bethohio3

Thank you, vmax. I want to do what is right/expected and your answer helps.

In other places I've been, a tip would be expected for a good tour--but in some others it would be insulting. (Which is why I asked)

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This will be my first cruise in Europe and wanted to check to see if there are guidelines for tipping tour guides for tours.

Can anyone provide a general guideline for the appropriate per-person tip for a driver/guide? (Belfast, Le Havre, Orkney Islands, Inverness)?

What about for a 2 hour walking tour (Dublin)?

And on the tipping subject, at US ports, I've tipped the porter $5 when checking in our (2 or 3) bags for the cruise. What is the typical tip in pounds?

Thanks!

Years ago, I took my kids to Mexico with me (flying) without their dad. I have the same last name as one but not the other.

My ex wrote a letter along the lines of:

My ex-wife NAME has my permission to travel with our children, NAME and NAME to Mexico on <date> via <flight info> until <date> via <flight info>.

If there are any questions, please contact me at <contact info>

NAME

(notarized)

The Mexican immigration wanted to see the letter and checked to see if it was notarized, which they required. The kids each had passports.

If I were writing one for a cruise, I'd include the itinerary.

Best of luck to you.

We're on the May 11 sailing if the Ruby Princess. I was able to

Book a tour for 8 of us with Albion Voyage.

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Thanks, Turtles. I picked it from the library. I've never seen it and I think it'll give me some great pre-trip history information. Wish I remembered everything I learned in school--and wish I'd learned more than I was willing to pay attention to.

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You could also try a different tour operator. Someone recently posted several alternatives and I posted some (not recommendations) in the British Isles thread.

You'd still macs to get a group together but the roll call could help with that.

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Our trip is in May and I haven't lined it up yet. I'm a bit behind on my planning. I'll keep you posted

I did schedule a Bushmills VIP experience from Belfast which includes a tasting, lunch, and a visit to Giant's Causeway.

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Since I am unlikely to not have my phone, I store copies of all my documents on Dropbox and then mark them as favorites so they'll be available offline.

I like the envelope with tip idea--just to be sure I have the right amount of the right currency. Of course, on our upcoming trip I won't be starting out with the right currency!

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I can pass on some ideas. I don't have any personal experience with any of them other than email--and the communications have been without fail polite and helpful.

albion-voyages.com (who we are booked with)

http://www.cpmac.com/

http://www.normandypanorama.com

http://www.ddaylandingtours.com

http://www.WellArrangedTravel.com

http://www.normandyddaytours.net

http://www.aparistravel.com

I hope you are able to work something out. I'm very impressed with the emails I've received from Adrienne at Albion-Voyages and am looking forward to our tour.

As I said, though, these are contacts but not recommendations.

Not quite what you've asked, but since you're a reader, there's a fabulous book you must read titled The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. The islands of Guernsey and Jersey were the only part of England occupied by the Germans during WWII and this book tells about those years.

Thanks! Someone has recommended that on one of the threads a few months ago--I loved it--and so did my husband.

Here are two about the Irish Rebellion: The Wind that Shakes the Barley and Michael Collins. I've seen both and been impressed by both.

Thanks! I just put in requests for them at our library.

We're sailing in May on the Ruby Princess with the following ports: Southampton, Guernsey, Cobh, Glasgow, Belfast, Dublin, Inverness, Orkney, Edinburgh, and LeHavre. We're also going to visit Stonehenge, Salisbury, and Bath after the cruise.

I'm thinking about movies that would be good to see prior to our trip that are set in these areas.

The Longest Day is definitely on the list--what else would people recommend? (I'm not a big movie watcher, so chances are I haven't seen whatever it is people will recommend, although I might have read the book.)

Thanks!

We are stopping in Le Havre May 22 (Ruby Princess) and I've been unable to find a private tour to the D-Day beaches.

We're debating whether to take the Princess tour or rent a car.

To us, the biggest advantage of the ship tour is having a guide. However, a large bus means lots of time waiting for other people and longer driving time (vs smaller vehicle).

I'm interested in any advice on which alternative to take.

(And I haven't totally given up on the private tour option, but have only received incredibly polite emails saying they're fully booked)

thanks!

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Thank you. I've contacted the guides you've listed here and hope to find one with availability.

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I'm looking for a private tour operator for the D-Day beaches from Le Havre.

Overlord doesn't have availability and there aren't open slots on any of the roll call tours.

I'm interested in knowing alternative private tour operators to check with. As a backup, I signed up for the Princess tour, but it's not our first choice

There are 2 of us, but we're traveling with friends, so I'm sure between them and our roll call we could fill a van of 8-16, which is my preferred your size.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

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Thanks all. Our trip is in May--prior to the opening of the new terminal. We're probably renting from Hertz because they don't have a drop off fee for a one way rental, but there may be other options there

The Hilton at Terminal 4 is sounding really good--longer to drop off the car Sunday, perhaps, but easy Monday morning for departure.

We're flying United. (inbound from Dulles, outbound to Newark).

I think that means we arrive Terminal 1 and depart Terminal 4. (If that's not right, I hope someone will tell me--I was surprised that United uses two different terminals at the same airport)

We're flying United. (inbound from Dulles, outbound to Newark).

I think that means we arrive Terminal 1 and depart Terminal 4. (If that's not right, I hope someone will tell me--I was surprised that United uses two different terminals at the same airport)

When we docked at Greenock on Caribbean Princess in July, there were lots of taxis waiting offering tours for however many hours you wanted.

I'm curious about pricing for hiring a taxi/driver for the day. Can anyone fill me in?

We might do that for a half day or day in several different places and I'm not sure if I should make arrangements in advance or make arrangements when we get to port.

(This is my first European cruise--somehow making arrangements in the Caribbean has seemed easier.)

Thanks!

I've not gone to the auctions, but I've walked through the many pieces on display--and didn't find things that suited my taste--regardless of price.

I think trying to return the car Sunday night and staying at an airport area hotel makes sense, as does the idea of staying in Windsor (based on the map :-).

We know we won't have time to visit Windsor on this trip. We only have a few days post cruise, and we're going to Beaulieu (DH is an antique car buff), Stonehenge, Salisbury, and Bath--and that's a pretty full schedule.

We know that once you park in Salisbury or Bath, you stay parked :-). The 0645 tour of Stonehenge is the primary reason we'll have a rental car, and Beaulieu is the second reason.

I really appreciate everyone's input. Here's where we are right now:

Friday morning, disembark, pick up rental car and go to Beaulieu, stopping somewhere en route for breakfast

Friday late afternoon, on to Salisbury, possibly Evensong

Friday evening, we hope to see a performance in Salisbury (it's the first night of the Salisbury International Arts & Music Festival)

Saturday early am, we're going to Stonehenge. (Yes, we've made those arrangements). Then we'll go back to the B&B for breakfast.

Saturday morning, we'll walk around the Salisbury market

Saturday afternoon, we'll tour the city, maybe climb the cathedral tower, and go to Evensong services if we didn't on Friday.

Saturday night, perhaps another performance?

Sunday morning, after breakfast, head to Bath for the Mayor's City tour, and spend the day there. Around 5 or 6, head towards Heathrow, stopping somewhere for dinner.

And that's why we want to stay convenient to the airport--the easier the better.

If you're still reading this and sharing your spreadsheet, I'd love to see it.

Thanks!

bethohio3 @ yahoo dot com

I am looking for advice on where to stay the Sunday night before our Monday 10am departure from Heathrow.

We disembark on Friday and are spending Friday and Saturday nights at a B&B in Salisbury. Our plan is to spend Sunday in Bath and then stay overnight somewhere convenient to Heathrow.

We'll have a rental car and will need to return it on Monday morning before our flight.

So questions:

1) Where would be a good place to stay overnight?

2) How complicated is to return a rental car at Heathrow (I've only returned rental cars at US airports)

Thanks!

We're trying to make sure we can visit a distillery and do a tutored tasting while on our cruise. (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Kirkwall, Inverness)

Can anyone let me know the best form of transportation to the Auchentoshan Distillery from Greenock/Glasgow?

I had hoped to go to Glengoyne, but public transportation is problematic. The distillery in Kirkwall isn't taking any private tours the day the ship is in port.

I'd appreciate any suggestions or ideas about how to make this work.

Hi all,

We're interested in going to the Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Distillery (and doing a tutored tasting), which is not easily reachable by public transportation.

I'm considering hiring a private driver for the day or part of the day, and visiting a few castles or seeing the countryside, and then going on to the distillery.

I know there are 4 of us who want to go to the distillery and may be able to acquire a bit more interest on our roll call.

My question is, can anyone recommend a taxi/driver/private tour service? How expensive was it? Was it priced by the day or by the number of people?

One option would be to take the train into Glasgow, see the city sights, and then get a driver to take us to the distillery and then back to Greenock.

Does anyone have any advice?

SixOneToo,

Would you please let me know who you booked your tour with in Belfast?

If you booked a private tour in Orkney, I'd be interested in that, as well.

Thanks!

--Beth