Orangerie ticket + Seine cruise: my review
Verdict: a good museum and a nice hour on the water, sold together but experienced separately. The rating of 4.4 out of 247 reviews is not a rating for the Orangerie, it's a rating for the logistics: two places forty minutes apart, a barcode to find, a cruise to activate. If you accept this usage, the product keeps its promises.
Two tickets, two locations
The museum ticket works like a reserved ticket: one date, one time slot, one single entry, no re-entry, with an included audioguide. The cruise ticket is valid for one month and is used at La Bourdonnais port, pontoon n° 3, in the 7th district, near the Eiffel Tower. The two are not side by side: you have to cross a good part of the 7th district, on foot along the quays or by public transport. The onboard commentary is recorded, in 14 languages.
In my opinion, it's best to separate the two: the museum at 9 am one morning, the cruise another day in the late afternoon, when the light on the quays is best. There's no obligation to do both on the same day, and that's exactly the interest of the month of validity.
Included
- Entry ticket to the Orangerie with audioguide
- One-hour cruise on the Seine, recorded commentary in 14 languages
- Cruise valid for one month from the chosen date
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Not included
- Transport between the museum and La Bourdonnais port
- Live guide, at the museum and on board
- Re-entry to the museum after leaving
- Meal or drink on board
What reviews say
Positive reviews all say the same thing, in two parts. Barbara (United States): "a beautiful museum and a very nice cruise". Rachel (United Kingdom): "no queue at the Orangerie and the cruise was really good". Irina (United States) finds the collection "very well presented" and the time on the boat "a delight". Han (South Korea) goes further: the Water Lilies "deeply moved" him and the Seine "reveals another charm of Paris".
Average reviews never talk about the works. Makanju (United States) regrets not being able to activate the cruise later, which refers to the month of validity, to read before booking. Cynthia (United States) did not find a barcode in the application and lost time at the entrance. My advice is in one line: save the voucher as a PDF on your phone the day before, and check that it contains a barcode per person.
What works
- Two outings in one booking, and a month to do the second
- Audioguide included at the museum, unlike the single ticket
- No line at the Orangerie, as several reviews say
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
To know
- Two distant locations, the journey is at your expense
- The barcode logistics waste time for some
- The museum ticket is only valid for one entry, on the chosen date
- Recorded comment on board, no guide
Who it's for, and who it's not for
For whom: tourists who want a cruise anyway and prefer a single booking. Those who stay several days and can schedule the cruise elsewhere in the week. Those who appreciate an audioguide without wanting to manage it on their own phone.
For whom not: those who only have half a day, for whom the reserved ticket will avoid crossing the 7th. Those who want a guide, who will find better in the guided tour for six. And those who get frustrated with a capricious app, because that's where this product loses points. The complete logistics is on the ticket and cruise page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you do the museum and the cruise on the same day?
No. The museum ticket is valid for the chosen date, but the cruise is valid for a month. The most comfortable option is the museum at opening time and the cruise on another day. The path between the two, on foot or by public transport, is described on access and metro.
Where does the cruise depart from?
At the La Bourdonnais port, pontoon n° 3, in the 7th arrondissement, near the Eiffel Tower. It's not next to the museum, which is at Place de la Concorde. What to see around the Orangerie before leaving is on around the museum.
Why is the rating lower than the simple ticket?
Because the average reviews are about the barcode and the cruise activation, not the museum. Those who prepared their voucher the day before don't complain. If you want to avoid any logistics, the reserved ticket is the hassle-free product.