dublin--hoho bus

[pennstateray]

we have decided to do dublin via the hoho bus. how does one get from the ship terminal to a point where we can access the hoho bus?

[ericosmith]

There is normally a shuttle that goes to a spot near Trinity College where you can catch the hoho.

[goldencup]

There are buses everywhere in Dublin and they're cheap (about the only thing that is!)

[pennstateray]

for the info. ray

[Grannycb]

There was a shuttle from the ship that dropped us off at Trinity College. One thing that worked out well for us was to take the first student's tour of Trinity College, then take the HOHO bus. We went back to the college after lunch to see the Book of Kells. There weren't any lines then. http://www.tcd.ie/Library/heritage/tours.php

[crusingnut]

Can anybody tell me approximately how long it takes to get to Dublin city center on the shuttle bus the cruise ships provide? Have you seen any large van type taxis at the port? We are a group of 10 trying to get to the Gresham Hotel on O'Connell Street for a 9:20 Wild Wicklow tour. Just trying to figure out which form of transportation will be the fastest - don't want to miss the tour.

[carnivalcrew]

Can anybody tell me approximately how long it takes to get to Dublin city center on the shuttle bus the cruise ships provide? Have you seen any large van type taxis at the port? We are a group of 10 trying to get to the Gresham Hotel on O'Connell Street for a 9:20 Wild Wicklow tour. Just trying to figure out which form of transportation will be the fastest - don't want to miss the tour.

 

it all depends on the traffic, which in the morning can be a nightmare along the quays. best to allow 30 mins to get there. the shuttle goes to trinity college, and the gresham is on the other side of the river, maybe a 15 min walk. a mini-van taxi has a licence to carry 8 people, and they won't take more. it would probably be better to take 2 taxi's. where does your ship dock?? if it is opposite the customs house, it's only about a 15 minute walk to o'connell street, which might be a better option given the early morning traffic.

[crusingnut]

Thanks so much for your response. We're on the Tahitian Princess arriving on May 23, which is a Saturday. Will traffic be less on the weekends? When I asked Princess where we dock they said "33 Ocean Pier - 3 1/2 miles from the city". When I checked on-line the pier was listed as "Maritime". Are they the same? Sorry if I sound ignorant.

[carnivalcrew]

Thanks so much for your response. We're on the Tahitian Princess arriving on May 23, which is a Saturday. Will traffic be less on the weekends? When I asked Princess where we dock they said "33 Ocean Pier - 3 1/2 miles from the city". When I checked on-line the pier was listed as "Maritime". Are they the same? Sorry if I sound ignorant.

 

not 100% sure on that, will check with the old man if he ever comes home from work, as he would know. to be honest, the traffic is the same all the time, they're changing and rebuilding half of the roads in dublin, and as the quays is one of the main ways into the city, you just never know.

 

it's better to be early than late!! that way you can have a bit of time to walk around o'connell street, not that there's a whole lot since they got rid of the best bit, the floozie in the jacuzzi!!

 

will let you know about the pier and walking distance as soon as i know

[carnivalcrew]

Thanks so much for your response. We're on the Tahitian Princess arriving on May 23, which is a Saturday. Will traffic be less on the weekends? When I asked Princess where we dock they said "33 Ocean Pier - 3 1/2 miles from the city". When I checked on-line the pier was listed as "Maritime". Are they the same? Sorry if I sound ignorant.

 

another update for you. the ships ETA is 06.30 and you dock in the alexandria basin which is the deep water port. so when you exit you'll be on alexandria quay, about 2km from the city center. your best bet is to get a couple of taxis to o'connell street, unless you want to walk from trinity where the shuttle leaves you. again it's best to leaves as early as you can, if there's a car-ferry that's arrived about the same time as you, it can be a bit chaotic in the port trying to leave, so just to be aware of that. hope this helps you a bit, anything else just ask!

[Gram Cape Cod]

I'll be arriving in Dublin on Sept. 9th on the Constellation, does anyone know which pier they dock at? (In Cork I'm assuming it will be in Cobh on Sept. 8th.)

[crusingnut]

carnivalcrew,

Thank you, thank you, thank you! You've really helped me get a hold on to the transportation situation. I think we will take two taxis as you suggested, a van of 6 & car of 4. Do you have any idea what the taxi fare might be (approximately) from the port to Gresham Hotel on O'Connell street? Do the taxi drivers take credit cards, US $, or only euros?

 

What is, or should I say was, the "floozie in the jacuzzi"? :D Again thanks for taking time out of your day to help me out, I really appreciate it.

[carnivalcrew]

carnivalcrew,

Thank you, thank you, thank you! You've really helped me get a hold on to the transportation situation. I think we will take two taxis as you suggested, a van of 6 & car of 4. Do you have any idea what the taxi fare might be (approximately) from the port to Gresham Hotel on O'Connell street? Do the taxi drivers take credit cards, US $, or only euros?

 

What is, or should I say was, the "floozie in the jacuzzi"? :D Again thanks for taking time out of your day to help me out, I really appreciate it.

 

it's my pleasure!! anything else i can do info wise, let me know. taxi's will only take euro, only currency accepted in ireland, so make sure you change before you get here, as the taxi drivers are not happy at the moment anyway!!

 

the floozie was a fountain built to commerate the smurfit family. it was of anna livia, from jame's joyce. she was in the middle of o'connell street, and was basically the biggest dump for the mc donalds accross the street!! but we loved her ( we also called her the hoo-er in the sewer!!)!! she was removed in 2001 to make room for the big millenium spike (which also has a few pet names, mainly it's called a monument to the drug dealers, you'll see why when you see it-looks like a needle). many of our monuments have rhyming names like that, let me know how many you find around the city!! see if you can find the tart with the cart and the fag on the crag!!!!

 

enjouy your trip, and let me now if there's anything else you need help with

[carnivalcrew]

I'll be arriving in Dublin on Sept. 9th on the Constellation, does anyone know which pier they dock at? (In Cork I'm assuming it will be in Cobh on Sept. 8th.)

 

probably alexandria quay, it's the deep basin port, and the bigger ships can't make it up the liffey closer to the city. it's about 2 km from the city, so not too far away

[grandma13]

it's my pleasure!! anything else i can do info wise, let me know. taxi's will only take euro, only currency accepted in ireland, so make sure you change before you get here, as the taxi drivers are not happy at the moment anyway!!

 

 

Why are the taxis unhappy? Is it due to all the construction? Not cruising this time, but we will be in Ireland, based in Dublin, for a week, and may need to take a couple of taxis.

 

You seem to know a great deal. Can you advise on the best companies for day tours out of Dublin? Where would you go if you could only take two or three tours away from the city? Anything worth an overnight trip--if so, what is most worth it?

 

Thanks!

[carnivalcrew]

Why are the taxis unhappy? Is it due to all the construction? Not cruising this time, but we will be in Ireland, based in Dublin, for a week, and may need to take a couple of taxis.

 

You seem to know a great deal. Can you advise on the best companies for day tours out of Dublin? Where would you go if you could only take two or three tours away from the city? Anything worth an overnight trip--if so, what is most worth it?

 

Thanks!

 

nothing to do with the construction. they were on strike last week, as there is too many new licences being handed out, so now too many taxis in dublin, and they feel it's unfair as with the recession not as many people are taking taxis, so not as much business. the taxi i was in sat night/sun morning was telling me he has to work 12 shifts to make what he would normally make in one weekend.

 

i replied to your other post about day trips, going to the burren and bunratty castle. not sure of tour compnays, we usuallly just get in the car and go!

[grandma13]

nothing to do with the construction. they were on strike last week, as there is too many new licences being handed out, so now too many taxis in dublin, and they feel it's unfair as with the recession not as many people are taking taxis, so not as much business. the taxi i was in sat night/sun morning was telling me he has to work 12 shifts to make what he would normally make in one weekend.

 

i replied to your other post about day trips, going to the burren and bunratty castle. not sure of tour compnays, we usuallly just get in the car and go!

 

Ah, yes, the car. I wouldn't drive in Europe at all (or in a lot of large U.S. cities, for that matter), but after our cruise to Italy last year my husband decided he could definitely drive there, and next time we will probably do it that way. He has handled Paris and the German Autobahn. LOVED the cruise, but it does limit you to less time than you want in many places. He thinks he might be able to drive in Ireland, but I think at 65 he's probably not ready to take on learning to drive on the "wrong" side of the road--to us, anyway. We won't have a car, and I guess if the taxis are on strike, we'll just plan to walk when we can't take a bus.

 

Thanks for your other post--didn't realize that was you. We're loooking forward to this trip. My husband's sister is in Ireland with her husband just for one academic year, so it suddenly rose to the top of our travel wish list.

Nancy

[travelbig]

grandma13,

These companies provide tours from downtown Dublin:

 

www.overthetoptours.com

 

www.city-discovery.com/dublin

[grandma13]

grandma13,

These companies provide tours from downtown Dublin:

 

www.overthetoptours.com

 

 

Thanks. I'm checking their websites.

[ukbballfan]

Carnivalcrew

 

I'm thinking of doing a land tour of Ireland in the fall. Found a deal through Sceptre Tours that gives us a flight, car, and 6 nights in hotels/B&B for around $750 (Nov.)- $900 (Oct.)per person. The first night is at the Regency Hotel in Dublin followed by vouchers for 4 nights in B&B's around Ireland and the 6th. night is at the Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt. I will have a GPS so I think directionally I'll be fine...as long as the Garmin knows where we're going!

 

Can you tell me if theres a lot of difference between October and November as far as weather goes? Have you ever heard of this company? Any questions I should ask before I buy?

 

Thanks

[jocap]

By the end of Oct. the land is beginning to cool down, although the coastal areas keep the warmth a little while longer because the sea takes longer to cool. In the UK, we always have a half term holiday around Oct 20th, and people try to squeeze in a last break; you can have a warmish, sunny day with the trees in full glory, and wake to a frost and nude trees! Also the length of daylight is less than 12 hours at that point, and the clocks have gone back, so the evenings will be dark fairly quickly.-jocap.

[carnivalcrew]

Carnivalcrew

 

Can you tell me if theres a lot of difference between October and November as far as weather goes? Have you ever heard of this company? Any questions I should ask before I buy?

 

Thanks

 

not too sure, as have been privilidged to be in the carribean the last 7 years!! chances are it will probably rain, so come prepared for that. you might get lucky and get a few nice days, if you come in oct, which has been known once or twice to have an indian summer. you never really know, it's really best to be prepared for everything!