Normandy beaches

We are on an upcoming Uniworld Paris and Normandy cruise. It seems there are 3 tours to choose from for the D-Day Beaches (full day from Rouen): A. Utah and Omaha beaches and Sainte-Mère Église (American troops), B. Juno Beach ( Canadian infantry) or C. full day beaches with Bayeux. Could someone who has been on these excursions shed some light on which is the best excursion? For example, we really want to see Sainte-Marie Eglise, the first town liberated by the U.S. Army, but also don’t want to miss the charming town and tapestry of Bayeux!

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We did this itinerary on Uniworld in 2015 and chose the Bayeux option. Your "A" option wasn't available when we went, it was instead the 360 degree theater. We loved Bayeux. The tapestry was fascinating. The town was quaint, but there wasn't a lot open, as we were there during lunch. In a few weeks, we are doing this itinerary again, and are going with option A.

When will you be going?

I will be doing a trip report, and can compare and contrast the two.

Two weeks, and counting:D

Robin

We did this cruise in 2016 and chose the Bayeux Tapestry (we had visited Sainte-Mère Église on an earlier British Isles cruise port visit 3 years earlier). Without a doubt, do the Bayeux Tapestry but make sure it will be there when you cruise. It was recently announced (http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-42713552) that for the first time in its 950 year history it will be displayed in England but supposedly not before 2020. The tapestry is an amazing piece of art and history plus the town of Bayeux is lovely.

On our cruise all 3 tour groups met up at the American cemetery for a 2:30 special service arranged (and I presume, paid for) by Uniworld. Veterans on our cruise laid a wreath, the Star Spangled Banner was played over the public address system (and loud enough to be heard throughout the cemetery - every visitor, regardless of nationality, stopped and faced the American flag), then a jet (we think it was French but we were so surprised no was quite sure) did a fly over, followed by Taps over the public address system. I can truthfully say there wasn't a dry eye among all the Uniworld cruisers (and many others I would guess). It was one of the most touching experiences I've ever had. Make sure you check out the museum too (we hadn't had time the first visit) - it is marvelous.

I have been to Normandy many times, I have even been to few reunions. I would suggest that you purchase Major & Mrs Holts definitive battlefield guide. It costs about $20.00 and is the most complete guide I have ever seen. They are a famous couple that does tours in Normandy. The wrote a book that includes all the sites, descriptions, photos, site suggestions, and even the GPS location of each site.

My suggestions would be:

American Cemetery

Omaha Beach & Point du Hoc

Ste Mere Eglise is where the famous church that still has a life size manga ion of John Steel the young man that parachuted into the steeple of the church.

If your Americans you may want see the US invasion beaches: Utah & Omaha.

Point du Hoc has a lot of bunkers that you get up close to see.

I also like Pegasus Bridge Cafe.

Each year when they hold the reunions the staging area is st mere Eglise.

Watch the movie The Longest Day, it talks a lot about the events that happened that day.

Feel free to ask any questions and remember to follow the red balls?

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I have been to Normandy many times, I have even been to few reunions. I would suggest that you purchase Major & Mrs Holts definitive battlefield guide. It costs about $20.00 and is the most complete guide I have ever seen. They are a famous couple that does tours in Normandy. The wrote a book that includes all the sites, descriptions, photos, site suggestions, and even the GPS location of each site.

 

 

My suggestions would be:

American Cemetery

Omaha Beach & Point du Hoc

Ste Mere Eglise is where the famous church that still has a life size manga ion of John Steel the young man that parachuted into the steeple of the church.

 

 

 

If your Americans you may want see the US invasion beaches: Utah & Omaha.

 

Point du Hoc has a lot of bunkers that you get up close to see.

 

I also like Pegasus Bridge Cafe.

 

Each year when they hold the reunions the staging area is st mere Eglise.

Watch the movie The Longest Day, it talks a lot about the events that happened that day.

 

Feel free to ask any questions and remember to follow the red balls?

 

 

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Thanks for the info. We will be staying in Bayeux before our uniworld cruise. We are looking at an all day or a half day. If we choose the half day would we be able to see some of the sites in our own? We wil have a car.

Any tour guide suggestions? Thanks

...On our cruise all 3 tour groups met up at the American cemetery for a 2:30 special service arranged (and I presume, paid for) by Uniworld. ...

Thanks for the info. We will be staying in Bayeux before our uniworld cruise. We are looking at an all day or a half day. If we choose the half day would we be able to see some of the sites in our own? We wil have a car.

 

Any tour guide suggestions? Thanks

It is real hard to do it in one day. Most tour operators like to see at least two days.

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You have raised my curiosity. I have been to a number of Overseas US Military Cemeteries, and assumed that the ceremonies were provided and paid for by the Cemeteries to show respect to those who gave their all. Lots worse things to spend my tax dollars on than honoring those poor scaried but incredibly brave young men. I have a first cousin buried at the Brittany Military Cemetery and they provide escorts to the grave, lounges etc - truly a class act. Yes, very moving.

American military cemeteries overseas are maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission (https://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries-memorials#.Wpl4wudG1PY). I know Uniworld provided the wreath because we were told that in advance so they obviously worked with the cemetery staff. The Commission's website includes a form for requesting a time for the ceremony (wreath laying, anthem and taps). Having visited the Normandy Cemetery once before the flyover was totally unexpected and amazing.

Thanks for the info. We will be staying in Bayeux before our uniworld cruise. We are looking at an all day or a half day. If we choose the half day would we be able to see some of the sites in our own? We wil have a car.

 

Any tour guide suggestions? Thanks

Pick up a copy of the book or spend some time on the internet researching the beaches and you will see their is a lot to do:

Here are some things you can do on your own but won’t get the advantage of having a tour guide explain all the history:

Arromanches: these are the piers that they floated over to create a harbor to dock ships

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You have raised my curiosity. I have been to a number of Overseas US Military Cemeteries, and assumed that the ceremonies were provided and paid for by the Cemeteries to show respect to those who gave their all. Lots worse things to spend my tax dollars on than honoring those poor scaried but incredibly brave young men. I have a first cousin buried at the Brittany Military Cemetery and they provide escorts to the grave, lounges etc - truly a class act. Yes, very moving.

Allow me to quibble. It is among the best uses of my tax dollars!

When we visited the Luxembourg Cemetary, there was a Battle of the Bulge bronze star holder visiting. He had been escorted to the graves of the men in his company that were buried there. Really a class act!

We did a Viking Paris & Heart of Normandy cruise in 2014. My DH has an uncle buried in the American cemetery there, so prior to our cruise I researched online the actual location of his grave. Our Viking cruise director told us, after the ceremony (national anthem, Taps, etc.), to approach one of the cemetery officials for help in finding his uncle's grave. We did so and were treated like royalty. The official took us directly to the grave marker and gave us an American and French flag to put on the marker, and Viking provided roses (they did this for all guests to place on any of the graves). He then rubbed sand from Omaha Beach into the lettering on the cross so we could read the inscription in our photos. He took photos of us with our camera so we have a beautiful memory of the visit. Finally, we were loaded into a golf cart and taken to the museum, where he entered my husband's information into the guest book for family members, and where we met up with the rest of the tour group. A truly special experience!

Thanks for the info. We will be staying in Bayeux before our uniworld cruise. We are looking at an all day or a half day. If we choose the half day would we be able to see some of the sites in our own? We wil have a car.

Any tour guide suggestions? Thanks

I don’t know how much time you will have in Bayeux, but we stayed at the Churchill Hotel there, and they arranged a tour for us to Mt. Saint Michel. It’s really amazing.

Wow, I got more information than I bargained for! Thank you so much for the heartfelt information. ACWMOM, we will be on the April 8-15 voyage next month. Is that when you are going? Which beaches are included for the Bayeux option? It is great that all the tours meet up at the end for the American Cemetery commemoration. AIRRACE, I will definitely purchase the Holts’ book to take my Rick Steves research to the next level! Will be watching The Longest Day and Saving Private Ryan again! Lots to do...What are the “red balls”? -Steve

Wow, I got more information than I bargained for! Thank you so much for the heartfelt information. ACWMOM, we will be on the April 8-15 voyage next month. Is that when you are going? Which beaches are included for the Bayeux option? It is great that all the tours meet up at the end for the American Cemetery commemoration. AIRRACE, I will definitely purchase the Holts’ book to take my Rick Steves research to the next level! Will be watching The Longest Day and Saving Private Ryan again! Lots to do...What are the “red balls”? -Steve

I am on the first cruise of the season, in 2 weeks. When we did Bayeux, we went to Omaha Beach for a brief stop. We also went to Arromanches for about 30 minutes. I'm not sure if it has changed since then.

Robin

Wow, I got more information than I bargained for! Thank you so much for the heartfelt information. ACWMOM, we will be on the April 8-15 voyage next month. Is that when you are going? Which beaches are included for the Bayeux option? It is great that all the tours meet up at the end for the American Cemetery commemoration. AIRRACE, I will definitely purchase the Holts’ book to take my Rick Steves research to the next level! Will be watching The Longest Day and Saving Private Ryan again! Lots to do...What are the “red balls”? -Steve

Add "Band of Brothers" to your movie viewing. If you visit Utah Beach you will see the relatively recent (2012) statue of Major Dick Winters leading his men into combat. https://www.army.mil/article/81406/normandy_monument_dedicated_to_maj_richard_winters

I cannot comment on the river cruise excursions as I went on SB, and am going back next year for the 75th anniversary for a week on a special Regent cruise.

But I will add that the book “D-Day” by historian Steven Ambrose is a must, to get a sense of the individual, human stories of what was happening in the area before and during the invasion, available in all formats on Amazon. I played it on audiobook before and during my cruise to build up to the visit to the American Cemetery, Omaha Beach, and Arramanches. One day was not at all enough.

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if you haven't seen Saving Private Ryan, watch the beginning before visiting the beachs. It's difficult to watch, but helps to comprehend the reality of those men's experience more than Han words can.

Add "Band of Brothers" to your movie viewing. If you visit Utah Beach you will see the relatively recent (2012) statue of Major Dick Winters leading his men into combat. https://www.army.mil/article/81406/normandy_monument_dedicated_to_maj_richard_winters

The red ball express was a nick name given by the Americans to the supply route between Normandy and the front line. A simple red ball on a sign let the troops know they were headed in the right direction. The signs are still there today, so if you see the red ball you know you are on the supply route.

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I cannot comment on the river cruise excursions as I went on SB, and am going back next year for the 75th anniversary for a week on a special Regent cruise.

 

But I will add that the book “D-Day” by historian Steven Ambrose is a must, to get a sense of the individual, human stories of what was happening in the area before and during the invasion, available in all formats on Amazon. I played it on audiobook before and during my cruise to build up to the visit to the American Cemetery, Omaha Beach, and Arramanches. One day was not at all enough.

 

 

 

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It has tamed down of the years as many of the veterans have now passed on. I was there for the 50th, 60th and the 70th anniversary and I can honestly say it is something I will never forget. Even got a chance to ride in a C47 airplane one year.

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It has tamed down of the years as many of the veterans have now passed on. I was there for the 50th, 60th and the 70th anniversary and I can honestly say it is something I will never forget. Even got a chance to ride in a C47 airplane one year.

 

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My niece is the band director of the Herndon (VA) high school band which has been chosen to represent the USA at the 75th anniversary of D-Day in 2019. (https://www.herndonband.org/normandy)

Capriccio, are you referring to the Steven Spielberg miniseries “Band of Brothers” or another film?

Capriccio, are you referring to the Steven Spielberg miniseries “Band of Brothers” or another film?

Sorry I wasn't clear - the mini-series.

We did a Viking Paris & Heart of Normandy cruise in 2014. My DH has an uncle buried in the American cemetery there, so prior to our cruise I researched online the actual location of his grave. Our Viking cruise director told us, after the ceremony (national anthem, Taps, etc.), to approach one of the cemetery officials for help in finding his uncle's grave. We did so and were treated like royalty. The official took us directly to the grave marker and gave us an American and French flag to put on the marker, and Viking provided roses (they did this for all guests to place on any of the graves). He then rubbed sand from Omaha Beach into the lettering on the cross so we could read the inscription in our photos. He took photos of us with our camera so we have a beautiful memory of the visit. Finally, we were loaded into a golf cart and taken to the museum, where he entered my husband's information into the guest book for family members, and where we met up with the rest of the tour group. A truly special experience!

I am so happy to hear this. My great-uncle is buried there and I was hoping to see his grave. It is one of the main reasons we decided to do this trip. I"ll certainly follow your advice and speak to one of the officials when we get there.

We were on the uniworld paris/ normandy trip last year.

We opted for the tour of the beaches and st mere eglaise. It was a long day but wonderful.

We started with utah beach and point du hoc walking through the pillboxes on the cliff. Then went to Sainte Mere Eglise with with John Steele memorial and the Airnourne museum. There was time in tge town to have lunch. Then off to the American Cemetery

The last stop was Omaha beach where Uniworld provided a trumpet player to play taps and the Star Spangled Banner

You need to make the call about the tapestry. I have seen many tapestries in many museums. But there is nothing to compare to the experiences I had on this excursion

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W

You need to make the call about the tapestry. I have seen many tapestries in many museums.

 

 

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Just a clarification about the Bayeux Tapestry. It is in no way, shape, form or topic similar to the tapestries of the middle ages and renaissance periods traditionally made in Belgium. The Bayeux Tapestry

• "is an embroidered cloth nearly 70 metres (230 ft) long and 50 centimetres (20 in) tall,[1][2][3] which depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England concerning William, Duke of Normandy, and Harold, Earl of Wessex, later King of England, and culminating in the Battle of Hastings. It is thought to date to the 11th century, within a few years after the battle. It tells the story from the point of view of the conquering Normans."
  
• "The designs on the Bayeux Tapestry are embroidered rather than woven, so that it is not technically a tapestry." (from Wikipedia)
  

One day - whichever excursion is chosen - is not enough to visit Normandy. In addition to the historical sights, the scenery is beautiful and the people are wonderful. We've been twice and wouldn't hesitate to visit again.