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

[omynameistaken]

First off, Awesome review. My wife and I are taking this cruise in June and thanks to your review we have way too many shore plans now... LOL

Since this is our first UK cruise we have decided to most if not all of the tours through the ship. We are even booked for a pre-cruise three-day stay in London and plan to do the HOHO bus you mentioned. We are staying at the Pullman Hotel which is right close to most everything.

Again, thank for the great review...

 

Hi Comptech,

 

I couldn't help but notice that you might be traveling the same dates as us on the British Isles cruise in June. We have a rather large roll call that is taking place under http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2184309 and if that link is a dud try this; June 13, 2016 British Isles. You might be able to join some excursions that are being formed & the meet and greet.. Hope to see you on the roll call... Noreen:D

[DarkCrystal]

So enjoyed your review, have booked a British Isle (transatlantic) cruise on the Caribbean Princess for Sept 2017. We have a few cruises before then, but I'm really looking forward to this. We did a one month driving tour of Irleand just over a year ago and loved it. Can't wait to go back, even for just a few days.

[texasgirl29]

Hello Emily. Great travelogue-- we are hoping to do the same cruise in June 2017. So, did you ever get that job with Princess?

JoAnn

 

 

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[DeloreanGirl]

Hello Emily. Great travelogue-- we are hoping to do the same cruise in June 2017. So, did you ever get that job with Princess?

JoAnn

 

 

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Hi JoAnn!

 

The Princess headquarters is right across the street from my gym, so I see it all the time! I still have my eye on it and it will be the first place I apply to when my son goes to kindergarten (2018) full day.

 

I saw that Disney Cruise Line is now doing 12 Day British Isles (have to take out a second mortgage on the house to afford their version) and I still drool at the Princess brochures for their BI itinerary. June will be here before you know it!

 

I'm dragging my toddler on the Ruby next April for a no-flight Coastal. Can't wait!

Edited April 18, 2016 by DeloreanGirl

[tammymacb]

I'm booked on this cruise on the 17th of Aug, 2017. Thank you so much for this review! It's great!

[Comptech]

Hi Comptech,

 

I couldn't help but notice that you might be traveling the same dates as us on the British Isles cruise in June. We have a rather large roll call that is taking place under http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2184309 and if that link is a dud try this; June 13, 2016 British Isles. You might be able to join some excursions that are being formed & the meet and greet.. Hope to see you on the roll call... Noreen:D

 

Noreen,

No sorry we are on the June 1st sailing.. thanks though :)

[MisterMet]

Thoroughly enjoying this read! Heading out on the 12 day CB B.I. in Sept., 2017. Like you, we're planner/organizer type and have learned a lot just after one page!:)

Edited April 27, 2016 by MisterMet

[emmak8]

Enjoyed your review. Thank you for sharing.

[SpartanMom76]

Following! Booked for May 25, 2017 :)

[tml1230]

Since we are doing a 29 dayer on the Carib.P in August that includes the ports you reviewed, i spent this rainy florida day reading this thread page by page. it has been very helpful and most informative.My grandparents are also from county Cork and i plan on taking a similar photo to yours under that sign!.

 

i have to ask…have you made it to Paris yet? I hope so...

 

we just returned from our annual month long April visit to Paris. I mention that only because, during our port stop in Le Havre this summer we will make the 3 hour princess bus trip each way…just to spend another 5 hours in the city that is our favorite above all others.

In the years since your original post your decision NOT to train into Paris on your own still remains sound. We are very familiar with travel around France, do it yearly, and enjoy doing it on our own…but NOT while on a cruise ship. Missing the ship's departure remains to risky for us.Thats why we do the princess bus "own your own" option.

Every year we find the people of Paris, and France overall, to be friendly and tolerant of visitors. we have never experienced the rudeness and hatred towards Americans that some people refer to….i assume it is a perception from many years ago.

 

Again thanks again for some really good read and helpful information.

safe travels

[Flightchik]

OMG ~ I can't even begin to say how much I have enjoyed your travel thesis ~ we are going on our first cruise ever in August ~ obviously we have chosen the perfect cruise with the British Isles ~ we have been going to Europe for 16 years & love having our own car & the freedom that brings, but you have convinced me that we are ready for cruising ~ what a talent you have. I fly for Southwest Airlines & am proud to say I know a great joy of travel & having a sense of humor ~ you are awesome [emoji177]

 

 

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[RJGallagher1955]

In a perfect world, Pacific Coastal would be next. I'm a Californian since birth and have never been to Santa Barbara or San Francisco. Blasphemy! It hits Astoria and I think Victoria or Vancouver. ;)

 

HUH?

 

You live in Santa Clarita and have never been to Santa Barbara or San Francisco? :eek:

 

OK, I can almost forgive you for missing San Francisco since it's up north, but you are only about 2 hours from Santa Barbara.

 

Yup, you need to do the California Coastal, just to visit your own home state!!! ;):D

 

EDIT: I just realized this review is a few years old now (I got so interested in your story, I totally missed the 2012 reference at the beginning).

I hope that by now you've done the CA Coastal or at least made it to SB or San Francisco! :)

 

BTW,

 

Your review is GREAT! Thanks for all the work. It's a great read. :)

Edited May 27, 2016 by RJGallagher1955

[DeloreanGirl]

OMG ~ I can't even begin to say how much I have enjoyed your travel thesis ~ we are going on our first cruise ever in August ~ obviously we have chosen the perfect cruise with the British Isles ~ we have been going to Europe for 16 years & love having our own car & the freedom that brings, but you have convinced me that we are ready for cruising ~ what a talent you have. I fly for Southwest Airlines & am proud to say I know a great joy of travel & having a sense of humor ~ you are awesome [emoji177]

 

 

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Thank you! I have a huge respect for female pilots (having 2 in my family -- both aunts!) You will have quite the exciting trip via cruise ship, I promise! Someday I'd love to visit the UK or even Western Europe by car. Happy planning and thanks for the kind words!

[DeloreanGirl]

HUH?

 

You live in Santa Clarita and have never been to Santa Barbara or San Francisco? :eek:

 

OK, I can almost forgive you for missing San Francisco since it's up north, but you are only about 2 hours from Santa Barbara.

 

Yup, you need to do the California Coastal, just to visit your own home state!!! ;):D

 

EDIT: I just realized this review is a few years old now (I got so interested in your story, I totally missed the 2012 reference at the beginning).

I hope that by now you've done the CA Coastal or at least made it to SB or San Francisco! :)

 

BTW,

 

Your review is GREAT! Thanks for all the work. It's a great read. :)

 

I know! Wasn't that embarrassing?! I did finally visit Frisco in May of 2013 on a Coastal cruise with my mom, and I have driven to Santa Barbara twice (once for a wedding, once for the zoo). I booked another Coastal through Princess for next April to take our son on who will be 3 at the time and it will hit those two stops again. I'd love to do a road trip up the coast to Monterey as well. It's crazy that I haven't discovered the northern top of my own home state!

[AF-1]

I enjoyed your travel review; very nice and thanks for taking the time to do this. Although this trip was four years ago; I am now just reading it. I also want to thank everyone who posted on this thread. There were some great tips about overall cruising that I have learned.

[DeloreanGirl]

I enjoyed your travel review; very nice and thanks for taking the time to do this. Although this trip was four years ago; I am now just reading it. I also want to thank everyone who posted on this thread. There were some great tips about overall cruising that I have learned.

 

Have you checked out the British Isles/Western Europe thread here on Cruise Critic? Heaps of information! Happy cruising!

[Lucky TGO]

Excellent review thank you!!

Tony

[mbible]

As everyone else has said "Great Review". My wife and I are going on the same cruise in May (this year) sans Liverpool but with two days in Dublin. I would love to take the same Loch Ness tour you did with the Jacobite tours but am a little about getting to the bus station for "city center" (as the description of the Princess bus drop off place is listed).

 

I know you said it was tight but did you have any help in locating the bus station. I have my iPhone and may be able to get a cheap sim card locally for gps but not sure if that is needed.

 

thanks again for the lovely review.

 

Mike Bible

[riclop]

Thanks for the review.

[DeloreanGirl]

As everyone else has said "Great Review". My wife and I are going on the same cruise in May (this year) sans Liverpool but with two days in Dublin. I would love to take the same Loch Ness tour you did with the Jacobite tours but am a little about getting to the bus station for "city center" (as the description of the Princess bus drop off place is listed).

 

I know you said it was tight but did you have any help in locating the bus station. I have my iPhone and may be able to get a cheap sim card locally for gps but not sure if that is needed.

 

thanks again for the lovely review.

 

Mike Bible

 

Hi Mike!

 

 

Thanks! I did not have a difficult time finding the Jacobite shuttle bus station. (This was before I bought an iPhone too!) The folks at Jacobite were excellent with their communication and gave me the exact cross-streets and store where the shuttle would be parked and waiting. I can't remember if there was a sign for the shuttle or not. There are two places where Jacobite will pick up in Inverness. I chose the "Strothers" pickup stop next to the TK Maxx store (which is the store Jacobite said it would be parked next to). I simply went on Google Maps at home on my desktop computer and printed out a zoomed-in overview of Inverness. I used Cruise Critic messageboards to find out where the Princess Cruise Line bus would drop us all off (separate "excursion" fee needed). I believe it was Bank Street?? Then, I highlighted the sidestreets between the Princess bus dropoff and where the TK Maxx store was.

 

 

Just checked Google Maps.... I remember the Princess bus parking alongside the river just below Inverness Castle (or something that looked similar to a castle and was also near a McDonalds) and the Jacobite pickup was on Strothers Lane next to the TK Maxx store. It's probably a 2-3 block walk from bus to shuttle. Took about 10 minutes or so? Google says 0.5 miles.

 

The Jacobite Loch Ness 3-hour tour was amazing. I would do it again! Enjoy!!

[mbible]

Thanks for the reply. It is eerie to hear how you do the Google maps thing because I do exactly the same thing. It is so neat that in most cases you can actually "drive or walk" your entire route so it almost seems when you get there you've been there before.

 

Anyway, have a great cruise with your family.

 

thanks again

[DeloreanGirl]

Thanks for the reply. It is eerie to hear how you do the Google maps thing because I do exactly the same thing. It is so neat that in most cases you can actually "drive or walk" your entire route so it almost seems when you get there you've been there before.

 

Anyway, have a great cruise with your family.

 

thanks again

 

Exactly right! I virtual-walked through the streets with Google street view before going on the U.K. Cruise. Huge, huge help!

 

Hoping to visit the Future Cruise Sales desk when we board Ruby Princess tomorrow. If they can offer a decent deal, we may try to make British Isles 2018 happen with our 4-year old (yikes!)

[jgreenwo17]

Hi Delorean girl,

 

I hope you don't mind having new devotees climb onboard your British Isle travelogue train!

 

DW and I did our Ancestry DNA tests a year or so ago and found out we are more British than most Brits. It gave us even more inspiration to see this area. (As if we needed more inspiration)! When I saw this special one of a kind itinerary my jaw dropped. When my wife said "yes," I swooned. (I swoon still).

 

We leave for the same itinerary on 06/04/17. The Caribbean Princess will be refurbished and good as new with a few new eateries.

 

Thanks for the best review I have ever read on CC. I will be referring to it often.

 

Your faithful new groupies,

 

Jack and Jill

[MaChere]

Hoping to visit the Future Cruise Sales desk when we board Ruby Princess tomorrow. If they can offer a decent deal, we may try to make British Isles 2018 happen with our 4-year old (yikes!)

 

AAHHHH! Our British Isles was on the Ruby! And I agree with you. BEST CRUISE EVER! So much fun to see this thread alive and well! We missed the Invergordon stop due to weather, so we look forward to another BI cruise one of these days, too! Must see the Highlands! :D

[BikiniBlonde]

Wow ... this original post is almost FIVE YEARS OLD. It's a total standout and I'm so glad it showed up in the trending queue. Highly recommended reading. Thanks DeloreanGirl! I'm doing a Princess TA British Isles on Thursday. I've been flummoxed trying to decide what to pack to wear. Hot and cold were my prevailing influences, but wet has now joined them based on your report. Thanks!

 

 

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