AMA Waterways Paris & Normandy: Our Honest Cruise Review
After spending a week exploring Paris, we boarded AmaDante for AMA Waterways’ Paris & Normandy itinerary.
Having previously sailed AMA Waterways’ Romantic Danube cruise, and the Rhine, we were excited to experience a completely different part of Europe. What attracted us most to this itinerary was the opportunity to combine time in Paris with visits to Normandy, Monet’s Gardens, and several charming French towns along the Seine.
From hiking to the ruins of Château Gaillard to standing at the Normandy American Cemetery, this cruise offered some of the most memorable experiences we’ve ever had while traveling.
If you’re considering AMA Waterways’ Paris & Normandy cruise, here’s what our experience was like and whether we think it’s worth it.
Why We Chose the Paris & Normandy Itinerary
One of the main reasons we selected this itinerary was the opportunity to combine Paris with Normandy on a single vacation.
We wanted to experience some of Paris’ most famous attractions while also visiting important historic sites like the Normandy Beaches and the Normandy American Cemetery.
The combination of Paris, World War II history, French culture, and smaller towns along the Seine made this itinerary stand out from other river cruises we were considering.
Embarkation in Paris
After a week spent exploring Paris, visiting Disneyland Paris, climbing the Eiffel Tower, and eating our way through the city, it was finally time to board AmaDante.
Embarkation was smooth and gave us plenty of time to settle into our cabin before the cruise began.
As with our previous AMA Waterways sailings, the ship quickly felt like home. The smaller size of a river ship creates a much different atmosphere than an ocean cruise, making it easy to get to know fellow passengers throughout the voyage.
AmaDante and Sailing on the Seine
One thing worth mentioning about this itinerary is that AmaDante is a little different from some of AMA Waterways’ newer ships.
Because the Seine River is smaller than rivers like the Danube or Rhine, ship size is more limited. As a result, AmaDante is a smaller vessel and does not feature the twin-balcony staterooms found on some of AMA Waterways’ newer ships.
In fact, none of the staterooms have balconies.
AmaDante also carries fewer passengers than many of AMA Waterways’ other ships. While several of the newer vessels accommodate up to 166 guests, AmaDante carries just 140 passengers.
The layout of the public spaces was a little different as well. Having previously sailed other AMA Waterways ships, we noticed that the lounge area on AmaDante felt somewhat different from what we were used to. It wasn’t a negative, just something we noticed due to the ship’s unique design and smaller size.
While some travelers may miss having a balcony, it honestly wasn’t something we thought about very often during the cruise. The itinerary is heavily focused on excursions and port visits, so we spent most of our time exploring ashore rather than sitting in our cabin.
The smaller size of the ship actually helped create a more intimate atmosphere onboard. It didn’t take long to recognize fellow passengers and crew members, which gave the cruise a friendly and relaxed feel.
Our Excursions Along the Seine
One of the biggest strengths of AMA Waterways’ Paris & Normandy itinerary is the variety of excursions. Over the course of the cruise, we experienced everything from medieval castle ruins and charming French villages to Monet’s famous gardens and the historic D-Day beaches.
Les Andelys and Château Gaillard
Our first port of call was Les Andelys.
Here, we chose the hike to Château Gaillard, the castle built by Richard the Lionheart.
The hike provided fantastic views of the Seine River and the surrounding countryside, making it one of the more active excursions of the cruise.
Exploring the castle ruins while overlooking the valley below was a great introduction to Normandy and ended up being one of our favorite excursions outside of the D-Day beaches.
Honfleur
While docked in Le Havre, we took a half-day excursion to Honfleur.
The town’s picturesque harbor, colorful buildings, and charming streets made it easy to see why it’s such a popular destination.
Compared to some of the more history-focused excursions on the itinerary, Honfleur offered a relaxing opportunity to simply enjoy one of France’s most beautiful coastal towns.
Normandy Beaches and the American Cemetery
Without question, the Normandy Beaches and American Cemetery excursion was the highlight of the entire cruise.
As Americans, visiting the sites associated with D-Day was an incredibly moving experience.
While standing on Omaha Beach was memorable, the most impactful part of the day was visiting the Normandy American Cemetery.
What made the experience even more meaningful was a ceremony held during our visit. As we gathered at the cemetery, the American flag was raised while Taps was played.
Standing among the rows of white crosses while Taps echoed throughout the cemetery was one of the most emotional travel experiences we’ve ever had.
Even now, it’s the first excursion we think about when looking back on the cruise.
For us, this wasn’t just the best excursion of the itinerary. It was one of the most memorable travel experiences we’ve ever had.
Rouen
While in Rouen, we opted for the Medical History Walking Tour.
We enjoyed that it provided a different perspective on the city than a traditional walking tour and offered insight into Rouen’s medical and historical significance.
Rouen itself is a beautiful city with impressive architecture and a fascinating history.
Rouen Cathedral Light Show
One of our favorite experiences in Rouen actually took place after the excursions had ended for the day.
That evening, we watched the light show projected onto Rouen Cathedral.
The colorful projections transformed the cathedral façade and created a completely different experience from seeing it during daylight hours.
After a full day of sightseeing, it was a fun way to spend the evening and ended up being one of the unexpected highlights of our time in Rouen.
If your visit coincides with the show, we would definitely recommend taking the time to see it.
Monet’s House and Gardens
Our second favorite excursion of the cruise was the visit to Monet’s House and Gardens in Vernon.
The gardens were incredibly picturesque and looked almost exactly like the images we’ve all seen in books and paintings.
Walking through the famous gardens, crossing the Japanese bridge, and seeing the water lily ponds in person felt like stepping into one of Monet’s masterpieces.
It’s easy to understand how the scenery inspired so many of his works.
Looking back, we probably would have chosen the bike excursion instead of the walking tour. The path to Monet’s Gardens was relatively flat and seemed ideal for cycling.
Even so, the gardens were beautiful and ended up being one of the most visually stunning excursions of the trip.
Exploring Paris During the Cruise
The itinerary eventually returned to Paris, giving us more time to explore the city.
During our time there, we visited Notre-Dame and took a sightseeing cruise along the Seine.
Seeing landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, and other famous Paris attractions from the water provided a different perspective on the city and was a relaxing way to spend part of our final days.
Onboard Activities
While the excursions are the primary focus of this itinerary, AMA Waterways also offered several enjoyable onboard activities.
One of our favorites was a crepe-making demonstration.
Julia was selected to help with the demonstration and even got to make a crepe herself.
It was a fun experience and a nice way to embrace a little French culture while cruising through the French countryside.
Dining and Gluten-Free Experience
As with our previous AMA Waterways sailing, we were impressed with the dining experience onboard AmaDante.
One area where AMA Waterways consistently stands out is accommodating dietary restrictions.
Because Julia has celiac disease, gluten-free dining is always an important part of any trip we take. AMA Waterways once again did an excellent job providing safe dining options throughout the cruise.
For a more detailed look at Julia’s experience traveling with celiac disease on AMA Waterways, be sure to check out our Gluten-Free on AMA Waterways guide.
Who Would Love This Cruise?
We think this itinerary is especially well suited for travelers who enjoy history, culture, and small-town charm.
If your idea of a great vacation involves learning about the past, visiting iconic landmarks, and exploring destinations at a relaxed pace, there’s a lot to love about Paris & Normandy.
History buffs will likely find the itinerary particularly rewarding. The Normandy Beaches and American Cemetery excursion alone made the cruise worthwhile for us and provided one of the most moving travel experiences we’ve ever had.
Art lovers will also appreciate the visit to Monet’s House and Gardens in Vernon. Walking through the gardens that inspired some of Monet’s most famous paintings was one of the most picturesque experiences of the trip.
The itinerary also includes charming French towns like Honfleur, Rouen, and Les Andelys, each offering a different perspective on French culture and history.
On the other hand, travelers looking for dramatic scenery may prefer itineraries like the Romantic Danube or the Rhine. While the Seine is beautiful, this cruise is less about breathtaking landscapes and more about the destinations themselves.
For us, Paris & Normandy was at its best when it combined meaningful historical sites, beautiful towns, and uniquely French experiences into a single itinerary.
If that sounds appealing, there’s a very good chance you’ll enjoy this cruise as much as we did.
What We Didn’t Love
No cruise is perfect, and there were a few things we’d do differently if we sailed this itinerary again.
While we enjoyed every stop, not every port felt equally memorable. For us, the true highlights of the itinerary were the Normandy Beaches excursion and Monet’s House and Gardens.
Those experiences were exceptional and are the moments we still talk about today.
Some of the smaller stops in between were pleasant enough, but they didn’t leave the same lasting impression. If we’re being completely honest, a few of those ports felt more like filler between the major highlights of the itinerary.
That’s not necessarily a criticism of AMA Waterways, but rather a reflection of how strong the Normandy and Giverny experiences were in comparison.
We also found this itinerary to be less scenic than our Romantic Danube and Rhine cruises. While the Seine is certainly beautiful in places, this cruise is much more about history, culture, and excursions than spending hours admiring dramatic river scenery from the ship.
Finally, while we thoroughly enjoyed the cruise, we’re not sure we’d choose this specific itinerary again. That’s largely because we feel like we experienced the major highlights, particularly Normandy and Giverny.
That said, we would absolutely return to Paris.
In fact, our week in Paris ended up being one of our favorite parts of the entire trip. Between the museums, architecture, food, Disneyland Paris, and iconic landmarks, Paris is a city we could easily visit again.
How Paris & Normandy Compares to Other River Cruises
Having now sailed the Paris & Normandy itinerary, the Romantic Danube, and the Rhine, we found each offered a very different experience.
The Romantic Danube stood out for its iconic cities, including Budapest and Vienna, along with some of the most beautiful scenery we’ve experienced on a river cruise.
The Rhine offered picturesque villages, castles, and some of the most scenic stretches of river cruising in Europe.
Paris & Normandy felt different from both.
Rather than focusing on dramatic scenery, this itinerary is all about the excursions, history, and culture. The real highlights are experiences like visiting the Normandy Beaches, exploring Monet’s Gardens, and wandering through charming French towns.
For travelers interested in World War II history, art, and French culture, Paris & Normandy is hard to beat. However, those looking for the most scenic river cruise may prefer the Rhine or Romantic Danube.
Would We Sail It Again?
We would happily sail with AMA Waterways again, but we’re not sure we’d choose the Paris & Normandy itinerary a second time.
The reason isn’t because we didn’t enjoy it. In fact, the itinerary included some truly memorable experiences, particularly the Normandy Beaches excursion and Monet’s Gardens.
Instead, we’d probably use our next river cruise to explore a new destination.
That said, we’d return to Paris in a heartbeat.
Final Thoughts
Our Paris & Normandy cruise aboard AmaDante exceeded our expectations.
From hiking to Château Gaillard and wandering through Monet’s Gardens to watching the Rouen Cathedral light show and visiting Honfleur, there were plenty of memorable moments along the way.
But the true highlight was the Normandy Beaches and American Cemetery excursion.
The flag ceremony and performance of Taps transformed an already meaningful visit into one of the most emotional and memorable travel experiences we’ve ever had.
If you’re considering an AMA Waterways cruise and have an interest in history, art, and French culture, the Paris & Normandy itinerary is easy to recommend.
It remains one of our favorite river cruise experiences to date.
If you’re planning a visit before or after your cruise, you may also enjoy our guides to Gluten-Free Paris, One Day at Disneyland Paris, Can You Climb the Eiffel Tower?, and Are the Paris Catacombs Worth Visiting?.
