Scenic River Cruises

Daily Itinerary

1. Day 1

   Lyon

   France

   

   Lyon sits at the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône — a geographic destiny that made it the capital of Roman Gaul, a Renaissance silk-trading powerhouse, and, by contemporary consensus, the undisputed gastronomic capital of France. The UNESCO-listed Vieux Lyon preserves Europe's finest concentration of Renaissance architecture, its labyrinthine traboules — secret passageways threading through courtyard after courtyard — offering endless discovery. Paul Bocuse's legacy lives on in the city's constellation of bouchons, where quenelles de brochet and tablier de sapeur are served with the straightforward confidence of a city that has never needed to prove its culinary supremacy. Lyon rewards a visit in any season, with the Festival of Lights in December being particularly magical.

2. Day 2

   Lyon

   France

   

   Lyon sits at the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône — a geographic destiny that made it the capital of Roman Gaul, a Renaissance silk-trading powerhouse, and, by contemporary consensus, the undisputed gastronomic capital of France. The UNESCO-listed Vieux Lyon preserves Europe's finest concentration of Renaissance architecture, its labyrinthine traboules — secret passageways threading through courtyard after courtyard — offering endless discovery. Paul Bocuse's legacy lives on in the city's constellation of bouchons, where quenelles de brochet and tablier de sapeur are served with the straightforward confidence of a city that has never needed to prove its culinary supremacy. Lyon rewards a visit in any season, with the Festival of Lights in December being particularly magical.

3. Day 3

   At Sea

   France

   

4. Day 4

   Vienne

   France

   

   Vienne is a historic French city on the Rhône, 35 kilometres south of Lyon, where an exceptionally preserved Roman temple and a thirteen-thousand-seat ancient theatre anchor a rich cultural landscape spanning two millennia. Visitors should not miss the Temple of Augustus and Livia and a gastronomic pilgrimage to La Pyramide, the restaurant that redefined modern French cuisine. The ideal season is late June through July, when the Jazz à Vienne festival transforms the Roman theatre into one of Europe's most atmospheric open-air concert venues, and the Rhône Valley vineyards reach their luminous peak.

5. Day 5

   Viviers

   France

   

   Viviers is one of France's most beautifully preserved medieval secrets — a cathedral town of barely four thousand souls perched on a limestone spur above the Rhône, serving as an episcopal seat since the fifth century when its bishops chose this formidable rock over the declining Roman city below. The Romanesque bell tower, vaulted passageways, and Renaissance townhouses of the haute ville form an ensemble of extraordinary architectural coherence, virtually unaltered since the seventeenth century. River cruise guests arriving from Lyon or Avignon typically spend languid afternoons exploring these narrow, time-suspended streets, best visited in spring or early autumn when Rhône Valley light is at its most golden.

6. Day 5

   Avignon

   France

   

   Avignon's Palais des Papes — a fortress-palace of staggering medieval ambition where seven successive popes held court for seventy years — still dominates this Provençal city's skyline, its limestone bulk enclosing frescoed chapels and vast ceremonial halls that once shaped the destiny of Christendom. In July, the city transforms for the celebrated Festival d'Avignon, Europe's premier theatre gathering, turning every courtyard and cloister into a stage. Year-round, the beautifully preserved historic centre offers world-class Rhône Valley wines, refined Provençal cuisine, and the beguiling spectacle of the Pont Saint-Bénézet stretching halfway across the river. Lyon and Marseille are each accessible in under ninety minutes by TGV.

7. Day 6

   Avignon

   France

   

   Avignon's Palais des Papes — a fortress-palace of staggering medieval ambition where seven successive popes held court for seventy years — still dominates this Provençal city's skyline, its limestone bulk enclosing frescoed chapels and vast ceremonial halls that once shaped the destiny of Christendom. In July, the city transforms for the celebrated Festival d'Avignon, Europe's premier theatre gathering, turning every courtyard and cloister into a stage. Year-round, the beautifully preserved historic centre offers world-class Rhône Valley wines, refined Provençal cuisine, and the beguiling spectacle of the Pont Saint-Bénézet stretching halfway across the river. Lyon and Marseille are each accessible in under ninety minutes by TGV.

8. Day 7

   Arles

   France

   

   Arles, the most important city in Roman Gaul after Lyon, wears its history with casual magnificence: a first-century amphitheatre still hosts bullfights beneath open skies, and the haunting Alyscamps necropolis — once among the most prestigious burial grounds in the Western world — lines a poplar-shaded avenue with ancient sarcophagi. Yet Arles is equally celebrated as the city that intoxicated Vincent van Gogh, who produced over three hundred works here in fifteen fevered months; the Fondation Vincent van Gogh now honors his legacy in beautifully renovated rooms. Spring and autumn are ideal, with the Camargue's flamingo-filled wetlands just minutes south. Lyon is two hours north by TGV.

9. Day 8

   Tarascon

   France

   

   Tarascon-sur-Rhône is a medieval Provençal treasure on the banks of the Rhône, defined by its magnificently preserved fifteenth-century château and the UNESCO-listed Fêtes de la Tarasque. Visitors should not miss exploring the castle's Gothic halls and savouring gardiane de taureau, the signature Camargue bull stew, at a riverside table. The ideal season to visit is late April through June, when lavender begins to bloom, the legendary Tarasque festival enlivens the streets, and the Provençal light is at its most luminous.

10. Day 8

    Marseillan

    France

    

    Marseillan is a sun-drenched wine town on France's Etang de Thau lagoon, birthplace of Noilly Prat vermouth and gateway to the country's premier oyster-producing waters. Must-dos include touring the historic Noilly Prat chai, tasting Bouzigues oysters with Picpoul de Pinet wine at waterfront cabanes, and exploring the Canal du Midi. Visit June or September for warm Mediterranean weather and the unhurried rhythm of the Languedoc coast.

Cabin Categories

Balcony Suite

Balcony

205 sq ftMax 2A

Located on the Sapphire and Diamond Decks they feature a full-length outdoor balcony with the exclusive Sun Lounge system and are larger than the standard river cruise cabins on Europe’s rivers.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTVSafe+2

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Balcony Suite

Balcony

205 sq ftMax 2P

Located on the Sapphire and Diamond Decks they feature a full-length outdoor balcony with the exclusive Sun Lounge system and are larger than the standard river cruise cabins on Europe’s rivers.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTVSafe+2

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Balcony Suite

Balcony

205 sq ftMax 2C

Located on the Sapphire and Diamond Decks they feature a full-length outdoor balcony with the exclusive Sun Lounge system and are larger than the standard river cruise cabins on Europe’s rivers.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTVSafe+2

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Balcony Suite

Balcony

205 sq ftMax 2B

Located on the Sapphire and Diamond Decks they feature a full-length outdoor balcony with the exclusive Sun Lounge system and are larger than the standard river cruise cabins on Europe’s rivers.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTVSafe+2

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Single Balcony Suite

Suite

160 sq ftMax 2BS

Single Balcony Suites are located on the Jewel Deck with large picture windows to ensure a great view. They have a spacious design and clever layout alongside all the usual luxurious amenities and furnishings.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerRoom Service AvailableTVSafeHair Dryer+2

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Standard Suite

Outside

160 sq ftMax 2E

Standard Suites are located on the Jewel Deck with large picture windows to ensure a great view. They have a spacious design and clever layout alongside all the usual luxurious amenities and furnishings.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTVSafe+2

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Junior Balcony Suite

Suite

250 sq ftMax 2RJ

These spacious Suites (250ft²), located on the Sapphire and Diamond Decks, have a private full-length balcony and elegant en-suite bathrooms featuring a large vanity basin, bathtub with shower above.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationLounge AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTV+4

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Junior Balcony Suite

Suite

250 sq ftMax 2BJ

These spacious Suites (250ft²), located on the Sapphire and Diamond Decks, have a private full-length balcony and elegant en-suite bathrooms featuring a large vanity basin, bathtub with shower above.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationLounge AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTV+4

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Royal Balcony Suite

Suite

315 sq ftMax 2RA

These Suites on the Diamond Deck are the ultimate in luxury with more space (315ft²), impeccable service, thoughtful touches, an outdoor balcony, lounge area and an oversized bathroom.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerBathTVFree Wi-FiSafe+2

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Royal Owner's Suite

Suite

315 sq ftMax 2RO

These Suites on the Diamond Deck are the ultimate in luxury with more space (315ft²), impeccable service, thoughtful touches, an outdoor balcony, lounge area and an oversized bathroom.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerBathToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableSuite Benefits+6

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Royal Panorama Suite

Suite

269 sq ftMax 2RS

At 325ft², and at the rear of the Diamond Deck, enjoy panoramic views of the breathtaking passing scenery through floor to ceiling windows across two walls of the cabin.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerBathToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTV+3

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