RCCL port excursions: May 27 and 28: Le Havre, Cherbourg

[swelch]

I thought Mont Saint-Michel would be the main focus of the Cherbourg port of call!! RCCL is not even offering it from here!! They, instead, offer it from Le Havre. Which presents a dilemma. I was planning on seeing the Normandy Beaches from Le Havre, assuming it was the best launch pad for Normandy Beach tours. So on RCCL's website they do offer one Normandy Beach excursion from Cherbourg, but it is only a 5 hour tour as opposed to the tours offered from Le Havre, which are 8 hours. The whole reason we chose this cruise was to visit both Mont Saint-Michel AND Normandy Beaches. Does anyone have any advice or guidance for me? There are six of us. We are Americans, so would like to include the American beaches, if that is the appropriate term. Thank You!!

[John Bull]

Cherbourg is the more convenient for US D-Day sights - the nearest, Ste Mere-Eglise (Airborne), is under half-an-hour away, and six miles inland from Utah. Pointe du Hoc is a half-hour beyond Ste Mere-Eglise, and the furthest US sights, Omaha & the American Cemetery, a quarter hour further. The fast road back from there to Cherbourg is about an hour.

By comparison, Omaha is 90 minutes from Le Havre and the other US sights are beyond.

That accounts for some of that 3-hour tour differential, and the excursions from Le Havre may also visit British & Canadian sights in preference to Utah / Ste Mere-Eglise because they're on the way to Omaha.

 

Yes, Mont St Michel seems more obvious from Cherbourg. But it's only 20 minutes e/w further from Le Havre.

 

But you can also take private tours to D-Day sights from either port (sharing via shipmates on your RollCall).

 

Or rent a car from either port for the fairly long but simple drive to MSM.

Or the same to tailor your own trip to the D-Day sights. But if you DIY you do need to research that historic day & the following days & weeks, and choose which sights to visit to get the best out of the trip.

Renting a car on a sunday is more difficult & a little more expensive, but not impossible.

 

Whilst a guide certainly adds to the experience, it's not essential at either MSM or the Normandy beaches.

 

JB :)

Edited December 27, 2016 by John Bull