Two new itineraries focus on France’s culinary delights – Michelin cooking, wines and more
Boston, July 2020 – Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours is making it easy to say bonjour to France in 2021, offering a season full of new opportunities. The luxury cruise line is unveiling a new selection of exclusive experiences featuring immersive art exhibitions, classical music masterpieces and acapella performances, as well as gastronomic delights, providing guests with a truly unique and exclusive river cruise – and as always, truly all-inclusive.
Guests booking by August 14, 2020 receive complimentary pre-cruise overnight stays; a city tour of Paris, Lyon or Bordeaux (itinerary dependent) in a classic Citroën 2CV car (two guests per vehicle); transfers between airport, hotel and ship; free flights (economy level on 8- to 10-day sailings or $1,200 savings per guest; premium level on cruises of 11 or more days or $1,800 savings per guest); and a free Book with Confidence program that offers guests additional flexibility and includes Deposit Protection (value $125) and reduced deposits. An additional Early Payment Discount of $350 per person is available on 2021 bookings paid in full within 14 days of booking.
Scenic is introducing two new 11-day French culinary cruises in 2021 featuring outstanding gastronomic experiences, including an onboard dinner prepared by Michelin star chef Didier Goiffon and a cooking class at three-star Michelin chef Georges Blanc’s restaurant. Guests on Flavours of Bordeaux spend a one-night pre-cruise stay at the Intercontinental Bordeaux*, tour Bordeaux in a Citroën 2CV, enjoy exclusive after-hours access to the immersive digital art exhibition, Les Bassins de Lumières, set inside Bordeaux’s former submarine base, learn about and indulge in the Grand Cru wines of Sauternes, the French aperitif, Lillet, and the wines of Médoc, and spend a full day exploring the fortified town of Cognac, accompanied by a tasting of Rémy Martin. Tastes of Southern Franceguests overnight at Sofitel Bordeaux* pre-cruise and enjoy a tour of Lyon in the Citroën before sailing. Along the route, guests join an exclusive interactive workshop at the Valrhona Cité du Chocolate museum, after it has closed for the day, take in an exclusive classical concert in the Grand Tinel Room of the Palais des Papas, learn about truffle farming from local truffle farmers and their specially trained dog, and indulge in some of the best vintages of Beaujolais and Côtes du Rhône. Prices start at $6,695 per person, double, for either cruise.
Guests joining Scenic’s 11-day Beautiful Bordeaux ($6,195) or eight-day Bordeaux Affair ($4,495) can explore Bordeaux in the Citroën 2CV while staying one night at the Intercontinental Bordeaux*. During the cruise, guests will be immersed in French culture, wines and foods, and take in an evening of unforgettable classical music during an exclusive concert at the 13th-century Château d’Agassac, set in the spectacular surrounds of the Médoc countryside.
The 11-day South of France and eight-day Idyllic Rhône cruises puts guests in the Sofitel Bordeaux* for one pre-cruise night and takes them on a tour of Lyon in a classic Citroën 2CV car. Among a long list of highlights on the South of France itinerary is an exclusive breathtaking acapella performance in Trinity Chapel, while both cruises include an exclusive performance at a Gala dinner at the Palais des Papes in Avignon. Starting prices run $6,495 and $5,095 per person, double, respectively.
Guests on Scenic’s eight-day Highlights of Normandy & the Seine ($4,695) and 11-day Normandy & Gems of the Seine ($6,395) itineraries can look forward to a serene cruise directly into the English Channel port of Honfleur – one of few lines that able to dock within the city. Besides a complimentary pre-cruise stay at the Hilton Opera Paris* and tour of Paris in the Citroën, guests are treated to an exclusive classical concert performed by the region’s top musicians in Vernon’s Château de La Roche-Guyon, overlooking the river and the small village bearing the same name.
Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours has grown over its 34-year history to include award-winning, all-inclusive river and ocean cruises and handcrafted land tours that take participants to many of the world’s most fascinating destinations. Since 2008, Scenic has offered river cruises in Europe, SE Asia, Russia and Egypt on its 15 Space-Ships. In 2019, Scenic introduced the world’s first luxury Discovery Yacht, the 228-guest Scenic Eclipse. Sister brand Emerald Cruises has eight (soon to be nine with the 2021 launch of Emerald Luna) Star-Ships offering sailings on European rivers and Southeast Asia’s Mekong River. In 2021, the Emerald Azzurra will be the first yacht to launch under the Emerald Cruises brand – a 100-guest super yacht that will ply the warm waters of the Mediterranean, Adriatic and Red seas.
Additional information can be obtained via travel agents; or in the US: www.scenicusa.com; phone 844-788-7985; or email: [email protected].