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Cruising Paris to Normandy along the Seine

Program Overview

Step through the frame and enter the picturesque landscapes and villages that inspired the Impressionist masters along France’s Seine River. See the iconic masterpieces of Versailles, stroll through the gardens featured in Claude Monet’s “Water Lilies” series in Giverny, and honor those who lost their lives on D-Day with a guided tour of the Normandy beaches by special guest speaker David Eisenhower, grandson of General and President Dwight D. Eisenhower—Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces during World War II. Extend your voyage with the Paris Pre-Program Option.

Program Details

October 10 to 18, 2023 (Amadeus Diamond)
From approximately $3,695 plus air View Terms & Conditions
  • Nine-day, seven-night cruise of the iconic Seine River, round-trip Paris.
  • Enjoy a full-day guided excursion to Paris, the "City of Light."  
  • Experience the natural splendor and beauty of Monet's Giverny.
  • Explore the picturesque port city of Honfleur, home to legendary artists, and see the 15th century St. Catherine Church. 
  • Discover D-Day history on a guided tour of the solemn beaches of Normandy alongside acclaimed guest speaker Professor David Eisenhower.

Day 1 - Depart home city/Paris

Day 2 - Paris/Embark Ship

Day 3 - Paris

Day 4 - Vernon/Giverny

Day 5 - Rouen/Duclair

Day 6 - Le Havre/Honfleur

Day 7 - Caudebec-en-Caux/Normandy Beaches  

Day 8 - Les Andelys

Day 9 - Paris/Disembark Ship/Return to home city

Professor David Eisenhower

Grandson of General and President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Professor David Eisenhower is a noted historian of World War II and the Cold War. His 1986 bestseller, Eisenhower: At War 1943–1945, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. Eisenhower received a B.A. in history cum laude from Amherst College. Following graduation, he served in the United States Naval Reserve for three years as an officer on the USS Albany; shortly afterward, he earned his J.D. cum laude from The George Washington University Law School. Today, Eisenhower is Senior Fellow of the Foreign Policy Research Institute and a Public Policy Fellow at the Annenberg School of Communication and the School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches “Communication and the Presidency.”

Amadeus Diamond

The Amadeus Diamond features all the comforts of a refined and traditional hotel. The stylish restaurant offers scenic views through panoramic windows and continental cuisine featuring fresh, local ingredients. Daily meals include early-risers’ coffee, breakfast, and lunch with complimentary wine and beer, afternoon tea, a four-course dinner (also with complimentary beverages), and a late-evening snack. For your leisure time on board there are two bars, an open-air lounge, a boutique, a massage room, a beauty salon, a fitness studio, and the Sun Deck. Complimentary Wi-Fi access is available and an elevator serves all passenger decks except the Sun Deck. There is no doctor on board.

The 74 stylish staterooms and suites are among the most spacious of any European river boat
(161 to 236 square feet). All suites and select staterooms include a private balcony. Accommodations have two twin beds or one queen bed, individual climate control, sitting area, and private bathroom with shower. Most have a minibar. The Amadeus Diamond meets the highest safety standards; the Amadeus fleet has earned the important “Green Globe Certificate” of environmental sustainability.

Paris Pre-Program Option

Start your journey in the glittering center of France with a three-day tour of Paris and its storied culture and history. Discover the hidden treasures of the famed Louvre, home to the iconic Winged Victory of Samothrace statue at the top of the Daru staircase, marble masterpiece Venus De Milo, and Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Visit the Hôtel de la Marine, located at the Place de la Concorde in the heart of Paris and beautifully restored to display the 18th century apartments of Marc-Antoine Thierry de Ville‑d’Avray and the French Navy’s impressive salons and chambers. Enjoy a walking tour of the Marais district, a captivating enclave of narrow streets and picturesque squares layered with rich history, a vibrant nightlife, and eclectic architecture that spans centuries. Accommodations are in a five-star hotel.

The Pre-Program Option is available at an additional cost. Details will be provided with your reservation confirmation.

Seine River Rates 2023

Gohagan & Company reserves the right to correct errors or omissions and to change any and all fares, fees, promotions and surcharges at any time.

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Program Itinerary

Day 1 & 2 Depart home city / Paris

Depart your home city and arrive the next day in Paris, France, the aptly named “City of Light.” Embark the Amadeus Diamond, then board a Parisian excursion boat and enjoy a scenic Seine River Illumination Cruise.

Day 3 Paris

Discover all that Paris has to offer during a panoramic tour of its most famous landmarks. This afternoon, visit the gilded Palace of Versailles, a former royal residence known for its Hall of Mirrors and spectacular gardens. Attend the Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner this evening.

Day 4 Vernon for Giverny

Famed Impressionist Claude Monet called the tranquil village of Giverny home from 1826 until his death in 1926. Visit the Musée des Impressionnismes to learn about the artistic movement’s different forms and the historic connections between French and American artists. Tour Monet’s house, workshop, and gardens—all of which have been authentically restored. You will be completely immersed in Monet’s world as you stroll through the beautiful gardens, stopping to admire the iconic lily pond and the Japanese-style footbridge made famous in his work.

Day 5 Rouen/Duclair

Arrive in the sheltered valley of Rouen and visit the Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral—built and rebuilt over a period of more than 800 years—before continuing through the narrow cobblestone streets to see St. Maclou Church. Conclude your walking tour in the historic market square where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431, and then visit the Church of St. Joan of Arc.

In Duclair, visit the ruins of the Jumièges Abbey, founded in A.D. 654 by Saint Philibert. It was destroyed by the Vikings in 841 and again in the Hundred Years’ War before its final downfall during the French Revolution.

Day 6 Le Havre / Honfleur

In 2005, UNESCO inscribed the central city of Le Havre as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its unique post-WW II reconstruction and architecture. Take a panoramic tour of the city’s modern industrial spaces and enjoy lunch in Deauville.

A short distance away lies the medieval city of Honfleur, a center of the early Impressionist movement. Enjoy a walking tour of the picturesque harbor and see Sainte Catherine Church, the largest wooden church in France.

Attend a lecture on board this evening from historian and author David D. Eisenhower about World War II and the Battle of Normandy.

Day 7 Caudebec-en-Caux for Normandy Beaches

Dock in Caudebec-en-Caux and embark on a full-day excursion along the solemn Normandy Beaches, site of the largest seaborne invasion in history. Visit Pointe du Hoc, the rocky promontory where German battalions were stationed overlooking the English Channel, and Omaha Beach—the sandy shore where Allied forces landed on June 6, 1944.

Join Professor Eisenhower and contemplate the commemorative crosses and Stars of David in the American military cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer with views of Omaha Beach below. For our Canadian travelers, visit the Juno Beach and Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery.

Day 8 Les Andelys

This morning, visit the ruins of medieval Gaillard Castle, perched high above the Seine River. Construction began in 1196 under the direction of Richard the Lionheart, during his simultaneous reign as both King of England and Duke of Normandy. The castle boasts a complex design and advanced fortifications for its time.

Spend the rest of the day at leisure on the return cruise to Paris, and attend the Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner this evening.

Day 9 Paris/ Return to home city

Disembark ship and transfer to the airport for your return flight home.