Onboard Neptune now - British Isles Explorer

[JerryInIL]

August 15th BIE for us.  Thanks for the great info, Moonlion !!!

[Twitchly]

That was fun, reliving our autumn BIE cruise through your posts. And you didn’t miss a single port! We lost Ullapool and the Shetlands (sob). Maybe spring/summer offers calmer seas. 
 

Now I want to go again!

Edited June 9, 2023 by Twitchly

[sk99]

On 6/3/2023 at 11:57 AM, PRH said:

on Holyhead, we did the morning “Scenic Anglesey.”  Nice one—there is a stop at the town with the longest name at a huge market.  But your scones from the little produce shop outside—cheaper and much fresher than those inside.  The orange flavored gin is outstanding.  Then “BeauMaris on Foot” which included an excellent afternoon tea.  Lovely little town and amazing castle.

Were you able to do two included tours on the same day? I get an error message when trying.

[Peregrina651]

You will get an error message if there is not enough time the two tours. I can't remember how much time is needed (half hour? 45 min? an hour?).

 

I had no trouble signing up for two tours in Holyhead but there is 2 hours between the two tours we want to take.

 

Book the morning tour and then try to book the afternoon tour when you board, even going to the point of trying to get a seat as they are loading the buses (especially if the timing is tight and you don't want to pay for a tour that you might not be able to take because the first tour ran late). Just talk with shorex personnel on the dock; with the joy of mobile phones they can handle the transaction right there.

 

You could book the afternoon and  then try to get on the morning tour as just described, but you have to make sure that you get the timing absolutely correct on the morning tour,so that you are back in time. In other words, doing it this way is a bit trickier and a bit more prone to failure.

[Hockeyump]

5 hours ago, sk99 said:

Were you able to do two included tours on the same day? I get an error message when trying.

Viking does not permit two included tours in the same port. That's probably the reason for the error message.

[Peregrina651]

3 hours ago, Hockeyump said:

Viking does not permit two included tours in the same port. That's probably the reason for the error message.

 

My bad! Hockeyump is absolutely right.  Thanks for catching my error.  My eyes skipped right over the word included.  It is one included per port, no matter how many days there are in that port. 

 

I was able to book two tours in port because one of those tours was an optional tour.  

[sk99]

1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

Viking does not permit two included tours in the same port. That's probably the reason for the error message.

Yes, I know that. That is why I asked… In Holyhead there are 2 included tours: Beaumaris and Scenic Anglesey. PRH mentioned they went to both, hence my question about how it was possible…

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, sk99 said:

Yes, I know that. That is why I asked… In Holyhead there are 2 included tours: Beaumaris and Scenic Anglesey. PRH mentioned they went to both, hence my question about how it was possible…

 

It is possible that at the time that PRH was sailing, one of those two was an optional excursion not an included and now for 2024 is being offered as an included.