Which Normandy tour from Le Havre?

[Mltoot]

We are on Brilliance of Sea July 13. Trying to decide between the Beaches of Normandy ship tour (Caen Museum, Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, Colleville Cemetary) and the D Day Beach and Bayeux Tapestry ship tour (Bayeux town and tapestry, Omaha Beach, American Cemetary at Colleville, Arromanches, Longues artillery battery).

I hear the Caen Museum is not to be missed, but I'm not sure I am enough of a World War II buff to enjoy a whole day of battle related tour.

Anyone been on one of these and have some comments? Thanks.

[Cornishpastyman1]

We are on Brilliance of Sea July 13. Trying to decide between the Beaches of Normandy ship tour (Caen Museum, Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, Colleville Cemetary) and the D Day Beach and Bayeux Tapestry ship tour (Bayeux town and tapestry, Omaha Beach, American Cemetary at Colleville, Arromanches, Longues artillery battery).

I hear the Caen Museum is not to be missed, but I'm not sure I am enough of a World War II buff to enjoy a whole day of battle related tour.

Anyone been on one of these and have some comments? Thanks.

I have not been on either of those tours, and both are great but if were me I'd go for the second one because of the greater variety in that you will see Bayeux and the tapestry and some very evocative and fascinating D Day sights.

 

If it's any help I made these from a few hours at most of the places you mentioned :

 

Bayeux

- mainly the cathedral, with a very brief glimpse of the tapestry.

 

Arromanches (Gold Beach) and Omaha Beach

with the remains of the Mulberry harbour showing if you are lucky enough to be there when the tide is out.

 

Longues-sur-Mer battery, Pointe du Hoc, Normandy American cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer

 

All the best, Tony

[John Bull]

I'll vote with the pasty man. .......... I disagree about the peace museum at Caen. It's big, but it's not a D-Day museum. It covers the entire WW2 conflict & more, and majors on the holocaust, rather too much of it is photographic. ... that tour does include Pointe du Hoc, the shell-cratered clifftop fortifications, well worth a visit. ....... the second tour includes Arromanches, which has a good little seafront museum, lots of shops, bars, restaurants & remains of the Mulberry harbour (read up about it before your cruise & the bits will make sense). Also the battery at Longues sur Mer. And the pretty & historic town of Bayeux & the famous Bayeux tapestry. Virtually untouched during the war, and as you say, a break from D-Day. ......... both include the American Cemetery, overlooking Omaha beach, the highlight of any American's visit to the D-Day sights. I've not been on a ship's tour, but I know the venues quite well

 

JB :)

[tartanexile81]

i love this area. I've had several land holidays in Normandy, as well as visiting on cruises and I would definitely choose the second option. I think it would give you a better flavour of France as well as helping you learn more about WW2. The Museum at Caen is very involved and a celebration of peace rather than just about WW2 and you need a long time there to make the most of it, IMO.

[JackN]

If there are three or more in your group I believe a private guide is the best value and the best experience! I recommend Danielle Duboscq. We recently returned from a trip to France that fulfilled my Dad’s lifelong dream of visiting the landing beaches in Normandy. I asked for an awful lot from Danielle and she delivered a truly special day, picking us up at our cruise ship and taking us to St. Mere Eglise, Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, the American Military Cemetery and the Mulberry Harbor at Arromanches. Throughout the 10- hour tour, Danielle was a delightful fountain of information. She is a native of the region (an American soldier actually took her mother to the hospital when she gave birth to Danielle) and I doubt there is anyone who knows more about Normandy and the surrounding area than Danielle. She speaks impeccable English, and has spent her entire life in the travel, hotel and tourism industry, much of it in the United States. Her son is also a guide and grew up in the US. Among Danielle’s former clients: Tom Brokaw, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg along with legions of returning veterans. My Dad continues to rave about what a great tour Danielle provided us and the perspective the tour gave him of the heroic efforts of the Allied troops on D-Day. Danielle can be reached at danielleduboscq@msn.com and you can learn more about her on her website http://www.normandyours.com. If you have any questions for me I would be glad to answer them at Jacknolan17@yahoo.com.

[history75]

Anyone know on the Bayeux Tapestry ship tour if you get to see the cathedral?

[Hlitner]

We have not done "tours" in this area since we have visited several times on our own 9with a rental car) while on cruises and just routine driving trips in France. We agree with the others about choosing the 2nd option. As to the Peace Museum at Caen this is an amazing museum worthy of several hours and probably not the best way to spend your time on a first-time one-way visit. The Peace Museum traces the history from the end of WWI to WWII (and also has a lot on WWII) and gives one a good education of why the peace in the 20s and 30s failed. It also has a lot of info about the French in WWII (including stuff about the Vichy and Resistance) that is not always kind to the French. For history buffs it does give a very balanced view of the history rather then trying to follow some agenda (a nice change from many museums).

 

Hank

[John Bull]

Anyone know on the Bayeux Tapestry ship tour if you get to see the cathedral?

 

Some ships' tours allow some free time in Bayeux. The cathedral is an easy three minute walk from the Tapestry display

 

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=,+Centre+Guillaume+le+Conqu%C3%A9rant+France&daddr=Rue+L+L+le+Forestier&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=49.274812,-0.702481&spn=0.002254,0.009538&sll=49.274882,-0.702578&sspn=0.004998,0.009538&geocode=FSze7wIdMVD1_yEWDEsqOjo6UykbU7ocrawLSDFG696iTf_buQ%3BFXvg7wIdzUX1_w&dirflg=w&mra=dme&mrsp=1&sz=17&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=49.274813,-0.70248&panoid=wuh99FZyKX2qSw_09OUYmw&cbp=11,347.38,,0,0

 

JB :)

[Ontario Cruiser]

Does anybody know what Princess ships charge for an excursion to the Normandy beaches? Our cruise isn't until April 2013 so I can't check the shore excursions yet.

Thank Ontario Cruiser

[hubofhockey]

We booked Overlord Tours for our D-Day excursion from Le Havre to Normandy. The Tripadvisor reviews were good and several on our roll call are using them. The tours for our date have been sold out for a while. Cost is €800 for an 8-seat van. We filled ours. At today's conversion rates, it's $126 per person. I don't know what Princess is charging for it's tour.

[candide333]

We booked Overlord Tours for our D-Day excursion from Le Havre to Normandy. The Tripadvisor reviews were good and several on our roll call are using them. The tours for our date have been sold out for a while. Cost is €800 for an 8-seat van. We filled ours. At today's conversion rates, it's $126 per person. I don't know what Princess is charging for it's tour.

 

We booked Overlord Tours for our Novemer 2012 excursion, but I wondered if you know the most convenient place to get Euros because this is our first port after London and the guide will only accept Euros.

[Turtles06]

For some reason, there's a thread about Normandy tours in the British Ports of Call forum. At any rate, here's what I just posted over there:

 

We recently returned from an eastbound TA; our last port was Le Havre, where 8 of us had a private shore excursion booked with Overlord Tours, geared to the American D-Day sites in Normandy. This was a great day, and I highly recommend Overlord. Book well in advance, as they only have a handful of guides.

 

I also second the recommendation to watch "The Longest Day" before you go. My partner and I hadn't seen it since we were kids (decades ago!), and I made her re-watch it before our trip. It's actually a fairly cheesy movie, but once we got to Normandy, we agreed that it was really a good thing to have seen. (In fact, our guide began the day by asking, "Has anyone seen 'The Longest Day?"" :)) (We'd of course also seen "Saving Private Ryan," and I'd read "The Longest Day" as well as Stephen Ambrose's masterful "D-Day.")

 

I found the day to be extremely emotional, and not only when walking amidst the graves in the American Cemetery.

 

BTW, yesterday was the 68th Anniversary of D-Day. What courageous people; never forget.

 

 

The tribute to Private John Steele, in Sainte-Mère-Église:

 

 

(photo by turtles06)

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=34065293#post34065293

 

Answering the question above: we got Euros from our bank at home before leaving the U.S.

[hubofhockey]

We booked Overlord Tours for our Novemer 2012 excursion, but I wondered if you know the most convenient place to get Euros because this is our first port after London and the guide will only accept Euros.

 

I'm not even sure if they're expecting payment at the beginning of the day or the end. I would just send them an e-mail and ask them that and then you could aways stop at an ATM near the cruise port. The most convenient way to get euros anywhere in countries that use them is ATMs. You may want to look into a bank card that doesn't charge foreign transaction or ATM fees. We use Capital One for this as has been recommended by so many on the Europe ports of call boards.

[hubofhockey]

For some reason, there's a thread about Normandy tours in the British Ports of Call forum.

 

Those forums say British Isles and Western Europe. These are Mediterranean forums. Even though Normandy is in France, it's not really in the Mediterranean and probably not on the itinerary of Med cruises. More likely, Le Havre is included on British Isles and other Western Europe cruises.

[Turtles06]

I'm not even sure if they're expecting payment at the beginning of the day or the end. I would just send them an e-mail and ask them that and then you could aways stop at an ATM near the cruise port. The most convenient way to get euros anywhere in countries that use them is ATMs. You may want to look into a bank card that doesn't charge foreign transaction or ATM fees. We use Capital One for this as has been recommended by so many on the Europe ports of call boards.

 

Folks may want to have Euros during the tour. For example, we stopped for lunch in Sainte-Mère-Église (Euros needed), and also bought some souvenirs along the way (same). As for paying Overlord, the guide had us pay her at the end.

[hubofhockey]

Folks may want to have Euros during the tour. For example, we stopped for lunch in Sainte-Mère-Église (Euros needed), and also bought some souvenirs along the way (same). As for paying Overlord, the guide had us pay her at the end.

 

Yes, I was suggesting that you can ask the overlord driver guide to stop along the way at an ATM. That would do the trick.

[John Bull]

For some reason, there's a thread about Normandy tours in the British Ports of Call forum.

 

Clicking on either Britain or British Isles/Western Europe brings you to this forum.

The France forum is actually Mediterranean - French ports.

But it also has frequent threads on Le Havre, Paris, Cherbourg.

And occasionally Rome, Alicante, Alexandria .......... :D

 

Yes, I was suggesting that you can ask the overlord driver guide to stop along the way at an ATM. That would do the trick.

 

By far the simplest bet.

 

JB :)

[candide333]

Thanks to all who responded to my question about getting Euros at Le Havre. The information online from Overlord is that they will not stop to get money. Now that I know we can pay at the end, hopefully, lunch will be near an ATM machine.

 

This was in the FYI from Overlord.

 

"Unfortunately no. For the sake of respect to our other tour clients, please be sure to being batteries, film, water, cash for paying the guiding fees before you get on the tour transport."

[John Bull]

Thanks to all who responded to my question about getting Euros at Le Havre. The information online from Overlord is that they will not stop to get money. Now that I know we can pay at the end, hopefully, lunch will be near an ATM machine.

 

This was in the FYI from Overlord.

 

"Unfortunately no. For the sake of respect to our other tour clients, please be sure to being batteries, film, water, cash for paying the guiding fees before you get on the tour transport."

 

Ahhhh.

Hadn't realised this was a shared tour :o

In which case, can't argue with their stance

 

Even so, if neccessary I think that at the end of the day they'd probably take you to an ATM for cash to pay for the tour.

I know I would :D

 

JB :)

[bconley351]

We toured with Overlord last summer. The only place we might have been able to get Euros at was at St. Mere Elgise. That was our lunch stop. We were able to get Euros during one of our earlier stops however (probably in Cobh). We never used the exchange machines onboard ship. You may want to find out if there is a bank with an ATM in St. Mere Eglise.

[Turtles06]

Your time in Normandy is precious. Why waste any of it looking for an ATM? Get the Euros before you leave home. Might it cost you a little bit more? Perhaps. But why nickel and dime yourself over something like this?