Belfast: Titanic & Crumlin Road or Giants Causeway

[hondo1717]

Hello Fellow Princess Cruisers,

 

We have a question.. We are looking forward to our British Isles Cruise later this year.  We are stuck on an excursion in Belfast. Either the Titanic & Crumlin Road or the Giants Causeway excursions.  We wish we could do both, but Princess does not offer a joint excursion. We were wondering if anyone would be able to enlighten us on which one, and reasons why.  Also, if you have done this cruise perhaps you may have other ideas on excursions in the other ports.

 

Thank you in Advance

[DrivesLikeMario]

You can probably get a private tour that would cover it all.  Ask others to join on your Roll Call and that will help bring the price down.  I don't have any private tour contacts in Belfast but I'm sure others do.  I know Paddy does some tours but don't have his info. 
For me, the Giant's Causeway was incredible - a real Bucket List check off.  The Antrim Coast was so picture-perfectly beautiful, it was just hard to absorb it all.  If I went back, I'd do a private tour as the bus tour, while good, missed time at the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and instead wasted time going through the rush hour streets of Belfast for a "city tour" at the end.  Totally useless waste of time for that part but I think they realized they were too early to return to the port.

[loge23]

Go to Viator and book the Game of Thrones tour, even if you have never seen the show.

We were there last year, missed our Giant's Causeway tour by one minute. They put us on the aforementioned tour gratis and it was amazing! It also included the Giant's Causeway with plenty of time. Highly recommend, the scenery is simply magnificent!

 

[DrivesLikeMario]

Just found it - look at how many 5 star reviews:  Paddy's tours

Here's some others:  PaddyWagon Tour Company

[hondo1717]

4 minutes ago, DrivesLikeMario said:

Just found it - look at how many 5 star reviews:  Paddy's tours

Here's some others:  PaddyWagon Tour Company

Thank you so much for your assistance.  

[hondo1717]

8 minutes ago, DrivesLikeMario said:

You can probably get a private tour that would cover it all.  Ask others to join on your Roll Call and that will help bring the price down.  I don't have any private tour contacts in Belfast but I'm sure others do.  I know Paddy does some tours but don't have his info. 
For me, the Giant's Causeway was incredible - a real Bucket List check off.  The Antrim Coast was so picture-perfectly beautiful, it was just hard to absorb it all.  If I went back, I'd do a private tour as the bus tour, while good, missed time at the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and instead wasted time going through the rush hour streets of Belfast for a "city tour" at the end.  Totally useless waste of time for that part but I think they realized they were too early to return to the port.

Thank you very much for your reply... Much appreciated..

[brt49]

This is who we used for a private tour 

 

https://belfastattractions.co.uk

 

 

[Kathie859]

I’d visit the Giant’s Causeway again in a heartbeat!  The Titanic Museum, while interesting, doesn’t compare.  Side note:  the huge blue stone jewelry, like that in  the movie version of the Titanic, in the gift shop make me laugh out loud.

[Irule7]

Giants Causeway for sure!!  We went to Ireland many years ago and that was one of the highlights of our trip.  It’s hard for me to imagine only spending one day in that area!  It’s so beautiful.  My ancestors are from Northern Ireland and we’ve visited the area twice now and it’s got a special spot in my heart.

[caribill]

You can not do justice to both if you try to do them in one day. Just not enough time.

 

This time I would take a tour that goes to the Giant's Causeway.

 

Then you need to plan another cruise that goes to this port so you can see the Titanic Museum (and the "tender" that is a half-block from the museum. You do not need an organized tour to see the museum. Just purchase a timed entrance ticket in advance of the cruise and take a taxi (less than $15) from the ship to the museum. Then spend as little or a much time as you want at this fascinating museum. We spent around 5 hours there when we visited it. Depending how much time you spend there, you can head downtown or back to the ship when finished.

[caribill]

Just now, caribill said:

You can not do justice to both if you try to do them in one day. Just not enough time.

 

This time I would take a tour that goes to the Giant's Causeway (and a non-Princess tour would probably be a better experience).

 

Then you need to plan another cruise that goes to this port so you can see the Titanic Museum (and the "tender" that is a half-block from the museum. You do not need an organized tour to see the museum. Just purchase a timed entrance ticket in advance of the cruise and take a taxi (less than $15) from the ship to the museum. Then spend as little or a much time as you want at this fascinating museum. We spent around 5 hours there when we visited it. Depending how much time you spend there, you can head downtown or back to the ship when finished.

 

[myjillian]

5 hours ago, caribill said:

You can not do justice to both if you try to do them in one day. Just not enough time.

 

This time I would take a tour that goes to the Giant's Causeway.

 

Then you need to plan another cruise that goes to this port so you can see the Titanic Museum (and the "tender" that is a half-block from the museum. You do not need an organized tour to see the museum. Just purchase a timed entrance ticket in advance of the cruise and take a taxi (less than $15) from the ship to the museum. Then spend as little or a much time as you want at this fascinating museum. We spent around 5 hours there when we visited it. Depending how much time you spend there, you can head downtown or back to the ship when finished.

or...take the hop on hop off bus and just get off at the Museum.....

[myjillian]

10 hours ago, loge23 said:

Go to Viator and book the Game of Thrones tour, even if you have never seen the show.

We were there last year, missed our Giant's Causeway tour by one minute. They put us on the aforementioned tour gratis and it was amazing! It also included the Giant's Causeway with plenty of time. Highly recommend, the scenery is simply magnificent!

 

One way of seeing the great countryside😘

[Micahs Grandad]

We used Paddy's tours and had a great experience going to rope bridge and causeway and a lot of time in Belfast talking about the Troubles.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Our group of seven used Odyssey Coach tours last year and would highly recommend.  They had small buses with lots of leg room and windows, and excellent guide.  We did Giants Causeway and the rope bridge.  It was a fantastic day with beautiful scenery and adequate time at each.  We had enough time to actually walk down to the bridge and go over rope bridge and back, the ships tours just did a photo op. We had a guided tour of Giants Causeway with a local. Also the driver made several additional stops for scenery and photo ops, bathroom break and lunch stop in a beautiful town.  

 

Wish we we could have also done the Titanic museum but just not enough time due to the distances of the sights from Belfast.  I loved the BI cruise so much would love to take it again to see other sights like the museum that you just can’t fit in during a one day port stop

Edited April 10, 2019 by sunsetbeachgal

[spirit rev]

It is a tough call for me. Belfast is an amazing city. It is well worth a visit for much longer than a day. 

Giants Causeway is amazing, as others have said. Be sure to spend time down below.

The Titanic museum is amazing in its own way and well worth the visit. If you are looking for an interesting place to have a cup of tea or coffee and a snack while at the Titanic Museum, head on past the tender to The Dock Cafe. It's an amazing place and more than reasonable priced.

[myjillian]

We have done Great Britian several times...each time we have done different things....going once is nice....trying to go again is even better...last year we fell in love with Scotland...before that we thought Ireland was best...until we took the Sterling Castle Scotland tour...WOW

[sandyoftheseas]

If you do a private tour you could PROBABLY do both this is what happened to us.  We had a private tour scheduled for the Giants Causeway and our plan was to have the tour drop us off at the Titanic museum at the end  but, our ship was supposed to arrive in Belfast at 8am but arrived at 10am instead.  After the Giants Causeway they dropped us off at the Titanic museum we took pictures outside and went inside at 5:05pm  only to find out the last time you could get tickets was 5pm. Next to the Titanic museum was the SS Nomadic which was the tender boat that took John Astor and the unsinkable Molly Brown  onto the Titanic.  We toured that instead.  I would have enjoyed the Titanic museum but the SS Nomadic was also very cool. 

[rosepark]

If you are going to the Giant's Causeway, you could always add in a tour of the Bushmills distillery, the oldest in the world. If you are golfers, you could see if you could play a round at Royal Portrush, where the Open will be held this year, it is one of the most beautiful links courses.  Visit Ballycastle and take the local delicacies of dulse (yuck) and yellowman (yum but sticky)

Perhaps also add in afternoon tea on the way back at the Ballygally Castle Hotel.

Rp

 

 

 

[need2cruisesoon]

If you enjoy rocks, stones and some water in the background then Causeway for sure.

Bush mill's is a quick (30 minute) hygiene stop.

Edited April 10, 2019 by need2cruisesoon

[rosepark]

49 minutes ago, need2cruisesoon said:

Bush mill's is a quick (30 minute) hygiene stop.

The tour of the Bushmills distillery needs considerably longer than 30 minutes and it is certainly not a "hygiene" stop.

Rp

[skynight]

FYI:

When we were in Belfast the ship arrived 8am. We had booked the Titanic Experience directly on line in advance. We disembarked before 9:00am and took a taxi over to the Titanic Experience. Even though the Titanic museum is just across the harbor, you can not easily walk there. There are all kinds of highways and bridge ramps. We were there before the large tour groups. It was a nice comfortable self tour. It takes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. A portion of the museum tour is riding in chairs like Disney.

[rkacruiser]

14 hours ago, caribill said:

Then you need to plan another cruise that goes to this port so you can see the Titanic Museum (and the "tender" that is a half-block from the museum. You do not need an organized tour to see the museum. Just purchase a timed entrance ticket in advance of the cruise and take a taxi (less than $15) from the ship to the museum. Then spend as little or a much time as you want at this fascinating museum. We spent around 5 hours there when we visited it. Depending how much time you spend there, you can head downtown or back to the ship when finished.

 

This is what I did when I visited Belfast on the Rotterdam during her Voyage of the Vikings Cruise.  I arrived at the Museum just minutes before it opened and did not leave until mid-afternoon.  Being able to tour the last White Star Line Tender which is at the site was an unexpected treat.  Getting a taxi from the pier to the Museum and return was no problem whatsoever.  There was a taxi line at both sites.  And, returning to the Rotterdam, my driver gave me a mini-tour of Belfast (without me asking for such) and the price was the same as it had been in the morning.  (I gave him a generous tip for being so visitor friendly.)

[Whitla42]

Hi, I live in Northern Ireland and I would do the Giants Causeway it is fabulous. But if you can get a tour of Belfast included it would be interesting to hear the history, especially if you have never been before. There are a few tours which you could do . If you need any more help please ask and I will do my best to find out for you . 

[jdavid]

The Belfast Tour (bus of 6 of us) was on eof the best tours anywhere.  We did the Causeway and teh countryside ending with 2 hours in Belfast at the murals.  I recall  booking on line through an Allister. I think this may be at Trip Advisor review https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g186470-d2688726-r164299547-City_and_Causeway_Tours-Belfast_Northern_Ireland.html