CharlotteK15

First cruise had us arrive in NY Harbour 9-9-01. Two days later that skyline forever changed. Since then we've taken over 25 cruises. There seems to be a lot more norovirus incidents thus resulting in the hand sanitizing now a staple on every ship. Suggested tips have gone up a lot too. Dining is more casual. The newer ships are phenomenal with so much detail.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

I am looking to book Paddywagon tours in both Cork and Dublin. Can anyone give feedback with your experience?

tia

My husband and I took a transatlantic in the Spring of 2014 and stopped at both Cobb and Dublin. In both ports we used Paddywagon Tours and were more than satisfied. I don't recall the drivers name, but in both ports we had a different driver and they were both very professional and knowledgeable. They pointed out all the sites along the way, and answered the many questions passengers had.

In Cobb, after a very pleasant day of touring he went out of his way to drop us off at the top of the very steep hill so that we could tour the Cathedral of St. Coleman. In Dublin, we also had exceptional service. I believe that the itinerary had the tour ending at 7 pm. The last stop was the Trinity College area where we were given free time to shop and visit the sites within walking distance. Most of the people on the bus had the early dinner and wanted to be back on the ship in time to make their 6 pm dinner. We were the minority who didn't care when we got back. I was in Ireland and planned on maximizing my time there! The driver sensed our agitation with those who were afraid the ship would run out of food, and made a special trip back to pick us up at the original scheduled time of 7 pm. I can't say enough about this company and their exceptional service. The tours book up fast, so don't wait until the last minute to book if interested. An added bonus—the bus was equipped with FREE wi-fi, so I was able to check my mail, post on Facebook etc. along the way!

We recently took this tour in May, 2014. The itinerary was great. The bus driver and guide were very friendly and knowledgable. We got a late start because some people took their time getting off the ship. In addition, at two stops people were 20 minutes late in returning to the bus which resulting in less time at the stops we made. We had people who were in wheelchairs. I didn't think the bus was handicapped friendly, but they managed. Keep in mind that it is one steep staircase up because all the luggage fits under the bus. The stops I felt were a little rushed, but I can't blame the tour company for this but the people we kept waiting for. Overall, it was a great way to spend a day before checking into the hotel. The bus took us right to the hotel at the end of the day. Book early because this trip usually sells out because the cruise ship does not offer anything like this.

There are very few Taxis available in Brugge. Most people took the train or an excursion from the ship. The train runs every hour. Taxis run around 50 euros each way and takes about 15 minutes. We were lucky enough to grab one with another couple we were travelling with, but I would suggest you reserve one before you cruise especially if you need a larger van to accommodate 8 people. Brugge is such a beautiful city and the benefit of getting there early is to experience the city in a quiet atmosphere before all the tourists arrive. Also, I would suggest going immediately to the canal boat ride because on cruise days they are often booked solid with cruise ship excursions.

We too used Paddywagon Tours while cruising in Ireland. We highly recommend them. The bus was new, very comfortable and equipped with wifi. The driver was very knowledgeable about the areas we visited, and the prices were considerably less than those offered by the ship we were on. We used them on two occasions both in Cobh and Dublin. In Cobh the bus was parked around back to the right of cruise port by the "Anne" monument. In Dublin it was right on the dock. :D