MrsScooby

Loved this trip report !! OP you handled everything with so much class ! I was looking for a feel of what a RCCL cruise would be like as I am sailing on one for the first time in a couple weeks and I really feel like I learned a lot from your report. We also call our son "the boy" and also with plenty of love as well.

Laurie

My husband also likes to bring his multi-tool on vacations. He has used the screw driver and the scissors on various occasions. Our May 20th British Isles cruise out of Southampton is the first cruise where he was required to remove it from his checked luggage. We've been able to bring it on flights and other cruise ports no problem as long as it was in checked luggage.

Now we know for future reference not to bring a multi-tool (with a locking knife attachment) to the UK.

FTR-the people at the cruise port were very apologetic about confiscating the multi-tool and were very kind in the way they treated my husband. Kindness and professionalism go a long way in this kind of situation.

-Laurie

Ok, trying to decide if we need to pre-book a taxi, mini-cab company or uber?

I had assumed there would be plenty of taxis at the Queensferry pier waiting to pick up passengers and take them to Edinburgh?

But what if there aren't?

Another poster made a comment about "hoping for a taxi" and that made me nervous....do I really need to pre-book?

What happens if our ship doesn't make it into port?

Or getting off the ship takes longer than anticipated?

Any advice or reassurance is appreciated :)

We sailed the Baltics in 2010 with DCL. I also recommend a trip to Berlin. Yes, the drive was about 2 hours each way so a big chunk of time was spent in the car.

We were going to book a cruise excursion but I noticed when DCL came out with them that the train and bus they had chartered had disclaimers saying that it was up to the passengers to be on time for their rides and DCL did not accept responsibility if the passenger was left behind. Basically they would not hold the train or bus if you were late.

I found Berlinwalks through tripadvisor and their tours were highly rated. They had a driver pick us up at the port and return us in plenty of time to board the ship no problem. I won't lie, I was nervous but they handled everything perfectly. The van was spotless and seemed new. The driver was friendly and drove safely. Our tour guide was an American exchange student who fell in love with Berlin and decided to stay. Best tour of the entire cruise. And the thing we did not expect was that all our previous stops had sites that referenced the effects of WWII and then our Berlin tour showed us how this same war affected Berlin and it was interesting to see the two sides of history back to back.

I wish I had been able to find another family to share the cost, but even paying the entire cost ourselves was worth it to us.

We wound up doing all our tours through private tour companies for that cruise. Really amazing time. You'll have a great time !!

Is it within walking distance?

Not walking distance. You can take a cab directly to the jail or take a cab to Dublin and then take the HOHO bus to the jail.

We did a land trip to Ireland two years ago and went with the HOHO bus to the jail. There was a long line to wait on though once we got there.

Definitely worth seeing though.

Laurie

hi everyone,

 

We are considering cruising the British Isles 12 day via the Caribbean Princess this summer.

 

Being from Florida, we've done the majority of our cruises in the Caribbean, so we really ever hadn't had to worry about airfare, which appears to be quite expensive to London. Does Princess offer any good bundle rates with airfare, or are you just as well off to shop the discount air carriers?

 

Is there any reason why you would say the British Isles cruise would not be good for a family of four with a 9 and 12 year old boys?

 

We've almost always done our our excursions, booking a head of time and not through the ship. I've read just a handful of reviews so far on this sailing and I see a lot about the tours, which most are, I'm assuming, offered via the ship. Is there anything different here with the oversees cruises versus our Caribbbean one where we would NOT want to book outside of the ship for activities on port days?

 

thanks in advance. I'm sure I'll have more questions later on.

We are 2 weeks from leaving for our first Princess cruise and we'll be on the British Isles itinerary.

I can tell you we booked our airfare through Princess. Not only were the fares a little cheaper than what we were seeing on various sites, we also had the option to cancel the airfare right up until paid in full date for the cruise. So if we saw a better fare we could cancel and book elsewhere. That also meant we had a big payment at one time but we were prepared for it.

For our roll call it seems like quite a few are booking their excursions on their own. That's what we do as well as we prefer smaller groups and more control over the tour.

As for your boys ages, that really depends on the individual kid. You will need to take their likes and dislikes into consideration when you plan and so might skip places like the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin in favor of other more kid friendly spots. My brother did take his sons to Ireland last year and they were 10 and 12 and from what I heard they loved it.

I'll have more to offer when we get back in June. But don't wait for me as tours and flights will be booking up soon.

Good luck!

Laurie

Hi there Laurie, fancy seeing you on this thread!! I paid for a soda drinks package when I cruised for the first time which was a similarly port intensive itinerary & definitely don't think I would have spent that amount if I had paid for the drinks as I went along.

 

Second time around, I chose not to pay for the package & ended up drinking water (which is more than OK) during the day & simply having a soda with dinner.

 

The only thing I would say is the kids are more likely to head off to the disco etc & then the cocktails may be a benefit. Also, if you head off into the pool or something like that & you have left a drink lying around, you don't have to worry too much because you can simply order another! From memory, the drinks were around the $2.50 price & were a typical 250ml glass.

 

Hope that helps & see you on board on the 20th

Thanks Paula !!

Can't wait !

On our cruise there was a shuttle bus into town for 5£ a person. Grabbed another couple and took the first taxi in line for 20£ for the four of us. Had a nice conversation , got dropped at a closer in location and then met them later on board for a drink. No real need to pre book.

Good to know, thanks !!

Rhona' date='

 

We're planning on taking the train into Edinburgh to the Castle. Can you provide a little more details on how to get FROM the train to the Castle? Which exit from the train station to take & where to go from there (take the stairs you're talking about??) ? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks, Kim[/quote']

 

Kim if you follow that link that Rhona put in post 11 it has detailed instructions and photos for the train and where to go, stairs and all.

If you are interested, we used David Frood who is an independent guise in both Edinburgh and Glasgow. He guided for year with the Great Scot until he decided to retire. David has an 8 passenger van, is a terrific guide, very knowledgeable and we were all extremely pleased with him. If you can put together a small group from your roll call he would be likely just what you need and his rate includes pick and return to Queensferry. Here is his email address.

 

d.frood@live.co.uk

Thanks for the info !!

I'll save that for my next visit to Edinburgh as we already have a tour booked at this point.

Next visit will be a land trip and we will have much more time to look around and see the sites.

Hi Laurie,

I feel really stupid as I gave you the price of a taxi from Rosyth on the other side of the Forth so yes, it would be about £20 each way from Hawes Pier. Really sorry about giving you incorrect information.

 

If you decide to go for a taxi, then you could pre-book to be picked up at the pier. There are various black cabs companies around the city

 

http://taxis-edinburgh.co.uk

 

There's also this mini-cab company with online bookings and which I see everywhere - http://www.capitalcarsscotland.co.uk/online-booking/

 

and über launched a few months ago in Edinburgh.

 

Sorry again, Rhona

No worries :)

I'm just collecting all the info I can now so we know our options when the time comes. This is such a port intensive cruise that some decisions are going to be made on the fly depending on how my crew feels at the moment. I first thought we would be going by train and then realized that I needed to research other options in case everyone was a bit worn out after so many port days.

If you book a ride in advance what happens if you show up later than expected (due to ship arrival or tendering delays)?

Laurie

For future reference on your next cruise, the "sewer" smell is generally from the floor drain in the bathroom (either a trough drain at the door or a round floor drain under the toilet, not the shower drain). These drains have traps in them, just like under your sinks at home. The purpose of the trap is to have some water "trapped" in the bends to keep the gases from backing up. The floor drain in your bathroom generally sees very little water, so the A/C tends to evaporate what water is in there, and the smell comes in. A glass of water down the drain daily will solve the problem. As a note, the "gray water" from the sinks, showers, and floor drain is a totally separate piping system from the "black water" from the toilet.

 

For the OP, yes, escalate to the Hotel Manager. It sounds like there is weak vacuum in your area, so there may be a partial blockage somewhere in the line, and needs to be cleared. All the other excuses are complete BS, and you can ask them to also check the "control valve and its timing ports" on your toilet to show them you know a little bit about what is going on.

 

Another thing to try. Don't just poke the flush button, but push and hold for a 2-3 count. This may temporarily solve the problem but also points to the control valve as the culprit.

Your advice is really helpful for all of us!!

I'm on the Caribbean Princess next month and I'm going to taking a copy of your advice with me just in case.

Thanks so much !!

Well' date=' things appear to be fixed. FINALLY. They had to come and replace two valves on our toilet. Apparently it was broken. Gee - really??!!! Anyway, lets hope it stays that way. They did apologize and send a bottle of wine.

 

Thanks to all for your suggestions!!! :)[/quote']

 

So glad to hear this !!!

Hope the rest of your trip is smooth sailing:)

Hello MrsScooby,

 

First of all, I think you're being quite ambitious trying to visit the Castle after your tour ends. It is a large site but at least you would get a flavour and certainly enjoy the views. Is there no way to shorten your walking tour? What's included in that?

 

To get to the Castle from St Cuthbert's -

Walk up Lothian Road.

Turn left along Castle Terrace - NOT Kings Stables Road although on the map it looks the way to go!

At the junction, take a left. You're still on Castle Terrace.

Continue over and up the hill (Johnstone Terrace), and this leads up to the Castle. There is set of steps on your left which will take you right up, but you might want to keep on walking up Johnstone Terrace because at the top there are a few pubs - e.g. Ensign Ewart or Deacon Brodie's. There are also various cafes around there - usually down little alleys. The castle is only a minute or two away.

 

It takes me 15 minutes max to get back to Waverley Station. The quickest way is:

 

Down the Royal Mile from the Castle.

Turn left into Bank Street then take the steps in the corner down to Market Street. You will see the station.

 

There are 2 trains an hour back to Dalmeny (the name of the station for the port) on a Sunday. You will get times on Nationalrail.co.uk if you put Edinburgh and Dalmeny as the stations. You then need to allow a 15 minute walk back to the ship.

 

I have photos of the route to the station from the port on this board:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2031574

 

If you decide to take a taxi they are all metered though should cost about £40 each way.

 

People from the CruiseForth Welcome Volunteers are going to be joining Caribbean Princess at Invergordon this year to give a presentation about the area, and I think I'm doing this one, the night before you arrive in Edinburgh. Looking forward to it :)

Hello !!

Yes I am starting to realize that I am trying to squish too much into our time in port.

Our tour is a photography walking tour that combines some instruction with photography with the history of Edinburgh.

I was hoping to squeeze in a quick look inside Edinburgh Castle before we head back to the port. The tour might end as early as 2:00pm and if so a quick visit to the castle might be feasible.

Your precise directions are a God-send. Thanks so much !!

The taxi price you quoted is double what I found on (World Taximeter). I can deal with a high taxi fare if it buys us more time in Edinburgh though. Funny I'm already planning my second trip to Edinburgh before I've even started my first trip LOL

I will look for you on the ship !!!

I'm Laurie :)

And I think the café at St Cuthbert's Church isn't open on a Sunday (according to their website) so I am back to square one.

TripAdvisor has a list a restaurants close to St Cuthbert's and I need one that doesn't need a reservation at around 3 pm on a Sunday afternoon in May.

St Cuthberts Church has an excellent cafe.

 

It takes 15 minutes or so to walk to the Castle from the Church, all up hill, but its downhill to the station, but that will be about a 30 minute walk so a taxi from Castle to station may be a wise move.

Thanks!!

Ok, a café is more along the lines of what we were looking for, basically a quick snack and a place to rest our feet before the climb to the castle.

I didn't realize it was a 30 minute walk from the castle to the train station though...now I'm thinking we might be better off with just talking a taxi from the castle to the port.

We were originally thinking the train would be faster but I didn't account for walking distance.

There are many pubs and restaurants along the Royal Mile, which is the street you'll walk along up to Edinburgh Castle - depending upon what type of food you are interested in, you'll be sure to find something that interests you.

 

The Castle is wonderful, hopefully you'll have time enough to explore it after your walking tour which should be great...it's a lovely city and the Castle with it's location and history will cap off your day.

 

I was in Edinburgh over night and so time wasn't an issue for me, suggest a thread search on this board as this question comes up frequently - taxi or train back to port, I know you will find the answers there. If your stop is on a weekend day, train schedules will be slower so a taxi might be a better plan.

 

Have a wonderful time in delightful, unforgettable Edinburgh :)

Thanks !

We'll be there on a Sunday and will have only a few hours before we have to head back to the port.

That's why I opted for the Scotland explorer Pass rather than timed tickets for the castle as I wasn't sure we would have enough time to visit.

We had a small private tour arranged which picked us up at North Queensferry so I can't help you re transportation. However The Scotch Whiskey Experience which is located about 6 doors down from the castle on the right hand side has a restaurant on it's lower level that is amazingly well priced and has great food.

https://www.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk/restaurant

The restaurant menu looks wonderful and just the type of place my family would love. I think we will have to save it for our next trip though because we will be so pressed for time on this one.

I'm putting it on my list anyway just in case we find ourselves with more time than expected.

Thanks!

Our Princess cruise is scheduled to stop in South Queensferry on Sunday May 29, 2016.

We have a walking tour scheduled to meet in Edinburgh at 10 am and goes for 4-5 hours (done between 2-3 pm).

I was hoping to have time to grab a quick bite to eat after the tour and make a quick visit to Edinburgh Castle before we head back to the ship.

Our sail away time is scheduled for 7 pm. And we will have the Scotland Explorer Pass which should help make entrance into the castle a little quicker.

Out tour ends near Parish Church of St Cuthbert which doesn't seem too far from Edinburgh Castle on the map.

Can anyone recommend a place to grab some food before we head up to the castle?

And the best time to head to the train station for getting back to the port at a reasonable time?

I'm assuming the train is faster than a taxi to the port from what I read??

We might just skip the food stop and head to the castle for a quick look before heading to the port ...

Any advice is appreciated :)

There are 4 of us, 2 middle age parents and 2 college age kids, all pretty mobile.

uuugg. ^^ sorry folks. That last response was not meant for that thread. And of course I can't edit/delete it.

No worries, we get the same conversations on Disney forums.:)

I've done the Caribbean Princess and I've done the British Isles on Princess. You are in for a treat.

 

The ship is lovely. The pools are great. Movies Under The Stars is wonderful (gets cold out there at night- bring warm clothing). Sabitini's is delicious( the artichoke appetizer and braised ribs with penne are to die for) . They offer a pub lunch during the cruise in the Crown Grill (no fee) and the International Cafe has pastries at breakfast, sandwiches and salads at lunch, and desserts all the time. It's more convenient at breakfast than the buffet IMO. If you want bacon and eggs or a bagel with smoked salmon- go to the main dining room for breakfast. I preferred it to the buffet (less crowded). There is trivia and other games. It's a fun ship IMO. Little secret- on Deck 17 (aft) there are two enormous hot tubs that people don't find right away. Go there for sailaways- great view.

 

This is really helpful ! Thanks!

We did 7 nights on the Caribbean Princess as a "try out" before booking a British Isles cruise. We have also cruised Celebrity and Disney (platinum) in the last few years. You might find this review helpful.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2288391

Love this !!!

What a great comparison analysis !

Really eased my mind as we are sailing next month with the Caribbean Princess in the British Isles as well :)

Moki's mommy your analysis is beautifully done !! And very appreciated !

We are jumping ship from DCL to the Caribbean Princess for the British Isles cruise May 20 due to the cost difference. This will be our first non-DCL cruise and so accompanied by a bit of anxiety.

Your side by side analysis is just what I needed to feel a bit more comfortable with the change.

Thanks so much for taking the time to do ths :)

I was on the Caribbean Princess last summer, and I need to warn you that the only low-sugar options on the soda and more package are diet Coke and carbonated water. The other diet options were in cans, and not included.

 

--Mark

Thanks for the headsup :)

My son will be fine with diet coke and/or carbonated water. That's what I meant by "low-sugar". He did like those Italian sodas (San Pellegrino) for a while and then got tired of them. Occasionally he'll ask me to pick up "something carbonated" when I go shopping.

When I asked both my kids what they would want they both insisted that they were fine with just water....I'm just wondering if it would be worth it to surprise them with a soda package...last minute doubts as we sail a month from today.

We always take a travel bottle and refill it daily with ice in the Horizon Court. Works great and it's free and filtered water.

That's good to know. Similar to DCL as well.