Ireland Scotland in July?

[khuselid]

Hi all,

We are considering the July itinerary Dublin to Edinburg, 22 days. My husband is concerned it will be crazy crowded in all ports. However it seems O only does this itinerary in summer months. What can you tell me about this time of year in these ports? I know there are no guarantees but did anyone go and wish they had chosen a quieter time of year? Great itinerary and we are having to switch from a Fall cruise for medical reasons. Yeah aging! Thanks for your help!

Kim

[WESTEAST]

We were on the Marina for a cruise from London to Scotland and Ireland in August.  As far as crowds, it wasn't overly crowded in ports. We were in Dublin for two days and did a DIY for one day to tour Trinity College (the Long Room is amazing) and purchased tickets online prior so we went to the head of the line. Even the queue for purchasing tickets wasn't that long. Found the people very friendly with a great sense of humour. The further we headed north the cooler the temperatures were but, overall very pleasant (with a sweater or jacket).  The countryside is beautiful.

[LHT28]

We have only done the British Isles itinerary in June  but I would think July would be warmer & drier 

We have Norway some of those ports & they were  comfortable in July/August

You would probably be fine  at the ports  the bigger cities like Dublin/Edinburgh would be busier  but  I would go for it 

 

The one year we went  to Copenhagen it was a heat wave   other years  just nice  t- shirt weather  so you never know

 

[Harters]

Dublin and Edinburgh are capital cities so are always going to be busy - with tourists as well as their own population. July is the height of our summer, so expect temperatures in the low to mid 20s. It's also school holiday season, so many Irish & Scottish families will be away sunning themselves in Southern Europe, so that will keep numbers  down somewhat.

[comcox]

I've cruised in UK region in summer and where I hit the really bad crowd problems were the international arrivals areas in airports.  Once spent over 2 hours in passport line at Heathrow and almost missed my connecting flight.  But in general things will be busier in those months which I why i prefer May and September. If your journey involves any trains, they will also be busy so it pays to book first class where available.

However, with fewer choices in rebooking all my cancelled 2020, the 2021 cruises, I've also ended up with a July/August cruise this year.

Edited May 14, 2022 by comcox

[pinotlover]

Edinburgh will be a bit crowded. If your visit is before 1Aug, the Queen probably won’t be there yet, so you can see her palace. Best bet is to buy timed entry tickets on line before going for both the palace and castle up on the hill. You don’t want to stand in those lines for day tickets. Don’t know your physical condition, but the Palace is in lower town and the castle is over a kilometer uphill. We enjoy the walk with all the shops. For some the hill is too much. 

 

You didn’t say which ship your on. The R ships can enter the locks and dock at the port. The O ships must anchor in the Bay.  Near everyone goes ashore, so plan on lengthy waits for the tenders both ways if on an O.

 

The Gaint Causeway is just lovely. Expect crowds, but not bad. There is a shuttle down and back up if you need one. It fills quickly. 
 

Expect cloudy and perhaps misty weather. Been to both several times and clear sunny days are the rarity. I never let it bother me. The scenery is beautiful. 
 

In the major cities, we pre planned and DIY. In the other ports, we did small group private tours with Roll Call members. Never a need to do overpriced ship bus tours in either country. 
 

Enjoy your cruise.

[Cliff-FLL]

We did Oceania's 10-day "Celtic Kingdoms" back in August 2019.  Southampton to Southampton, with stops in England, Scotland, and Republic of Ireland.

We're glad we did it, but the weather was c-c-c-cold.  There's not a single, outdoor picture where we weren't bundled up.  Also, the rain was frequent and some tours were relegated to saying, "If you could see out of the windows, you'd be looking at..."  Our stop in Glasgow was bypassed because the weather was so bad that we couldn't safely enter the port.

I don't know if our experience was typical, but - were I to do it again - I would bring warmer clothing and more closely consult a weather site that contains historic data.

[Harters]

Our weather here in Northern Europe simply isnt as reliable and/or predictable as in some other parts of the world. It can be in the high 20s one day and cold and rainy the next. It's why so many of us holiday in Southern Europe.

[pinotlover]

8 hours ago, Cliff-FLL said:

We did Oceania's 10-day "Celtic Kingdoms" back in August 2019.  Southampton to Southampton, with stops in England, Scotland, and Republic of Ireland.

We're glad we did it, but the weather was c-c-c-cold.  There's not a single, outdoor picture where we weren't bundled up.  Also, the rain was frequent and some tours were relegated to saying, "If you could see out of the windows, you'd be looking at..."  Our stop in Glasgow was bypassed because the weather was so bad that we couldn't safely enter the port.

I don't know if our experience was typical, but - were I to do it again - I would bring warmer clothing and more closely consult a weather site that contains historic data.

Your experience was very typical, imo. However, I’m a wine guy not a weather expert, nor soothsayer.

 

The greatest recommendation is “ consult a weather site that contains historical data”!! +10,000! 🤪

 

Why people come here to ask for ancedotal single weather experiences when large amounts of historical data exist, easily searchable elsewhere, always amazes me. 

[LHT28]

no matter where we sail  we take a rain jacket with a hood  (umbrellas are useless when the wind is up as in many place on the coast)

We took the O umbrella into Dublin it tried to blow inside out  so gave up on that idea

 

I take a fleece jacket  & will wear that under the rain jacket if the temps should be cooler than expected

a little part of gloves & ear warmer band  have come in handy many times on "summer trips "  across the pond

 

[CanEcosse]

No matter when you go, if you comment on the weather, the natives will greet you with "Oh,  you should have been here last week ......" You can't win with weather in the UK but your oods are better in July.

          

[DrivesLikeMario]

In Edinburgh, July would be better for smaller crowds than in August when you have the Fringe Festival running concurrently with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.  August is by far the most crowded month for the city.  Pack for rain off and on and possibly a heat wave.  

[hamrag]

13 hours ago, DrivesLikeMario said:

In Edinburgh, July would be better for smaller crowds than in August when you have the Fringe Festival running concurrently with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.  August is by far the most crowded month for the city.  Pack for rain off and on and possibly a heat wave.  

exactly that.