Christmas on the Main & Moselle

Revel in the major sights of the “City of Light” during a festive drive amid twinkling lights. Begin along the famed Champs-Élysées, viewing the Arc de Triomphe, commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to commemorate his triumphs. Admire the illuminated sights of Paris, including the celebrated Louvre Museum with its glass pyramid entrance and Town Hall. Continue into the Latin Quarter, then drive by Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Luxembourg Gardens, Musée d’Orsay, Place de la Concorde, and the recently restored Grand Palais and Petit Palais. See the Les Invalides complex of military buildings, where the tomb of Napoleon sits, and the École Militaire. Cap your tour with an iconic view of the Eiffel Tower from Champ de Mars. Before returning to the ship, enjoy some free time at one of the Christmas markets in the city center.

Enjoy a day at the former home of French kings: the awe-inspiring Château de Versailles. The palace and its sprawling gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, began as a small hunting lodge. Over the years, it was enlarged by each of its three resident kings—most famously Louis XIV, the “Sun King.” A local guide will accompany you to the château, where you will marvel at the extravagance and excess of French royalty. See the state apartments of the king, the Hercules Drawing Room with its magnificent painted ceiling and the famed Hall of Mirrors—the glittering corridor of chandeliers and glass in which the Treaty of Versailles was signed, thus ending World War I. Learn about court life in the 18th century, and see the queen’s apartments and the chamber of Marie Antoinette. Later, there will be time to explore the vast, elaborate gardens.

Celebrate the colorful tradition of fin de siècle Paris during an unforgettable night out. Transfer to the Paradis Latin in the Latin Quarter, where you take your reserved seats. The Parisian cabaret was born in the late 19th century during a period of exuberance and progress. Though the Paradis Latin opened in 1803, it burned down and was rebuilt by Gustave Eiffel from 1887–1889, the same period in which he was building his great tower. As Paris grew more vast and impersonal, many Parisians forged a village atmosphere within their arrondissements and came to value unbridled entertainment. This spirit lives on today at Paradis Latin. After a delicious, elegant meal, sit back as an extravagant revue unfolds before you during a performance featuring acrobatics, sensuality and fantastic costumes. It is an evening you will never forget.