Cruise stop in Cherbourg-how do we get to the Normandy American Cemetery

[suitesrus]

We are cruising on Holland America in May with a stop at Cherbourg, France. It looks doable to go to the WWII Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. Has anyone done this? How did you get there? How long did it take?

[aliaschief]

We are cruising on Holland America in May with a stop at Cherbourg, France. It looks doable to go to the WWII Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. Has anyone done this? How did you get there? How long did it take?

 

If your on the MS Rotterdam May 17 TA to Rotterdam we invite you to join our Roll Call. We have over fifty that have signed up for the Roll Call and Meet & Greet on the ship.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic. Just go to the Roll Call list on CC, Holland and click on MS Rotterdam and sailing date.

[Hlitner]

We are also on HA (Prinsendam) in May with a stop at Cherbourg. We have driven all over France, including to Normandy, but have never ventured out onto the Cherbourg Penninsula. As to getting to Normandy, you will have a few options. You could take an excursion offered by HA, make arrangements for a private tour, or rent a car and drive yourself. There is no public transportation that will allow you to see Normandy since the beaches and Cemetary are all in a rather remote location (although it can get like a Carnival during the busy tourist season). As to the driving time it should be about 1:15 (one way) depending on traffic. We last visited Normandy on a nice day in October and were actually the only car at Omaha Beach early one morning. But visiting in late May or early June will find crowds of tourists.

 

Hank

[aliaschief]

We have decided to just take a day off and do a walking tour and nice lunch. Main reason was after eight days at sea and than port stops and excursions every day for the remaining eight we decided to take a day off. We have two extensive day in Holland after our disembarkation in Rotterdam.

 

On our Roll Call several have planned private tours, rental cars, and ship excursions. Hal's tour goes to Utah Beach not Omaha.

 

One of the cons in planning tours for Cherbourg is because of our short time in port. Arrive at 11:00 (how long before your cleared to disembark?) and sailing away at 6:00 PM. A friend who is very involved in the tour industry has stated that "crew members have reported some people missing the ship because of delays because of strikes and demonstrations". Whether that's true or not today I can't verify.

 

If I was renting a car I would like to know how the afternoon "rush hour traffic is" so I could better plan a road trip.

 

Wish we had more time in while visiting Cherbourg.

[FolksOfMeans - ByNoMeans]

We are cruising on Holland America in May with a stop at Cherbourg, France. It looks doable to go to the WWII Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. Has anyone done this? How did you get there? How long did it take?

 

Contact: overlordtour dot com

 

We arranged a private tour with them last year from LeHavre

 

There were eight of us; cost 100 Euro/pp (About $ 135.00/pp USDs)

Ship's Tour cost was $ 199.00/pp.

 

They do a great job.

 

They have Tours from Cherbourg.

[cruisin4kicks]

We also use Overlord Tours in May of 2009 but out of Cherbourg. Below is pretty much the itinerary we did...

• Omaha Beach
  
• American Cemetery of Colleville – the cemetery that was in “Saving Private Ryan”.
  
• The Pointe du Hoc – the 100 foot cliffs the US Rangers scaled.
  
• Utah Beach
  
• Sainte Mère Eglise – where the paratrooper hung from the church steeple in the movie “The Longest Day” (had lunch there).
  

Great tour, lots of information. They met us at the ship around 8:00am and got back to the ship around 3:00pm. The only thing I would strongly recommend is that you keep your party to a maximum of 6 people. It's cheaper if you go with 8 but we were really crammed in with 8. Don't know what the price is now but when we went, it was 580 Euros for the van whether there was 6 of us or 8 of us. We did the full day custom tour with them and were very happy with what they had to offer.

 

Tim

[Cornishpastyman1]

I made these from my 4 hours by myself (not on a cruise) in the beaches area :

 

(Background to the invasion, Arromanches/Gold Beach and the Mulberry Harbour, Omaha Beach)

 

 

(German gun battery at Longues-sur-Mer, Pointe du Hoc, Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer)

 

 

I enjoyed every minute but was always aware how limited I was by my relative lack of knowledge, and will return to take a guided tour. If you already have a fairly detailed understanding of what happened then you could do a much better DIY job than me, but from reading this and the TripAdvisor forums the insight you get from an expert guide is unsurpassable. And they will do the driving for you. If I were on a cruise, with its time pressures I would definitely go for something like the Overlord tour praised by cruisin and Folksofmeans.

 

Whatever you decide I hope you have a great time, not just there but throughout your cruise adventure.

All the best, Tony

[caripoo]

We used Overlord tours. Stephan was our guide, he was FABULOUS!!! THey charged us 650 Euro for up to 8 people. We planned the day HOW we wanted!!!;);)

[John Bull]

We also use Overlord Tours in May of 2009 but out of Cherbourg. Below is pretty much the itinerary we did...

• Omaha Beach
  
• American Cemetery of Colleville – the cemetery that was in “Saving Private Ryan”.
  
• The Pointe du Hoc – the 100 foot cliffs the US Rangers scaled.
  
• Utah Beach
  
• Sainte Mère Eglise – where the paratrooper hung from the church steeple in the movie “The Longest Day” (had lunch there).
  

Tim

 

The tour which Tim took covers the main sights of interest to US cruisers (though don't forget that 3 of the five beaches were landings by UK/Canadian/other nationalities).

It's also the right way round, starting at the furthest point of US involvement, Omaha/ American Cemetery at Colleville Sur Mer, about 52 miles/one hour from Cherbourg, almost all on the fast N13 freeway. The Cemetery overlooks one end of Omaha, allow a bare minimum 1 hour there, preferably 2. Then the coastal lanes to Pte du Hoc (8 miles/20 mins), return to main N13 at La Cambe (German cemetery, a starkly different scene), & (via Ste Marie du Mont to good museum at La Madeleine & along Utah if you have an hour or two to spare) on to Ste Mere Eglise (excellent Airborne museum, allow 1 hour plus), and about 30 mins returning on the N13 to your ship.

 

Overlord receives many good reviews on this board.

If you prefer to rent a car (easy driving/navigating), you really need to book in advance and renting on a sunday is difficult or impossible.

 

John Bull