Seine River Dinner Cruise: Every Paris Dinner Boat Compared

Paris dinner cruise options: three kinds of restaurant boat

In French, "bateau-mouche" has become an ordinary noun for any boat that carries sightseers, while Bateaux Mouches® is one specific company, moored at the Pont de l'Alma. So when a Parisian says "un bateau-mouche", they may mean any of the boats on this page; when you book, the name matters. For dinner, what's on offer falls into three groups.

First, the two big houses, Bateaux Parisiens at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and Bateaux Mouches at Alma: large glass-roofed boats, service levels priced by where you sit, music in the evening, €90 to €245. Second, the mid-priced barges, often further from the center: Paris en Scène and Le Capitaine Fracasse at Javel, Le Diamant Bleu and Le Théo at Passy, the Paris Seine company at Solférino, Le Calife opposite the Pont des Arts. Third, the gourmet tables, Maxim's sur Seine, Ducasse sur Seine and the Don Juan II, where you are paying for the cooking first.

Watch out for look-alikes: Le Bistro Parisien, the Bateaux Mouches brunch and the dinner-concert at Le Son de la Terre all stay tied up at the quay. The register below lists the companies that actually sail during the meal, with their pier and the lowest price at our partners.

Times: the early service or the 8:30 pm dinner

Dinner boats leave in two waves. The first casts off between 6 pm and 7:15 pm and lasts 1h15 to 1h45: it costs less and you're back early, but from April to September you eat in full daylight. The second leaves between 8 pm and 9:45 pm and runs up to 2h30: this is the "classic" dinner cruise, the one that ends at night in front of the floodlit monuments. Our early service page covers those first sittings, which are often the best value on the river.

These are the entry-level prices the companies publish; they move with the seasonal menus and on holiday dates. As for the light show: the Eiffel Tower sparkles for five minutes at the start of every hour after dark, until at least 11 pm; on some evenings, especially in summer, it carries on later — check the tower's website for the day. No company times its departures to it; see our Eiffel Tower sparkle page.

Bateaux Parisiens dinner cruise at the Eiffel Tower

Bateaux Parisiens (part of Sodexo Live!) boards its dinners at Port de la Bourdonnais, on the Left Bank, upstream of the Pont d'Iéna: dinner guests check in at pontoons 5 and 7, pontoon 3 being the one for the sightseeing cruise. There are two services a night. The 6:15 pm (back 7:30 pm) runs out and back between the Eiffel Tower and Île Saint-Louis, with no music and no extras; Étoile from €99, Privilège from €129, Premier from €154, Premier Baie Vitrée from €174. The 8:30 pm (back 11 pm) heads upriver as far as the Bibliothèque nationale de France, then back down to the Statue of Liberty replica on Île aux Cygnes, with live entertainment; Étoile from €115, Découverte from €139, Privilège from €185, Premier from €215, Premier Baie Vitrée from €245. Kir and wine are included; the menu changes with the seasons.

Three rules to know. The €40 child price exists only in Étoile: at any other level a child pays the adult price. A seat against the glass is guaranteed only in Privilège and Premier Baie Vitrée. And under the terms of sale, every booking is final and non-refundable. The smart dress code rules out jeans, sneakers, flip-flops, Bermuda shorts and caps. Full details in our Bateaux Parisiens review.

A price close to €99 on a booking platform usually means the 6:15 pm service: check the departure time shown on the offer before you pay.

Bateaux Mouches dinner cruise with live music at Alma

The Compagnie des Bateaux-Mouches boards at Port de la Conférence, by the Pont de l'Alma on the Right Bank: its single quay, next to the Zouave statue, with free parking during the cruise (metro Alma-Marceau, RER C Pont de l'Alma). Dinner is served every evening. The 6 pm service (boarding 5:30 pm, back 7:15 pm) costs €90 with a bottle of wine for two: one of the best deals on the Seine. The main dinner leaves at 8:30 pm (back 10:45 pm, about 2h15) with three menus: Découverte from €99, but with water only and no guaranteed window; Prestige from €135, sparkling wine as an aperitif and wine included; Excellence from €170, champagne and priority seating by the windows. A child aged 4 to 12 pays €45 whatever the menu.

In the evening a violinist and a pianist play and the dance floor is open. Smart dress is required — sportswear, flip-flops, Bermuda shorts and caps are refused, and the terms of sale add sandals, shorts and tank tops; jeans are not on the list. The big plus: a written cancellation made at least 72h ahead is refunded. See our Bateaux Mouches review.

Javel Haut: Paris en Scène and Le Capitaine Fracasse

Two brands from the same group, Esprit Seine, share Port de Javel Haut, at the foot of the Pont Mirabeau near the RER station building (metro line 10 Javel-André Citroën, RER C Javel). It's a long way from the Eiffel Tower, but this is where the cheapest dinners that genuinely sail depart.

Paris en Scène has two departures a day, 7:15 pm and 9:45 pm, for 1h45 on the water. The menu comes in three parts — amuse-bouche, a main served in a cocotte, dessert, with a plant-based option — and the price depends on drinks: Water formula from €59, Wine from €72 (37.5 cl for two), Champagne from €85 (37.5 cl for two). A paid option guarantees a premium spot. Free cancellation up to 24h before.

Le Capitaine Fracasse sails at 8 pm Sunday to Friday (back 10:15 pm) and twice on Saturday, at 6 pm and 8:45 pm. The Fracasse formula, from €75, includes no drinks at all; Amiral (from €89) adds a bottle of wine for two, Signature (from €119) champagne, wine pairing and a premium seat. No dress code, a maximum of 247 passengers, and a route that pushes east as far as the BnF. Neither boat runs its regular dinner on 14 February, Bastille Day, 24 or 31 December, which are kept for special evenings. The budget formulas are broken down on our cheap dinner cruise page.

Solférino: Paris Seine, La Marina and Maxim's

Below the Musée d'Orsay, Port de Solférino (metro line 12 Solférino, RER C Musée d'Orsay) is the home ground of a single company, Marina de Bercy, which sells under several names: Paris Seine, La Marina de Paris, Maxim's sur Seine, plus offers co-produced with Extime. Here "Paris Seine" is a brand name, not the river.

The La Marina / Paris Seine dinners leave at 6:45 pm (1h15) and 9:15 pm (2h). The Découverte and Saveurs menus sell for around €85 depending on the date, the Romantique and Festif versions for more — the Festive one with a live singer and a Belle Époque mood. The key point: on the standard cruises, drinks are extra (a glass of wine €8 to €10, a glass of champagne around €13). The route runs toward Notre-Dame and the Conciergerie, comes back past the Louvre and the Pont Alexandre-III, rounds the Statue of Liberty and finishes in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Maxim's sur Seine, licensed from Maxim's de Paris, carries the house's Art Deco style onto two small boats, Le Vert Galant (60 seated) and Le Bateau Ivre (40). Departures at 6 pm (1h15) and 8 pm (2h15), a three-course menu by chef Olivier Dugue, a glass of champagne and amuse-bouches, a pianist-singer and a cabaret feel. Expect from €145 to €165, depending on which official page you read.

Passy: Le Diamant Bleu and the Trattoria en Seine

Port de Passy, 2 rue du Ranelagh, opposite the Maison de la Radio: take the RER C to Avenue du Président-Kennedy, then follow the flags along the quay. One company boards two boats here.

Le Diamant Bleu is a large barge with the look of a yacht: 400 seats, 34 panoramic bay windows, a teak sun deck. Tuesday to Friday and on Sunday it leaves at 8:15 pm and returns around 11 pm; on Saturday there are two services, at 6 pm and 10 pm. The three-course menu is listed at €89 on the booking page ("from €79" on the homepage), with half a bottle of water for two and everything else from the drinks list; vegan, halal and gluten-free options. The VIP window table costs €15 extra. A singer performs during dinner, then a DJ runs a party at the quay (except after the first Saturday service and on Sunday). No dress code, free cancellation up to 48h ahead.

Le Théo serves the "Trattoria en Seine", an Italian dinner Tuesday to Sunday at 6:30 pm and 9:15 pm, for about two hours: pizzetta, a choice of pasta, pistachio tiramisu, €69 (€49 for a child). Rooftop terrace, recorded Italian music, no dress code. The old "Pizza sur Seine" no longer exists: this dinner replaced it on the boat. Our Théo, Diamant Bleu and smaller operators page compares the two boats.

Le Calife, Ducasse sur Seine, Don Juan II: book direct

None of these three tables sells through our partner platforms: you book on their own websites.

Le Calife boards at Port des Saints-Pères, Quai Malaquais, facing the Pont des Arts. Dinner at 8:30 pm for 2h20 — Calife Classique from €97, no wine; Calife Royal from €139, wines and champagne included — and, on L'Estello, its smaller sister boat, a two-hour dinner at 6:30 pm from €95. Its terms of sale are the most candid on the river about floods: above 2.60 m, it says, sailing is no longer possible, so dinner is served at the quay with €24 per person off.

Ducasse sur Seine leaves from 19 Port Debilly, on the Right Bank opposite the Eiffel Tower, on a fully electric boat with its kitchen on board. Dinner at 8:30 pm for two hours, four-course menu from €175, drinks not included. No Michelin star.

Yachts de Paris's Don Juan II also boards at Port Debilly (not Port Henri-IV, which is the company's events base), Tuesday to Saturday: departure at 8:15 pm sharp, cruising until 10:30 pm, then a last drink at the quay facing the tower. Five courses by Frédéric Anton, €250 before drinks, one Michelin star since 2022. All three are covered in detail on our luxury dinner cruise page.

Dress code, live music, window seats: the rules on each boat

"Smart dress required" doesn't mean the same thing everywhere. Bateaux Parisiens refuses jeans; Bateaux Mouches doesn't mention them but turns away shorts, flip-flops and sportswear; Ducasse rules out shorts, sportswear and open shoes for men; the Don Juan II bans jeans, sneakers, tracksuits and T-shirts, without requiring a tie or jacket. At the other end, Le Capitaine Fracasse, Le Diamant Bleu and Le Théo have no dress code at all. Paris en Scène and Le Calife don't publish one: if in doubt, smart trousers and closed shoes avoid any discussion at the gangway.

Live music comes with the Bateaux Parisiens 8:30 pm dinner, the Bateaux Mouches evenings (violin and piano), Maxim's (pianist-singer), the Paris Seine Festive cruise and Le Diamant Bleu (singer, then DJ). Le Théo plays recorded music; Ducasse and the Don Juan II go for calm. Our dinner cruise with live music guide compares the atmospheres.

A seat against the glass is guaranteed only at Bateaux Parisiens, in Privilège and Premier Baie Vitrée. It gets priority in Excellence at Bateaux Mouches, and is sold as an option at Paris en Scène (premium spot), Le Diamant Bleu (+€15) and Le Théo (+€10). It's all explained on our window seat page.

The route: what you see from the table

Duration decides the route. The short services do the classic loop: from the Eiffel Tower, the boat first heads upriver toward Île Saint-Louis, turns around and comes back down. The long dinners go further. The Bateaux Parisiens 8:30 pm pushes on to the BnF, then comes back down as far as the Statue of Liberty; Le Capitaine Fracasse also runs up to the BnF after Île de la Cité and Bercy. The Paris Seine company leaves Orsay toward Notre-Dame, rounds the Statue of Liberty and saves the Eiffel Tower for the end; Le Diamant Bleu finishes in front of the lit tower, and Ducasse ends its route right at its foot.

A bonus at Javel and Passy: the Pont Mirabeau and the Maison de la Radio, which the one-hour cruises never reach, are in front of you from the moment you board. In winter, a flood can change the route or stop sailing for a few days; once the gauge at Austerlitz passes 4.30 m, no boat runs in Paris. Depending on the company, the meal is then served at the quay at a discount, or moved to another date.

Which Paris dinner cruise is worth it for your budget

Under €80: Paris en Scène (Water and Wine formulas), Le Théo's Trattoria en Seine, the Fracasse formula without drinks, the "bistronomic" Paris Seine offers sold on the platforms, and the Bistro Parisien combos (dinner at the quay, then a one-hour sightseeing cruise). All compared on our cheap dinner cruise page.

€80 to €130: the Bateaux Mouches 6 pm service (€90, wine included), Le Diamant Bleu, Le Capitaine Fracasse's Amiral formula, Bateaux Parisiens Étoile at 6:15 pm or 8:30 pm, Le Calife Classique. Be wary of the Bateaux Mouches Découverte at €99: water only, and no guaranteed window.

Over €130: Privilège and Premier at Bateaux Parisiens, Prestige and Excellence at Bateaux Mouches, Maxim's, Ducasse and the Don Juan II. At that price, insist on a window and included champagne.

In our view, for a first dinner on the Seine, the Bateaux Parisiens 8:30 pm in Étoile is still the safe bet; to eat well without overspending, Paris en Scène with the Wine formula. Our ranking of the best Seine dinner cruises goes further, and the Seine river cruises page gathers every other outing on the water.

Our picks by traveler

1

Cheapest one that sails

Paris en Scène: 1h45 from Javel Haut, three formulas depending on drinks, cancel up to 24h ahead.

Dinner

GetYourGuide105 minutesJavel

Paris en Scène - Seine River Panoramic Views Dinner Cruise

4.3 (12,381)

from €65Check dates

2

Most relaxed on a budget

Trattoria en Seine on Le Théo: Italian food, rooftop terrace, no dress code.

Dinner

GetYourGuidePassy

Paris: 3-Course Italian Meal Seine Cruise

4.5 (3,159)

from €59Check dates

3

The classic dinner with music

Bateaux Mouches at Alma: violin and piano in the evening, refund if you cancel 72h ahead.

Dinner

GetYourGuide2.5 hoursPont de l'Alma

Paris: Bateaux Mouches® Dinner Cruise on the Seine River

4.5 (4,745)

from €114Check dates

4

The grand tour from the tower

Bateaux Parisiens at 8:30 pm: 2h30 from the BnF to the Statue of Liberty, wine included.

Dinner

GetYourGuide2.5 hoursEiffel Tower

Paris: 3-Course-Dinner Cruise on the Seine with live music

4.7 (8,948)

from €115Check dates

5

To end the night dancing

Le Diamant Bleu at Passy: a singer during dinner, then a DJ at the quay.

Dinner

GetYourGuide2 - 2.5 hoursPassy

Paris: Gourmet Dinner Cruise on Seine River with Live Music

4.5 (3,279)

from €71Check dates

6

The small Art Deco salon

Maxim's sur Seine: 40 to 60 covers, pianist-singer, a glass of champagne.

Dinner

GetYourGuide75 minutes - 2 hoursOrsay · Solférino

Paris: Maxim's Dinner Cruise on the Seine with Live Music

4.5 (614)

from €165Check dates