Great Britain cruise vs. land

[Tsunami74]

Perhaps asking on a cruise site may be a biased place for opinion, but not sure where else to ask.

 

We are ready to see Great Britain.  The circumnavigate cruise around Great Britain goes to several ports/places we have never heard of or know next to nothing about (Portland, Cork, Fishguard, Isle of Man, Isle of Bute, Oban Ullapool, New Castle, Great Yarmouth)

 

Are these ports something wonderful to see, or just a fill in place as you sail around the island?

 

The question is - for a first (although at our age, perhaps only) visit to Great Britain, would it be better to just go to the major cities by plane or train - London, Belfast, Dublin, Edinburgh - and take tours of the cities and surrounding countryside instead of visiting a different small port each day.

 

(Full disclosure, I am also asking on another cruise site that has different ports offered)

[Vineyard View]

I look forward to the responses you receive. Thank you for posting this question

[SDuckers]

We haven't done the cruise around GB, but we did spend a week in London last fall, and it was wonderful (although unusually warm for that time of year).  It probably depends on what you like/want to see and do.  For us, the museums, a theater show, shopping, plus a side trip to Chartwell (Churchill's home) were what we really enjoyed.  I'm sure we'd enjoy ports of call around the UK as well, but it would be a totally different experience.  Not sure if that helps.

[Pies4u]

It is really a question of whether you want “big cities”, with the facilities and variety of things they offer - or - smaller, quieter, more picturesque spots that are quintessentially “British” but might lack museums, theatres and thousands of people. As a resident, I would far rather go to Cork, Oban & Ullapool (they are all atmospheric, unique and it’s easy to see everything) than London or Edinburgh, but that’s because I prefer scenery and countryside to urban sprawl. Newcastle is the gateway to Northumberland and, apart from being a vibrant & interesting city, it is well located for seeing a wide variety of sights & experiences. Alnwick, Lindisfarne, Durham & Rothbury are all worth seeing.

 

I also have an irrational dislike of London due to having to work there in the past. It is big, loud, crowded, noisy and I’m, not remotely interested in going to the theatre when I’m on holiday tbh. If you’d like to see the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Tower of London & Tower Bridge plus dozens of museums then London’s the place to go.

[hamrag]

It offers little which would float our boat...pun intentional...certainly not your typical GB itinerary that's for sure! Land tour sounds much better than such itinerary, for us at least.

[Vineyard View]

One of the big  advantages to cruising is unpacking one time once you are on the ship. If you take London, Scotland , and Ireland, how many times would you estimate using a home base to reduce schlepping bags in a 2 week timeframe, as most of those cruises are?  Realistically, I would think that you would need to focus on two out of three of these places, minimum  - and even then, how many times are you going to need to change locations.

I am pointing this out as it is a fairly big consideration for some.  
I agree with the suggestions that it is most assuredly better to see by ;and, of one can figure out the logistics, and be able to manage them. 

Edited March 15 by Vineyard View

[annapolitan369]

We have done several driving vacations in GB, which was great when we were younger.  More recently, we have done an around the British Isles cruise.  If driving around isn't an option, a cruise such as you are considering could give a much better appreciation for the variety of England, Scotland and Ireland, as long as you chose your tours carefully.  flying between the big cities would be our last choice.  IMHO, take private tours rather than cruise tours, and take advantage of being able to design them to meet your wishes and needs.  Enjoy your trip!

[MJN1]

The ports you mentioned are lovely ports you would usually not visit. 

Cruising without unpacking is a very relaxed way to travel.

As you live in the USA you will have to fly into London anyway (not sure where you cruise begins/ends).

So why don't make the best of two worlds and add several days in London before the cruise (and forget the other big cities) and then enjoy a wonderful cruise?

[kej1]

I am a Californian who spent 3 years living and working in London.   We absolutely loved it.  We took advantage of all London had to offer but also spent many weekends and holidays away in the country and traveling all around the UK.

since moving back to San Francisco we visited every year until Covid.  Now we really miss it and are returning in Sept.   we will spend a few days in London and then do a similar cruise around the Uk.  We love the idea of going to smaller seaside villages that for the most part we haven’t seen.  We are also adding on another week in London on the back end.  Depending on your interest why not spend time in London before and/ or after to see the wonderful sights, enjoy the great restaurants ( London has great food), see a show, and even take a couple of day trips out of the city.  It can all be done with the cruise which would give you the opportunity to see the city and many wonderful smaller villages ( some of which have access to some great historic sights if you choose to venture outside the port).  
 

Just MHO.  Whatever you choose I’m sure you will enjoy it!

 

 

[stan01]

I don't know if this is the question, but if I could only visit Great Britain once in my life for about 2 weeks I would spend most of that time in London with some day trips to places like Canterbury, Cambridge, Bath, and Salisbury then spend a few days in a Cotswold country inn.  I'm sure the cruise will be lovely too but its not what I would do if I could only make one two week trip to Great Britain in my lifetime.  Opinions will vary of course.

 

 

[lincslady]

I agree with stan, except to say that as well as the Cotswolds it would be a good idea to get a real picture of the whole of England to also visit the Lake District, to my mind the most beautiful and picturesque part of England.  Though ideally not in the busy high summer months of June, July and August.  I would suggest May or September as the best months to visit England.

[claranda]

On 3/14/2024 at 8:12 PM, Tsunami74 said:

Are these ports something wonderful to see, or just a fill in place as you sail around the island?

First of all, must point out that Dublin and Cork are in the Republic of Ireland, not in the UK! Both lovely places, though.

 

Secondly, no need to fly around the UK if you decide to venture a land tour. The trains (when they're not on strike) are quick and efficient, especially between cities. For example, from London to York, where we live, takes just two hours. 
 

I’m afraid I think the stops in England and Wales you list are, to put it lightly ‘fill in places’. Indeed, I suspect that Fishguard is pretty much at the end of the civilised world… . Scots will be better able to comment on the delights of their share of the itinerary.

 

We are in our mid 70s and are still travelling independently as well as cruising. Cruising is nice, but not if you want to explore a country. We’re glad we’ve stopped off for the day in various spots (eg Valetta in Malta, St Petersburg, et al), because we know we won’t be going there independently, or, for example, the whole of Norway because independent travel there is so expensive.

 

I agree with others that you could add on London and a few other key spots in the UK to your cruise itinerary. But why not do it yourselves? You speak the language, it’s pretty good value for money at the moment, it’s safe and the natives are relatively friendly… Try to come in April/May or Sept/Oct. Do see London - take a trip down the river, see Westminster Abbey and the Sky Garden (free) for great views. Then head out for day trips - Windsor and Eton certainly, perhaps Stratford on Avon - book the theatre in advance. Bypass the crowded Cotswolds. Why not the beautiful Yorkshire Dales - hire a car and pootle round staying at pubs..?

 

Have a great time in the UK, whatever you decide to do..
 

 

[Isklaar]

I will just chime in with my usual opinion about best time of year to visit. I believe the countryside around the British Isles is at its most glorious in May and June, and there's the added bonus in those months of long daylight hours. 

[hamrag]

19 hours ago, MJN1 said:

The ports you mentioned are lovely ports you would usually not visit. 

Cruising without unpacking is a very relaxed way to travel.

As you live in the USA you will have to fly into London anyway (not sure where you cruise begins/ends).

So why don't make the best of two worlds and add several days in London before the cruise (and forget the other big cities) and then enjoy a wonderful cruise?

Despite my previous post, this one does have merit....still wouldn't be our first choice, but definitely credible! 

[Tsunami74]

Thank you to all who have given feedback on this topic. It is very much appreciated!

 

I think we have decided to do a do-it-yourself land tour with London base, and then take train to Edinburgh to use as a Scotland base. (If anyone has thoughts on the train from London to Edinburgh would appreciate those also!)

 

Will save Ireland and Wales for another visit. 

 

We eventually would like a circumnavigation cruise around Great Britain to see less known areas, but not start out with it.

[stan01]

1 hour ago, Tsunami74 said:

Thank you to all who have given feedback on this topic. It is very much appreciated!

 

I think we have decided to do a do-it-yourself land tour with London base, and then take train to Edinburgh to use as a Scotland base. (If anyone has thoughts on the train from London to Edinburgh would appreciate those also!)

 

Will save Ireland and Wales for another visit. 

 

We eventually would like a circumnavigation cruise around Great Britain to see less known areas, but not start out with it.

 

I think this is a great choice, and a good idea to plan more than one trip to a place with so much history.  Yes Great Britain is an island and much smaller than the US, but it is a large island and has been one of the centers of modern Western history and society for thousands of years.

 

There are two main choices for train travel between London and Scotland.  Train from London Paddington Station to Edinburgh is very easy lasting about 5 hours on the fastest trains, and highly recommended during the day time as the route is scenic especially the northern third between Newcastle and Edinburgh.  I would choose a window seat on the coastal side of the train.

One can also take the Caledonian Sleeper overnight from London Euston, however I would do that for the experience of the sleeper carriage or if you are short on time since you miss views of the daytime train.  This train splits near the Scottish border with some carriages going to Glasgow and others going to Edinburgh.

Good luck on your journeys.  If you are comfortable taking trains out of London there are dozens of interesting day trips to visit such as Salisbury, Canterbury, St. Albans, Oxford, Cambridge, Bletchley Park, and Bath.  At Bletchley Park, Oxford, and Bath the train station is a short walk from the most interesting areas; in others a short taxi ride is needed.  Or arrange day tours such as an all day trip to Bath, Stonehenge, and Salisbury Cathedral.

Edited March 16 by stan01

[fruitmachine]

22 minutes ago, stan01 said:

There are two main choices for train travel between London and Scotland.  Train from London Paddington Station to Edinburgh is very easy lasting about 5 hours on the fastest trains,

Minor correction - the line is from London King's Cross (which is next door to Paddington, but it matters!) and the journey is a little less than that; between 4h20m and 4h46m depending on the train.

From the end of this year, that will drop to 4 hours: https://www.timeout.com/uk/news/london-edinburgh-train-services-are-about-to-get-much-faster-010824

[stan01]

2 hours ago, fruitmachine said:

Minor correction - the line is from London King's Cross (which is next door to Paddington, but it matters!) and the journey is a little less than that; between 4h20m and 4h46m depending on the train.

From the end of this year, that will drop to 4 hours: https://www.timeout.com/uk/news/london-edinburgh-train-services-are-about-to-get-much-faster-010824

 

Of course, I knew that!  I tried to edit post but it won't let me.  So sorry.

 

[claranda]

Yes, take an Edinburgh train from Kings Cross (which is, incidentally, next door to St Pancras, but a good way from Paddington). Keep an eye on the LNER website or put in an alert for the day you want - weekday trains are released about three months in advance and you would certainly get a much cheaper fare than buying on the day. First Class is nice: food, drinks included. If you fancy breaking the journey, here’s another plug for York, with its Minster, Viking museum and very quaint streets. There are a couple of good hotels v close to York station.

https://www.lner.co.uk

[fruitmachine]

2 hours ago, claranda said:

Yes, take an Edinburgh train from Kings Cross (which is, incidentally, next door to St Pancras, but a good way from Paddington)

Apologies to @stan01.  I had a brain freeze!

@clarandais completely right.  It's St Pancras that's next to Kings Cross.  Paddington is, as they say, quite a long way away.

[Vineyard View]

Tsunami, sounds like an amazing trip. Out of curiosity, how much time are you allowing for this adventure?  And how many changes in stay location?  

[Tsunami74]

1 hour ago, Vineyard View said:

Tsunami, sounds like an amazing trip. Out of curiosity, how much time are you allowing for this adventure?  And how many changes in stay location?  

Oh my!  We are just in the process of assembling "must see" places.  When we complete this, we will determine how many days we need in London, then in Edinburgh.

 

We hope to stay in one central location in each, but that may have to change.

 

Next decision would be whether to take the train back to London, from where we can get a direct flight home or to fly out of Edinburgh with a connection.  Decisions .....

[Vineyard View]

The planning is part of the fun!  Enjoy every part of that. Thanks again for starting this thread! 

[fruitmachine]

5 hours ago, Tsunami74 said:

Next decision would be whether to take the train back to London, from where we can get a direct flight home or to fly out of Edinburgh with a connection.  Decisions ...

Don't forget to consider:

• Flying from Glasgow (if you can get a direct flight from there).  It's an easy journey from Edinburgh, and if you were hiring a car when in Edinburgh, then you could do a one-way hire and return it at Glasgow airport.
• Flying from Edinburgh via Dublin.  Again, only if you can get direct from Dublin.  The key thing about Dublin to USA flights is that you pre-clear customs and immigration in Dublin, arriving on a domestic stand in the US and just walking off like any other domestic-flight passenger.

 

 

[lincslady]

To rather repeat myself and others, if this is to be maybe your only visit to England it would be a shame not to visit at least a  little of our lovely countryside areas, the Lake District,  Cotswolds or Southwest coasts  maybe.  We are only a  small country, so the mileages are not huge!  You are in any case likely to be able to  have time in London before flying home, and of course should not miss that.