GAAmum

On 6/2/2023 at 6:41 PM, GRBlizz said:

Will it be possible to get a wheelchair accessible vehicle for a causeway tour? We'd like to see the country, but hubby in in a chair full time (cannot walk)

Yes, there are a lot of wheelchair accessible taxis. . I would contact the Visit Belfast Centre for suggestions https://visitbelfast.com The north coast and Giants Causeway is amazing. Stunning. The Giants Causeway is completely accessible for people who use wheelchairs. Make sure you shop in Ballycastle for fish and chips and ice cream (not together 🤣).

On 6/2/2023 at 8:36 PM, Ashland said:

A link for Troubles tour please.

Here you are https://taxitrax.com. This is the original company. I have taken this tour many times over the years with visitors. It starts at £60 for 2 hours. 
 

The Crumlin Road Jail is also really interesting and their restaurant is lovely. 
 

I am in Belfast. Taxis are handy enough to get from the cruise terminal. The main city centre big companies are Fone a Cab and Value Cabs. Both have apps you can downloaded to book and pay for your taxi. I have never used Uber in Belfast. I don’t think we have many especially compared to Dublin. my best guess for a price into the town is between £10-15 each way depending on traffic, 

Yes, there are shuttle buses run by Translink. The drop people off across from the front of  the the city hall and the doors of the Welcome Belfast shop right in the middle of the town. The city hall is at the top of Royal Avenue in Donegal Square. I have no idea of the price. When you get off the bus, there are loads of people trying to sell you a tour. You are only a couple minute walk to the hop on-hop off buses. They are in front of HMV (the record shop across from McDonald’s). Only today, there was a ship in town and my wee girl was asked for directions on her way to school by a group of American tourists back to the City Hall. Lol It happens regularly. 

In answer to someone else’s question, yes it easy enough to book a private tour with a taxi driver either in advance or the Welcome Centre. What kind of tour are you looking? 

A Quick weird question: My kids have discovered there is a football (aka soccer) pitch on the pitch on the ship. They are sports-mad. While they know their favourite sport isn’t practical on a ship, they wanted me find out if there are footballs on the MSC ships or they should bring a Gaelic ball with them. Lol 😂 

Also, How do the bookings for the pitch work? Thanks

9 hours ago, WESTEAST said:

Thank you. Can you share name/website?  

Here you go. https://www.seedheadarts.com/street-art/walking-tour It looks like the tours run on Sundays but maybe he can do a private tour if that doesn’t fit in with your timings. 

1 hour ago, Globaliser said:

 

This is very funny. It may be true for Texas, but no weather forecast for the British Isles can necessarily be relied on to be "pretty accurate". If we happen to be having a spell of settled weather (whether good or bad), then a weather forecast may be reasonably good for three to four days ahead. If we're in an unsettled patch (like we are now), forecasts for more than about three or four hours in advance may be no better than sticking your finger in the air and guessing - and good forecasters will tell you this themselves.

 

This is a consequence of the fact that we basically live in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. The only thing that can be said with confidence is that we will be in for a spot of weather.

Yep.. that about sums in up. It was hailing and blowing a gale when I left work a couple hours ago. Now the sun is splitting the trees. 🤷🏽‍♀️🤣

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

I will be sailing out of Southampton in late August for 12 nights which will end in Copenhagen on Sept 8th.  I don't own a puffer jacket so that would not be on my radar. I am guessing layering would be the way to pack for this cruise too. We are sailing to various ports in Ireland and Scotland and I have  a full day in Copenhagen post cruise before flying home on the 9th..

 

It sounds like I will be in long sleeves and either jeans or joggers for daytime touring, yes, with some type of sweater/jacket.  I will be checking the weather pretty closely as the time gets closer. Normally I check on line within a 2 span before my cruise so that will give me a good idea of those current temps.

That will be fine clothes wise. Bring a waterproof jacket with a hood. It doesn’t need to be heavy so long as it has a wee bit of warmth, 

I am in Ireland, It depends on the day or even the time of day. 🤣 Today was lovely but about 5pm it got cold and windy. It is raining and really windy tonight, earlier this week was really nice. I am wearing my lighter short puffer.  I had wee magic gloves on tonight but my hands are always cold, Wear waterproof shoes. I normally am in layers like a t-shirt/top with a jumper or hoody over it, Some people are still wearing hats. No harm in having it. I prefer a hood and my hair up. 
 

I just looked at the weather for the next week. Tonight and tomorrow are wet and colder particularly at night. It gives a dry weekend (yay!!) and wet all next week. The temps range between 8c-11c in the evenings and 15-18c in the day. 

On 5/1/2023 at 4:47 PM, WESTEAST said:

Thank you for this info. Found out that our cruise line offers a free shuttle to city centre (close to City Hall). Furthermore, decided on a walking tour - Troubles in Belfast with Experience Belfast Tours. It is 2.5 hours and is £20 each and has good reviews.  It also departs/ends at City Hall. Prefer walking versus driving around with a few stops in a shared cab. 

If you were also interested in a non-political walking tour in the town, there is a street art walking tour run by local artists  that is really cool. It only takes a couple hours. 

I am Belfast. I would recommend this company. They are the original company. They have been in business 50 years. I have been on the tour several times over the years with visitors.  https://taxitrax.com It looks like they can  pick you up at the cruise dock (I wouldn’t even call in a terminal lol ). The website says £6 to collect you. 
 

People asking about shuttles from the ship into the town. Every time there is a cruise here, there seems to be shuttles into the town. They park across from city hall in front of the Welcome Belfast shop. 

1 hour ago, CHK said:

Thank you for all of your replies. We will be flying out of Heathrow to Rome FCO airport. Maybe we should spend the night at an airport hotel (I'm assuming they have some right at the airport itself) and  then take an early morning flight the next day. That way we won't risk arriving at a Rome hotel late in the day.

 

There are loads of hotels at Heathrow. We are flying back to Ireland after our cruise. We are staying over at Heathrow or in Central London on night before flying home. That way there is no rushing. 

We aren’t planning to do an excursion in Southampton or on the way back to because we have been to England several times. It is good you have that option.