AMA Honour D-Day Landings 
13.12.2013
AMA Honour D-Day Landings
Dec 13. - Next year sees the 70th anniversary of the famous D-Day Landings in Normandy, and several river-cruise lines and other operators will mark the occasion with the opportunity to take part in special topurs and other commemorative events.
AmaWaterways are honouring the anniversary with an enhanced Paris & Normandy itinerary, a 7-night voyage that offers an up-close view of the historical coast with a choice of two special “D-Day Remembered” excursions. Active and retired military personnel will receive an additional $200 savings per person.
Travellers can experience this itinerary from April 10 to November 27. As Kristin Karst, AMA's executive vice-president and co-owner explained: "We are pleased to offer special D-Day Remembered excursions as part of our Paris & Normandy cruises. Our knowledgeable tour guides bring the itinerary to life and we hope our guests will enjoy the in-depth historical perspective as they travel through some of Europe's most beautiful cities."
Guests will be able to choose from one of two “D-Day Remembered” excursions. Both start with a visit to Arromanches, a village renowned for its artificial "Mulberry" harbour, used during the June 6 as a base for Allied troops. Today, the ghostly remains of large concrete structures are still visible off-shore. From there, guests will set forth on their preferred tour:
U.S. Sector: Guests will have the opportunity to visit the D-Day Museum before travelling on to St. Laurent-sur-Mer, home to Omaha Beach, the site of intense fighting during the invasion, and the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, which was the first US cemetery on European soil. Guests can also see Point du Hoc on the Norman coast between Utah and Omaha Beaches. There, the Ranger Monument was erected by the French to honour the American Second Ranger Battalion that scaled the 100ft cliff and stopped German artillery firing on troops on the shore below.
British and Canadian Sectors: Guests will visit the landing sites of the British 50th Division on Gold Beach and the Canadian 3rd Division on Juno Beach, where there is a museum dedicated to contributions made by Canadian soldiers during the war. There are opportunities to see the Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, the Memorial Pegasus and the British Cemetery in Ranville, the first French village to be liberated on D-Day.
Sailing on board the AmaLegro, guests can enjoy specially selected WWII-themed movies on the Infotainment system in their staterooms or suites.
In addition to the “D-Day Remembered” tours, the 2014 Paris & Normandy itinerary includes other enticing excursions along the Seine River: the village of Giverny, home to Claude Monet’s beautiful and iconic gardens; Honfleur, a charming seaside town beloved by Impressionist painters; Rouen, where Joan of Arc was martyred; and Château Gaillard in the town of Les Andelys. The voyage ends where it started, in the magical city of Paris, where guests can spend two nights. Rates start from £1,749 per person, cruise-only.
More info: call 0808 223 5009 or visit www.amawaterways.co.uk.