Normandy Beach Shore Excursion

[mkolbicka]

We are booked on the upcoming TA on Celebrity Edge.  We have booked the 10 hr Normandy Beach excursion.  The description is very vague.  Lunch is not provided.  Do they stop somewhere along the way in order to buy lunch.  If anyone has been on this excursion and can offer some information it would be most appreciated.  Thank you.

[realnice46]

4 hours ago, mkolbicka said:

We are booked on the upcoming TA on Celebrity Edge.  We have booked the 10 hr Normandy Beach excursion.  The description is very vague.  Lunch is not provided.  Do they stop somewhere along the way in order to buy lunch.  If anyone has been on this excursion and can offer some information it would be most appreciated.  Thank you.

I would call Celebrity and ask for more details. We usually bring a sandwich or some snacks when touring just in case. I would imagine there would be some stop for food on such a long tour. I can’t figure if there is 2 1/2 hours driving each way or a total of 5 hours. Good luck we have been there many times but always on our own, so much to see.

[Covepointcruiser]

Does France allow you to bring food off of the ship??   Most countries have hard rules about this.   We took this long excursion and although I don’t remember Lunch I also don’t remember being hungry.

[Airrace]

17 hours ago, mkolbicka said:

We are booked on the upcoming TA on Celebrity Edge.  We have booked the 10 hr Normandy Beach excursion.  The description is very vague.  Lunch is not provided.  Do they stop somewhere along the way in order to buy lunch.  If anyone has been on this excursion and can offer some information it would be most appreciated.  Thank you.

Yes they will stop for food and snacks

 

iI would advise you to do as much research as possible on the Normandy Beaches. Learn about the start of D Day, check out the many available dvd to watch and of course the internet.

 

One of the best books I bought were Major and Mrs Holt’s Battlefield guide. I thinks it’s about $20.00 and worth every penny. It has all the sites of Normandy, pictures, stories and even GPS references. 

 

Enjoy your visit

 

[mkolbicka]

Thank you very much

[Beachlover1989]

8 hours ago, Airrace said:

One of the best books I bought were Major and Mrs Holt’s Battlefield guide. I thinks it’s about $20.00 and worth every penny. It has all the sites of Normandy, pictures, stories and even GPS references. 

 

Thank you so much for this information.  We are going to be there in September on the Reflection and I just ordered this!

[dkjretired]

Keep in mind for anyone going to Normandy this year, it is the 75th anniversary. Prices will probably be higher and should have heavy crowds. I remember previous anniversaries people got cancelled for dignitaries.

[Airrace]

Yes you will have limited access to many sites and many roads will be closed. Just be aware if you are near there on D Day it will be crowded, but you will experience many people re creating the D Day invasion. They have people jumping out of airplanes, military trucks, tanks, etc

 

when I was their for the 40th anniversary there was a website showing all the events and if and when a place was closed.  

 

 

If you you get lost just remember to follow the red balls.

 

in order for the allies to not get lost on the major route they marked all the roads with a sign with a red ball in it. The signs are still there.

 

i think on D Day the only spot you will have trouble getting into see is the Americans cemetery as that is usually were they hold the ceremony for the dignitaries 

[8mma]

Another exceptional  book about Normandy is " The Guns at Last Light"  by Rick Atkinson.   It is the third in a trilogy about World War 11 

[G.M.T.]

9 hours ago, Airrace said:

when I was their for the 40th anniversary there was a website showing all the events and if and when a place was closed.  

 

 

Internet in 1984?

[Xport]

12 hours ago, dkjretired said:

Keep in mind for anyone going to Normandy this year, it is the 75th anniversary. Prices will probably be higher and should have heavy crowds. I remember previous anniversaries people got cancelled for dignitaries.

 

10 hours ago, Airrace said:

Yes you will have limited access to many sites and many roads will be closed. Just be aware if you are near there on D Day it will be crowded, but you will experience many people re creating the D Day invasion. They have people jumping out of airplanes, military trucks, tanks, etc.

-----

i think on D Day the only spot you will have trouble getting into see is the Americans cemetery as that is usually were they hold the ceremony for the dignitaries 

 

The Edge Transatlantic will call at Le Havre on Sunday, 12 May...

 

Based upon my research, the D-Day Festival--reenactments, a wide array of related events--will be held from 25 May through 16 June with the memorial by heads of state, dignitaries, and World War II veterans [by prior registration] on the 75th anniversary itself [6 June].

 

That said, I expect that the Normandy sites are apt to be quite crowded during our visit...

• In addition to Edge, Crown Princess and MSC Orchestra are also scheduled to be at Le Havre on 12 May.  Not all guests will choose to tour Normandy but the three ships--with over 9,000 passengers--do create the highest projected cruise ship visitor load at Le Havre during the entire month.
• During December 2017/January 2018 we contacted eight of the best-regarded tour operators in the area--one I'd used and liked in 2011, several based upon recommendations from friends, a few others based upon favorable TripAdvisor reviews--to reserve a small-group private tour.  One advised that, with bookings by [primarily] veteran groups, we were at least six months late in our inquiry; some never responded at all.
• Celebrity initially offered two big-bus Normandy tours; the original poster is correct in that there was not a lot of detail to assess content or differentiate them.  During the first week of April 2018, they added a small group option [I've done them and preferred them--they tend to afford more interaction with the guide and to be more nimble/cover a bit more--at other destinations in the past]; we booked immediately and are glad we did as the price steadily increased--by more than 75%--before selling out.

Though I expect a more hectic experience this time than I had 8+ years ago, I'm really eager to return to Normandy--it's always memorable--for this milestone anniversary. 

 

Edited April 18, 2019 by Xport

[myjillian]

Your lucky that your not that close to D Day or the ship might not even offer the tour because of traffic etc.  I know on our first tip to Fatama we found out the day before that the ship was cancelling all tours because it was going to be on the Feast Day and the traffic would be so bad we wouldn't get close and it would be over run with tourists etc.  Was disappointed but when we had another opportunity to go it was great...our bus was the only bus there etc.  We got to do everything...