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Booking excursions "on the dock" in the UK.


kmsmith123

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We will be taking the Caribbean Princess cruise of the British Isles sailing 26 May 12. It Hits Guernsey, Cork, Dublin, Liverpool, Belfast, Glasgow. Invergordon, Edinburgh and Paris.

 

Does anyone have experience booking excursions off the dock, as opposed to being ripped off by Princess? If so, we would appreciate your input. We do this most places but this is our first cruise in the UK.

 

Many thanks!

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Does anyone have experience booking excursions off the dock, as opposed to being ripped off by Princess? If so, we would appreciate your input. We do this most places but this is our first cruise in the UK.

quote]

 

I'm not exactly sure what you mean. There will no doubt be taxis at all the places you mention and you can negotiate a rate for them to take you where you want to go, though it may not be cheap. If you mean will there be travel firms with minibuses etc, the answer is almost certainly not. Comparatively few cruise ships call at these ports. It's not like the Caribbean where there are hundreds of cruise passengers arriving every day and the ports are geared up to cater for them.

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We will be taking the Caribbean Princess cruise of the British Isles sailing 26 May 12. It Hits Guernsey, Cork, Dublin, Liverpool, Belfast, Glasgow. Invergordon, Edinburgh and Paris.

Many thanks!

 

I live in Liverpool and have done two round UK trips in last four years and am familiar with several of the other locations mentioned.

 

First Liverpool - just don't book any trips! There is so much to see and do within 20 minutes walk of the Pier Head Terminal. The Mersey Ferries, Beatles, Maritime Museum, Museum of Liverpool, Tate Gallery, World Museum, varioud bars and traditional pubs. Open top bus tours, DUWK tours through Albert Dock. The Cathedrals etc You won't have enough time to do everything.

 

Guernsey - have been there four times each on cruises. There is around the Island circular buse service. It is really cheap, flat fare. Check the guernsey bus timetable. You are in walking distance of La Vallete Military Museum built by the Germans as a fuel store in WWII.

 

Cork - will actually mean Cóbh outside of Cork City. There is a railway station at the terminal with a frequent service to Cork City - I think it is now possible, by changing trains to get to Midleton on the recently reopened Midleton line. That is where the distillery is and to which the cruise companies will charge you hansomely to take you by coach!

 

In Cobh there are two museums, a fine cathedral, a Titanic Walking Tour I am sure there are details on line, pubs etc.

 

Belfast - take a taxi tour - I did one two weeks ago one and a half hours was £45 they will go anywhere and stop for photos. Worth asking to see a selection of Wall Murals. There is the Titanic Walking Tour. Your cruise company may offer it as a shore trip - but it will be pricey. Check them out on line. The new Titanic Museum, boat trips etc.

 

Dublin - get into the city centre by shuttle bus lots to see - well worth a visit Collin's Barracks - houses part of the Museum of Ireland Collection. Kilmainham Gaol, Phoenix Park, Guinness Brewery. Quite a few attractions can be reached by the LUAS tram system for which day tickets are available.

 

Hope this helps

 

John

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I live in Liverpool and have done two round UK trips in last four years and am familiar with several of the other locations mentioned.

 

First Liverpool - just don't book any trips! There is so much to see and do within 20 minutes walk of the Pier Head Terminal. The Mersey Ferries, Beatles, Maritime Museum, Museum of Liverpool, Tate Gallery, World Museum, varioud bars and traditional pubs. Open top bus tours, DUWK tours through Albert Dock. The Cathedrals etc You won't have enough time to do everything.

 

Guernsey - have been there four times each on cruises. There is around the Island circular buse service. It is really cheap, flat fare. Check the guernsey bus timetable. You are in walking distance of La Vallete Military Museum built by the Germans as a fuel store in WWII.

 

Cork - will actually mean Cóbh outside of Cork City. There is a railway station at the terminal with a frequent service to Cork City - I think it is now possible, by changing trains to get to Midleton on the recently reopened Midleton line. That is where the distillery is and to which the cruise companies will charge you hansomely to take you by coach!

 

In Cobh there are two museums, a fine cathedral, a Titanic Walking Tour I am sure there are details on line, pubs etc.

 

Belfast - take a taxi tour - I did one two weeks ago one and a half hours was £45 they will go anywhere and stop for photos. Worth asking to see a selection of Wall Murals. There is the Titanic Walking Tour. Your cruise company may offer it as a shore trip - but it will be pricey. Check them out on line. The new Titanic Museum, boat trips etc.

 

Dublin - get into the city centre by shuttle bus lots to see - well worth a visit Collin's Barracks - houses part of the Museum of Ireland Collection. Kilmainham Gaol, Phoenix Park, Guinness Brewery. Quite a few attractions can be reached by the LUAS tram system for which day tickets are available.

 

Hope this helps

 

John

 

John,

 

Many thanks for your input.

 

Kent

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to add to the excelent contribution.

 

Edinburgh. tender at south queensferry

 

train or a local shuttle/taxi into the center from the pier are the main options, there is also a bus stop not too far, timetable on-line

 

glasgow, greenock, check out the inverclyde tourist web site they do tours.

 

Invergorden :

 

last time we were there they put on extra busses to the local town, there is a train station. not much local some murals(on the web)

 

We have done a days car hire(pre book only) but then I knew the area enough to drive to lock ness then to the west coast and back in a day. cheap way if happy to drive.

 

 

Belfast, loads of information on-line, free shuttle to the town center,

If you want to do the coast drive and the giants causeway try to get a group on the roll call and get a local trip about £25pp and if enough they will pick up at the ship if not check timings to get into town on time.

 

The new titanic exhibition might need pre booking and is not easily accessed from the ship(shuttle + 25min walk or £6-£8 taxi).

 

UK based : done 3 round britains and looking for a price drop on this year.

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to add to the excelent contribution.

 

Edinburgh. tender at south queensferry

 

train or a local shuttle/taxi into the center from the pier are the main options, there is also a bus stop not too far, timetable on-line

 

glasgow, greenock, check out the inverclyde tourist web site they do tours.

 

Invergorden :

 

last time we were there they put on extra busses to the local town, there is a train station. not much local some murals(on the web)

 

We have done a days car hire(pre book only) but then I knew the area enough to drive to lock ness then to the west coast and back in a day. cheap way if happy to drive.

 

 

Belfast, loads of information on-line, free shuttle to the town center,

If you want to do the coast drive and the giants causeway try to get a group on the roll call and get a local trip about £25pp and if enough they will pick up at the ship if not check timings to get into town on time.

 

The new titanic exhibition might need pre booking and is not easily accessed from the ship(shuttle + 25min walk or £6-£8 taxi).

 

UK based : done 3 round britains and looking for a price drop on this year.

 

Thanks,

 

Kent

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Both Dublin and Belfast had HOHO buses next to where the shuttle bus drops you. Good information on board, and you can get off at the places which interest you, and wait for another bus.

Jo.

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I live in Liverpool and have done two round UK trips in last four years and am familiar with several of the other locations mentioned.

 

First Liverpool - just don't book any trips! There is so much to see and do within 20 minutes walk of the Pier Head Terminal. The Mersey Ferries, Beatles, Maritime Museum, Museum of Liverpool, Tate Gallery, World Museum, varioud bars and traditional pubs. Open top bus tours, DUWK tours through Albert Dock. The Cathedrals etc You won't have enough time to do everything.

 

Guernsey - have been there four times each on cruises. There is around the Island circular buse service. It is really cheap, flat fare. Check the guernsey bus timetable. You are in walking distance of La Vallete Military Museum built by the Germans as a fuel store in WWII.

 

Cork - will actually mean Cóbh outside of Cork City. There is a railway station at the terminal with a frequent service to Cork City - I think it is now possible, by changing trains to get to Midleton on the recently reopened Midleton line. That is where the distillery is and to which the cruise companies will charge you hansomely to take you by coach!

 

In Cobh there are two museums, a fine cathedral, a Titanic Walking Tour I am sure there are details on line, pubs etc.

 

Belfast - take a taxi tour - I did one two weeks ago one and a half hours was £45 they will go anywhere and stop for photos. Worth asking to see a selection of Wall Murals. There is the Titanic Walking Tour. Your cruise company may offer it as a shore trip - but it will be pricey. Check them out on line. The new Titanic Museum, boat trips etc.

 

Dublin - get into the city centre by shuttle bus lots to see - well worth a visit Collin's Barracks - houses part of the Museum of Ireland Collection. Kilmainham Gaol, Phoenix Park, Guinness Brewery. Quite a few attractions can be reached by the LUAS tram system for which day tickets are available.

 

Hope this helps

 

John

 

Hi John,

Did you know that John Lennon planned to sail up the Mersey on a cruise ship to the Pier Head on his homecoming? Sadly he never got the chance.

 

Also, did you watch the giants last weekend? I cancelled a trip back home, thinking it would be too crowded to do anything else, but the event was the very reason to go and I could have kicked myself afterwards :mad:

 

Finally, where will the princess ship dock, if the turnaround hasn't been given the thumbs up by then? Langley Dock, or, I heard, maybe a temporary landing down by the Pier Head?

 

I miss my old city :(

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  • 2 weeks later...
Hi John,

Also, did you watch the giants last weekend? I cancelled a trip back home, thinking it would be too crowded to do anything else, but the event was the very reason to go and I could have kicked myself afterwards :mad:

 

Finally, where will the princess ship dock, if the turnaround hasn't been given the thumbs up by then? Langley Dock, or, I heard, maybe a temporary landing down by the Pier Head?

 

I miss my old city :(

 

The Princess ships berth at the Landing Stage as do all calling cruise ships - this is at Pier Head not Langton Dock.

 

The upgrade of the facilities at Pier Head is to allow turn arounds at the Pier Head which will not affect calls.

 

No didn't bother with the giants went to a local Titanic flower festival instead the same weekend.

 

John

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