British Isles Review - 1

Returned from a British Isles cruise and wanted to share my feedback. I've learned a lot from reading posts from others and wanted to share and hope it helps others. Our cruise started on 8/12/16.

Amsterdam

Flew from LAX, to Philadelphia, to Amsterdam. Arrived in the morning and getting through customs took 15 minutes. It was quite a walk from the gate to the customs area (flew American Airlines). Once we gathered luggage, it was a quick ride to the Marriott Amsterdam. Cost 41 euros for the cab ride. From landing to arriving at the hotel, it took 1 hour.

After checking in, we took the water canal cruise from the central area. The Marriott Amsterdam is close to trams #1, #2, and #5 and it was about a 10 minute ride to the central area. Cost was a little under 3 euro, but if you're going to ride the tram a few times, buy the day pass at 8 euro. Trams are clean and easy to use.

Water canal cruise was a good way to start to get an orientation to the city. Afterwards, did the Royal Palace tour and would recommend paying a few euros and buy the audio guide. Well worth it to understand what you are looking at. Did a walking tour of Dam Square, the red light district, and the central area. Was very crowded in this area so be prepared for that in August.

Had bought tickets to Rijksmuseum visited the museum that day. It's heavy on Dutch art and has a great collection. Also spent a considerable amount of time at the Van Gogh museum. Again, bought tickets in advance for a 9:00 am entry. Light lines at that time, but the line to buy tickets was long and a couple of hours later at 11:00 am, the lines were huge. My advice is to buy tickets in advance and buy the audio guides. The audio guide for the Van Gogh was very, very good. Also, be sure to view the short film in the auditorium to get an overview of his life.

We took the local train to Zaanse Schans where there are some remaining working windmills. A private cab wanted 70 euro so we opted for the train. Took the tram to the train station. To the left, there are "domestic tickets" and just buy tickets to Zaanse Schans. It's only 4 stops from the central station. Cost was 14 euro for two of us. Once you get off the train, go down the stairs and go to the left (there will be signs). Then do the short walk and follow the signs to the windmills. Cute little village with windmills, shops, restaurants, a boat cruise, and more. Well worth the time to get out of the city and see the windmills. Cost was 4 euro to enter the various windmills and they are all different. You'll get some great photos here, can indulge in some fresh stroop waffles from a bakery there, and can buy some wooden shoes.

There were some security concerns in August with the airport. We had an 8:30 am flight and were advised to leave extra time to get to the airport. We were picked up at 5:30 am. The cab cost 47 euro to the airport. From the time of pick up to getting to my gate, it took 1 hour. That was with no traffic, no lines, etc. That included going through customs, but would suspect it takes longer as the day progresses.

London

We then traveled to London and were there for a day. It took 15 minutes to get through customs. Took the London Express to Paddington Station then caught a cab to the Marriott County Hall. Cab ride to this hotel took only 15 minutes.

First stop was the British Museum. It's free to get in, but we paid to see the special exhibit of Egyptian artifacts from 2 sunken cities. Was full of interesting pieces and you could spend an entire day here, but we were there for 2 hours. We then went to the Tower of London. This is time when the audio guide was not good and not worth your time. I was a little disappointed with this site and wish I had chosen Westminster Abbey instead. There were interesting museums at the Tower of London. Line for the crown jewels was 2.5 hours so we skipped that. Got some great photos of the bridge.

We then hopped on the river taxi on the Thames river to the London Eye. Again, bought tickets in advance and was able to get to the front of the line. Enjoyed the London Eye much more than I thought I would. Worth the pricey expense. We took advantage of the concierge lounge at the Marriott for some snacks then we were off for a walk and pub hopping.

Next day we were at the Churchill War Room when it opened. If you are interested in WWII history, this is worth the time. They've retained the rooms as they were back in the 1940s. Very interesting and audio guide gives a great overview. Afterwards, we saw the changing of the horses and walked to Trafalgar Square and the local neighborhood. Our time was up and we were meeting a private driver for the drive to Stonehenge and Southampton. Could have easily spent 4 or 5 days in London.

Stonehenge

Used Woodward Chauffer for the drive to Southampton with a stop in Stonehenge. Cost was 270 pounds. A little expensive, but we both felt it was worth the cost. Took 2 hours to get to Stonehenge. We spent almost 2 hours at Stonehenge and the audio guide made the site come to life. There is a nice cafe there for a bite to eat. Was not crowded on an August day, but I was advised to buy tickets in advance which is what I did. It took another hour to get from Stonehenge to Southampton.

Looking forward to more of your review..

I did the British Isles cruise in 2013 and 2015.

Thank you for sharing your experiences and information, it's always helpful to others. Sounds like for the most part, everything went very well on these visits. I've yet to visit the Churchill War Rooms - there never seems to be enough time in London to do everything so I concur; 4-5 days is recommended. Even more if possible....there are more attractions that are free, many more are included in the London City Pass which is economical, others one can select to pay for per individual interest.

Agree too that the London Eye is very much an incredible experience as I've commented before. I think that to many folks it appears to be something akin to a carnival ferris wheel ride but it is ever so much more than that - quite an unforgettable experience if you have the time.

I have a feeling the Tower of London would have been everything you expected if you had gone on the tour with a Yeoman Warder - I think their commentary on the history, combined with their experience living and working there helps to make everything as authentic as one imagines it will be. Also, any summer or 'in season' visit will almost guarantee longer than usual queues for the Crown Jewels - usually the most popular place on the castle property. I visited in the off season (not ideal for a cruise, yes) and had the Crown Jewel room essentially to myself although I didn't expect this, it was a pleasant surprise.

Many cruisers do plan longer pre or post cruise London holidays OR separate London/UK visits so that attractions can be revisited or they just have more time to afford seeing the many historic, wonderful, fascinating places in London and throughout the UK. The lovely part of a cruise or port visit is sometimes just getting the preview ;) well, that and the cruise! :D

Thanks again for the helpful share.

Southampton

We stayed at the Premier Inn West Quay in Southampton. It's not a fancy place, but it was great for a one night stay. Clean, has a restaurant, rooms were basic. Just don't expect anything fancy and you'll be fine here. If you go in August as we did, they have great air conditioning and that was handy during the hot spell. We were going to stay at another hotel on Oxford Street, but when I read they just had fans, we opted for this place instead and glad we did. We pre-paid for the breakfast and while it was nothing great, it was convenient, had lots of choices, and was very easy. Couple of notes - they give you towels, but not a wash cloth so you may want to bring one in your bag. Also, if you want a cab the next day, use their phone in the lobby to make a reservation in advance since the cabs are busy on the morning of sailings.

For the evening, our intention was to go pub hopping. We walked from the hotel to the old part of town which was maybe 5 minutes at the most. We came upon the Duke of Wellington pub. Quite cute from the outside with tables and hanging baskets of flowers. Very cozy inside, friendly bar tender and customers, and wonderful pub food. We had dinner here then moved on to check some other pubs, but didn't like them, came back to the Duke of Wellington and stayed there all night. It is a local pub, but the locals make you feel very welcome indeed. Worth checking out.

The next day we had the breakfast and met our cab for the short ride to the terminal. It was only 5 pounds and worth the money. Saw some people walking with their luggage and I can do the walk, but did not want to get all hot. We arrived at the terminal at 10:45, had a handler take our luggage, then did the check in process with Princess. We had a number 3 priority card and our number was called at 11:30 am and we boarded the ship. Had seen many questions about the check in process and it could not have been easier. I'm sure it got more crowded as the day went on, but if you arrive early, you can get on early.

Guernsey

Our first port was Guernsey. Since this was a tender port, had read many horror stories about the rough ride from the ship to the shore. Did not experience anything like that. We were ready to leave the ship at 8:30, got our tender tickets, and were on the shore in 15 minutes. The ride over was smooth and the weather was beautiful in mid-August. In fact, it was a little hot in the afternoon.

We decided to get on the local bus so we took #92 and rode anti-clockwise around the island. It's true it only costs 1 pound and it was enjoyable. We sat on the right side of the bus for a better view, but it's basically a bus that goes around the island and makes some stops. You get to see the quaint homes, the seashore, the little stands where people sell produce, and get a general feeling for the island. Nothing exciting, but more relaxing and picturesque.

We got off right after the bus makes the loop at the airport so we could go to the German Occupation Museum. Keep you eyes open or you'll miss the stop. Once you exit the bus, you'll need to cross the road and walk back (just follow the signs) for about 5 minutes. I did enjoy the museum, but I also did not like a couple of items. It is rich with artifacts and some have stories and explanations. But for me, this was mostly a collection and cluster of exhibits with not a lot of explanation of the occupation. You have to piece it together which is fine, but don't expect an exhibit that you'd see from a full scale staffed museum. It's small scale, it's run by the same man who put it together many years ago, and it has its good points and not so good. It's only 5 pounds to get in, there's a little cafe in the back, and plan maybe an hour or more to see everything.

We then got back on the #92 bus to town and did a little site seeing and shopping on High Street. Not sure if there were good bargains, but there's no VAT and I found some items. We walked over to Castle Cornet and only had 40 minutes, but did not have time to explore. In retrospect, we should have split out time between Castle Cornet and one of the war museums instead of spending the hour on the bus. Oh well.

But be prepared for a long line to queue on the ship to return. Oh boy. We had to wait 45 minutes in line and then had the 15 minute ride back to the ship. As I've written, it was hot and the line seems slower when you're in the heat. Nevertheless, Guernsey was a charming island and wish we had more time to explore since it has quite a rich history.

Cobh

Next was Cobh. We had arranged for a private driver, Butler's Bus. We had a private car with just 2 people. Cost was 240 pounds for 5 hours. We started our day at 8:30 and drove to Fort Charles. It was not open when we arrived so we walked around the area and we were all alone at the site. Even though we were not actually in the Fort, it was great to be the only ones there and could explore the area. Once the fort opened up, we look around and decided to head over to Kinsale.

As many have written, Kinsale is a quaint town and a picture postcard type of place. We did not have a meal, but did walk around, did some window shopping, and enjoyed the atmosphere. It is a very, very compact town and easy to walk around with no hills.

We then headed over to Cork and stopped at Finbar Cathedral and spent time there. We had a general tour of the city and I could have skipped the city tour - didn't interest me very much. We did pass by the area with Blarney Castle and couldn't believe all the tour bus traffic and people. Wow. We did stop at the Blarney Woolen Mills and I bought a couple of gifts then we left. It's very hectic there and I can't imagine what it was like in the castle.

We continued our 5 hour excursion to the Botanic Gardens and the cathedral in Cobh. The cathedral is dramatic and worth a look and the Cobh Heritage Museum provided a good history of the town, got some information on the Titanic. There is a lot of reading at this museum and it is not interactive so reading all the material got trying after a while.....interesting, but trying on the eyes. Did some walking around the port area and walked back to the ship. It was Sunday so there was a lot of activity in town with the locals.

For Cobh, I maybe should have done our day in reverse. I would have done Cobh in the morning and then gotten the car a little later in the day so the fort would have been open when we got there and we would have been hungry for lunch in Kinsale. I still would not have gone to Blarney Castle due to the crowds and did enjoy the country more than the city of Cork. Overall, good day and I learned a lot about the history of the area.

Will continue with Dublin and the other stops....

Dublin

We got off the ship and got in line for a taxi to town. It took about 15 minutes or so and cost 10 euro. This was an industrial port so I can't imagine trying to save money and walking to town. Either take the ship's shuttle or share a taxi.

We started off our day with a trip to the Temple Bar area to buy some Harley Davidson shirts. They have a small store and good selection. It was only 10:30 and places in the Temple Bar area were not open yet so we walked over to the Dublin Museum. Got tickets right away for an 11:20 tour and we bought the full tour which is slightly over an hour. I found it to be interesting and enjoyed the guided tour since you get the backstory on the castle and the some history of Dublin. There also is a 45 minute tour, but that is not guided and it's really worth the extra 30 minutes for the guided tour. Lines were not long even in summer.

After that, we visited St. Patrick's Cathedral. I found it kind of dark and mysterious compared to other churches I have visited in Europe. Definitely had a different feel. After that, we picked up the hop on hop off bus and got a great overview of the city. I found Dublin to be very spread out and having the bus option was good since it can wear you out to be walking back and forth all day.

We took the bus to the Kilmainham Gaol for our 2:30 tour. It is very important that you buy your tickets in advance. The bus operator kept saying if you did not have tickets already purchased, don't bother getting off for the Kilmainham Gaol since tickets were all sold out for the day. Even when I bought my tickets online about 2 months before our trip, half the times were sold out. So if you are thinking of going, buy tickets online before you go, preferably 3 months ahead of time.

This was a guided tour and you get to go into the cells and get a comprehensive overview of the jail and history of how it was used. It's very bleak sometimes and hard to imagine the conditions, but that's the point of the tour. Very much enjoyed the tour and the historical aspect of this. We had lunch at the cafe while we were waiting for our tour time. They will not let you in early if you show up early.

From there we took a cab to the Guiness Storehouse. People - save your money and spend the 38 euro at a local pub. I know it's the #1 tourist attraction in Dublin, but it's a waste of time. I knew in advance that you don't actually see the production of beer, but the exhibits were poor, there are a ton of people, and you keep going up and up until you get at the top for your beer. I didn't really learn anything unique about Guinness beer. I was only there for 45 minutes, but do wish I had spent that time at a bar drinking Guinness instead with some local people. Was told to go to the Long Hall for a drink and in retrospect, wish we had done that. But, hey, you don't know until you go and do things yourself so am sharing in case it helps others decide what to do for the day when time is so precious when in port.

After we left, we hopped back on the bus and got off in the center city area and did some site seeing. Finally, got a cab back to the ship. Watch your time. It was very crowded in the local cab and he had to take a few short cuts to get us back so if you're worried about that, it may be best to take the ship's shuttle. Cab back was 10 euro.

Liverpool

Liverpool is a great port for getting off the ship and being right in the city. Can't beat that. We arrived at 8:00 and were off exploring shortly after. First stop was the Liverpool Cathedral. Paid 10 pounds to get there. Arrived when it opened and we were the first ones there. I enjoy visiting cathedrals and this one was more modern in architecture and different from St. Patrick's Cathedral the day before.

From there we walked to Lime Station and took the train up to Port Sunlight. It was a short trip and we visited the museum and the little town. The architecture was diverse and I could imagine this little town being busy at the height of their soap making days. It's an easy going side trip from the city, but you're not truly in the country. However, it's very charming and a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Back in Liverpool, we visited the Beatles Experience. It was well done. There are many items from the days of the Beatles and there was a variety to how the information was presented. I had a very nice time here and would recommend visiting the museum if you're at all interested in the Beatles.

Went to a couple of the free museums at the dock, the Museum of Liverpool and the Maritime Museum. Good overview of the city's history, but was getting a little overloaded with museums by the mid afternoon. We grabbed a lunch and sat at the dock and enjoyed watching the scenery. Got back to the ship at 4:30. Found Liverpool to be a relaxing city day. You really don't have to travel far from where the ship docks to find a lot to do. It's a clean city and easy to get around on your own.

Belfast

Belfast was one of my favorite ports. My private driver was Mark Murphy. He was wonderful with a capital W. Personable, had a lot of knowledge, and was an overall pleasant guy. I had a poor experience with a company called Belfast Attractions. I made the reservation through Belfast Attractions and believe that company sub-contracted out the tour to Mark since Mark has the private Mercedes. But had a lot of problems with Belfast Attractions, they messed up my deposit, and had poor communication from them. If I did this again, I'd work directly with Mark and forget about the Belfast Attractions company.

Back to the tour. We left Belfast for the 45 minute drive to the northern part of the country. The drive itself was enjoyable since there are the many shades of green on the hills, sheep and other wildlife on the farms, stone homes, overgrown trees, and so pretty. First went to Dark Hedges and it was isolated when we got there so got some great snapshots without cars on the road. From there, went to Bushmill's for a taste of whiskey. I regret I did not buy their "reserve" whiskey when I was there, but got to taste some of their offerings. Did not take the tour, just did the tastings.

We then went to Dunluce Castle. I didn't think I'd enjoy the ruins so much of this castle, but the sites were dramatic from being perched above and the sea below. You had to use your imagination on what kind of place this was since it's now just a ruin, but the scenery was beautiful. We then hit the crowds at Giant's Causeway. The rock formations are interesting and unique and got some really good photos here. There apparently only a few places on earth where these rock formations exist and this is one of them.

I actually enjoyed Ballintoy Harbour more than the Giant's Causeway. The tour guide had taken us here since it was part of the Games of Thrones sites, but it was simply beautiful. The harbor has large rocks at the shore against a limestone cliff and then the green rolling hills behind you. Simply beautiful. We were take to a few more sites along the water and a few more Games of Thrones film sites then headed back to the city. Saw the Peace Walls, but most of all, Mark provided a rich and colorful history of Belfast, of the Troubles period, and gave an inside view of the struggle between the Catholics and Protestants in the area. Would not have gotten the frankness on a tour bus and really came away not only with an appreciation of Belfast's beauty, but also the struggles.

We also visited a golf club (sorry, can't remember which one it was), but we were able to hold the trophy in the case. That wasn't something you do every day. I want to say it was Holywood, but not sure.

Overall, great tour guide, wonderful day, and loved the area.

Glasgow next...

Glasgow

In Glasgow, we hired a private driver, John Guthrie. I nicknamed him "The Professor" since he had so much knowledge of the area. He sure knew his history.

Our plan was to visit some small towns around Loch Lomond and a visit to Sterling Castle. We visited the cities of Luss, Aberfoyle, and Callander. All three towns were quaint and charming in their own ways. Luss is right on the lake and had many pretty sites to photograph and visit. We wandered the streets, visited the graveyard with an old Nordic gravestone, walked down to the shore of the lake, popped into some shops, and enjoyed walking the streets without the hassle of cars.

Aberfoyle was again very small, but there was sheep herding show (if you could call it that) and we found very enjoyable. It's something I've seen on film, but never in person where the sheep dog herds up the animals in a very organized fashion. There was a cute little Christmas store on the main street where I dropped some money for ornaments I'll use on the tree this year. Callander was larger of the cities and had more of a main street, but, again, very quaint with many shops and places to eat.

We made several stops to view whatever we saw along the way - a wool shop, a farm with Highlander cows, a ride around the lake, a great view at a mountain top, stop at a castle, etc. That's the fun of having a private driver...you stop where you want to stop and can stay as long or as little as you want.

Sterling Castle itself is very dramatic from the outside. I knew that the place was not furnished so it was still a little disappointing to see empty rooms in the castle and not much signage to explain the history of the place. The town of Sterling was interesting with many hills and shops to wander in and take a peek around.

After the castle, we headed back to Glasgow for a bit of quick shopping and then back to the ship. Many people went to the Military Tattoo this evening, but we did not participate. All who went had rave reviews, but some that took the ship's transportation said you leave at 5:00 for the 9:00 show and they got back at 1:00 am. But the next day was a sea day so you could sleep in.

I found the countryside outside of Glasgow to be very lovely, quiet, and there was a lot of scenic moments that were gorgeous. The castle was OK and am not sure what the other choices were in the area for castles. The tour guide was very informative.

Invergordon

Invergorden also was one of my favorite stops. Invergorden itself is a little town and don't think there is much to do so an excursion is the way to go.

I had coordinated a van with fellow cruise critic members and we did the Dunrobin Castle tour. Our tour guide was Nigel with shore excursions.co.uk. He was easy to work with in advance and had the right balance of knowledge and knowing what to share and when to stop talking. He knows the area well, others know him, and it made for an easy going day. He also took many of the back roads which allowed us to avoid traffic and see the lovely countryside.

We started with a quick tour of the murals of Invergorden which gives some historical snips of the town. Then headed off for Millionaire's View which is quick stop to admire the beautiful scenery. You will get attacked by the little midge bugs, but Nigel will provide some spray to keep them off you. They're little and they bite. Then to the Falls of Shin where we saw some salmon going upstream. There is a short walk down some stairs and at the bottom is the river and a waterfall. Very lovely. Be careful walking down since it's damp and someone had twisted her ankle and had to go back to the ship. When we were there, it was only Nigel's two vans so it's not crowded at all.

We stopped at Balblair distillery for a wee dram of scotch whiskey. We got a little background on how the spirits are made, got to go into the outside rooms where the vats of alcohol are stored, and had tastings. Did not purchase anything, but it was available for sale. Again, there were no other visitors besides Nige's two vans which made for a unique experience.

We had a stop at Loch Fleet and it was so peaceful and beautiful. We pulled alongside the loch and just watched the still water, the big white clouds against the blue sky, the air on our skin, and the green, green rolling hills. It's still an image I can see when I want to be peaceful.

Next to Dunrobin Castle. Nigel's fee of 65 pounds covered the entrance to the castle so we just walked in and were on our own. What I really enjoyed about Dunrobin Castle is that a family still lives in part of the castle and they've opened up many rooms for public tours. So as opposed to many of the castles that focus on war, jails, and death, this castle was focused on everyday life. You get to see bathrooms, a nursery, a library, dining room, etc. These are real rooms that they no longer use, but you can get a glimpse of what it's like to live in a castle. There also is cafe downstairs for lunch and an average lunch runs around 8 - 10 pounds. Food was very good.

The falconry show was wonderful. Tip - get to the seating areas 10 minutes before and get a seat in the front row in the middle. Later in the show, the bird trainer puts the owl on the ground and you get a close up of the owl for the rest of the show. The show consists of the owl and two types of falcons. It was very entertaining with the birds flying over your head. I could have done without the feeding demonstration (he feeds the bird a dead chick and another one gets a rabbit leg), but that's nature. The gardens are something out of a magazine and this is all bumped up against the shore. Very, very beautiful and this was most impressive property of the castles I saw (even Edinburgh Castle) for its livability factor.

After the castle, we had a couple of scenic stops for pictures then back to the ship. Along the way, Nigel pointed out some local building and homes and history of them.

Great day.

Edinburgh

I'm a little conflicted on what to write about Edinburgh. I was so looking forward to this city. First, let me say that I knew the Fringe Festival was going on in August so I expected it to be crowded. But my goodness, this place was crowded to the point of not being fun. But let me start from the beginning.

This was a tendered port and that was pretty painless going into the city. From there, we took a cab straight to Edinburgh Castle. It as 20 pounds to get there. Once we arrived at the castle at 9:20 am, there were mobs of people. We got in line for the people who already purchased tickets and I can't tell you how long that line was....long. Once they opened the gates, we got in very quickly. I had prepaid for the audio tour, but the office was not open and they were going to open at noon. That didn't make sense. But there was a nice lad behind the glass and he let me have the audio guide. Glad I had it because I found it very informative.

We toured the castle and visited the museums, the crown jewels (very skimpy...they only have about 4 items to look at), the church, the jail, and displays. I found this castle to more a compilation of museums that provided Scottish history. It was starting to get very crowded around 11:00 so finally exited around 11:30 and visited St. Giles cathedral for a little while. Our plan was to see some other sites, walk the Royal Mile, and get to the Place of Holyroodhouse by 3:00 or so. This is where the crowds were a little out of hand. It was so crowded...people everywhere and lots going on with the Fringe Festival. We stopped for lunch and just decided to take it all in and watch the festivities and people.

Afterwards we planned to go the museum, but it was getting a little late so we walked down to the Palace of Holyrioodhouse and toured the residence. I know it's nothing compared to what you'd see in London, but it was quite enjoyable and provided a good overview of the residence, what it's used for, and you were able to get a peek into some of the rooms. I was surprised I liked this place, but maybe I liked being away from the craziness of the people. The Queen is here at the end of June and they close down the residence for that week so check if you're going at the end of June.

We caught a cab across the street for a ride back to port. It was about a 40 minute wait to catch the tender to get back to the ship.

If I were going in August again, I would plan this to be country day instead of a city day. Or maybe see the yacht and something else, but it was very overwhelming with all the people. I'm sure Edinburgh is a lovely city, but I didn't have an appreciation for it after this day.

Le Havre / Paris

We arrived at Le Havre and disembarked the ship at this port since we planned to spend a few days in Paris. We arranged this in advance and was a cinch. We booked through Costco so we had to use them to make the request to Princess and we received confirmation back in about 2 weeks. You put out your luggage the night before just like normal and it was easy to pick out the luggage the next day. I'd say about 50 or so people got off.

Since the drivers I contacted wanted anywhere from 400 - 600 euro to drive us to the city, we took the train instead for under 100 for 2 of us. Easy peasy. Took a cab from the port to the train station (7 euro). I had already bought my tickets in advance so we just waited until our train arrived and it took us to Paris. We had a direct train from Le Havre to Paris at 10:00 am and we ended up waiting a while. Arrived in Paris at 12:15 pm. You can easily catch the 9:00, but have to chain trains. I also think you could easily catch the 8:00 train. The only sticking point is that you have to retrieve your passport from Princess the day you get into Le Havre. So it might be tight to buy tickets for an 8:00 train (have to get your passport, luggage, and a cab all in an hour).

Can't comment on Le Havre or any of the sites around the port. While in Paris, we did all the touristy things...Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Musee d'Orsay, Notre Dame (did not do the steps to the top since it was 1.5 hour wait), River Seine cruise at night, Garnier Opera house (beautiful!), hop on hop off bus, street side cafes, and shopping. Had tickets to the Louvre for a Wednesday night, but did not make it. Found Paris to be have beautiful architecture and very clean. Stayed at the Marriott on Champs Elysee on points and it was a central location for touring the city. Did not get to do everything we wanted to do, but we were able to get a nice overview of the city. We didn't do the Metro and took cabs everywhere, but the average cab ride was 10 euro. Average dinner was maybe 50 euro (we're didn't go anywhere fancy). Average lunch was around 30 euro. There is a heavy policy/military presence so be prepared to see that especially around Notre Dame.

For the trip to Charles de Gaulle airport, we took a cab. Cost was around 55 euro before tip. Our flight was at 11:30 am and I had read horror stories about this airport so we left our hotel at 7:30. Well, we got to the airport, checked in our luggage, went through customs, and were at the lounge by 8:30. Again, very easy. The drive to the airport was going against traffic so it was an easy shot to the airport. Once you're at the airport, it gets bottlenecked, but our driver knew how to get around the mess. There is some great shopping at the airport for last minute gifts for others or yourself. I found the perfume and make up to be about 30% lower than U.S. prices and the designer name bags and wallets were a few hundred less than U.S. prices.

Overall

How could someone not have a great time with this vacation? I had wonderful time. In retrospect, here are my learnings:

- Buy as many tour/museum/activity tickets as you can in advance. It will save time which is sometimes more precious than money on these trips.

- Do a mix of city and countryside shore excursions. I liked the balance.

- Prebook transportation. Private drivers fill up in advance. Our driver Nigel said he was getting booking requests for summer of 2018 already.

- Bring a converter for your electrical items. I did need it in Paris, but did not in London or Amsterdam.

- I had bad hair on the ship with the ship's crummy hair dryer. Buy a travel dryer. You'll have better pictures with good hair days.

- Bring a travel clock. There is no clock in the room (Princess). My iPhone did not pick up the local time.

- Ladies - put some of those clothes back in your closet. You do not need as much as you think you do. I did do laundry once and it really was not a hassle to do it on the ship.

- We had great weather, but I would advise to pack with layers in mind. Was glad I brought a light jacket for the mornings.

- Bring shoes that are broken in. You will be on your feet a lot and I saw many people with new shoes.

- Bring a little tube of sunscreen. Also saw some people with sunburns on their face since they were expecting colder weather, but even in cloudy weather you can get a little burn.

- Organize yourself. I bought folders for each port, hotels, flights, etc. and as I printed tickets, got updates to my flights, came across an article, etc, I'd file it in its folder. As I got ready for the trip, I consolidated everything into a plastic envelope. It really worked for me and I never lost anything.

Hope this was helpful since others who provided write ups were always helpful to me while I was doing research. I'm sure I missed some tips, but have been meaning to finish this for the past couple of weeks.

Happy cruising!!

Great review and information. Thanks so much for all the details.

Thanks for this information. We'll be going to some of these ports next May and I appreciate your advice!

Thanks for the review. Always interesting to read other people's views of our cities.

Did you go to any of the presentations by local presenters? I joined the ship in Invergordon to give a talk about Edinburgh, in Club Fusion. I emphasised how busy it would be and suggested things to do away from the city centre. Edinburgh changes character so much during the Fringe / Festival and the huge volume of people, particularly on the Royal Mile, takes a lot away from the character of the city.

Thank you for the great review. Would you be kind enough to share the contact information for the private guides?

Here are the companies we used.

London to Southampton with a 2 hour stop in Stonehenge- http://www.woodfordchauffeurcars.com

Cobh - http://www.butlerstours.com

Invergordon- http://www.shorexcursions.co.uk. Be sure to get on Nigel's van.

Glasgow - http://www.eyes-on-Scotland.com. Tour guide was John Duthrie. John.duthrie@ntlworld.com

Belfast - I had booked through http://www.mybelfastchauffeur.com. I didn't like the company since they messed up my reservation, but had the great guide, Mark Murphy. I didn't get Mark's card, but found an email address online. Don't know if it's valid or not. Murphysexecutivetours@gmail.com. Or you could go through the mybelfadtchaffeur site and request a private Mercedes with Mark.

Thank you so much!

Thanks for posting this. Will be very helpful with our upcoming trip.