinner cruise guide.
Want dinner without the late night? The 6:15 pm cruise includes dinner and wine and lasts 1 hour 15 minutes.
Explore the early dinner cruiseBest budget dinner: the Bistro Parisien package
Dinner at the Bistro Parisien, a restaurant barge moored by the Eiffel Tower, plus the one-hour sightseeing cruise, in either order.
It is not a dinner cruise: you eat at a table that does not move, then take a regular sightseeing boat. Guests who knew that going in liked the food and the value; coffee is not included.
Happy to eat ashore? A three-course bistro dinner and the one-hour cruise, from pontoon 2.
Explore the Bistro Parisien dinner and cruiseBest for getting around: the Batobus
The Batobus is a hop-on hop-off boat with nine stops, from the Eiffel Tower to Saint-Germain, Notre-Dame and the Louvre, on a 24 or 48-hour pass.
At $27 it is good value if you use it as transport between sights. It is not a guided tour: commentary is via a web app, and guests note there are no toilets on board. Compare it in Bateaux Parisiens vs Bateaux-Mouches.
Bateaux-Mouches and the Eiffel Tower combo
Bateaux-Mouches is the rival fleet from Pont de l'Alma on an undated ticket; the Eiffel combo adds a guided visit to the tower's second floor to a one-hour cruise.
Bateaux-Mouches is from $20 for about 70 minutes. The combo, from $103 with City Wonders, meets at a street corner near the Champ de Mars, not at the tower itself, so read the meeting instructions. Guests advise taking the cruise the same day, soon after the tower visit.
Doing the tower anyway? The combo pairs a guided second-floor visit with a one-hour cruise.
Explore the Eiffel Tower and cruise comboWhich Seine cruise should you choose?
Pick by what you want from the river: a quick look, a meal, the lights, or transport.
- First time, short on time: the one-hour sightseeing cruise.
- Best food and photos: the lunch cruise.
- Romance: the 8:30 pm dinner cruise.
- Dinner on a budget: the Bistro Parisien package.
- Seeing lots of sights in a day: the Batobus.
- Dates not fixed: Bateaux-Mouches.
- Christmas Eve or Day: the six-course Christmas cruise, which is non-refundable.
Made your choice? The one-hour cruise is the easy first step, with free cancellation.
Check dates for the one-hour sightseeing cruiseFrequently asked questions
What is the best Seine river cruise?
For most first-time visitors, the one-hour Bateaux Parisiens sightseeing cruise. For the best-rated experience, the lunch cruise (4.7 stars).
Which Seine cruise is cheapest?
The one-hour sightseeing cruises: Bateaux-Mouches from $20 and Bateaux Parisiens from $21 on Viator, or 18 euros direct online.
Are Seine cruises worth it in winter?
Yes, especially the covered meal cruises and the early evening departures, when it gets dark in the late afternoon. Bring a warm layer for the open deck.
Can I cancel a Seine cruise booked on Viator?
Most cruises here cancel free up to 24 hours before. The Christmas cruise is non-refundable.
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Choose your cruise
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Bateaux Parisiens Seine Sightseeing Cruise
- One-hour sightseeing cruise from the Eiffel Tower and back
- Audio commentary in 14 languages on board or on your phone
- Covered glass lower deck and an open upper deck
Seine Lunch Cruise with Live Music
- Lunch cruise from the Eiffel Tower (boarding pontoon 5 or 7)
- Three or four course seasonal menu, depending on the option
- Wine or Champagne by option, water and coffee or tea
Seine Dinner Cruise with Live Music
- Dinner cruise from the Eiffel Tower, 8:30 pm departure
- Three or four course gourmet menu chosen by option
- Wine, Champagne or kir by option, water and coffee
