Sipping & Sailing through Bordeaux - Day 7 & 8

Day 7

On our final morning of cruising as we make our way back to Bordeaux, there are two excursions. My Parents choose the full-day tour to Arcachon, an architecture’s dream. At a quick glance the Victorian homes look like ornate gingerbread houses. The excursion included a boat ride to Cap Ferret, to taste the oysters, a local delicacy and my mom’s favorite!

My husband and I participate in a market visit with the Viking Chef. After breakfast, we follow Chef to the Marche des Capucins, the city’s largest market, a highlight of the trip hands down! He showed us the insights of his menu planning, the art of farm/sea to table unfold before our eyes, and as an added bonus we were able to sample and buy treats to take back to the ship… I know what you are thinking, like anyone needs more snacks at the end of a cruise, but the custardy canelés were calling our name. A canelé is a small French pastry flavored with rum and vanilla with a soft and tender custard center and a dark, thick caramelized crust, and they are the perfect pastry to honor our trip to Bordeaux .

Day 8

Cruising on a smaller vessel creates a sense of intimacy and a truly authentic experience. By the end of the trip you really do feel like you are saying good bye to your family.

After a final onboard breakfast, we disembark; say au revoir to the amazing staff and head to the airport for our flight home.

Of course one could always choose to extend the journey with three nights in Paris, but we chose to do a pre vs. post trip.

I have since cruised on three other Viking River Cruises and have fallen in love with the product. I think the streamlined Scandinavian astatic is clean and allows the boat to feel very spacious. The staff besides being professional is extremely knowledgeable and friendly, as are all the tour guides.

Another added bonus about cruising is unpacking once and then being able to relax! Getting to spend your time actually sightseeing in a leisurely way is definitely better than the hassle of lugging all of your luggage from city to city and worrying about catching the train or missing a flight.

For those not interested in long sailings and prefer more active trips River Cruises are perfect. Daily excursion typically start after breakfast and then the boat sometimes sails on to the next port where you re-embark, allowing for you to spend more time in the quaint picturesque village. However, short sailings in the afternoon are a great way to relax and take in the scenery while enjoying an afternoon lunch or cocktail.

My favorite time on the cruise; however, is at 5:00! My family would meet for cocktails before the pre-dinner meeting and we could share stories with other passengers about our day’s adventures before learning about the upcoming events and excursions. We would then enjoy a delicious dinner highlighting the local cuisine and afterwards return upstairs for after dinner drinks, while listening to live music and dancing the night away. Viking knows how to create memories you will never forget and will talk about for a lifetime!