Onboard Neptune now - British Isles Explorer

[SteelCity Cruiser]

42 minutes ago, Moonlion said:

Day 8 (May 16th, Belfast): another fantastic day! Wow, we are having a fabulous time on this cruise!

 

The weather gods continue to shine down on us. Another day with rain in the forecast but the morning was clear, sunny at times, with at most a few sprinkles in the afternoon. The sea remains amazingly calm. 

 

We took another independent excursion today: Odyssey Coach Tours, Giants Causeway Tour from Belfast Port - Extra Legroom Bus (£53 pp). Tour went 8 hours from 8 AM to 4 PM and there were only 10 of us on the bus, all from the Viking Neptune. We covered a good amount of Northern Ireland during the tour including the Giants Causeway (breathtaking, highly recommend!), Dunluce Castle, beautiful scenic drive along the Antrim Coast Road and stopped at several other scenic sites including a lunch stop in Bushmill. The countryside of Northern Ireland is vibrantly green and beautiful at this time of year. We ended up in Belfast in the afternoon and toured the city including the Peace Walls separating the British and Irish areas of Belfast - fascinating history! Our driver/guide was an interesting Irish Catholic gentleman from Belfast who really opened our eyes to the Irish viewpoint of the Troubles history. 

 

We had dinner again tonight in the Restaurant and everything was excellent, perfectly prepared and delicious - including orders of filet mignon and a regional lamb stew. We sat next to another couple who ordered different dishes and said they were also excellent. I’m happy to report that The Restaurant has redeemed itself 😉. 
 

Good to hear.  I guess everyone, including Executive Chefs, have a bad day once and awhile.

 

[Peregrina651]

@Moonlion Thank you for the shorex. pricelist and for this marvelous live thread.   

 

Keep it coming!

 

[Hobson1754]

I’m also loving your positive reviews/posts.  On our last (and first) Viking cruise I had a very poor meal in the MDR on our 1st night (although DH’s was fine) - and I thought OMG what have I paid all this money for? However that was the only meal I had cause to complain about, yes some were better than others but that’s the way it goes wherever you are and, as many have said on this forum, everyone is allowed an ‘off day’! Gives me plenty of optimism for our cruise in September.

[Moonlion]

Day 9 (May 17th, Ullapool):

 

Today is a half sea day. The ship arrived in Ullapool in the late morning, and our excursion wasn’t until the afternoon. We really appreciated the little (half) break from this very port intensive itinerary!
 

The public areas of the ship seemed so “uncrowded” this morning despite a full ship. Well, I now know where everyone was…the Laundry Room. I woke up early and thought I would start a load before breakfast. I got there around 6:45 AM and nabbed the last washing machine. By 7 AM, people were lining up! There are four or five laundry rooms on the ship, each with 4 washing machines and 4 dryers on top. The instructions are reasonably clear although I was really glad that someone more experienced was in the room who could explain how to work the detergent dispenser. 
 

We went to the World Cafe this morning for a quick breakfast and again for lunch before our excursion. This was the first time we went to the WC on this cruise. It was busy but not crowded. No problem finding a table and no queues at the buffet. I’m convinced everyone was still in the laundry room 🤣. 
 

There was an interesting lecture this morning on the history and culture of the Vikings, dispelling  several preconceived notions about the Vikings, and another on the natural biology of the region (unfortunately, we missed that one). We’re getting behind on the lectures since we’ve been touring all day long but trying to catch up in the evenings with the taped lectures. 
 

The weather gods finally decided to rain on us this afternoon…a light steady rain but no heavy downpours fortunately. Ullapool is a tender port but it was very efficient getting from ship to port.
 

We did a Viking optional excursion this afternoon, Viking’s Scenic Assynt  ($159 pp). We decided to go with Viking rather than an independent excursion because Ullapool can be missed due to heavy winds and/or rough seas. The excursion was mostly a bus tour of the Scottish Highlands with a few photo-stops (10-20 minutes each) along the way. Our guide was very good, and recounted the history, culture, folklore of the Highlands. The scenery was rugged and starkly beautiful, and exactly what we were looking for. All in all, we were satisfied with this excursion.  
 

Tonight we dined at the Chef’s Table and tried a new menu for us: La Route des Indies. Wow, we both LOVED this menu, really interesting and unique flavors/spices, and the premium wine pairings were outstanding! It seems that, on this cruise, the CT has a lot of openings, while Manfredies is booked solid. 

[What was that?]

OMG! I am so glad I found this topic, as we are booked in this same itinerary next year. I will be reading (and probably re-reading) everything about your cruise.

One thing for sure, I was pleased to see the ship is full. Our only other VO cruise was January 2022 and it was under half full and it seemed to lack something because of that.

Cheers,
wwt

[deec]

we are going next year too so am actively reading these great posts about excursions

 

[Mich3554]

We did the Singleton Glen of Ode excursion today.  Very interesting excursion to a distillery, with a gorgeous tour through the Highlands.  Both our guide and the distillery guide were excellent.   We now have an additional 3 bottles of scotch to fit in our luggage.  
 

Sadly, there was a horrendous bus vs semi accident on the way back, where we got stuck in a very long line of traffic.  We did finally get back to Ullapool, but an hour after the last tender was supposed to leave.
 

The laundry room was totally empty this evening.  All 4 washers were free on our floor.  I took up 2 of them! 

[anaco_angler]

5 hours ago, What was that? said:

OMG! I am so glad I found this topic, as we are booked in this same itinerary next year. I will be reading (and probably re-reading) everything about your cruise.

One thing for sure, I was pleased to see the ship is full. Our only other VO cruise was January 2022 and it was under half full and it seemed to lack something because of that.

Cheers,
wwt

Hi Fred, we missed you on the Northern Lights cruise (we canceled the Jan 2022 sailing but went this January) and we'll miss you on the BIE. We're going this August. We'll be in touch and hopefully can answer any questions.

Dennis

[What was that?]

1 hour ago, anaco_angler said:

Hi Fred, we missed you on the Northern Lights cruise (we canceled the Jan 2022 sailing but went this January) and we'll miss you on the BIE. We're going this August. We'll be in touch and hopefully can answer any questions.

Hey, Dennis - yes, early 2022 was iffy at best. We saw good lights, but missed port after port. "Exciting" North Sea Crossing, too!

We are reserved in the 2 September 2024 BIE sailing and I am absolutely saving all the information I can on this cruise. Are you on the 19 or 29 August 2021 BIE?

Last year we did three cruises, VO NL, VR Grand European, and a HAL Alaska - all multiply postponed due to COVID. Did a HAL Panama canal cruise in January of this year, FLL-SAN, and need to back off until next year.

[Moonlion]

8 hours ago, Mich3554 said:

The laundry room was totally empty this evening.  All 4 washers were free on our floor.  I took up 2 of them! 

Ha, ha. DH, who is a night owl, did the same thing. No way was he willing to get up at 6:30 AM on a sea morning. He said all washers were free on our floor. 

[anaco_angler]

11 hours ago, What was that? said:

Hey, Dennis - yes, early 2022 was iffy at best. We saw good lights, but missed port after port. "Exciting" North Sea Crossing, too!

We are reserved in the 2 September 2024 BIE sailing and I am absolutely saving all the information I can on this cruise. Are you on the 19 or 29 August 2021 BIE?

Last year we did three cruises, VO NL, VR Grand European, and a HAL Alaska - all multiply postponed due to COVID. Did a HAL Panama canal cruise in January of this year, FLL-SAN, and need to back off until next year.

Fred, we are on the 29 August 2023 BIE. The roll call is very sparse; nothing like the NL roll calls.

[What was that?]

5 minutes ago, anaco_angler said:

Fred, we are on the 29 August 2023 BIE. The roll call is very sparse; nothing like the NL roll calls.

Well, there's time. I like the suggestions (on this thread) for private tours, and using the roll calls to arrange larger groups, sorta like we had done on the NL - none of which we could take because of the COVID restrictions, unfortunately...

[MikeyB]

My Dear Moonlion,

We will be on the next cruise out of Bergen.

Question- Any wait staff in the  Restaurant or stations you would recommend?  I always seem to get seated with newbies.  Also any names for the bar staff?  Thanks.  I enjoy your writeup.

[What was that?]

19 hours ago, deec said:

we are going next year too so am actively reading these great posts about excursions

 

What sail date? We are on the 2 September 2024 departure.

[Moonlion]

Day 10 (May 18th, Kirkwall/Orkney Islands):

Woke up early and went to the World Cafe for coffee and cereal. Lo and behold, the Viking Venus was anchored across from us on our starboard side. This must be the Venus BIE cruise that departed on May 13th from Bergen to London. Hello Venus!

 

We joined our new friends we had “e-met” on the CC roll call for a private excursion of the Orkneys (we also did the Beatles tour with them in Liverpool). This port was odd - Viking only offered an included excursion but no optionals for some reason.  The 2-hour Viking included excursion did not include some of the top Neolithic sites such as Skara Brae which we really wanted to see. Therefore, Michelle arranged with Craigie’s taxi a 4-hour tour (£200 total/£50 pp) that included Ring of Brodgar, Stones of Stenness, Skara Brae (amazing site, not to be missed!), Skaill House, the Brough of Birsay, the Earl’s Palace at Birsay, and the Cliffs of Yesneby (breathtakingly beautiful!). Our driver, Collin, is not an “official” tour guide but he was very knowledgeable about the Orkney Islands and the sites we visited. Orkney is another port that can be cancelled because of bad weather. Craigie’s doesn’t require advance payment; you pay with cash or card after you complete the tour with them. We saw so much in our 4-hour tour! Collin dropped us off in town after tour. We visited the beautiful St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall before walking back to the tender boats (a 5-minute walk). 

Kirkwall is a tender port but we had no problem getting a tender boat to shore and back for our independent excursion. 

We had dinner again tonight at the Chef’s Table. Tonight’s menu was Erling’s Scandinavian Bistro. It’s an “adventurous” menu (some unique Norway dishes). but we really enjoyed it! Some great wine pairings too. 
 

Another delightful day!

 

[Moonlion]

4 hours ago, MikeyB said:

My Dear Moonlion,

We will be on the next cruise out of Bergen.

Question- Any wait staff in the  Restaurant or stations you would recommend?  I always seem to get seated with newbies.  Also any names for the bar staff?  Thanks.  I enjoy your writeup.

Because we request to sit at a window seat and have dined at different times, we’ve been seated at all sections of the Restaurant and have had lots of different waiters. The waitstaff work in teams and they’ve all been excellent in our opinion - experienced, efficient and professional. 

[lackcreativity]

As a repeat Viking cruiser, I just popped in mid-stream to catch the vibe, and now I am intrigued. Must go back to the beginning to see all your input! Glad to see what seems to be a pretty positive experience. Enjoy the rest of your trip. 

[SteelCity Cruiser]

On 5/17/2023 at 6:13 PM, Mich3554 said:

We did the Singleton Glen of Ode excursion today.  Very interesting excursion to a distillery, with a gorgeous tour through the Highlands.  Both our guide and the distillery guide were excellent.   We now have an additional 3 bottles of scotch to fit in our luggage.  
 

Sadly, there was a horrendous bus vs semi accident on the way back, where we got stuck in a very long line of traffic.  We did finally get back to Ullapool, but an hour after the last tender was supposed to leave.
 

The laundry room was totally empty this evening.  All 4 washers were free on our floor.  I took up 2 of them! 

We have this tour scheduled next month.  Glad to hear your review!  I too expect to return with a few bottles of spirits from our visit!

 

[Berlin Bear]

13 hours ago, Moonlion said:

Day 10 (May 18th, Kirkwall/Orkney Islands):

Woke up early and went to the World Cafe for coffee and cereal. Lo and behold, the Viking Venus was anchored across from us on our starboard side. This must be the Venus BIE cruise that departed on May 13th from Bergen to London. Hello Venus!

 

We joined our new friends we had “e-met” on the CC roll call for a private excursion of the Orkneys (we also did the Beatles tour with them in Liverpool). This port was odd - Viking only offered an included excursion but no optionals for some reason.  The 2-hour Viking included excursion did not include some of the top Neolithic sites such as Skara Brae which we really wanted to see. Therefore, Michelle arranged with Craigie’s taxi a 4-hour tour (£200 total/£50 pp) that included Ring of Brodgar, Stones of Stenness, Skara Brae (amazing site, not to be missed!), Skaill House, the Brough of Birsay, the Earl’s Palace at Birsay, and the Cliffs of Yesneby (breathtakingly beautiful!). Our driver, Collin, is not an “official” tour guide but he was very knowledgeable about the Orkney Islands and the sites we visited. Orkney is another port that can be cancelled because of bad weather. Craigie’s doesn’t require advance payment; you pay with cash or card after you complete the tour with them. We saw so much in our 4-hour tour! Collin dropped us off in town after tour. We visited the beautiful St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall before walking back to the tender boats (a 5-minute walk). 

Kirkwall is a tender port but we had no problem getting a tender boat to shore and back for our independent excursion. 

We had dinner again tonight at the Chef’s Table. Tonight’s menu was Erling’s Scandinavian Bistro. It’s an “adventurous” menu (some unique Norway dishes). but we really enjoyed it! Some great wine pairings too. 
 

Another delightful day!

 

As a Brit/Liverpudlian, I’m really enjoying your daily reports.

Just a comment on Kirkwall - we’ve visited this port on three separate occasions with two different cruise lines and have never tendered. Always docked and then taken the shuttle bus into town.

[Mich3554]

7 minutes ago, Berlin Bear said:

As a Brit/Liverpudlian, I’m really enjoying your daily reports.

Just a comment on Kirkwall - we’ve visited this port on three separate occasions with two different cruise lines and have never tendered. Always docked and then taken the shuttle bus into town.

We were told that the dock was under construction.  There were 3 cruise ships in town, Viking Neptune, Venus and AIDA Luna.  Where we were tendered dropped us off in the middle of Kirkwall.  No shuttle needed.

[Berlin Bear]

11 minutes ago, Mich3554 said:

We were told that the dock was under construction.  There were 3 cruise ships in town, Viking Neptune, Venus and AIDA Luna.  Where we were tendered dropped us off in the middle of Kirkwall.  No shuttle needed.

Ah OK, thanks for this clarification. We were there in June last year and I don’t remember any construction work going on.

Now carry on enjoying your cruise!

[Moonlion]

Day 11 (May 19th, Edinburg):

 

Brilliant day! We did not do any tours today, Viking or independent. Instead, we used Google Maps and Uber (easy and fast in Edinburg) to get around the city. The weather was perfect - sunny, and almost too warm for a long sleeve tee shirt. 
 

The ship anchored in New Haven harbor. To get a tender spot when touring independently, we needed to sign up at Guest Services in the Atrium when ready to leave. It usually takes about 15-20 minutes to be called. We took the 8:30 AM tender and got to shore a little before 9 AM. 

 

Our first stop today was an independent tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia. I had booked tickets online before leaving the States for the 9:30-9:45 AM entry time, but it looked like you could buy tickets onsite. We walked from the New Haven Pier to the RYB in less than 20 minutes, and made our entry window in plenty of time. They provide audio guides and the tour was excellent, a fascinating look into the Royal Family and luxury yachting! After the tour (took about an hour and 15 minutes), we had tea and scones or cake in the Tea Room onboard the RYB. This tour was a lot of fun!

 

We then Ubered from the RYB to the top of the Edinburg Castle (£12). Viking offers a free shuttle from the pier to Charlotte Square which is a few blocks from the Castle, but we didn’t want to waste any time. We didn’t buy tickets to the Castle but could walk up to the top of the esplanade to take photos and enjoy the views of the city. 
 

From the Castle, we walked the Royal Mile using Rick Steve’s free app “Audio Europe” which includes a “walking tour” of the Royal Mile. Along the way we visited the Edinburg Museum and had a snack and beer at a local pub. The Holyroodhouse at the end of the Royal Mile is closed until the end of May. We Ubered back to the pier (£11). 
 

We had dinner at Manfredies. The starters and sides were excellent. The mains and pasta were a bit overcooked or dry tonight. 
 

A lovely day in Edinburgh!

[Moonlion]

Day 12 (May 20th, Invergordon):

 

We did an independent tour today with Thistle Excursions which I booked through TripAdvisor ($150 pp). We visited a lot of sites on this 7-hour excursion: Culloden Battlefield, Clara Cairns and Beauly Priory from the Outlander series, Cawdor Castle and Gardens (beautiful castle and gardens - not to be missed in our opinion!), lunch stop in Inverness, Loch Ness (we didn’t spot Nessie 🥲), and more. Our guide, June, was excellent and there were only 6 of us in a minivan, all fellow passengers from the Neptune. The weather was lovely in the morning and held out until the mid-afternoon when we had some light rain on and off. Fortunately, we had done all the outdoor activities by then. We thoroughly enjoyed this excursion and can highly recommend. 
 

Dinner tonight in The Restaurant was excellent!

[SteelCity Cruiser]

56 minutes ago, Moonlion said:

Day 12 (May 20th, Invergordon):

 

We did an independent tour today with Thistle Excursions which I booked through TripAdvisor ($150 pp). We visited a lot of sites on this 7-hour excursion: Culloden Battlefield, Clara Cairns and Beauly Priory from the Outlander series, Cawdor Castle and Gardens (beautiful castle and gardens - not to be missed in our opinion!), lunch stop in Inverness, Loch Ness (we didn’t spot Nessie 🥲), and more. Our guide, June, was excellent and there were only 6 of us in a minivan, all fellow passengers from the Neptune. The weather was lovely in the morning and held out until the mid-afternoon when we had some light rain on and off. Fortunately, we had done all the outdoor activities by then. We thoroughly enjoyed this excursion and can highly recommend. 
 

Dinner tonight in The Restaurant was excellent!

We're doing a tour with them in Invergordon next month as well and I think we have the exact Itinerary, They refer to it as "Tour 3".  Is that the same one you took?  Good to hear the positive review!!

 

[Moonlion]

4 hours ago, SteelCity Cruiser said:

We're doing a tour with them in Invergordon next month as well and I think we have the exact Itinerary, They refer to it as "Tour 3".  Is that the same one you took?  Good to hear the positive review!!

 

TripAdvisor referred to ours as “Tour 2.”  Our excursion included a tour of Cawdor Castle and a drive by of Urquhart (which is basically a ruin).