Our return flight from Paris proved to be the low point in our trip.
When we arrived at the airport three hours early for our international flight, we discovered Air France had moved the flight time back an hour.
Apparently they merged our scheduled flight with a later flight, with resulting utter chaos.
When we checked our bags, we were told to check at the counter by the gate 45 minutes before the flight, where we would receive our seat assignments, which proved to be a blatant lie.
When the plane finally boarded an hour later than the already later flight time, the cattle call of travelers crashing the gates could not have been handled worse by Air France.
Our family of four ended up with seats in four different parts of the airplane.
To add insult to injury, on the way into the plane, my son was stopped for a full search, so I waited with him.
A second security man waiting ten feet away decided to search me too.
By the time we made it on the plane, space in overhead compartments near our respective seats had been taken, so our bags were spread to four other locations in the plane.
I could go on, but suffice it to say that I will never take Air France again....until I do.
Actually, despite the delays and being spread all over the plane, the flight itself wasn't bad, and most times on flights we all tend to be in our own little worlds rather than carrying on discussions or playing cards.
To be sure, we enjoyed a fantastic vacation, but in terms of relaxation and revitalization, a cruise wins hands down.
The biggest difference is obvious.
After a full day of exploring castles, cathedrals, museums, foreign cities and countryside, we found ourselves searching for a decent restaurant at reasonable prices and a Bed & Breakfast in a land without lights, although not necessarily in that order.
By comparison, on a cruise, after a full day of exploring the sites, we return to the comfort of our floating resort, enjoy a delicious meal, possibly sharing our adventures with our new friends met at our nightly dining room table, stroll across the ship to enjoy a terrific show, possibly sneak in a little gambling or some other late night entertainment, and then walk back to our stateroom for a relaxing night's sleep. 
The value of unpacking only once on a cruise should not be underestimated.In the final analysis, we had a great vacation, but it reminded me how much I enjoy the cruising lifestyle.
When we arrived at the airport three hours early for our international flight, we discovered Air France had moved the flight time back an hour.
Apparently they merged our scheduled flight with a later flight, with resulting utter chaos.
When we checked our bags, we were told to check at the counter by the gate 45 minutes before the flight, where we would receive our seat assignments, which proved to be a blatant lie.
When the plane finally boarded an hour later than the already later flight time, the cattle call of travelers crashing the gates could not have been handled worse by Air France.
To add insult to injury, on the way into the plane, my son was stopped for a full search, so I waited with him.
A second security man waiting ten feet away decided to search me too.
By the time we made it on the plane, space in overhead compartments near our respective seats had been taken, so our bags were spread to four other locations in the plane.
I could go on, but suffice it to say that I will never take Air France again....until I do.Actually, despite the delays and being spread all over the plane, the flight itself wasn't bad, and most times on flights we all tend to be in our own little worlds rather than carrying on discussions or playing cards.
To be sure, we enjoyed a fantastic vacation, but in terms of relaxation and revitalization, a cruise wins hands down.
The biggest difference is obvious.After a full day of exploring castles, cathedrals, museums, foreign cities and countryside, we found ourselves searching for a decent restaurant at reasonable prices and a Bed & Breakfast in a land without lights, although not necessarily in that order.
By comparison, on a cruise, after a full day of exploring the sites, we return to the comfort of our floating resort, enjoy a delicious meal, possibly sharing our adventures with our new friends met at our nightly dining room table, stroll across the ship to enjoy a terrific show, possibly sneak in a little gambling or some other late night entertainment, and then walk back to our stateroom for a relaxing night's sleep. 
The value of unpacking only once on a cruise should not be underestimated.In the final analysis, we had a great vacation, but it reminded me how much I enjoy the cruising lifestyle.
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