Ireland intensive

Anyone know which cruiseline has an itinerary that features a number of stops in Ireland, not just the customary Dublin?

I've been looking for one also. The best i could find so far is Royal Caribbean and Celebrity sometime adds Cork and Belfast. Oceania adds Sometime has Waterford and Belfast.

Anyone know which cruiseline has an itinerary that features a number of stops in Ireland, not just the customary Dublin?

Have a great next cruise,

Donna

My TA in April stops in both Cork and Dublin. I am really looking forward to those stops. Maybe some day I will tour Ireland by land. I don't think cruise ships stop for more than a day in any one port and you miss a lot of Ireland (or any other place). Cruise ships are wonderful but do not offer an in-depth look at the places they visit. :cool:

Anyone know which cruiseline has an itinerary that features a number of stops in Ireland, not just the customary Dublin?

Dublin, Cobh, and Belfast are the only ports that are deep enough & have sufficient facilities to handle large cruise ships. Waterford can only handle smaller ships (e.g., Oceania's R-class vessels, Fred. Olsen's Black Prince).

As far as I'm aware, there aren't any ports on the rocky west coast of Ireland that can handle cruise ships--though of course there are many delightful fishing villages (e.g., Killybegs). Some of the smaller boutique vessels conceivably might call at the Aran Islands, in which case passengers would be tendered ashore.

The Constellation is calling at both Dublin & Cobh on its September 2007 transatlantic repositioning voyage, but this trip is sold out.

In short, Ireland is a country better (& more easily) explored during a land vacation, rather than while cruising.

Anyone know which cruiseline has an itinerary that features a number of stops in Ireland, not just the customary Dublin?

Celebrity Century departs RT Amsterdam Sept.3rd with 10 or 11 hour days docked in Cork, Dublin & Belfast. Other ports: Le Havre, France; Dover, England; Holyhead, Wales; St. Peter Port, Channel Islands. This is the most Ireland intensive cruise we've seen for 2007.

Thanks to all who have responded. I never considered that the coast of Ireland might not allow for ships to pull up. We have gotten so spoiled with the unpack once idea of cruising it's hard to think of vacationing any other way. Sooo, has anyone done a land tour of Ireland with an organized tour company? Would you recommend them?

Hi Harrtchr,

If you check out our Cruise Critic thread under RCCL Meet and Mingle for the 6/18/07 sailing of the Jewel of the Seas in the British Isles you will find a ton of information about tours in Ireland and Norway as well as other countries we will visit on our cruise. We have done extensive research on tours, hotels, transportation, airfare, etc.

So far there are 59 pages on the tread, which we started last April!!!

Here is the address: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=334915

Regards,

Bob Shaffar

Thanks to all who have responded. I never considered that the coast of Ireland might not allow for ships to pull up. We have gotten so spoiled with the unpack once idea of cruising it's hard to think of vacationing any other way. Sooo, has anyone done a land tour of Ireland with an organized tour company? Would you recommend them?

I am doing an Ireland land tour with Celtic Tours in 13 days(March 23 - 29th). I'll let you know. I'm also doing the Celebrity Century departing on Sept 3rd for 10 days listed above.

Would you happen to have a web address for Celtic Tours?

Hello Hurrtchr - you could also perhaps incorporate bus tours that originate in Ireland with a cruise -

from Belfast - Ulsterbus tour around Ireland - http://www.translink.co.uk/resources/coachholidays2007/ireland_coast.html

from Dublin - CIE tours -

http://www.cietours.ie/escorted_tours/index.asp?action=showtourtype&type_id=1

From the US you can fly into both Dublin or Belfast with Continental - into Dublin with Aer Lingus, Delta from Atlanta - all depends where you are travelling from. Flights from Canada too with Air Canada, Air Transat & Zoom.

The geography of Ireland - ie few motorways, slower traffic flows, means that although it is relatively small from the top of the North (Malin Head, Donegal) to the south (Mizen Head/Bantry Bay, west Cork) - 500 miles or so - it takes much longer to travel this distance than in the States. Another reason why you can't travel very far in an 8 hr stay from a cruise ship.

Hope this helps,

Rosie - on the Island of Ireland

Would you happen to have a web address for Celtic Tours?

Hello! I do have it. It's celtictours.com They have several different tours to pick from.

I did Scotland last year with Brian Moore tours. I don't have that addy, but I know they do Ireland also. Great tour company!

Thanks to all who have responded. I never considered that the coast of Ireland might not allow for ships to pull up. We have gotten so spoiled with the unpack once idea of cruising it's hard to think of vacationing any other way. Sooo, has anyone done a land tour of Ireland with an organized tour company? Would you recommend them?

Two years ago we did a CIE tour of Northern and Southern Ireland and it was wonderful. This is the only way to get a comperhensive look at this truly spectacular country. It is a pain packing and unpacking daily but as they say "no pain no gain". The tour guides with CIE, we had Frank, really impart a great deal of history and background info that you cannot get elsewhere.

Thanks to all for recommendations. I now have 3 Ireland tour companies sending brochures for my Irish Lass to look over. I was hoping to see if any one else has done a land escorted tour of ireland. We are looking to spend a minimum of 12 days considering all the time, money and planning that goes into such a tour, staying just a week seems like too short.

The worst part is, we are still trying to convince ourselves that it will be OK not to do our annual summer CRUISE, a vacation style that we are addicted to. Unfortunately, as previous posts have pointed out, there are only 4 commonly visited Ireland ports by cruise lines (we have been to all if them) and the only way to see more of the Emerald Isle is to do the pack and unpack and pack again, and again etc. land tour.

So, who else has done this and who do you recommend?

We just came back from a Transatlantic that docked in Cobh and used Holloway travel for a private tour. John Hennessey was our driver and he took us on all these wonderful backroads and we saw places that we would not have seen if we had been on a ship tour. I got enough taste of Ireland that I know we will do a land tour next time. His website is hollowaytravel.com.

Could i remind members the Port of Belfast is in Northern Ireland which is part of the UK.

jj.....

There is only one way to really experience The true beauty of Ireland. You only get a wee taste of Ireland on cruise ship stop. While you can take an escorted tour and get a severe case of the "green Blurr", I prefer to rent a car and see the real Ireland. Do your homework ahead of time. Don't try to cram too much in your first visit. You will come back.

I always include a few days post cruise to visit Ireland after a TA. You can also find some of the best air fares to the US from Ireland!

Hi Amlee

I will be on the same cruise in September - looking forward to the trip

Eire doesn't really suit the rush of a cruise ship life.

We stayed in Cork recently and the Hayfield Manor. Lovely hotel. Everything is very relaxed, and rushing is simply not done.

We still saw a fair amount, and clearly will be back. One specific thing to mention is that everyone is intent on going to Blarney Castle - but there is a very nice house at Blarney which is worth seeing in its own right too.

And a warning - although many would want to go to Kinsale Head to mark the Luisitania, the head has been bought by a gold club and therefore one cannot get to it.

I loved Eire.

There's a joke I know.

A Spaniard and an Irishman are sitting having a drink, talking about each other's countries. The Irishman asks the Spaniard about the concept of Manuana. The Spaniard explains, and says to the Irishman "surely you have a similar word in Ireland?". The Irishman ponders, looking deep into his Guinness. After a while he speaks.

Ah well, he says, but nothing with that degree of urgency!

Eire is a lovely country.

Matthew

I'm glad somebody is calling her by her right name :rolleyes:

"Let Erin Remember"

jj.....

we too love our cruise 40 more--but opted for 14 day ireland bus tour..We had a wonderful time.You really need more time than any cruise ship can give you

try to include belfast and giants causeway

Another great way to see Eire & NI is to rent a motorhome! (Bit like cruising on land) lol! This way you don't have to pack/unpack! You also don't need to pre-book accomodation and if you fancy staying longer in one spot or cutting short a stop you can!

Living so near to Ireland we have visited many, many times and never tire of it! There is so much to see and do! The various information centres are brilliant and offer suggested routes to take"

Here is a link http://www.motorhome.ie/Site_Rental/motorhomes.html

TIP: GAS IS A LOT CHEAPER IN EIRE THAN NI.

There is a 15 day Holland American Cruise, Leaving Amsterdam circumventing the British Isles, Ireland stops are Belfast, Dublin and Waterford.

mary