British Isles Princess Cruise best time

Hi

I am looking at the Princess British Isles Cruises. I really like the one that goes to Kirkwall.

There are three departure dates from Southhampton. Which would be best weather wise? Do school children go on these cruises?

May 21 too cold?

July 8 (school holidays start 2 days after this so I guess a few kids will skip a few days of school)

August 25 ( schools go back on 31.08.15 so I guess this will have fewer kids?)

Hi

 

I am looking at the Princess British Isles Cruises. I really like the one that goes to Kirkwall.

There are three departure dates from Southhampton. Which would be best weather wise? Do school children go on these cruises?

 

May 21 too cold?

 

July 8 (school holidays start 2 days after this so I guess a few kids will skip a few days of school)

 

August 25 ( schools go back on 31.08.15 so I guess this will have fewer kids?)

Can't comment on the schools, but one factor to put into your decision making equation is the time of sunset.

On May 21st it will set around 9.45pm and will probably be the coolest of the three dates

On July 8th it will set around 10.20 pm (Note: Because of the distortion resulting from daylight saving time, it will not rise until 04.15am)

but may not be as warm as late August

However, take note that, on August 25th, whilst you might have the warmest days, the sun will set at around 8.30pm.

Hope this helps.

Hi

 

I am looking at the Princess British Isles Cruises. I really like the one that goes to Kirkwall.

There are three departure dates from Southhampton. Which would be best weather wise? Do school children go on these cruises?

 

May 21 too cold?

 

July 8 (school holidays start 2 days after this so I guess a few kids will skip a few days of school)

 

August 25 ( schools go back on 31.08.15 so I guess this will have fewer kids?)

Not sure where you are getting the school holiday dates from but many schools do not break up until 22 July, and go back on 1 September.

There is a half term holiday at the end of May (break up on May 22 until June 1st)

There are some regional differences, so these dates may not work for schools in certain parts of the country, or for private schools which tend to have longer holidays.

As for British weather it really is impossible to say which dates would be best. We had a fantastic summer this year but that is a rarity. May can be warm and sunny but it can also be miserable and rainy, same for August/July. It's a lottery!

However, May 21 would be right across a half term holiday if you want to avoid lots of children! Looks like that's not possible for any of your dates except early July.

It is no longer legal for children to 'skip the last few days of term.' Head teachers are no longer able to sanction such absences and parents can be fined. Of course some parents will ignore this and keep them off school.

These cruises are not that popular with families, tend to be mainly international guests.

Check out the roll cals and reviews from this years trips.

We did the June one this year with pretty good weather.

Don't discount the alternate itinerary and the Aug1 trip which has the Edinburgh Tattoo trip from Greenock.

There was some deep discounting(in April/May) this year on every date when the Ruby princess was doing these runs.

We did this cruise this year on Ruby Princess after her transatlantic in May. It was very popular with over 1000 passengers from the transaction staying on board. I don't recall seeing many children on board, it was a very port intensive cruise so lots of jet lagged passengers. Not many british, less than 100! Wonderful cruise, even North Sea was ok and we called in Kirkwall too. Weather was up and down with sun, rain, wind, showers - everything but snow. In the highlands though there was snow on the mountains.

Just be aware though that Scotland does have midges, we didn't get bothered with them on this cruise but when we did a scottish holiday in September in the Great Glen and Aviemore they were a nuisance.

British weather is so unpredictable anyway but I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Corfe Mixture, Great advice, day length would be important for us for the rest of the trip too. Thank you.

ellie, I googled "UK school holidays" so thank you for setting me straight. So important. Great idea to stop kids leaving school early. It is so disruptive for those left behind because teachers feel they can't start new work. Last time (the first time) we went to London it was for 6 days from May 10 and we had fantastic weather! I know it will be a lottery. : )

Insidecabin thankyou for the tips. I watch the Edinburgh tattoo on TV most years and think I'd prefer to avoid the crowds in Edinburgh for the whole of August.

Pamjp, I should have thougth of midges since they are common in New Zealand, the Scotland of the south! I will research them. How wonderful that you avoided them.

I think the Aug 25 cruise is going to be the start of the Transatlantic Cruise back to the US which is why there is an 11 page roll call for it already.

I think the July cruise might not be going to Kirkwall, afterall. The brochure says it does but the internet (which is more accurate, apparently) says it doesn't. I think we might give Kirkwall a miss (and visit it by land earlier) and stick with the July sailing. Thank you all for the advice and help.

Scottish schools break up at the end of June and go back mid August.

As a previous poster said theses cruises are not as popular with UK residents - we tend to want to go somewhere warmer in the Summer.

Saying that we did a Fjords cruise in August this year and there were quite a few children on.

Just be aware though that Scotland does have midges, we didn't get bothered with them on this cruise but when we did a scottish holiday in September in the Great Glen and Aviemore they were a nuisance.

British weather is so unpredictable anyway but I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Not everywhere in Scotland gets midges. We never see them here and it's mainly in Highland areas on the West Coast so Greenock, Edinburgh and Invergordon would be fine anyway.

Insidecabin thankyou for the tips. I watch the Edinburgh tattoo on TV most years and think I'd prefer to avoid the crowds in Edinburgh for the whole of August.

Another advantage of the tattoo trip is that if you don't do the tattoo you get the long stay in Greenock to do a great long day trip on the west coast/Glasgow area while a lot of the ship heads over to Edinburgh.

Another advantage of the tattoo trip is that if you don't do the tattoo you get the long stay in Greenock to do a great long day trip on the west coast/Glasgow area while a lot of the ship heads over to Edinburgh.

Do you mean that you don't go to the tattoo when the ship is docked in Edinburgh?

Do you mean that you don't go to the tattoo when the ship is docked in Edinburgh?

Thats right

South Queensferry is a tender port for most of the ships that stop there and I guess they don't like tendering in the dark.

The givaway is the departure times, 2am from Greenock, 7pm for edinburgh

Smaller ships(Ocean Princess) that use the docks can do the tattoo from the Edi stop.

Thats right

 

South Queensferry is a tender port for most of the ships that stop there and I guess they don't like tendering in the dark.

 

The givaway is the departure times, 2am from Greenock, 7pm for edinburgh

 

Smaller ships(Ocean Princess) that use the docks can do the tattoo from the Edi stop.

Thank you so much. I had no idea.