On board British Isles cruise Royal Princess

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

Glasgow weather for tomorrow,

 

light winds

 

clouds, sunny spells

 

and a warm 14 degrees c

 

yours Shogun

[whatcruiseisnext]

Thank you again for this thread. Much appreciated!

[HRPro]

Hi All

 

Glasgow weather for tomorrow,

 

light winds

 

clouds, sunny spells

 

and a warm 14 degrees c

 

yours Shogun

 

Thanks for the weather updates Shogun. We'll be on the July 8th BI cruise and hoping it warms up some. Packing layers to prepare for anything though:)

[Colo Cruiser]

Well another smooth crossing over to Belfast and we are just approaching the port now. Weather light Cloud and blue skies, but still very windy.

 

Aiming on a light lunch (it is at least three hours since we had breakfast after all!) and then a taxi to the Titanic experience. Theyreservewheelchairs with just a phone call so I've done that so should be easy for the Ancient Mariner. (Did I tell you he used to be a navigating officer for P & O General Cargo division?)

Will report back on that this evening.

 

Ship in full sales mode this a.m. All the ships in full flow, all the usual stuff.

 

Nothing much else to report yet. Talk later

Sue

 

Have a great day! :)

[Nancy48]

Hi folks, well first of all Glasgow information. From ship to shuttle buses/taxis is no distance at all. Just really at the end of the ship. We weren't by any means first off the ship, we waited until the crush had died down, and when we got ashore the queues for the shuttle bus were very long. We wanted a taxi so bypassed all the queues and got into a taxi straightaway. Went to theTitanic experience, fare was £6.70 plus tip, £8 in all. Took about ten minutes I suppose, nothing much to see. Because of the layout of Belfast, the Titanic is actually more or less opposite where we berth,but on the other side of the river. Can thoroughly recommend the Titanic experience - brilliant, very well done, and cutting edge in parts. Well worth the money. We aren't people who read every single thing in museums etc.,but even so it still took us two hours round.

 

Re cost of Enclave. Just checked Patters and no price given. Will try to find out tomorrow and will report back.

 

Dublin shuttle dropped us off right in the centre of Dublin, minutes from Trinity College where the Book of Kells is held, in Kildare Street. Very convenient.

 

Tomorrow we are in Greenock and the Ancient Mariner and I are hiring a car and driving round Loch. lomond. Will let you all know how it goes tomorrow, but it's an early start so will probably not post until the evening.

 

Weather today a bit better, out of the wind could be quite warm. But still that cold wind. It seems to be dying down and the forecast for tomorrow is good. Will let you know. Well that's it for me, the Ancient Mariner has just brought me my cocoa, so it's lights out, ready for our early start. Dining room staff could be caught out in the morning. We're usually there about 8.45 but planning on an early visit!!

 

Sweet dreams. Talk tomorrow,

Sue

[Shogun]

Hi Are you taking a trip on the Loch

Yours Shogun

[WatchHill]

Sue - If taking in Loch Lomond, and if you have time, stop by the village of Luss. Large parking area, comfort stop, places to grab lunch or a snack.

 

It's on the banks of the Loch, walking paths [paved], a few nice shops, village cottages built about 150 years ago, and a church built in 1875 with early stones dating from the 7th and 8th century. There's a Viking hogback grave, too. It's on the A82.

 

We thoroughly enjoyed walking around the village, taking lots of pictures.

 

Darcy

[Nashuagirl]

Thank you for all your valuable information. We are taking this cruise May 2016 on the Caribbean Princess. I am having so much fun reading about your experiences.

So far what ports do you recommend tours for? Sounds like some we can do on our own.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Nashuagirl

[paddingtonbear]

We will be on the Ocean Princess - 8 day British Isle August 9. I did the 12 day British Isle in August 2013 on the Caribbean Princess and would highly recommend this cruise.

 

 

 

Do you know where the Princess shuttle for Dublin drops you off? Last time, we took a taxi and it cost us 15E each way.

 

 

 

We plan on seeing the Book of Kells at Trinity College then the HOHO.

 

 

Trinity College Is one of the stops on the HOHO bus.

 

We got there at 9:10 and were 2nd in line. By the time the doors opened at 9:30 the queues were very, very long. The pre purchased ticket line (to the left of the door) all got to enter before anyone in the buy a ticket line.

Edited June 7, 2015 by paddingtonbear

[DrivesLikeMario]

I agree about Luss. Definitely worth stopping at after the Loch.

 

Nashuagirl - You'll have a GREAT time! This is such a fantastic cruise! It's very port-intensive and if you can hire private guides, you'll get a much better experience overall. The roll calls are a perfect place to join forces with others on your sailing and get those nice, small tours planned far in advance. (You probably already know about yours, but for others reading.) They truly made my cruise a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Have fun planning! :)

[Nancy48]

Thanks Darcy and Mario, and Shogun, yes we plan on driving up to Loch Lomond and Luss is on the itinerary. We had a smooth crossing and were already alongside when we got up at 6.30 (eek)!! The sun is shining, sky is blue, and it looks like finally the wind has died down. Just going ashore now to pick up our hire car.

 

Will talk about ports etc later, but I would say that we are doing every port on our own. But I suppose being British gives us confidence.

 

Will report back on everything this evening. Bye for now

Sue

[phabric]

Thank you for all your valuable information. We are taking this cruise May 2016 on the Caribbean Princess. I am having so much fun reading about your experiences.

So far what ports do you recommend tours for? Sounds like some we can do on our own.

 

I did the 12 day British Isles cruise on the Caribbean Princess, August 16, 2013. Check out our Roll Call, post #2965 shows all the private tours listed for our cruise.

 

Here are the private tours I took with others from our Roll Call (we had a very active Roll Call). I saved over $1,000 doing private tours vs Princess.

 

Check out your cruise Roll Call, there might be others wanting do the same tour. Our private tours were filled within a few hours of posting on the Roll Call.

 

Cobh - http://www.ecoach.ie

Dublin - http://www.hop-on-hop-off-bus.com

- http://www.dublinsightseeing.ie

- http://www.dublintourguide.blogspot.ie

Liverpool - http://www.busybus.co.uk (tour to Wales)

- http://www.pooloflifetours.com (Beatle & city)

Belfast - http://www.odysseycoachtours.co.uk

Invergordon - http://www.shorexcursions.co.uk

Edinburgh- http://www.greatscot-tours.com

Le Havre - http://www.overlordtour.com

Edited June 8, 2015 by phabric

[Nancy48]

Hi, well we're safely back on board in good time (no being left behind for us😉) after a lovely day.

 

First of all though, the information promised onThe Enclave, it is $239 for the cruise and there are just sixty passes available, so advice is to go down as soon as you board as they go very quickly. Hope that helps.

 

Now to our day. The walk from ship to dock gates is not far at all, through a building housing some souvenir type shops and then maybe no more thAn200 yards in total. Weather today has been great, really warmed up, blue skies etc. we were met right on time at dock gates by the car hire people who drove us back to their offices, sorted out our paper work very quickly (trip to their offices about 20 minute drive) and we were on the road in a four door Hyundai car, brand new, in no time. Really helpful staff. Total cast including petrol for the day, and with upgraded insurance so that the excess was only £100 was about £70, so £35 each. Could have taken another two people in the car easily, which would have brought it down to £17.50 per person. Bargain! We drove up Loch Lomond, stopping for one of the best cups of coffee I have ever had at the Lodge on Loch Lomond hotel at Luss. Sat on their balcony overlooking the Loch, superb. Then we continued up the rest of Loch Lomond and did a Huge circle right round the Trossachs national park, seeing several other Lochs on the way. The bluebells were in full bloom, magnificent deep purple blue over huge areas. The whole area is stunningly beautiful and I can heartily recommend this to you. We didn't do any house viewing just a lovely lazy drive round, and although we love our fellow passengers it was great to be just the two of us in peace and quiet for a few hours.

 

Car hire firm drove us back down to the ship in a very timely fashion,and we met the only slight hiccough of the day, when there were lined "snakes" through the Port building, surely designed to encourage us to look at the shops there. The port authority did the scanning of bags in the hall so it wasn't necessary when we got back on the ship.

 

A great day, but looking forward to our first day off tomorrow, our first sea day.

 

No doubt will talk again later.

Sue

[Shogun]

Hi

Glad to hear you had a good day , weather is good for next few days.

[Mom33]

Hi, well we're safely back on board in good time (no being left behind for us😉) after a lovely day.

 

First of all though, the information promised onThe Enclave, it is $239 for the cruise and there are just sixty passes available, so advice is to go down as soon as you board as they go very quickly. Hope that helps.

 

Now to our day. The walk from ship to dock gates is not far at all, through a building housing some souvenir type shops and then maybe no more thAn200 yards in total. Weather today has been great, really warmed up, blue skies etc. we were met right on time at dock gates by the car hire people who drove us back to their offices, sorted out our paper work very quickly (trip to their offices about 20 minute drive) and we were on the road in a four door Hyundai car, brand new, in no time. Really helpful staff. Total cast including petrol for the day, and with upgraded insurance so that the excess was only £100 was about £70, so £35 each. Could have taken another two people in the car easily, which would have brought it down to £17.50 per person. Bargain! We drove up Loch Lomond, stopping for one of the best cups of coffee I have ever had at the Lodge on Loch Lomond hotel at Luss. Sat on their balcony overlooking the Loch, superb. Then we continued up the rest of Loch Lomond and did a Huge circle right round the Trossachs national park, seeing several other Lochs on the way. The bluebells were in full bloom, magnificent deep purple blue over huge areas. The whole area is stunningly beautiful and I can heartily recommend this to you. We didn't do any house viewing just a lovely lazy drive round, and although we love our fellow passengers it was great to be just the two of us in peace and quiet for a few hours.

 

Car hire firm drove us back down to the ship in a very timely fashion,and we met the only slight hiccough of the day, when there were lined "snakes" through the Port building, surely designed to encourage us to look at the shops there. The port authority did the scanning of bags in the hall so it wasn't necessary when we got back on the ship.

 

A great day, but looking forward to our first day off tomorrow, our first sea day.

 

No doubt will talk again later.

Sue

 

This was one of the highlights of our cruise. Thanks for bringing back memories. The scenery on the British Isle cruise is breathtaking. :D

[insidecabin]

Greenock.

 

Timing getting back to the port is critical for getting back on the ship quick

 

My OH went back 20min before all aboard walked straight through.

I arrived with 5mins took 25mins.

 

I caught the bulk of the tour buses, there was still a long line after I got on as more coaches returned.

 

Security by the port has benefits.

[Colo Cruiser]

Another great day! :)

[jones721]

"First of all though, the information promised onThe Enclave, it is $239 for the cruise and there are just sixty passes available, so advice is to go down as soon as you board as they go very quickly. Hope that helps."

 

Umm, thought it might be quite expensive - guess I might only be buying one and not two! Thanks for finding out for me!

 

Tracey

[Nancy48]

You are welcome Tracey. Yes it appears those queues to get back on board grew as time went by.

 

Beautiful evening as we sail around Britain. Now going to try to post a photo, this is cutting edge stuff for me and may fail spectacularly. Fingers crossed...

[Nancy48]

You are welcome Tracey. Yes it appears those queues to get back on board grew as time went by.

 

Beautiful evening as we sail around Britain. Now going to try to post a photo, this is cutting edge stuff for me and may fail spectacularly. Fingers crossed...it seems it did 't work. Will try again later

Sue

[Colo Cruiser]

You are welcome Tracey. Yes it appears those queues to get back on board grew as time went by.

 

Beautiful evening as we sail around Britain. Now going to try to post a photo, this is cutting edge stuff for me and may fail spectacularly. Fingers crossed...it seems it did 't work. Will try again later

Sue

 

Yes! It posted, so I turned my laptop on its side. ;) :D

[Nancy48]

Whoops sorry about that folks, too much wine with dinner😉 will try again to get it right way up.

 

Sue

[Shogun]

Hi Enjoy your sea day watch out for the whales and dolphins when you get off at Invergordon look around the pier for seals and dolphins. Yours Shogun

[Boston Accent]

Sue,

 

Would you be able to check on the Dublin port for us? We are on the August 25 cruise and the port is reporting we will arrive at noon. We are listed on our itinerary as arriving at Dun L. at 7 am. We booked a private tour from 8-12:30 for Glendalough and the tour operator is wanting to refund our money because of the new schedule. He also can't help us later as he has another tour booked. I thought maybe Excursions or Customer service on the ship might know if this is the new schedule. A phone call to Princess got me nowhere and our travel agent is on 2 week vacation. Would appreciate it.

Pam

[DrivesLikeMario]

I experienced those same lines getting back on the ship in a few of the ports. The one in Greenock does snake around the inside of the warehouse but it moves pretty quickly. Standing in the line was SO worth the extra time we spent in such a beautiful part of the world! Enjoy yourselves! :)