British Isles Trip Review w/Pics: A Thesis :)

[Northern Light]

we want to go to paris again, giverny, reims, brussels, bruge, tulips in holland, amsterdam, copenhagen, sweden in 2014 - probably none of it on a cruise so we can have several days in some of the places unless we take a TA over if they would leave earlier before the tulips are gone !! but have almost decided the time & $$ would be better spent using train to see all these places !;)

 

when did you go to brit isles ?

 

am so excited about 2013 !:)

 

jim will go anywhere i choose/plan - he usually doesn't remember where we are going each day - he likes the surprise each morning as i announce - OK babe we're in dublin now !!!

 

just kidding but it's almost true !!:D

 

 

We were on the same cruise as Emily (Deloreangirl). Our legs aren't as young as hers are so we did things a wee bit differently but agree that this was a fabulous voyage.

 

Sandy :)

[DeloreanGirl]

For those who asked, it was Hotels.com that I booked Park Plaza through, and Kayak.com which I got airfare through.

[provencedelsol]

Many, many thanks from your "up the 14' neighbor. DH and I are doing this and the B2B TA next summer. I feel as if I have already done it once through your eyes and words.

[vaughan]

We were on the same cruise as Emily (Deloreangirl). Our legs aren't as young as hers are so we did things a wee bit differently but agree that this was a fabulous voyage.

 

Sandy :)

 

We were "between" Sandy and Emily in age - again, a few different things but also agree that the trip was great - and the latest we slept in was on a sea day (until 9) only a little rain helped and not missing any ports to avoid disappointments also helped keep up the spirits.

[DeloreanGirl]

Many, many thanks from your "up the 14' neighbor. DH and I are doing this and the B2B TA next summer. I feel as if I have already done it once through your eyes and words.

 

Wow, a fellow 14'er! Never thought I'd run across someone that close. :) We're in Canyon Country.

[atlasali]

What a wonderful review Emily wrote! Hint: If you are going on this cruise in the future, use it as your guide book.

We were on the same cruise. Since we did different activities in the ports, it was enjoyable to see Emily's version of the same 12 day cruise.

[enidcruiser]

One of the best I have seen.

What I can't believe is how you did these:

1. Bought tickets ahead of time for train, bus, entrance to museums, etc for each stop.

2. Had walking maps for everything with notes as to where to turn.

3. Planned every stop to the minute, and you did it without guides.

 

How could you throw them away as you used them? I am such a collector freek, I would have saved them all.

 

You are such a detail person, but how did you know ahead of the trip about all these things?

 

I sent this review to Brother and SIL to read before they fly to Ireland and England for vacation.

They need to know these places (note: Titanic) even though they are not on a cruise. Rick Steves needs to take notes from you.

 

Thanks again for such great detail and I hope to some day take this great BI tour.

Edited June 24, 2012 by enidcruiser

[caribill]

One of the best I have seen.

What I can't believe is how you did these:

1. Bought tickets ahead of time for train, bus, entrance to museums, etc for each stop.

2. Had walking maps for everything with notes as to where to turn.

3. Planned every stop to the minute, and you did it without guides.

 

 

The Internet (and Google) is the planner's best friend.

[JanetAlice]

The Internet (and Google) is the planner's best friend.

 

Exactly. I bought everything ahead of time as well. Very easy and you avoid many lines. People were waiting an hour for tickets to Edinburgh Castle and we walked right in with our prepaid tickets.

[DeloreanGirl]

One of the best I have seen.

What I can't believe is how you did these:

1. Bought tickets ahead of time for train, bus, entrance to museums, etc for each stop.

2. Had walking maps for everything with notes as to where to turn.

3. Planned every stop to the minute, and you did it without guides.

 

How could you throw them away as you used them? I am such a collector freek, I would have saved them all.

 

You are such a detail person, but how did you know ahead of the trip about all these things?

 

I sent this review to Brother and SIL to read before they fly to Ireland and England for vacation.

They need to know these places (note: Titanic) even though they are not on a cruise. Rick Steves needs to take notes from you.

 

Thanks again for such great detail and I hope to some day take this great BI tour.

 

Hi there,

 

I knew from reading posts on the British Isles board on what to buy ahead of time and what to buy on the spot. Trains you can buy on the spot. But HOHO buses give discounts online and my boss went to Edinburgh Castle 2 years ago and told me to get "fast track" tickets which basically is just buying them online beforehand.

 

As far as the walking maps, it was a combination of a few things. In some ports (Cobh, Greenock) we just walked around freely since you could see the ship at all times. Other ports (Liverpool) we had instructions on what to see from Cruise Critic members who lived there (Mrs. Moho & TowncarT). With Dublin and LeHavre, we just randomly followed the roads.

 

Princess gives you a very plain map with the nightly Patter. We took this ashore as well as Google Maps pages that I printed out. As far as Google goes, I would hone in on an area that we'd be walking (for example, Inverness Scotland) and would print the satellite version of the map since it would show where buildings were. It's much easier for me to spot where I am if I can see a church or a store instead of the names of streets.

 

And believe me, as much as I planned, there were still some loopholes. In Dublin, we thought we were close to everything but we weren't and we got very lost in the city!

 

I met Rick Steves in January (he actually signed my London 2010 book) and he is the master of all things travel. I like that he finds "back door" versions of traveling and hates crowds. His London book was written and illustrated better than any other Europe book I read (such as Europe For Dummies, Frommer's, and Fodor's which are all too serious). He would be fun to travel with, but I would much rather buddy up with Samantha Brown from The Travel Channel (whom I also met last January). :)

 

I didn't keep any of the maps because they were folded, crumpled and soaked.

 

I used a combination of Cruise Critic, Facebook and friends to plan where I was going. Cruise Critic members would help me with some ports. Then, I would join the company page of a company I had booked with or would visit (such as "Titanic Belfast" and "Jacobite Loch Ness") and I could directly ask questions to those people. Then, I would simply Google, Google, Google to my hearts content.

 

Since I planned the vacation a year out from sailing, I told myself that I'd give myself one month to obsess over each port since there were 12 ports. So one month I would focus purely on Guernsey, then I would move on to Dublin, then Liverpool, then Belfast, then the Scotland ports, etc etc.

 

Try to balance out the activities in each port, though. I couldn't do a go-go-go vacation where every day consisted of a long 8-hour bus tour. I made sure to dedicate Edinburgh, Belfast and Loch Ness as my activity days and the rest were on-your-own days. Then you don't feel guilty about sleeping in or getting back to the boat early. Luckily, a lot of the exciting things are within a few miles of the ship. :)

Edited June 24, 2012 by DeloreanGirl

[Steph27]

Emily,

 

I read your entire blog and all the postings on the roll call last night. I very much appreciate all the detail and descriptions. You did a great job planning! I just returned a few weeks ago from a cruise of Spain, France and Germany. One of our ports was Honfleur and it was fantastic. If you get a chance to visit Normandy again you must go there! Also the D-day tour we took was fantastic. I am in the process of completing my blog on the cruise. The url is www.27thousandwaves.com

 

It may give you some ideas for your next trip. You would definitely enjoy doing a blog! You can add a lot of photos. Much more than what Cruise Critic will allow in each post. I would suggest then adding a link to the blog in the roll call or on the main cruise line thread, as in your case under Princess.

 

After reading your review I am thinking about booking a British Isles cruise with Celebrity for 2013. You provided a lot of useful information. Thank you!!

[desertminky]

 

I met Rick Steves in January (he actually signed my London 2010 book) and he is the master of all things travel. I like that he finds "back door" versions of traveling and hates crowds. His London book was written and illustrated better than any other Europe book I read (such as Europe For Dummies, Frommer's, and Fodor's which are all too serious). He would be fun to travel with, but I would much rather buddy up with Samantha Brown from The Travel Channel (whom I also met last January). :)

 

 

Try to balance out the activities in each port, though. I couldn't do a go-go-go vacation where every day consisted of a long 8-hour bus tour. I made sure to dedicate Edinburgh, Belfast and Loch Ness as my activity days and the rest were on-your-own days. Then you don't feel guilty about sleeping in or getting back to the boat early. Luckily, a lot of the exciting things are within a few miles of the ship. :)

 

First of all, how ever did you manage to meet both Rick Steves and Samantha Brown? Was it at the LA Travel thing they have? I just watched part of Samantha Brown's British Isles dvd and I was pretty impressed. I would love to meet them both and would even consider a trip to WA to meet Rick!

 

You are so right about balancing the activities... I fear I have to many go go days planned. Hopefully some of them can be shortened. It's difficult because part of me thinks I won't be back to this part of the world for a long long time.

 

Thanks again for all the great tips!

[DeloreanGirl]

Emily,

 

I read your entire blog and all the postings on the roll call last night. I very much appreciate all the detail and descriptions. You did a great job planning! I just returned a few weeks ago from a cruise of Spain, France and Germany. One of our ports was Honfleur and it was fantastic. If you get a chance to visit Normandy again you must go there! Also the D-day tour we took was fantastic. I am in the process of completing my blog on the cruise. The url is www.27thousandwaves.com

 

It may give you some ideas for your next trip. You would definitely enjoy doing a blog! You can add a lot of photos. Much more than what Cruise Critic will allow in each post. I would suggest then adding a link to the blog in the roll call or on the main cruise line thread, as in your case under Princess.

 

After reading your review I am thinking about booking a British Isles cruise with Celebrity for 2013. You provided a lot of useful information. Thank you!!

 

Yes, Honfleur would definitely be visited if we ever did this cruise again. My hubby already wants to do the British Isles again!

 

First of all, how ever did you manage to meet both Rick Steves and Samantha Brown? Was it at the LA Travel thing they have? I just watched part of Samantha Brown's British Isles dvd and I was pretty impressed. I would love to meet them both and would even consider a trip to WA to meet Rick!

 

You are so right about balancing the activities... I fear I have to many go go days planned. Hopefully some of them can be shortened. It's difficult because part of me thinks I won't be back to this part of the world for a long long time.

 

Thanks again for all the great tips!

 

I met Samantha at the Long Beach Travel Show (along with Andrew Zimmerman) and then the weekend after that was the L.A. Travel Show where I met Adam Richman (swoon, drool) and Rick Steves. Rick's lectures are 2 hours long! It was so packed that they couldn't let any more people into the auditorium. So instead, I stood in the queue line (I was second in line behind another couple) and just waited for him to do book signings. He won't write anything in your book, not even your name. :( But he did say London was one of his favorite places. And I learned that he hates Orlando.

 

Samantha is awesome in real life. Every bit as cheery and energentic as she is on screen. I also watched her shows on Edinburgh, London, Ireland and Paris. It was very helpful! In fact, I can't believe I forgot to mention all the shows and movies I watched in preparation for this trip. Oops!

 

I know what you mean about "I have to see it all because I may not come back!" I felt the same way too. As long as it's not sunrise to sundown you'll be fine! ;)

Edited June 25, 2012 by DeloreanGirl

[nostalgiaguru]

I bought the Rick Steves books as well, and enjoyed them. But, are there not any International travel books out there aimed specifically at the cruise industry? I would like to see a book that specializes on providing ideas to those who dock at certain ports, and the options that are available there.

[4774Papa]

I bought the Rick Steves books as well, and enjoyed them. But, are there not any International travel books out there aimed specifically at the cruise industry? I would like to see a book that specializes on providing ideas to those who dock at certain ports, and the options that are available there.

Rick Steves has a book for Med cruises.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Rick-Steves-Mediterranean-Cruise-Ports/dp/1598808362

[nostalgiaguru]

Rick Steves has a book for Med cruises.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Rick-Steves-Mediterranean-Cruise-Ports/dp/1598808362

 

I guess I need to cancel my venture capital request! I was about to go into the book publishing business :)

[4774Papa]

I guess I need to cancel my venture capital request! I was about to go into the book publishing business :)

I am sure that you could do it.

[nostalgiaguru]

I am sure that you could do it.

 

Emily's travelogue would be a good first edition!

[DeloreanGirl]

I bought the Rick Steves books as well, and enjoyed them. But, are there not any International travel books out there aimed specifically at the cruise industry? I would like to see a book that specializes on providing ideas to those who dock at certain ports, and the options that are available there.

 

I have a "Cruising the Western Caribbean" book and one for 2006 Alaska and I know whoever made that book has others. I think I just did a search for it on Amazon back in the day.

 

Rick Steves seemingly hated cruising until he was forced to try it. Then he blogged about it and wrote the book. I remember reading about it on his website and I kind of don't blame him....the man likes to really "get out there" and he probably felt limited with one day in each port.

 

Could you imagine sitting at his dinner table on the ship? I wouldn't leave the room for hours.

 

Emily's travelogue would be a good first edition!

 

Har har har..... ;) :p

[DeloreanGirl]

For the record:

 

I looked at the Princess Cruise Line job board:

 

--IT Department (yeah I might ruin that...)

--Dance Instructor (ditto...)

--Cruise Booking Agent (only pays $10/hour.... ouch)

 

I'll check back in a few years! ;)

[KMR]

Emily I absolutely loved reading your review. I spent hours yesterday reading it from the beginning to the end. You posted such great information. Please post your review on the member reviews for the British Isles. I also spent hours there reading member reviews for British Isles information. We are booked on the Celebrity Infinity for 2013 and would never have looked at the Princess board but someone in one of the roll calls posted to go and look at your review. If that person had not posted to go and look at your review, I would never have had the opportunity to read it. Thanks for such a fantastic day by day review. I thought it was great and I learned so much from you.

[DeloreanGirl]

Emily I absolutely loved reading your review. I spent hours yesterday reading it from the beginning to the end. You posted such great information. Please post your review on the member reviews for the British Isles. I also spent hours there reading member reviews for British Isles information. We are booked on the Celebrity Infinity for 2013 and would never have looked at the Princess board but someone in one of the roll calls posted to go and look at your review. If that person had not posted to go and look at your review, I would never have had the opportunity to read it. Thanks for such a fantastic day by day review. I thought it was great and I learned so much from you.

 

Wow, tell that person thank-you for passing it around! And I'm glad you enjoyed it!

 

I held off on posting the formal Member Review because I wanted to finish the review here, then simply mention the link in the Member Review area since I probably couldn't fit 55 pages of text on there.

 

So thank you for reminding me! I will do that right now. :cool:

[dblane]

Emily-- Loved your review. I really want to do the British Isles, I like you have roots there. I am saving your review to put in MY 3 RING FOLDER!!

Thanks so much.

[DeloreanGirl]

Emily-- Loved your review. I really want to do the British Isles, I like you have roots there. I am saving your review to put in MY 3 RING FOLDER!!

Thanks so much.

 

Hurray! Another "Binder Buddy"! :p

 

Seems like a lot of people have Celtic roots which is why I think this itinerary is so fantastic. :rolleyes:

Edited June 25, 2012 by DeloreanGirl

[DeloreanGirl]