Luxury in the details on MS Emerald
Fall is my favourite time to river cruise, and particularly through the south of France. The crowds have left, the weather is cooling, and as the leaves start to change, I swoop into de Gaulle airport, intent on spending 10 days with Tauck (tauck.ca) as part of its fantastic Savoring France river cruise that travels from Paris to Lyon.
With an included two-night stay at the Intercontinental
Paris Le Grand and a week on the Rhone river aboard the classy MS Emerald, Tauck offered us every conceivable way to discover the best of France. Imagine truffle hunting on a farm near Viviers, or a Beaujolais wine tasting at a vineyard. In Paris, we were invited to make macaroons at the famed Le Cordon Bleu cooking school and enjoyed dinner at Fouquet’s on the Champs-elysees.
In a nod to more active adventure, I participated in a 13-km guided cycling tour around Avignon and its surroundings. It’s a nice counterpart to the Palace of the Popes and the famous Pont du Gard aqueduct — both offered as tours by Tauck — but the choice of how to spend your day is yours.
The highlight of my Rhone river experience, however, was our private dinner at the Duchy of Uzes, a palatial castle near Avignon. Here, we had a cocktail reception in the courtyard accompanied by a classical trio, a private tour of the grounds, and a sumptuous multi-course dinner — just for us. It’s the sort of experience that’s tough to come by, and exactly the type of thing that Tauck specializes in.
Built in 2006, Tauck reconfigured the MS Emerald a few years back, taking her from 118 guests down to just 98. River cruising is pretty spacious business, but 98 guests is a rarity in a world where most ships carry between 130 and 190 passengers. My Category 6 stateroom measured 225 square feet and included a French balcony, fixed window, a ton of closet space and marble bathroom stocked with L’occitane toiletries. There is even a full deck of suites measuring 300 square feet.
As you might expect, Tauck isn’t the least expensive cruise out there. But that adage — “you get what you pay for” — is appropriate here. All beverages are included in the fare. All gratuities — for shipboard staff, guides and drivers — are covered. Every excursion is inclusive. The experience from airport to airport is seamless. I’ve never met a river cruise I didn’t like, but Tauck distinguishes itself with little touches and unexpected wonders.
Service is exceptional. Tauck’s directors — dedicated guides — are among the best in the industry. They work hard to please, and make it look effortless. That kind of dedication continues aboard ship, where “no” is a word seldom heard. Problems — if any — are rectified immediately.
Tauck’s Savoring France itinerary operates again next year aboard the MS Emerald from April until October. If you want to extend your time on the Rhone, Tauck has a new itinerary (French Escapade: Paris to the Riviera) aboard the MS Emerald that travels for 14 days from Paris to Cannes.
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