British Isles Explorer questions about ports

[famcruisefun]

Hello -

We are just starting to consider booking BIE for 2024. I have a couple of questions that I haven't been able to find answers to despite searching the Viking Ocean website and doing a bunch of googling. Hoping the good folks here can help me out.

 

I'm wondering how much time we will be in each of the ports? I'm trying to determine what we can see and do beyond the excursions as a couple of the ports are places we've been before and have favorite spots we'd like to try to get to. Also a couple of ports are bucket list spots that we have more we want to see than a short day in port will likely allow - trying to decide how much this trip will allow for.

That said - wondering how frequently (if at all) ports are cancelled - especially Orkney and Shetland Islands as these are a big part of the reason for the trip.

 

Thanks so much - very appreciative of your help!

 

[Moonlion]

We just got off the May 9-23 BIE cruise and didn’t miss any ports. However, I think we were very fortunate with the weather. From my research, it seems that both Orkney and the Shetlands can be missed due to winds and rough seas. If these islands are on your bucket list, you may want to consider a land trip. 
 

Once you book the cruise, the port times will be listed in your Viking invoice. On our cruise, we arrived at most ports between 7-8 AM and departed at 5 or 6 PM. Ullapool was the only port where we had a half day (arrived around noon and departed at 5 PM). Keep in mind that you will be asked to be back on board about an hour before the departure time. 

[molymoo]

We have done this itinerary twice and had some "common" ports on other cruises (Into the Midnight Sun).  Weather does, indeed, often affect the ability to dock in the Orkney and Shetland Islands but we missed Ullapool

once for weather as well.  

[Mich3554]

Nothing was canceled on the most recent BIE.  We just left Bergen.  

The shortest port we were in port was Ullapool, where we were there 6 hours (noon-6 pm).  Longest Dublin, where we arrived at 8am, left at 11 pm.  All the rest we arrived 7-8 am and left 5-6 pm.

[MaynardsMom]

We're on the August 29 BIE cruise, London to Bergen. We had Belfast changed to Isle of Man, and had both Ullapool (which I note is a half day usually) and Orkney cancelled, with a half day added in Edinburgh so that we are there overnight and until 5 the next day.  We leave London at noon.  Otherwise, we are scheduled to be in port from 8-5 or 6 with the exception of Dublin which is 11.  

 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by MaynardsMom

[GoNavyFamily]

BERGEN/BOARD SHIP
BERGEN		6:00 PM
SHETLAND ISLANDS (LERWICK) UK	8:00 AM	6:00 PM
THE HIGHLANDS (INVERGORDON) UK	8:00 AM	5:00 PM
EDINBURGH (NEWHAVEN HARBOUR) UK	8:00 AM	5:00 PM T
ORKNEY ISLANDS (KIRKWALL) UK	8:00 AM	5:00 PM
THE HIGHLANDS (ULLAPOOL) UK	7:00 AM	1:30PM T
BELFAST, IRELAND	8:00 AM	6:00 PM
LIVERPOOL, UK	8:00 AM	11:00 PM
HOLYHEAD, UK	8:00 AM	6:00 PM
DUBLIN, IRELAND (anchored Dun Loaghaire)	7:00 AM	6:00 PM
SCENIC CRUISING ENGLISH CHANNEL
DOVER, UK	8:00 AM	6:00 PM
LONDON (TILBURY) UK	6:00 AM
DISEMBARK

 

Our cruise departed April 15 Bergen to Tilbury and this was our schedule. Originally Orkney was a tendered port but ended up docked and originally Dublin was docked and ended up tendered. We made every port. 

[Krazy4Kruisin']

On 5/24/2023 at 2:32 AM, Moonlion said:

We just got off the May 9-23 BIE cruise and didn’t miss any ports. However, I think we were very fortunate with the weather. From my research, it seems that both Orkney and the Shetlands can be missed due to winds and rough seas. If these islands are on your bucket list, you may want to consider a land trip. 
 

Once you book the cruise, the port times will be listed in your Viking invoice. On our cruise, we arrived at most ports between 7-8 AM and departed at 5 or 6 PM. Ullapool was the only port where we had a half day (arrived around noon and departed at 5 PM). Keep in mind that you will be asked to be back on board about an hour before the departure time. 

The ship stays in Liverpool until 11pm. So, we booked dinner at a restaurant in Liverpool that evening. 

[Moonlion]

8 hours ago, Krazy4Kruisin' said:

The ship stays in Liverpool until 11pm. So, we booked dinner at a restaurant in Liverpool that evening. 

Be aware that there can be changes to port arrival and departure times. Our original invoice said that we would be in Dublin until 11 PM. About a month or so before the cruise, the departure time was changed to 6 PM in My Viking Journey and in our final documents.  However, if Viking is offering excursions in the evening in Liverpool, you should be on solid ground (pun intended).