THE TRAIN – VENICE SIMPLON-ORIENT-EXPRESS
One of the Most Celebrated and Romantic Journeys in the World.
PART I: THE TRAIN – VENICE SIMPLON-ORIENT-EXPRESS
A work of art in itself and an Art Deco icon, the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient Express offers one of the most celebrated and romantic journeys in the world.
Adventure and style are all intimately bound in journeys that crisscross Europe, rolling through sublime scenery to some of the continent’s most alluring cities.
Delightful vintage cabins (all suite program), quality kosher cuisine (in black tie atmosphere) and lively onboard entertainment make a journey on this luxury train one of the world’s finest travel experiences.
A PASSION FOR TRAVEL
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Train
The golden age of travel may have been in the Roaring Twenties, but the art of journeying in style is still alive and well today.
That sense of wonder can still be felt on board the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, where train travel is about relishing the experience.
Savor the beautiful surroundings. Marvel at the opulent interiors, sparkling crystal, plush fabrics and polished woods. Relax in your own cabin as you look out over stunning landscapes.
Connect with fascinating people—like-minded adventurers who share your joy for travel.Look ahead with unbridled delight and prepare to step back into a more sophisticated age and a gentler pace of life.
THE JOURNEY – VENICE TO PARIS
Depart from Venice mid-morning for your overnight journey to Paris, where you arrive just after breakfast the following day.
Day 1:
- Board the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express at Venice’s Santa Lucia station.
- Designer cocktail to welcome you on-board
- Enjoy a three-course kosher lunch in one of the beautifully restored restaurant cars.
- Spend the afternoon relaxing in the comfort of your suite cabin gazing at the beautiful passing scenery.
- Afternoon tea is served in your cabin.
- A black tie four-course kosher dinner is served, prepared on board under the culinary supervision of VSOE Executive Chef, Christian Bodiguel.
- After dinner you may want to visit the Bar Car for our black tie gathering before you retire to your cabin.
Day 2:
- Breakfast is served in your cabin by your steward at a time that suits you.
- The train pulls into Paris’ Gare de l’Est where your journey ends and your Paris experience begins.
*Normal davening will take place throughout the journey
YOUR CABINS
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train is quite unlike anything you will ever experience….
From the 1920s to the ‘30s the carriages of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train played a significant role in the golden age of travel.
Today, every carriage has been lovingly restored to its former glory, recreating one of the finest luxury experiences the world has ever known.
Relax in an opulent cabin while a dedicated steward attends to your every need.
Our All Suite Program: Each cabin suite is formed of two interconnecting Double Cabins. By day, stretch out and relax with two lounges, while at night a choice of bed configurations are available. Crisp damask sheets and fine blankets contribute to a cozy and restful atmosphere at night.
Inside your cabin, draw back the oak panels to reveal a washbasin. Luxury, mosaic-tiled lavatories are available at each end of the carriage.
Note: As the train is a “heritage train” it reflects the standards of the 1920’s and is an art deco icon. The train is not wheelchair friendly, there are toilets on the corridors not in the cabins. The cabins, for sleeping, can be two separate beds – one each cabin or Pullman bunk beds with separate sitting are in other cabin (suites are made up of 2 adjoining cabins – this is an all suite train), no showers in cabin, no wifi on train, entire train is no smoking area, dress code: dinner suit / black tie.
*This charter will be subject to VSOE conditions of carriage
DINING
Indulge in a classic feast aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.
Exceptional Kosher European cuisine is freshly prepared under strict supervision in the train’s kitchen by Chef Christian Bodiguel.
All kosher food products while on-board the train and in Venice will be under the direct supervision of the Kashrut division of the London Beth Din and Master Kosher Chef Malcolm Green.
Menus: Our set-menus are an inclusive part of your trip.
Chefs will be delighted to cater to any specific dietary requirements, provided a detailed request is made at the time of booking.
RESTAURANT CARS & BAR
Enjoy the unique ambience of each of the three beautifully restored 1920s restaurant cars. Côte d’Azur, boasting Lalique glass panels, Etoile du Nord with its beautiful marquetry, and L’ Oriental, decorated in black lacquer.
COTE D’AZUR
Decorated by René Lalique, “Côte d’Azur” was built in 1929 as a first-class Pullman. The faintly blue opaque glass shows classical figures with a matching frieze of smaller panels. The stylish carriage began in the Côte d’Azur Pullman Express before switching to the Deauville Express. It returned to the Côte d’Azur for winter journeys and ran from Paris to Calais for many years, meeting the passengers from the Golden Arrow. By 1961 it was in a reserve pool used for special services and was eventually stored at the Wagons-Lits works at Villeneuve. It was rescued from a cold and dreary siding in 1981 by Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and restored at Bremen.
ETOILE DU NORD“Etoile du Nord” was built in 1926 in England, and showcases some of the most beautiful marquetry in the continental rake. It ran with the Etoile du Nord train from Paris and then switched to the Edelweiss based in Amsterdam. After running with the Lusitania Express from Lisbon to Madrid it finished service in the 1970s, travelling between Cadiz and Seville.
L’ORIENTAL
“L’Oriental” was originally a Pullman kitchen car. Built in Birmingham in 1927 in the Etoile du Nord style, it ran a luxurious service between Paris and Amsterdam. It later joined the Lusitania Express. When purchased for the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, the car was updated and refitted with black lacquer panels.
BAR CAR
The Bar Car was built in France in 1931 and based at the Gare Saint-Lazare in Paris. After the war it ran as part of the Sud Express from Paris to Irún on the Spanish border and from Paris to Toulouse in Le Capitole. Today it boasts a beautiful, Art Nouveau-style interior by Gérard Gallet. At the heart of the train, the stylish Bar Car offers a welcoming environment in which to relax over cocktails or coffee. Chat to fellow guests or enjoy music by the resident pianist.
NEW CHAMPAGNE BAR
Sample the finest kosher champagnes in the exclusive bar. Art deco interiors and Lalique glassware conjure the romance and glamour of the Roaring Twenties.
* Together with the Belmond Hotel Cipriani and the Venice Simplon-Orient Express, we have prepared a first class selection of wines and champagnes for sale at the hotel and on-board the train. To ensure your selection is available you are able to pre-order any wines and champagne. We will forward the full wine list nearer departure.
TOUR SCHEDULE
Day 1: Wednesday November 1 – Venice / VSOE
- 10.00: Board the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express at Venice Santa Lucia station, depart 11:00, welcome on-board with our signature cocktail.
- 12.00 – 13.30: Enjoy a three-course lunch in one of the beautifully restored restaurant cars, then spend the afternoon relaxing in the comfort of your cabin gazing at the beautiful passing scenery
- 12:30 Arrive Verona Station, depart 13:10
- 14.00 Afternoon tea is served in your cabin
- 17:30 Arrive Innsbruck, depart 18:00
- 18.30 – 20.00 Our black tie four-course dinner is served, prepared on board by our skilled French chefs. After dinner visit the Bar Car for our lively get together and entertainment before you retire to your cabin
- Day 4: Thursday November 2 – VSOE / Paris
7.00 Breakfast is served in your cabin by your steward at a time to suit you
8.30 The train pulls into Paris Gare de l’Est where your journey ends, and your guided tour of Paris begins.
Click Below For Our Omaha Beach D-Day Ceremony & Jewish Was Vet Commentary
Click Below For Seine River Cruise Video
The Journey: Combine the magic of Paris with the beauty of France’s Normandy countryside and voilà! See where the course of history was changed in 1944 on the beaches of Normandy where the Allied D-Day invasion led to the downfall of Hitler’s Third Reich. Delight in the Gothic architecture of Rouen, walk the cobblestone streets of provincial Caudebec, explore the luxurious Palace of Chantilly, and share the splendor of Paris, the world’s most romantic city. This fascinating 8-day river journey has something for everyone.
Jewish Heroism – Jewish Military History of The World Wars: On our tour we will be joined by retired Jewish military officers and historians who will provide a unique Jewish aspect to some of the major battles and Jewish soldiers of World War I & II, including a special D-Day tribute during our visit to the famous battleground beaches of Normandy.
Culinary Program: Paris is the top destination in France, but the rest of the country offers something special too. Every day, apart from Shabbat, we will gently lead you into the culinary cuisine of the country, which treats food as an art rather than a hardship, whilst you explore and travel down its most famous river, the Seine. Every region offers local culinary specialties, which you’ll discover in your hands-on cookery classes. We will introduce you to the cuisine of Burgundy and amazing produce from Provence teaching such typical dishes as bouillabaisse and coq au vin. From Languedoc we have cassoulet and the classic duck al’orange. Those dishes will whet your appetite, with many more for you to learn, to cook and to enjoy. Whilst here in France, a holiday would not be complete without wine and cheese, which we will also cover (and eat) in detail.
For our 2020 cruise season we have added our 2nd France Seine River & Normandy to our already vibrant and successful programs. For over 30 years, we have been running kosher travel vacations & cruises. Unlike other kosher travel programs that only offer hotel and on-the-bus-off-the-bus touring, or cruises that just include food and cabin, we bring to you a truly unique all-inclusive cruise & tour travel experience.
Kosher River Cruises brings you a memorable travel experience as we sail the beautiful River Seine from Paris through to Normandy. You will experience outstanding quality and comfort along with flawless service in an atmosphere of classical elegance. Take an unforgettable river cruise on one of Europe’s most beautiful waterways from within the comfort of your floating hotel.
Kosher River Cruises and the 5* Secnic Gem stand for the highest levels of hospitality and service and we are devoted to satisfying your every wish and need. We guarantee you will be on top of the world in every way on both land and water.
Our all-inclusive program provides delicious Glatt Kosher cuisine, on-board synagogue with daily minyanim, engaging lectures and on-board programming, evening entertainment, and local tours throughout your cruise that allow you to explore the area’s history and Jewish heritage.
YOUR PRIVATE SPACE
Imagine yourself watching the river from your window as your floating hotel takes you to new places and reveals charming landscapes and unforgettable places. The elegant comforts and personal service aboard your Kosher River Cruise ship create a calming oasis in which you are free to reflect and dream. All of the bright, airy cabins have unrestricted views of the scenery through wide, glass panoramic windows. Imagine all the thrill of European travel with the sheer ease of river transport!
PURE RELAXATION
Exercise, relaxation, variety, and calm – each one of these words describes your daily options on a Kosher River Cruise vacation. Start the morning with a walk along the river, or just lounge on the sun deck with a good book while you watch towns and villages pass by. Or get ready for the next day’s tour by listening to lectures by our on-board historians. Chat with other passengers over coffee and cakes and make new friends. Whatever you decide, Kosher River Cruises offers a perfect mixture of inspirational entertainment and valuable relaxation.
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH OTHERS
Travel brings people together. On a Kosher River Cruise you will enjoy traveling over land and water with like-minded people. You will chat, introduce yourselves, exchange pleasantries and in just minutes find yourself playing a game of chess, having a drink, or sharing a table for lunch or dinner. Shared pleasures when traveling simply enhances the joie de vivre! When all is said and done, getting to know other fascinating people is one of the very special sources of pleasure that unfold for river cruise passengers who choose Kosher River Cruises.
CULINARY PLEASURES
Step aboard a Kosher River Cruise vessel and taste everything that the individual countries and regions can offer when put in the hands of our accomplished, professional head chef. Our kitchen team combines its love of cooking with our goal of pleasing you and presents carefully composed modern kosher menus and local specialties. All food is Glatt Kosher under strict supervision.
Kashrut: All meat products are Shechita Bet Yosef, all diary is Cholov Yisroel, and all bread and cake is Pas Yisroel.
We are proud to present Master Kosher Chef Malcolm Green who will lead our culinary team to create your unforgettable dining experience while you are our guests. We have taken the fine dining that symbolizes riverboat cruising and made it kosher – in other words, the perfect trip.
THE SHIP
Experience the enduring beauty of our 5* luxury vessel as we glide elegantly from Paris to Normandy. The ship’s cozy atmosphere and overwhelming feeling of hospitality will embrace you from the moment you step aboard. Make yourself comfortable in the Panorama Lounge and savor the joie de vivre that is France. The restaurant, surrounded by tall glass walls, offers a magnificent panoramic view. Watch wonderful landscapes pass you by as you delight in our culinary specialties. Luxurious balcony cabins on the Scenic Gem offer guests a private retreat with views spectacular views of the river.
from $5590 pp/db | 2 |
days |
TOUR DAYS 1 & 2
11/8/17 – 11/9/17
ACTIVITIES
Savor the beautiful surroundings. Marvel at the opulent interiors, sparkling crystal, plush fabrics and polished woods. Relax in your own cabin as you look out over stunning landscapes.
Connect with fascinating people—like-minded adventurers who share your joy for travel.
Look ahead with unbridled delight and prepare to step back into a more sophisticated age and a gentler pace of life.
RATES
Train Only – $5590 + gratuities
Train & Boat: $10,990
ACCOMODATIONS
Our All Suite Program: Each cabin suite is formed of two interconnecting Double Cabins. By day, stretch out and relax with two lounges, while at night a choice of bed configurations are available. Crisp damask sheets and fine blankets contribute to a cozy and restful atmosphere at night.
Connect With Us
Call Us: USA +1 310-237-0122
Call Us Toll Free USA: 800-923-2645
WhatsApp SMS: +1 (206)-536-3150
Office hours are 9:00am to 5:00pm PST
Israel: 052 836 2661
United Kingdom: 020 3393 6823
Our Newsletter
Get the latest news and updates on Kosher River Cruise