Viking British Isles Cruise - Tips for others going on this cruise

[Milehighgrandma]

We just returned from our Viking British Isles Tour, sailing Bergen to London. This was our second ocean cruise with Viking. We really enjoy traveling with Viking. This time there were limited options when we went to book our excursions. (Things are a bit different since Covid and I understand). I just thought I would let people know of a few private tours we booked on our own. In Invergordon, I booked through Trip Advisor,  Avril's Tours (Amy) Dunrobin, Dornach, & Distillery. Amy did a great job of showing us extra places of interest. She was very knowledgeable about the area and made our day interesting. We also booked a tour with Boutique Tours from Holyhead. John was professional and knowledgeable, giving us information that was interesting, never boring.  He personalized the tour to include the Bodant Gardens. Bodant exceeded  what I had read about it. John took us on beautiful country roads away from the crowds to hidden gem with amazing scenery. I also had the best scone with jam and cream ever! We also went through castle ruins, drove into Snowdonia National Park, and saw beautiful waterfalls. We never worried about getting back to our ship. he had us back in time. The day we spent with Boutique Tours was the highlight of our cruise. If John is available, definitely book with him.

Our tour with Viking to the Giant's Causeway was also a good one. I hope this helps others when they are working on excursions.

[geffric]

Thanks so much..this was very helpful.

 

[GoNavyFamily]

Great information and very timely as I am spending hours researching our BI cruise in April 2023!  Would love to hear about every port, what you did, and if you would recommend from personal experience any of the included tours. 

[Let Me Travel!]

Thanks so much! Doing this cruise in August (L to B)…the excursions are really full glad for the advice

[Let Me Travel!]

I’m sad because we will be in Edinburgh in August, during the Tattoo…leaving the port at 5:00PM…boohoo…would have loved to stay late in the evening for the Tattoo…has anyone ever been? I hear it is spectacular!

[FlaGirl13]

Following, also going in April 2023.  Happy to hear of enjoyable excursions.  

[Krazy4Kruisin']

MileHighGrandma: 

We are doing this cruise August 2023. We're going to Oslo a couple days early, then taking the train to Bergen. 

Would love to hear all you're willing to share about the cruise.

Also, what kind of stateroom did you have? And which side of ship was it on? Did you like that side or do you think the other side has better views (coming into ports)?

[Let Me Travel!]

Right now…I have a GTY for a DV…we will see what I get…26 days until I fly out for the butterfly cruise (both River and ocean)…hopefully I will get an upgrade…but who knows? I’ve stayed in a PJS and a PV before…loved them both

[JerryInIL]

Thanks milehighgrandma.  Did you book any non Viking tours in London that you liked?  We are planning a week in London next year after BIE.

[formernuke]

We've spent a couple of trips in London and I would recommend getting Rick Steves' guide book and figuring out what you're interested in and just doing it. I do highly recommend getting a tube pass and also using the Thames boat day pass to get around. Easy to navigate.

[JerryInIL]

For those booked on a future British Isles cruise, don’t forget to join the cruisecritic roll call for your specific cruise if you want to communicate with your cruise mates. Ours is August 7, 2023.

[Milehighgrandma]

Jerry,  I had the Rick Steves book and used that to decide what we wanted to see in London. We didn't do any organized tour.  

[Jim Avery]

London is our fave city anywhere.  Imho, walk a couple of blocks in any direction and you will find something interesting.  🍺

[Clay Clayton]

On 7/10/2022 at 2:43 PM, formernuke said:

We've spent a couple of trips in London and I would recommend getting Rick Steves' guide book and figuring out what you're interested in and just doing it. I do highly recommend getting a tube pass and also using the Thames boat day pass to get around. Easy to navigate.

Rick has a great app that has walking tours. We used it in a number of places. 
 

 

[Senior Gators]

For what it’s worth, we highly recommend the “Ceremony of the Keys” at the Tower of London.  The tour is conducted after dark by a Beefeater, Yeoman of the Guard, in full regalia. Our guide was very knowledgeable of the history and of the centuries old traditions that were part of the ceremony not to mention that of the Tower and its surrounding grounds. Since all the Yeoman are long term (retired) military men they are carefully selected for this honor. We felt that we were privileged to experience this and had a wonderful opportunity to experience an important part of English history. 
 

Another excursion we would recommend is the “London Eye” at twilight. We got the best view of London as the sun set and were at the top of the wheel as it got dark and lights came on all over the city. Spectacular!

 

Senior Gators (Richard and Margie)

[Haworth]

If you have an hour or two in London, this is spectacular

https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/whats-on/superbloom-at-the-tower-of-london/#gs.6ibxua

[SempreMare]

4 hours ago, Haworth said:

If you have an hour or two in London, this is spectacular

https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/whats-on/superbloom-at-the-tower-of-london/#gs.6ibxua

@Haworth That looks beautiful!   

[ edit ] Darn, Superbloom will be gone before my Sept British Isles Explorer (embarkation Sep 12)

 

@Senior Gators, I am booked on the “Ceremony of the Keys” at the Tower of London the night before British Isles Explorer departs.    Thanks so much for your description. 

[SempreMare]

@Clay Clayton, @Jim Avery  or any other London experts,  Have you found purchasing a London Pass or Go City Pass to be 'worth it' ?    Does it enable you to not have to wait in lines?  i.e., and Just show the bar code?  

 

Ex: from the London Go City pass attractions pdf, it sounds like it enables me to

1) skip the line 2) Not have to be psychic about exactly when I want to be at the museum

 

London Transport Museum
Getting in: show your pass at the door for entry. The attraction is operating a pre-booking system but pass customers are able to walk-up on the day without booking in advance. 

 

https://gocity.com/london/en-us/products/explorer

 

In your experience, is that how it actually works? 

 

I've purchased these passes before and then not used what I've bought because... Plans change.   I'd rather skip the potential cost savings to not feel obligated to go to a museum if I just want to hang out on a square on a beautiful day.  However, being able to both skip the line and not have to pre-book sounds excellent.  Cost savings would be icing...  Where's the catch? 

Edited July 17, 2022 by SempreMare

[Clay Clayton]

1 hour ago, SempreMare said:

@Clay Clayton, @Jim Avery  or any other London experts,  Have you found purchasing a London Pass or Go City Pass to be 'worth it' ?    Does it enable you to not have to wait in lines?  i.e., and Just show the bar code?  

 

Ex: from the London Go City pass attractions pdf, it sounds like it enables me to

1) skip the line 2) Not have to be psychic about exactly when I want to be at the museum

 

London Transport Museum
Getting in: show your pass at the door for entry. The attraction is operating a pre-booking system but pass customers are able to walk-up on the day without booking in advance. 

 

https://gocity.com/london/en-us/products/explorer

 

In your experience, is that how it actually works? 

 

I've purchased these passes before and then not used what I've bought because... Plans change.   I'd rather skip the potential cost savings to not feel obligated to go to a museum if I just want to hang out on a square on a beautiful day.  However, being able to both skip the line and not have to pre-book sounds excellent.  Cost savings would be icing...  Where's the catch? 

Sorry, not an expert especially about the city pass. 

[SailorPaulH]

On 7/12/2022 at 11:08 AM, Jim Avery said:

London is our fave city anywhere.  Imho, walk a couple of blocks in any direction and you will find something interesting.  🍺

 

This is so very true. As an ex-Brit, I have taken my US wife many times to London as it serves as a starting and focal point of various road-trips in England and Wales that we have taken.

 

We usually stay in hotels in the Kensington/Gloucester Road area as this is an easy ride on the Piccadilly line from Heathrow. And in the past we have always used the Oyster card to get around - the Underground is easy to use and makes London 'smaller'.

 

These are some places we have been over the years, and I have grouped them in proximity in a way that we did them.

 

• Kensington area and nearby - Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, Royal Albert Hall, Hyde Park, Kensington Palace, The Tower House (you have to be Led Zeppelin fan to know this reference), Notting Hill, Portobello Market. 
• St. James Park area - National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Trafalgar Square, Admiralty Arch, The Mall, Buckingham Palace
• Whitehall - Household Cavalry Museum, Imperial War Museums, Churchill War Rooms, Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, St. Margaret's Church.
• South Bank Walk - Westminster Bridge, London Eye, London Dungeons, Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe (seen numerous plays here including midnight showings), The Anchor Pub, HMS Belfast, Tower Bridge
• North Bank Walk - Tower of London (Crown Jewels collections, Fusilier Museum, Armory), St. Paul's Cathedral (make sure to go to top at the Whispering Gallery)
• Covent Garden area - Covent Garden, Royal Opera House, West End theater's (always good stuff - saw The Mouestrap at St. Martin's and Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's most recently)
• Baker Street area - Madame Tussauds, Sherlock Holmes Museum, Regent's Park, London Zoo
• Hampstead & Hampstead Heath
• Hampton Court Palace (you catch a train from Waterloo)

 

In London - you will never run out of things to do.
 

Edited July 17, 2022 by SailorPaulH

[longterm]

13 hours ago, SempreMare said:

@Clay Clayton, @Jim Avery  or any other London experts,  Have you found purchasing a London Pass or Go City Pass to be 'worth it' ?    Does it enable you to not have to wait in lines?  i.e., and Just show the bar code?  

 

Ex: from the London Go City pass attractions pdf, it sounds like it enables me to

1) skip the line 2) Not have to be psychic about exactly when I want to be at the museum

 

London Transport Museum
Getting in: show your pass at the door for entry. The attraction is operating a pre-booking system but pass customers are able to walk-up on the day without booking in advance. 

 

https://gocity.com/london/en-us/products/explorer

 

In your experience, is that how it actually works? 

 

I've purchased these passes before and then not used what I've bought because... Plans change.   I'd rather skip the potential cost savings to not feel obligated to go to a museum if I just want to hang out on a square on a beautiful day.  However, being able to both skip the line and not have to pre-book sounds excellent.  Cost savings would be icing...  Where's the catch? 

I can’t speak to the city pass in London, not having been there in the last few years, but in Paris in March it was amazing. We walked right into Musée D’Orsay, the Louvre, the L’Orangerie, and Ste. Chapelle with no wait—and the lines were already at least an hour long. 
 

We’re headed to the UK soon and will definitely buy passes. Well worth it not to stand in long lines. 

[SempreMare]

2 hours ago, longterm said:

We’re headed to the UK soon and will definitely buy passes. Well worth it not to stand in long lines. 

I would be interested to hear which one you choose between the London Pass vs Go city pass or any others available.   I scanned Tripadvisor for a comparison briefly but didn’t see it. It’s probably there somewhere.

 

Separate topic – I also really enjoy the hop on hop off/BigBusTours to quickly get an overall feel for a city on day 1. 
 

i’ve been to London at least five times for work but only once for pure play, So I will definitely appreciate this there. 
 

Have you heard which bus tour is preferable between  Hop on hop off, Golden, and big bus 🚌 in London?

 

[MICHE99]

On 7/16/2022 at 4:50 PM, Haworth said:

If you have an hour or two in London, this is spectacular

https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/whats-on/superbloom-at-the-tower-of-london/#gs.6ibxua

How early in the spring does this start?

[Haworth]

7 hours ago, MICHE99 said:

How early in the spring does this start?

My understanding is that it’s all year, varying with changing seasons

[wine-wine-wine]

On 7/17/2022 at 6:45 AM, SailorPaulH said:

 

This is so very true. As an ex-Brit, I have taken my US wife many times to London as it serves as a starting and focal point of various road-trips in England and Wales that we have taken.

 

We usually stay in hotels in the Kensington/Gloucester Road area as this is an easy ride on the Piccadilly line from Heathrow. And in the past we have always used the Oyster card to get around - the Underground is easy to use and makes London 'smaller'.

 

These are some places we have been over the years, and I have grouped them in proximity in a way that we did them.

 

• Kensington area and nearby - Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, Royal Albert Hall, Hyde Park, Kensington Palace, The Tower House (you have to be Led Zeppelin fan to know this reference), Notting Hill, Portobello Market. 
• St. James Park area - National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Trafalgar Square, Admiralty Arch, The Mall, Buckingham Palace
• Whitehall - Household Cavalry Museum, Imperial War Museums, Churchill War Rooms, Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, St. Margaret's Church.
• South Bank Walk - Westminster Bridge, London Eye, London Dungeons, Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe (seen numerous plays here including midnight showings), The Anchor Pub, HMS Belfast, Tower Bridge
• North Bank Walk - Tower of London (Crown Jewels collections, Fusilier Museum, Armory), St. Paul's Cathedral (make sure to go to top at the Whispering Gallery)
• Covent Garden area - Covent Garden, Royal Opera House, West End theater's (always good stuff - saw The Mouestrap at St. Martin's and Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's most recently)
• Baker Street area - Madame Tussauds, Sherlock Holmes Museum, Regent's Park, London Zoo
• Hampstead & Hampstead Heath
• Hampton Court Palace (you catch a train from Waterloo)

 

In London - you will never run out of things to do.
 

Great list! I would add Sir John Soane Museum. Amazing, eclectic collection by and in the home of the architect of St Paul’s.