Normandy

[Jaylie]

We are new to Celebrity Cruise Line and want to plan a cruise that includes Normandy. Can someone suggest an itinerary. Ideally, we'd like to do this cruise in the summer and not more than 14 days. I don't know if summer is a good time of year or not. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[4774Papa]

We are new to Celebrity Cruise Line and want to plan a cruise that includes Normandy. Can someone suggest an itinerary. Ideally, we'd like to do this cruise in the summer and not more than 14 days. I don't know if summer is a good time of year or not. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

We Did a great British Isles cruise that included a stop in Le Havre.

 

We took an all day exclusion that included the Normandy Beaches/battlegrounds, cemetery and Bayeux. The highlight at Bayeux was seeing the 900 year old Bayeux Tapestry which chronicles the Norman Invasion of England. Great tour.

 

Here is my review of the cruise.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=221137

[vistapat]

If you choose an itinerary that includes a stop in Le Havre, France, you will have several good options for tours. Port days are often quite long in Le Havre to allow for passengers to take a tour to Paris, which is quite a long drive. If you haven't been to Paris, you could consider this. Also, you can find tours to the Normandy WWII beaches, to Bayeux, to Rouen (fascinating city and site of Joan of Arc's martyrdom). But the one choice that I am eternally glad I made in one of our Le Havre stops is the all-day tour to Mont St. Michel abbey (which is technically in Brittany). It is one of the all-time highlights of our cruising experiences.

 

Pat

[Greensboro]

Last summer we were on a British Isles tour that included stop at Le Havre.

Check out the Overlord Tours. We had a group of 8 for an all day tour of

the Normandy areas. The most memorable tour of our trip.

[jjk9946]

We also did a British Isles trip this year. If you opt for Normandy, Overlord Tours is the best. We saw many things that were not included in other tours I heard about. You can get a group together from you roll call or contact Overlord directly and they can put you in touch with a group already formed that may have an opening. We found it very moving to actually see where so many put there lives on the line.

 

That being said... I have to agree with VistaPat. Mont St Michel was probably the single most impressive thing we've ever seen. There are a lot of steps, but they are shallow and very doable. A guide is a must, but don't ask if the abbey suffered any damage during the war. Our guide was shocked that I would even entertain the idea that anyone would or could harm such a holy place. I didn't challenge her belief, but it was tempting. There is/was a fabulous bakery within the abbey walls.

 

Judy

[SC_Floaters]

We did the 11 Day British Isles on Infinity this past May. Sailed from Harwich, England to Copenhagen, Denmark. Stops included Le Havre (Paris & Normandy) France, Cobh (Cork) Ireland, Dublin Ireland, Liverpool England, Belfast N.Ireland, Greenock (Glasgow) Scotland, and Oslo Norway. We spent 3 Days in London precruise and 3 days in Copenhagen post cruise.

 

A really great Vacation...

 

Dennis & Sue

[ghstudio]

 

That being said... I have to agree with VistaPat. Mont St Michel was probably the single most impressive thing we've ever seen. There are a lot of steps, but they are shallow and very doable.

Judy

 

If you do go to Mont St Michel, try to stop at the Brittany American Cemetery on the way. It is difficult to combine a visit to mont St Michel with the larger and more well known Normandy American Cemetery, but the Brittany cemetery is very similar using the same grave markers and similar setting.

Edited November 6, 2014 by ghstudio

[Caribbean Chris]

Besides Le Havre, you can also visit Normandy when a ship calls at Cherbourg or St. Malo.

 

It's possible to have a great vacation doing that on a transatlantic for a couple of weeks, especially if you've been to London before in the past. Just come in a day or two before the TA sails, as friends have done.

 

The first Eclipse transatlantic from Southampton to its maiden call at Miami (Oct 31 to November 13, 2010) called at both Le Havre and Cherbourg.

 

We took an excursion from Le Havre to Deauville and Honfleur (very charming) on November 1 (big bank holiday in France)...

 

...and a memorable excursion the next day from Cherbourg to Omaha Beach and the iconic Cemetery & Memorial with museum at Colleville-Sur-Mer. Also stopped at St.-Mer-Eglise where the paratrooper was snagged on the town church steeple early on D-Day. The church has a figure of a soldier there to this day, complete with silk parachute, and the stained glass windows show paratroopers coming down.

 

Agree that Mont St. Michel is a great highlight if you haven't been yet. We saw it on another TA when it called at Saint-Malo, a tender port close to MSM.

 

Summer is hot and crowded in France, but if you don't have to travel in summer, consider spring or fall. Great weather, less crowded, and that's when TAs operate with great prices.

Edited November 6, 2014 by Caribbean Chris