A Private Cruise Charter Featuring 7 Nights aboard the MS Amadeus Diamond
This week-long, exclusively chartered cruise aboard the MS Amadeus Diamond, which starts and ends in Paris, combines the most romantic city in the world with a fascinating historical journey. Follow the footsteps of van Gogh, Cezanne and Gauguin on this tour along the winding Seine River into Normandy (without doubt one of the most beautiful regions of France), up to Le Havre on the rugged Atlantic coast. Normandy played an important role in World War II and in European history. Walk hallowed ground at Normandy’s American Military Cemetery and World War II beaches. Visits to idyllic Normandy villages, the “museum town” of Rouen and the picturesque harbor town of Honfleur are only some of the wonders to be explored on this cruise program.
Feel at home from the moment you board this stylish cruise ship, where contemporary design meets the highest levels of comfort, inviting you to relax and enjoy the exceptional ambiance on board. After its complete renovation in 2019, the MS Amadeus Diamond is the new jewel on the French waterways. Your accommodation on board is both elegant and comfortable. The ship offers countless options for your leisure including a putting green, fitness studio, massage facility, and reading lounge. Your culinary needs will be taken care of by the Panorama Restaurant, where you can dine in style on local & international cuisine with included local wine at dinner. Enjoy the luxurious ambiance while admiring the fascinating passing river landscapes. Daily afternoon snacks and evening entertainment are also included. Our friendly personnel will cater to your every wish with our famous European hospitality.
Start your journey with an exploration of London. Enjoy a guided London Sightseeing Tour featuring the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square and more. We’ll also have an opportunity to see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace (if held). Also tour Windsor Castle, frequently used by the Queen to host distinguished guests from around the world. A highlight will surely be the Eurostar Train from London to Paris. This modern marvel is an exciting way to travel between these to iconic cities.
London Pre-Tour Departs the US on October 16, 2022
Inclusions: 3 Nights Accommodations, Daily Included Sightseeing, Eurostar Train (London to Paris), 4 Meals (3B, 1D), Experienced Tour Guide, Baggage Handling
Cost: $1,599 per person/Double Occupancy +$600 single supplement
*minimum 20 passengers to operate
Major US Gateways - (JFK/EWR/BOS/PHL/ORD/DFW/SFO/LAX/ATL/IAH/DEN/CLT/MIA/PHX/SAN/MSP/SLC/DEN) - Supplements apply for smaller gateways. Discount available if you prefer to make own-air arrangements.
Highly Recommended! Upon confirmation of registration on a MGT tour, you will have the opportunity to get a custom quote for a travel protection plan.
Pricing is based on Per Person/Double Occupancy. Single Supplements apply and are based on Cabin Category: (Cat CA: +$600) (Cat BA & BB: +$1400) (Cat AA: +$1800) (Suite: N/A)
Pricing and Description available above
October 18, 2022
Overnight flight to Paris.
October 19, 2022 (D)
Arrive Paris & Meet the Meridian Guided Travel Staff
Transfer to MS Amadeus Diamond
Embark on your Paris, Normandy & Seine River Cruise.
October 20, 2022 (B,L,D)
Morning: Cruising to Conflans
Arrive in the town of Conflans, located at the confluence of the Seine and Oise Rivers.
Afternoon: Excursion to Auvers-sur-Oise (Van Gogh)
Most famous for being the resting place of Vincent van Gogh and his brother Theo, the small village idyll was home to many painters in the 1800s. Experience a multimedia journey into the Château d’Auvers which traces the lives of the great masters who left their mark in the town’s history: Daubigny, Pissarro, Cézanne, Monet, Van Gogh etc.
October 21, 2022 (B,L,D)
Morning: Rouen Walking Tour
The historical capital of Normandy and a prosperous medieval city, Rouen is known for its many monuments and architectural treasures. The historic city center is a “must-see”. Marvel at its fascinating heritage with Gothic churches and mansions, restored half-timbered houses and well-maintained public gardens.
Afternoon: Romantic Abbey Trail (optional)
View countless churches, castles, and abbeys including the ancient ruins of St. Wandrille. Also see Jumièges, one of the most important monasteries in the western world.
October 22, 2022 (B,L,D)
Morning: Excursion along the Ètretat Cliff-top Paths
Étretat is renowned for its coastal scenery, in particular its white cliffs. Both the cliffs and the village are scenic highlights of the region.
Afternoon: Excursion to Honfleur
Stroll through the charming city of Honfleur. This gorgeous maritime city is a town of painters and Impressionism, and possesses that something extra that makes it irresistible. The changing light on the Seine estuary inspired Courbet, Monet, Boudin and many others.
October 23, 2022 (B,L,D)
Full Day Excursion to Historic Normandy with the
WWII D-Day Landing Beaches & American Cemetery
Experience the hallowed grounds of the Normandy Beaches and hear the stories of the massive operation which laid the foundations for Allied victory in World War II’s Western Front. Begin at Pointe du Hoc, a 100 ft. cliff overlooking the English Channel, the highest point between the American sector landings at Utah Beach to the west and Omaha Beach to the east. Next, visit Omaha Beach, a 5 mile section of the coast of Normandy, one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on June 6, 1944. Later travel to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, on the site of the temporary American St. Laurent Cemetery, established by the U.S. Army on June 8, 1944 as the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II. The cemetery site covers 173 acres and contains the graves of over 9,000 service members, most of whom lost their lives in the D-Day landings and ensuing operations. After lunch, visit Arromanches, the closest harbor linked with the liberation of Western Europe after D-Day. The staggeringly big concrete blocks remaining from the Mulberry Artificial Harbor bring the massive Allied operations here back to life.
October 24, 2022 (B,L,D)
Morning: Excursion to Chateau Gaillard & Giverny
Step into the past with a short drive to the white stone remains of the English king’s stronghold: Château Gaillard. It was built at the end of the 12th century on a limestone promontory, overlooking the Seine. When Claude Monet glanced out of the window of his train and caught sight of the village of Giverny, he decided then and there that this was where he wanted to live and work. And so he did, from 1883 until his death in 1926. The beautiful surroundings, vividly colored flora and gentle atmosphere of the place became one of the biggest sources of inspiration for his work.
Afternoon: Seine River Cruising
Gala Dinner On-board
October 25, 2022 (B,L,D)
Morning: Paris City Tour
Your guide will share the daily life of Parisians, and reveal all the secrets and marvels of the “City of Lights”. On the tour you will, of course, see the most important monuments in Paris including the incomparable Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, famous as the burial place of Emperor Napoleon I, the fabulous Louvre Museum, the famous and elegant Champs-Elysées, the Jardin des Tuileries, former palace gardens laid out in the French style and much more.
Afternoon: Excursion to Versailles (optional)
Versailles is best known for being the site of the vast royal palace and gardens built by King Louis XIV within what was previously a royal hunting lodge.
October 26, 2022 (B)
Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
