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France & Spain with the River Seine

L2508

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Place de la Bourse square in Bordeaux, France Vineyard in Bordeaux, France
06 May 2025
Southampton
10 nights
Balmoral

Your cruise at a glance

Hand-crafted highlights

The benefits of Balmoral’s smaller size come to the fore on this cruise, as you dock in Bordeaux and sail along the River Seine to Rouen, both of which aren’t possible on larger vessels. You will have the chance to view impressive architecture throughout, from Spain’s contemporary Guggenheim Museum to France’s beautiful medieval buildings. Traditional food and drink can be enjoyed in their place of origin, including tasty pintxos in Bilbao and creamy Camembert and Calvados in Honfleur. Visiting a local vineyard in Bordeaux, where the owners will guide you through a winemaking and tasting session, makes for a rewarding experience, too. Meanwhile, join us on deck to savour picturesque countryside views as Balmoral sails along the River Seine.

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Highlights

The Guggenheim museum, Bilbao, Spain

Explore iconic French & Spanish River Cities

On this Balmoral cruise, you will have a number of opportunities to explore some of France and Spain's most iconic riverside cities, including Rouen and Honfleur, nestled on the banks of the picturesque River Seine. Located at the confluence of the Gironde and Garonne rivers, Bordeaux offers an air of elegance with its neoclassical architecture, world-renowned vineyards, and flourishing food culture, while the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is a masterpiece of modern architecture and Basque culture and showcases contemporary art against the backdrop of industrial history.

Wine Tasting in  Bordeaux

Discover the French and Basque way of life

There will be plenty of opportunities for you to fully experience the local way of life as we explore these French and Spanish riverside cities. In Bordeaux, visit world-class vineyards that produce some of the most prestigious Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sémillon wines, or indulge in speciality cheeses like creamy Brie, Camembert, or a tangy Roquefort spread on thickly sliced warm bread. Meanwhile, in the Basque Country, daily life is based around pintxos bars offering an array of flavoursome small bites, like Gilda (pepper, an anchovy fillet, and olive on a skewer, served on crispy bread) or Boquerones (fresh or marinated anchovies wrapped around green olives), accompanied by a warming Rioja wine or a refreshing Basque cider. You might want to try learning some of the Euskara language, a native dialect of the Basque Country, regarded as the oldest language still in use in Europe.

Itinerary

Cruise Itinerary

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Cabins, Prices & Offers

Cabin Options On Your Cruise

Please call our Reservations Team for latest pricing and availability.

What's Included

SO MUCH ALREADY INCLUDED

To make your journey even more special, we include so much as standard on board our cruises.

  • À la carte breakfast, lunch & dinner
  • Daily casual dining options
  • Late night Supper Club
  • Afternoon tea
  • Self-service tea & coffee
  • In-cabin dining & snacks
  • Evening shows
  • Live music & dancing
  • Dance classes
  • Lectures & talks
  • Cookery demonstrations
  • Traditional deck games
  • Daily games & quizzes
  • Swimming Pools
  • Jacuzzis
  • Fitness Centre
  • Fitness Classes

Life On Board

Introducing Balmoral

Beautiful Balmoral is small enough to navigate some of Europe’s most picturesque waterways so guests can enjoy hours of scenic cruising. Balmoral retains a warm, civilised atmosphere and features comfortable accommodation, stylish restaurants and plenty of open deck space.

Balmoral
Fred. Olsen ship Balmoral sailing at dawn

Balmoral

Beautiful Balmoral is small enough to navigate Europe’s most picturesque waterways so guests can enjoy hours of scenic cruising. Balmoral offers a warm, civilised atmosphere and features comfortable accommodation, stylish restaurants and plenty of open-deck space.

710 cabins
1,325 guests
551 crew
43,537 GT
16kts max speed
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Sample Shore Tours

At each port of call on your cruise, we carefully research and hand pick Shore Tour options for you, designed for you to see as many of the world's best destinations as possible.

Below, you will find some sample Shore Tours which will give you an example of what to expect on your cruise. Your Shore Tours will be available to book approximately 12 weeks prior to departure via your My Cruises account.

Rioja Winery and Tasting Session

Rioja Winery & Tasting Session

Explore Spain's famous La Rioja region and visit two wineries where you can meet the owners, enjoy a guided tour and partake in a unique wine tasting session. 

££££

Getxo (Bilbao)

Château Carbonnieux

Visit Château Boutinet

Discover the enchanting Château Boutinet, a family-owned 18th-century wine estate in the heart of Villegouge. Meet the owners and explore the lush vineyards, before culminating your tour in the tasting room, where you’ll indulge in delicious French aperitifs.

££££

Bordeaux

Saint-Emilion Vineyard

Saint-Émilion Village & Vineyard By Little Train

Begin exploring Saint-Émilion, a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the heart of Merlot grape cultivation. Enjoy a vineyard tour via traditional open-air train and a guided walking tour of the village's upper part, ending with free time to explore.

££££

Bordeaux

Treats & Pastimes

In addition to our Signature Experiences, we have a selection of lovely Treats & Pastimes for you to enjoy when on board. Just check your Daily Times each day for full details.

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Enhance your cruise

Each of our cruises has been carefully designed for you to get the very best out of your time on board; and now you can enhance your cruise to make it even more special.

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