Question about Cobb (Cobh) tours

We will be in Cobb from 10:30-6pm. We are trying to decide between a easy trip to the Blarney Castle and then just exploring the town of Cobh. Or Trying to fit in the Castle and a trip to Kinsale. Is Kinsale worth taking the extra time to visit? It sounds lovely. It is our fist time to Cobb and the Blarney Castle is on one of our travelers bucket list, so it must be seen!! Any other suggestions for our first time there?

Thanks in advance for you help.

Just a small spelling correction if you don't mind me saying. :) . Your ship will be docking in Cobh (pronounced "cove").

Cobh is certainly a nice town to wander round and there is a good Titanic museum worth a visit.

Check out paddy wagon tours I saw this when I was booking another tour https://www.paddywagontours.com/Shore-Excursion-For-Cruise-Ship-Passengers-In-Cork-Blarney-Kinsale-and-Cork-City-Tour?utm_source=Criteo&utm_medium=Retargeting&utm_campaign=CPC

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Check out paddy wagon tours I saw this when I was booking another tour https://www.paddywagontours.com/Shore-Excursion-For-Cruise-Ship-Passengers-In-Cork-Blarney-Kinsale-and-Cork-City-Tour?utm_source=Criteo&utm_medium=Retargeting&utm_campaign=CPC

 

 

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thanks, I have looked into them and a couple other tour companies.

What I am looking for is some input / opinions on if its worth trying to fit in a visit to Kinsale, or stay in the Cobh area after our trip to the Castle.

We enjoyed our tour to Kinsale and Charles Fort last fall. We took a private tour with a cab driver we found at the port. From what I've heard and read, Blarney Castle is very crowded, and we're not wild about crowds.

I was in Kinsale this past spring as well as in Cobh and Blarney Castle. Since you want to go to Blarney Castle it may be difficult to also get to Kinsale given the travel time between places and your port time.

We spent about 2 hours at the Castle to allow enough time for folks to climb up and kiss the stone. Others wondered around looking at the wonderful gardens surrounding the Castle.

Kinsale is a nice town to visit. The waterfront is nice and the area is very walkable.

Cobh is also a good town to explore. It is walkable. The Titanic Museum there is very good. It is located at the pier where the last 123 passengers boarded the tender to go to the ship (and the 7 passengers who disembarked that day landed.) There are the last known photos of the Titanic on display.

Given timing, I'd opt for the Blarney Castle and then exploring Cobh.

We just returned from a British Isles cruise and chose a private tour to Blarney Castle and Kinsale. There was sufficient time to do both, although I would have liked a little longer in Kinsale. We chose to have a sit-down lunch which took a considerable chunk of our time there. I really enjoyed walking around and poking into the little shops and could have easily spent another hour doing that. I can't really compare it to Cobh since we just drove through it on the bus, and didn't pay much attention to what was there.

Blarney Castle was great! Expect lines if you want to kiss the stone (two of us in my group did) but I'm so glad I did it :) The grounds are lovely and we were blessed with one of the truly sunny days of our cruise while there!

Whatever you choose to do, enjoy your day in Cobh and the rest of your cruise!

waiting2retire, what private company did you use for your Cobh/Kinsale tour? We are planning a British Isles cruise for next year. I'm trying to gather information. thank you

We just returned from a British Isles cruise and chose a private tour to Blarney Castle and Kinsale. There was sufficient time to do both, although I would have liked a little longer in Kinsale. We chose to have a sit-down lunch which took a considerable chunk of our time there. I really enjoyed walking around and poking into the little shops and could have easily spent another hour doing that. I can't really compare it to Cobh since we just drove through it on the bus, and didn't pay much attention to what was there.

 

Blarney Castle was great! Expect lines if you want to kiss the stone (two of us in my group did) but I'm so glad I did it :) The grounds are lovely and we were blessed with one of the truly sunny days of our cruise while there!

 

Whatever you choose to do, enjoy your day in Cobh and the rest of your cruise!

Do you remember how long this tour took? And what tour company you used? We will elect a private tour for just the 4 of us, so hopefully that will help move us along.

I can thoroughly recommend About Cork Taxi Tours. The Booking Manager Janice would be able to give you very helpful advice on itinerary. I did not want to visit Blarney and opted for a half day tour of area taking in view of Blarney (I hear the gardens are lovely but there will be lines to kiss the stone) the Woolen Mill, Cork including English Market and St Finn Barrr church, Jameson distillery (shop only but could take tour) and the cathedral in Cobh. Excellent commentary from local driver. He advised that Blarney and KInsale requires an all day tour and that in his opinion, choosing a long sit down lunch was a pity but this is very much a matter of choice of course. Cobh itself is very hilly. you need to be fit to get to the cathedral! There is also an interesting museum the Queenstown experience in the old railway station right by the cruiseship. Did not see the Titanic museum.

We booked Butler Bus Tours for a tour the day we were in Cobh. One stop was the Blarney Castle but the lines were sooooo long from the cruise ship that we opted to go to Blarney Woolen Mills and then to a small pub. Best choice that day.

We then returned a year later doing a self drive tour and went back to the Blarney Castle when a cruise ship was not in port to kiss the stone. . Much nicer.

Would use Butler Bus Tours again if I needed to.

We've been to Cobh twice. First time we did a tour consisting of Blarney Castle and Kinsale. Second time we just did Cobh. We're going a third time and just want transportation from the cruise port at Cobh to Kinsale and back. We just want to hang around in Kinsale for a few hours.

No tour, just transportation. Anyone have any suggestions and price estimates? Thanks.

Tim

... Is Kinsale worth taking the extra time to visit? It sounds lovely...

Butlers Buses/e-Coach used to do a tour to Blarney as well as Kinsale. If you get to Kinsale, try a pint of Red Rocket. Enjoy...

I would spend the second half of the day in Cobh. We actually spent the entire day walking around the town, did the Titanic Trail walking tour and went to the museums, and really appreciated the history of the town.

We enjoyed our tour to Kinsale and Charles Fort last fall. We took a private tour with a cab driver we found at the port. From what I've heard and read, Blarney Castle is very crowded, and we're not wild about crowds.

When we went on a tour the stop at Blarney Castle was too short and the steps were crowded. Nice to see but don't plan on bending upside down and kissing a stone.

Kinsale=mellow, enjoyable day. Blarney=chilling with several thousand tourists at an overly hyped up destination.

We've been to Cobh twice. First time we did a tour consisting of Blarney Castle and Kinsale. Second time we just did Cobh. We're going a third time and just want transportation from the cruise port at Cobh to Kinsale and back. We just want to hang around in Kinsale for a few hours.

 

No tour, just transportation. Anyone have any suggestions and price estimates? Thanks.

 

Tim

Tim, we are trying to decide on Kinsale vs Cobh. You have been to both, which would you recommend?

waiting2retire, what private company did you use for your Cobh/Kinsale tour? We are planning a British Isles cruise for next year. I'm trying to gather information. thank you

We used ecoach.ie for our tour (Butlertours.com) and were very happy with them. The driver was excellent, pointing out highlights along the way and leaving each stop on time! Our day in Cobh was shortened; docked at 7:30 and left at 4:30 rather than the original 6:00. The tour adjusted accordingly and, apart from cutting out a couple of photo ops, did everything originally planned. We had lunch at a restaurant called Fishy Fishy. While the service was good, we found it a bit overpriced and nothing special.

Enjoy your cruise!!

Do you remember how long this tour took? And what tour company you used? We will elect a private tour for just the 4 of us, so hopefully that will help move us along.

We used ecoach/Butler tours and were very happy with them. Due to a change in the ship's schedule, our tour began at 8:00 a.m. and finished at 3:30 p.m., in good time for the 4:15 all aboard.

I don't know if they do private tours; ours was a big bus tour. If you do a private tour for just the 4 of you, you should make it to Blarney Castle well ahead of the bus tours and have no problem climbing the castle to kiss the stone!

Enjoy your cruise.

thank you for the information

We used ecoach/Butler tours and were very happy with them. Due to a change in the ship's schedule, our tour began at 8:00 a.m. and finished at 3:30 p.m., in good time for the 4:15 all aboard.

 

 

 

I don't know if they do private tours; ours was a big bus tour. If you do a private tour for just the 4 of you, you should make it to Blarney Castle well ahead of the bus tours and have no problem climbing the castle to kiss the stone!

 

 

 

Enjoy your cruise.

In addition to their large bus tours, Butlers does private small group tours that are completely customizable. I just booked a full day for next year. Here are the prices and information I got from Butlers when I sent an inquiry:

For a private tour we offer the following rates per vehicle which can be shared among the group.

1 to 5 passengers - 280.00 Euro for a half day tour (up to 5 hours) or 350.00 for a full day (Up to 8 hours)

6 to 12 passengers - 320.00 Euro for a half day tour (up to 5 hours) or 390.00 for a full day (Up to 8 hours)

13 to 24 passengers - 350.00 Euro for a half day tour (up to 5 hours) or 420.00 for a full day (Up to 8 hours)

25 to 49 passengers - 420.00 Euro for a half day tour (up to 5 hours) or 560.00 for a full day (Up to 8 hours)

Our prices include all taxes, your mini-bus and experienced local driver/guide, fuel, parking, tolls and a flexible itinerary with unlimited mileage.

Our prices do not include admissions to attractions or your meals.

Your itinerary is totally flexible allowing you to go where you please and when you please.

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Tim, we are trying to decide on Kinsale vs Cobh. You have been to both, which would you recommend?

As I mentioned in my previous post, we did a tour that included Blarney Castle and a couple hours in Kinsale the 1st time we stopped at Cobh. We were disappointed that we weren't at Kinsale for a longer amount of time. All we really want to do in Cobh this time is get to Kinsale and wander around for at least 3 or 4 hours.

I guess I would recommend Kinsale if it's not too difficult to get to. We liked what we saw while we were there... we just weren't there very long.

We used Uber this past May when we stopped at Edinburgh, Scotland on the Vision. Hoping there may be some Uber drivers in the Cobh/Kinsale area as well.

Tim

 

 

 

We used Uber this past May when we stopped at Edinburgh, Scotland on the Vision. Hoping there may be some Uber drivers in the Cobh/Kinsale area as well.

 

 

 

Tim

I fear you may be disappointed....

Uber in Ireland is simply another way of booking and paying for a normal taxi - its private car model is not allowed under Irish regulation. I don't believe it operates in Cobh/Cork, in any case.

A wider used app in Ireland is Hailo.

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Ah, Hailo is now mytaxi.

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Thanks everyone. We have contacted three private tour companies. Two have offered a Kinsale and blarney castle trip. The third company said there is not enough time to do both. So I guess we'll have to make a decision.