Paris at the First Lodges - Ducasse sur Seine dinner cruise

Leanne B, Aug 2024

We were so excited and after reading the multiple emails about dress code we braced ourselves for a stylish evening…’no T-shirts or shorts’ was the strictly enforced code…that wasn’t enforced. Now it shouldn’t bother what someone else wears to dinner..but it takes the shine off the occasion when someone turns up in shorts, runners and a T-shirt! Ok…now we’ve established I’m a snob: what else? Look…the food was good but the portions are tiny…TINY! It was 4 courses of amuse bouche. The dining room was nice and it’s just long enough not to be rushed or boring..but for the price: take a cheap cruse and then go have an awesome meal in almost any of the other 14,000 restaurants in Paris.

PamelaB412, Jul 2024

We had been excited about this dinner, but unfortunately, it did not meet our expectations. Perhaps this was because we had dined at Les Jules Verne two nights prior. While the courses were well presented, each lacked something ( taste and/or texture). Also, in retrospect, we should have ordered a nice bottle of wine instead of the wine pairing. The quality of the wines (except the 2013 Dom Perignon) didn't justify the price. For over $1000 Euro, we had expected a once-in-a-lifetime experience. There were many positives: 1) the tables were well spaced; 2) the servers and sommelier were professional and friendly; and 3) dining on the Seine was a beautiful experience.

hoytw2023, May 2024

Our recent anniversary meal at Ducasse sur Seine regrettably fell well short of expectations. Despite the visually appealing presentation (although the lobster was presented as a variation of brown sauces which was not very appealing?) , the dishes also lacked flavour and taste. The jus were particularly bland, and the lobster bisque had an unpleasant gritty texture. Additionally, the palate cleansers and strawberry dessert were unexpectedly bitter, diminishing the overall dining experience.

Although some of the waiting staff provided excellent service, their efforts were undermined by the kitchen's lackluster performance. It seemed the kitchen staff have lost their passion for what they do, resulting in a meal that did not meet the high standards typically associated with the Ducasse name.

The evening was salvaged somewhat by the picturesque setting on the boat and the extensive wine menu. However, the overall experience felt more like a tourist trap than a fine dining affair. As travel industry professionals, we will not be booking our clients here in the future. In our opinion, Ducasse sur Seine does not uphold the prestigious Ducasse reputation.

Such a shame - as it could so easily have been such a great experience had the food lived up to its €200pp price tag!

thyme58, Apr 2024

We were very much looking forward to this dinner and cruise but were disappointed. We would not recommend, nor return.

We had no problems with the staff, they were all attentive and polite. One young woman went out of her way to get a taxi to arrive at the water level when we left, which we appreciated. However, when I made the reservation I filled out one guest was gluten free, which was not acknowledged. When I asked for gluten free bread during service. they were unaware. They did come up with some very nice gf bread but it was a very long wait for it to reach our table.

We had a 4 course dinner. All of the dishes were beautifully plated and presented but the majority of the food was very disappointing and flavorless to very subtly flavored, and definitely not worth the price.

The tiny bites they served first were beautiful, but lacked any flavor. One was very very very subtle in taste, and the other had a faint taste of raw grass. Not a good start.

The green pea variation, had a nice texture, but again, no flavor. Just a very faint taste of barely ripe raw peas. The caviar just added a tiny crunch, no flavor at all.

The chilled langoustines, again, barely any flavor.

Cookpot of white asparagus and morels was better, but still lacked real flavor, and at the bottom of the dish there was a watery liquid that was unpleasantly combined with the morels.

The blue lobster dish was ok. The lobster was tasty, but the bisque was so slightly flavored it was disappointing. The vegetables were nicely cooked but again, barely had flavor..

Strawberries infused in a lightly spiced wine, marbled sorbet....was the best of the courses. The sorbet had a wonderful strong flavor, and the strawberries were tasty.

At the end, the tiny bites were again flavorless, and the final tiny square had such a powerful taste of raw lime (?) it left a horrible taste in the mouth.

So, to sum up, the only parts of the meal that were flavorful were the sorbet, the chunks of lobster, and the bread and butter. That's it. The rest was a beautiful plate of no flavor. It was unbelivable! Also, the ship never sailed because they said the Seine was too high. But other boats were sailing so I'm not sure why. Thankfully we did not spend extra on wine.

Definitly would not recommend and I wish we had spent that money somewhere else.

WagsNewJersey, Jan 2024

We booked Ducasse sur Seine for New Year's Eve and it's hard to imagine a better New Year's Eve experience. The dinner is first class - just located on a well equipped and quiet boat cruising on the Seine. The service is delightful and professional and the food is first class. Truly a memorable experience.