Normandy D-Day Beaches

[Treasure Hunter]

We are looking at a marina cruise September 2024 London round trip. It has a port Le Havre from which you can do an all day trip to Normandy. Has anyone taken this excursion. We had three Tauck riverboats cancelled during covid and we are currently on the Viking Mississippi ( very unhappy). Much appreciate any info to help us make up our mind. This would be our fifth Oceania. We loved the Riviera.

[willmschen]

In 2019 we used Overlord Tours for the D-Day beaches.  They have a variety of options, and do a great tour. 

[richardbohn]

Yes, we did the exact cruise on Riviera last month. We opted for the small group tour, 10 1/2 hrs from Le Havre to D-Day beaches. There were 13 of us with an excellent, knowledgeable tour guide. It was the highlight of our cruise. My husband is into WWII, especially since his father was with Patton’s army. It’s about a 90 minute coach ride from the port to the beaches. We left the port at 8:30am, on the way stopped at a theatre to see a D-Day landing video, next stop was the American Cemetery (touring with the guide and then on our own), lunched (included) at a seaside restaurant, and then to the beaches with our tour guide for a few hours. Returned to the ship around 6:30-7pm. Long day - needless to say, it was room service for dinner.

[CarrieAP]

1 hour ago, willmschen said:

In 2019 we used Overlord Tours for the D-Day beaches.  They have a variety of options, and do a great tour. 

Another vote for Overlord. Did tour with them last spring, albeit on another cruise line. Outstanding experience. 

[Sny]

Last September, we did a small group tour with Tours by Locals with Graham O.  Could not say enough good things about Graham.  He customized our tour to what the four of us requested.  We saw so much in one day!!!!  Excellent shore excursion.

[cayman09]

Did the tour with another cruise line 4 years ago. Very moving, especially the American Cemetery. Had lunch at an outdoor cafe right across from Omaha Beach. Best tour of our cruise.

[the more ports the better]

2 hours ago, CarrieAP said:

Another vote for Overlord. Did tour with them last spring, albeit on another cruise line. Outstanding experience. 

How far in advance did you book Overlord.  We plan to use them in June 24 on Marnia (first sailing after the refurb so hopefully completed on time). We have three sailings between now and then and some of the excursions we are looking at are already sold out.

[willmschen]

I just checked our records, and it looks like we booked in 12/18 for a 9/19 tour. 

[redraider1966]

FWIW.  We first contacted Overlord Tours in 9/2022 to book a tour for our 8/31/2023 call at Le Havre, and periodically checked back with them as the tour was not yet open.  They were very responsive, giving us an update on how many expressions of interest they had received and noting that they needed a commitment of at least 8 pax to open the tour up.  They got that minimum in mid-June and immediately opened the tour.  They have a very good reputation and solid reviews.  The tour that we've signed up for (Tour #9B) also includes stops in Bayeux (a likely brief lunch opportunity as well as a chance to view the famed tapestry) and a little time in Honfleur before returning to Le Havre.

[harlor]

We also recommend Overlords. We took Tour 9, 8 people. Our guide was Chris, who is absolutely phenomenal. We all said he was the best tour guide we have ever had! We were on a Riviera cruise, visited DDay beaches from Le Havre in early June this year.

Loretta

[ORV]

Just go, it's a very moving experience. My favorite uncle was at the landing in the Big Red 1.

[the more ports the better]

Thanks all, I’ll go ahead and book a tour for 8.  Our roll call is very active so probably no issue finding three couples.  
 

A few years ago, we rented a car and drove from Paris and stayed in Caan for a few days.  We went to the ww2 museum and spent the entire day there.  The next day we went to the beaches and Point Du Hoc but decided next time we really need a guide.  Overlord is exactly what we are looking for.

[alcpa1]

Another vote for Overlord..

We did the same trip as Redraider1966.

[CarrieAP]

On 7/1/2023 at 3:52 PM, the more ports the better said:

How far in advance did you book Overlord.  We plan to use them in June 24 on Marnia (first sailing after the refurb so hopefully completed on time). We have three sailings between now and then and some of the excursions we are looking at are already sold out.

Think there were some delays getting schedules finalized post Covid but once they had them set we booked. 

[Hlitner]

Would love to hear more about the Viking Mississippi and why the OP is unhappy (we have thought about a future Mississippi River cruise).  As to Le Havre and Normandy, over the years we have been to all  5 of the D-Day beaches with Omaha being our favorite (by far) for a visit.  Whether you do that on a tour or with a rental car (it is easy to drive in rural France) Omaha is a fascinating place to visit along with the nearby American Cemetery (used for some amazing shots in Saving Private Ryan).  

 

We also really enjoyed our visit to Sainte Mere Eglise (where the paratrooper landed on a church steeple) but this town is truly at its best during the annual D-Day commemorative celebrations.  Around June 6, there are lots of events gong on in the region.  The Memorial Museum in Caen is also worthy of a few hours, but is not usually on most port day tours.

 

Hank

[QuestionEverything]

Did a Normandy Beach tour last August, no cruise involved.

We organized it ourselves.

Used Overlord. Totally outstanding.

They customized our wants. They bring a big map book to each beach and show the geography of the assault and show pictures of the key people involved. Made it personal.

Highly recommend.

[Mura]

I will be a negative comment here.  Back in the spring of 2002 we were on a cruise where we could have taken a day trip to the Normandy area. When I contacted the tourist bureau in Bayeux I was strongly discouraged from doing so, just because driving time was so long over bad roads.  Yes,this was 2002.

 

But as a result, we scheduled a trip that fall.  We rented a car in Paris and spent about 2 weeks going through Normandy and etc.  Three days in Rouen, three days by the Beaches and so on,  It was a great trip.

 

We know that not everyone has the time to do what we did but I do recommend NOT trying to see the Beaches in one day.  We did have a Viking river boat trip in 2012 which took us to Normandy beaches (like the Canadian) which we hadn't visited before, and that was a one day bus trip.  Since most U.S. passengers took the standard tour we were only 5-6 people on our bus because it was geared to non-U.S. passengers -- but we wanted to return to the Bayeux Tapestry which was not visited by the U.S, passenger tour and we were very happy to see the Canadian sites that we had not seen 10 years earlier.

 

I still think it is better to plan a trip to the Beaches that gives you several days there ... but you all will decide if you want to try to do this in one day!  No one will be wrong.

 

If you think you cannot come back later for a longer visit -- which is always what I say to people who want to do Paris or Berlin (or other) from a long distance port in one day -- you need to decide what is worth it to you.  But we were happy to have decided on a private road trip from Paris up to Normandy and back around to Paris which took us about 2 weeks.

 

Mura

[redraider1966]

14 hours ago, Mura said:

I will be a negative comment here.  Back in the spring of 2002 we were on a cruise where we could have taken a day trip to the Normandy area. When I contacted the tourist bureau in Bayeux I was strongly discouraged from doing so, just because driving time was so long over bad roads.  Yes,this was 2002.

 

But as a result, we scheduled a trip that fall.  We rented a car in Paris and spent about 2 weeks going through Normandy and etc.  Three days in Rouen, three days by the Beaches and so on,  It was a great trip.

 

We know that not everyone has the time to do what we did but I do recommend NOT trying to see the Beaches in one day.  We did have a Viking river boat trip in 2012 which took us to Normandy beaches (like the Canadian) which we hadn't visited before, and that was a one day bus trip.  Since most U.S. passengers took the standard tour we were only 5-6 people on our bus because it was geared to non-U.S. passengers -- but we wanted to return to the Bayeux Tapestry which was not visited by the U.S, passenger tour and we were very happy to see the Canadian sites that we had not seen 10 years earlier.

 

I still think it is better to plan a trip to the Beaches that gives you several days there ... but you all will decide if you want to try to do this in one day!  No one will be wrong.

 

If you think you cannot come back later for a longer visit -- which is always what I say to people who want to do Paris or Berlin (or other) from a long distance port in one day -- you need to decide what is worth it to you.  But we were happy to have decided on a private road trip from Paris up to Normandy and back around to Paris which took us about 2 weeks.

 

Mura

Just to note that the poster is repeating, in essence, the same "negative" commentary he/she posted on a Vista Roll Call for an upcoming TA, which embarks on 8/30/2023 and makes its first port call at Le Havre the next day.  This Roll Call posting was in response to several expressions of interest in an excursion to the D-Day beach(es), in particular one offered by Overlord Tours, a well-regarded tour operator.

 

Some 38 years ago, my family (including two sub-teen children) and I set out on an extensive road trip to France from our then-residence in Brussels, Belgium where I was then assigned to the U.S. Mission to NATO.  Our first night was spent in Caen, which I will concede is closer to those beaches than Le Havre.  The next day, with a Michelin guide in hand, we did a self-guided tour of the U.S. landing sites, visited the forerunner of what is presumably a newer museum, and saw the Bayeux tapestry.  No, we did not visit the American cemetery, choosing to spend more time at Pointe du Hoc and Omaha Beach.  This was all accomplished on perfectly decent roads/highways in a sedan.  Said roads must have really deteriorated in the years between 1985 and 2002 per the aforementioned commentary!

 

For those cruisers interested in visiting the British or Canadian landing sites, there are alternative tours.  Given the decades that have passed since our visit, this Vista cruise offered the best opportunity we've since had to go back and have the benefit of a good, knowledgeable guide (Overlord Tours) and not just our trusty Michelin green book.  Back then our children were already seasoned travelers and we regret that they won't be joining us this time.