Private Guides for Belfast

[2travelers]

Hi - We will be docking in Belfast next July and I have been researching these boards for a private guide.I have contacted one guide but the reviews on the boards have been very mixed. Seems that they fill up large buses and are a bit disoraganized. Some thought they were great, others asked for their money back :confused:. I would really like a private guide who can accommodate about 8 people. In the past I have gotten some wonderful guides from these boards, so I am hoping you can help me out again.

 

Thanks

Ronnie

[spongerob]

I booked for a small group (6 of us) with Black Taxi. They brought an 8-passenger van and it might have been a bit tight if we'd had 8 people. We really enjoyed the day.

[2travelers]

I booked for a small group (6 of us) with Black Taxi. They brought an 8-passenger van and it might have been a bit tight if we'd had 8 people. We really enjoyed the day.

 

 

Thanks, I emailed them this morning and I am waiting to hear from them. I will make sure that I don't have 8 for that day if it is going to be tight.

[Go-Bucks!]

There are a number of "Black Taxi" tour companies (that use that term in their name). I emailed at least 7. We are taking a tour shortly with one of them and our roll call has probably reserved tours with several others. What group did you contact and that has mixed reviews? I'd like to know before it's too late to switch! :o

[2travelers]

There are a number of "Black Taxi" tour companies (that use that term in their name). I emailed at least 7. We are taking a tour shortly with one of them and our roll call has probably reserved tours with several others. What group did you contact and that has mixed reviews? I'd like to know before it's too late to switch! :o

 

The company that had mixed reviews was not Black Taxi - so, not to worry! I contacted the Belfast Black Taxi Tours company www.Belfasttours.com . I am still waiting to hear from them. Please let us know how it works out. We don't cruise until next July, but I found out last year that the early bird gets the tour :D.

Ronnie

[lizbeth]

Hi -

 

I would suggest sites like:

viator.com

toursbylocals.com

shoretrips.com

portpromotions.com

 

I have used the last 2 successfully in various ports. And I'll be using the first 2 listed on our 2011 cruise.

Hope this helps get you started!

Liz

[sunshine nana]

Spongerob, Could you tell me how much you paid for a private taxi tour in Belfast and how long it was? I want to get a taxi to take DH and me to a small town about an hour outside Belfast. Thanks

[june1]

We took this cruise in Aug. and had Alan with McCombs and he was excellent. We drove the gorgeous Antrim Coast on a beautiful day. Stopped at the rope bridge, amazing Giant's Causeway, and had a tour of Belfast.

 

Try to go to Etretat, France if you've been to the other nearby places. It's an adorable French beach vacation destination. There is a bus to there from LeHavre about 10:15 am. We missed it so took the ship's tour which included the Benedictine distillery which was beautiful but not worth going to, IMO.

[Siljac]

We took this cruise in Aug. and had Alan with McCombs and he was excellent. We drove the gorgeous Antrim Coast on a beautiful day. Stopped at the rope bridge, amazing Giant's Causeway, and had a tour of Belfast.

 

Be advised that if you pre book with McCoombs and for some reason your ship has to skip the Belfast port as happened to us on the Crown Princess on Sept. 6, 2010, due to weather problems, you will lose your money. They have no compassion for the passengers. Even though they did not start an engine for our people, they still kept virtually all the money. Don't pay in advance.

[2travelers]

We took this cruise in Aug. and had Alan with McCombs and he was excellent. We drove the gorgeous Antrim Coast on a beautiful day. Stopped at the rope bridge, amazing Giant's Causeway, and had a tour of Belfast.

 

Be advised that if you pre book with McCoombs and for some reason your ship has to skip the Belfast port as happened to us on the Crown Princess on Sept. 6, 2010, due to weather problems, you will lose your money. They have no compassion fpublicity then or the passengers. Even though they did not start an engine for our people, they still kept virtually all the money. Don't pay in advance.

 

Hi Siljac - I did not book with McCoombs for many of the posts that said similar things. It is very hard to book a guide without them asking for some sort of deposit. I understand that they need to protect themselves, but somehow if it is not the fault of the passneger, then sometimes compassion will give the company better publicity and they may make their money back tenfold. These boards give a wealth of information both good and bad - so let the buyer beware.

 

Saying that, we have booked with another company, who is asking a small deposit. Hopefully nothing goes wrong and we all end up having a wonderful time ;)

 

Ronnie

[Welshcruiser20]

Not quite the answer to your question......but I have to say the Hopon Hopoff Bus tour in Belfast is the BEST I have ever done.....and I have done lots!

[gr'aunt]

Not quite the answer to your question......but I have to say the Hopon Hopoff Bus tour in Belfast is the BEST I have ever done.....and I have done lots!

 

I will be on the same cruise as 2travelers and have some of the same concerns. I've already booked several private excursions-some with deposits already made and some just on my "word". I thought we had found a guide for Belfast/County Antrim, but then he stopped replying once we started asking detailed questions. So, plan B was formulated (taxi?), along with Plan C (HOHO bus?). You've helped clarify how we'll spend at least part of our day in Belfast:D

[debbymark]

sunshine nana, in what direction is the little town you are visiting?

[sunshine nana]

It is near Bessbrook which I think is toward Newry. I have to get to a bookstore that has a better map than the one I bought at first. Another question that came up on our roll call is what currency is used in Northern Ireland. I had assumed it was British pounds, but one person said no. Thanks.

[Siljac]

It is near Bessbrook which I think is toward Newry. I have to get to a bookstore that has a better map than the one I bought at first. Another question that came up on our roll call is what currency is used in Northern Ireland. I had assumed it was British pounds, but one person said no. Thanks.

 

The currency in Belfast is the British pound. Northern Ireland, which contains Belfast is still considered a part of England and flies the British Union Jack, not the tri colored flag of Ireland. I have been there twice so there is no doubt.

[hcat]

Not quite the answer to your question......but I have to say the Hopon Hopoff Bus tour in Belfast is the BEST I have ever done.....and I have done lots!

 

there appear to be more than one---do you have the name or can you describe the bus or the tour or where you picked it up from?

 

.. one can be booked thru Viator in advance..--they are usually reliable..

[cruzmaven]

If you're interested in a tour of sites related to the Titanic, we had a wonderful tour with Susie Millar last August. Susie is the great-granddaughter of a Titanic crew member and gave us a private tour, not only of sites related to the building of the Titanic (including private access to the Harland & Wolfe offices where the Titanic was designed) but also general sites around Belfast. Susie is also a former TV news reporter and has good insight to the "troubles" and the various neighborhoods and sights in Belfast.

 

We had a great time with Susie and highly recommend her. Prices are very reasonable as well.

 

Here's her website if you're interested:

 

http://www.titanictours-belfast.co.uk/

[sunshine nana]

I'm glad this thread has been revived. I'm still looking for a private taxi for two from Belfast to Lisnalee, a small town near Bessbrook which is in the direction of Newry. This is the reason I choose this trip as my grandmother came to the US from there in 1893 on the Carpathian when she was 12. I am hoping someone can give me a name and some idea of the price.The Carpathian was still sailing when the Titanic sank and she saved the survivors.

[travelbig]

I'm glad this thread has been revived. I'm still looking for a private taxi for two from Belfast to Lisnalee, a small town near Bessbrook which is in the direction of Newry. This is the reason I choose this trip as my grandmother came to the US from there in 1893 on the Carpathian when she was 12. I am hoping someone can give me a name and some idea of the price.The Carpathian was still sailing when the Titanic sank and she saved the survivors.

 

http://**************************/

 

www dot belfastcitytours dot com

[sunshine nana]

Thanks! I have to correct: my nana came to the US in 1905 on the Carpathian when she was 12.