Uniworld Offers New Seine River Cruises

Uniworld Grand River Cruises is offering new cruises from Paris through the countryside of Northern France to the beaches of Normandy and then back to Paris. The refurbished River Baroness will sail along the Seine River for eight days onboard. The vacation begins with a guided city tour of Paris, including the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Elysees, and the Arc de Triomphe. The day concludes with the Captain's Welcome Dinner onboard. The ship departs Paris for the towns of Auvers sur Oise and Conflans Ste Honorine. The former -- a favorite locale for many of the Impressionist painters -- is where Vincent Van Gogh lived, died and immortalized the town in "Auberge Ravoux," the "Church of Auvers sur Oise" and the "Wheat fields."

The cruise also visits Rouen, Le Havre, Honfleur and Vernon for an excursion to Monet's Giverny. The last evening onboard includes the Captain's Farewell Dinner as the ship sails back to Paris. An optional three-night pre-cruise package includes accommodations at Le Meridian Montparnasse (or similar) with breakfast daily, a guided "Arts and the Artists" tours of Montmartre and the Louvre, and transfers from the airport to your hotel and from your hotel to the ship. The cruise is priced from $1,798 per person, cruise only. Sailings begin March 25, and those who book and deposit a trip by March 31 will save $200 per couple or $100 per person, excluding the April 29 and May 13 sail dates.