mfldbrittany

Thanks for the prompt reply! I’ve put my husband, retired military, in charge of this research, but thought I’d check with you once I saw your post. We too want to get the most from this particular port visit.

This tour was high on my husband’s must do list. His father was in Patton’s army and came to France in August following D Day.

 

I contacted two companies in January for our April tour.

- Overload put us on a waitlist to see if there was enough interest. Never heard from them again, but I did see their vehicles at some of the locations.

- Normandy Guided Tours was more responsive and we were very pleased with Francis Paz, our guide. The cost was €880 for a 7 passenger van. We had three couples, so the cost based on the exchange rate was less than what Viking charges ($199). Deposit of €100 held the reservation. Balance was due in euros at end of tour. We found the other two couples via our CC roll call. Normandyguidedtours.com

 

Hope that helps your research. We did take a number of Viking included tours but felt a small group tour was a better use of our time for Normandy.

AuntieWerewolf10,

We’re booked on this cruise in October and are interested in a more in-depth Normandy tour. So I wonder if you would share the details of your tour. Many thanks for your consideration.

Nice review and pictures!

 

Same cruise, different experiences...

 

Traveled in April 2018 - Trade Routes of the Middle Ages

 

Barcelona pre-cruise extension:

We wanted a few days to recover from jet lag and explore a city I had visited during my college days. Our flight was early and as the only Viking passengers, so we had private car take us to the hotel. Astonishing, our room was ready by 9:00 a.m. Location of Renaissance was easy walking to various sights. Transfer to ship included a panoramic bus trip.

 

Barcelona: We skipped the included panoramic tour, which would have taken us back to some of the places we had already visited. Spent time walking through the Gothic Quarter, thankful for the prime docking location near the Columbus monument.

 

Cartagena: the included walking tour was a delight, as was our guide. The bus tour gave us time to see the countryside and learn the history of the area.

 

Malaga (Granada): optional excursion - Andalusian hospitality was a small group, 16 people. Olive and almond growing area of Alfarnate. Lunch in the homes of locals.

 

Porto: optional excursion - Aveleda winery. Didn’t really tour the winery but the grounds. The gardens in spring bloom were wonderful to this gardener from Wisconsin, 28 inches of snow the weekend we sailed. Perfect opportunity to stock up on some regional wines to enjoy on the ship.

 

Falmouth (Cornwall): included tour of the countryside. Yes, another bus ride with local commentary. But a sunny day in England was reason enough to rejoice. The volunteers at the port were so very welcoming.

 

Portsmouth: ah, a tour that overlapped Twitchly. I found most of the time at Stonehenge to be waiting for the shuttle bus. As Viking arrived with their 4 buses to merge with other tours. The lunch was nice, but I would have preferred more time for independent exploration of Salisbury.

 

LeHavre: independent tour of DDay beaches. Thanks to this forum and our role call, we arranged a private tour, 3 couples with a local enthusiast. One of the highlights.

 

Bruges: optional tour - Ghent, city of chocolate. A smaller group broken into 2 groups for a walking tour and visit to a chocolatier with free time to explore.

 

Amsterdam: included tour, one of our favorite guides. Canal and bus. Watch out for the bicycles. Another city from my past travels.

 

Bergen: family time. My husband contacted his second cousin who lives near Bergen. We thought we’d meet for coffee or lunch. Well, the family threw us a party with 18 new found relatives in the village of Helle, 50km from Bergen. Highlight of highlights.

 

Iceland post-cruise extension: Early in the season, the weather thought we should experience sun, rain, snow and wind. Dressed appropriately, and enjoyed the stark beauty. Reykjavik is surprisingly modern. The hotel, a Hilton, wasn’t near the city center, but we adventured in our free time using the bus system.

 

Sea Days: a welcome reprieve from touring.

 

Other onboard activities: cooking demo, galley tour, bridge tour, cooking class, movies under the stars, wine tasting, future cruise deals.