Transfer or tour to Powerscourt Gardens

I would like to ask the CC fellow cruisers for your recommendations to visit the Powerscourt Gardens. We will be on the June 30 BI cruise, and will have 2 days in Dublin, July 3 & 4. We (group of 6) will visit the city center on Day 1, and on Day 2 we are considering to visit Powerscourt Gardens. I have searched the web and also read the posts in this forum, but still debating the best method to go there. Here are our options:

1. Bus Route 44 - €3.30 cheapest, but only runs hourly and takes 45 mins to get to Enniskerry, and then another 25 mins walk to get to the entrance. Not sure if it is best use of our time.

2. Train - though the train ride itself is faster, but it goes to Bray and you need to take bus 185 to Enniskerry and then walk to the entrance. Seems more complicated than the direct bus option.

3. Taxi - we can probably get a taxi/van at the port to drive us to Powerscourt Gardens, but I am not sure if there are taxis readily available there when we are ready to leave. Or can we ask the office there to call a taxi for us? I don’t know how much the taxi fare will be. Any comments?

Alternatively, I have sent requests for quote to Bray Town Taxi and MT Cabs for a return trip from the cruise port, and ask they pick us up at a later time. Awaiting their replies. Anyone used them before?

4. Do Dublin Bus Tour - 6.5hrs tour from 10:30am-5pm approx. to Powerscourt and Glendalough. Great deal at €27. However their pick up and drop off is at city center Upper O’Connell so we still need to catch a taxi or Princess shuttle to return to the ship. And more so, I am worried that if their return time is not exact and later than 5pm, it will be very rushed cos our ship leaves by 6pm. Does anyone have experience with this tour?

5. I have sent an enquiry to Day Tour Unplugged. They have a half day 8am-12:30pm private tour to Powerscourt Gardens. €520 for the van. Seems to fit our needs and timetable well, as we can still have a leisurely afternoon to stroll around the city centre. Just much more expensive. Anyone used this service before?

6. Take the Princess excursion $89.95 US 8 hr tour to Powerscourt Gardens and then free time in Dublin city. This option, though more expensive than the Do Dublin bus tour, gives us peace of mind not having to worry about return time back to ship. I am quite inclined to sign up for this tour if no other better options come up. Has anyone got feedback re this Princess excursion?

I did not realize I have written such a long post, sorry, but I thought I will lay out all my options clearly so that you can understand my analysis and help me choose the best option. Thank you very much!

We didn't go to Powerscourt, but we did go on a bus tour on Day 2 in Dublin that left from Upper O'Connell Street (to Newgrange and the Hill of Tara), so I can answer some of your questions:

We had *no* luck getting a taxi at the port. We went to the taxi line when we got off on Day 2 and asked the people at the front of the line, and they said they'd seen about 2 taxis total in the 45 minutes they'd been waiting. We wound up catching the shuttle instead and talked the shuttle driver into letting us off at the corner north of the Liffey before he turned across, and we walked to O'Connell from there. Others told me that they were able to get a taxi from the shuttle drop-off point near Merrion Square.

Our tour had a couple of drop-off points at the end of the day, one of which wasn't far from Merrion Square, so it wasn't an issue catching a shuttle back. We weren't dropped off at 5 pm, though -- our tour returned by 4:30 pm. I would be nervous about being dropped so far from the port so close to the on-board time and would probably select a private tour/taxi or the Princess excursion myself. Traffic in the city could be dense and slow.

Did you read the cruise report by Kevin's Girl? She gives a detailed report of their trip to Powerscourt via a Princess excursion. She sold me on it.

I'm on the may cruise, and will probably choose Princess excursion, because of the 2h30 it spends in Powerscourt and the pick-up point at the ship. The dublin bus tour seems to be ridiculously short for both Glendalough and Powerscourt (expect, at least, 3 hours in the bus, if the traffic is not too bad in the city center). I never visited Powerscourt, but went three times to Glendalough and 2hs/2h30 on site are a minimum to make a real visit. I also checked the publics transports but, you're right, they imply a lot of waisted time, and the direct bus itself stops far from the castle entrance.

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Thank you for all your helpful replies.

trosebery: Your experience confirmed my concern re rushing back to the port after a bus tour, so I have decided the bus tour is out. But you got me worried about taxis in Dublin port, since we are going into the city on Day 1. 2 taxis only in 45 mins for potentially thousands of cruise passengers? Was that a special holiday or weekend? The princess Shuttle is $16US one way so it is very expensive just to get to the city centre!

georgiacat: Yes I read Kevin's Girl's detailed report and beautiful pictures. That gave me the idea to join the Princess tour.

AI54: I am also very inclined to join the Princess tour. You are right bus tours provide little time to walk around the site, and the Princess tour is very liberal with the free times. It is great to share our thoughts and then come to the same conclusion.

trosebery: Your experience confirmed my concern re rushing back to the port after a bus tour, so I have decided the bus tour is out. But you got me worried about taxis in Dublin port, since we are going into the city on Day 1. 2 taxis only in 45 mins for potentially thousands of cruise passengers? Was that a special holiday or weekend? The princess Shuttle is $16US one way so it is very expensive just to get to the city centre!

The Princess shuttle was free for us (this was last August), so I think that's why the taxis didn't bother to show. If Princess does try to charge US$16 for the shuttle, I'm sure the taxis will turn up!

I called Princess before I posted my last post, and they confirmed the Shuttle fare is $16US one way! Maybe they started charging since your cruise. You are lucky to have a free ride (literally speaking)!

Never saw such a price for a shuttle, even on Cunard. Usually, the ticket is for the day, not by trip, but I never travelled with Princess. So, the excursions fares seem to be more attractive!

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Just to let you know, I just booked the Princess excursion to Powerscourt Gardens. Peace of mind!

The 2 taxi companies that I sent enquiries to never replied me.

For the $16US one way Princess shuttle - I am not sure anymore! It seemed the fellow cruisers who cruised last year in 2017 all said the shuttle is free. Earlier posts prior to 2017 all said there was a fee, some said $8 one way, some said $8 return.

So I called Princess helpdesk again today and got another rep on the line. This time, they said they could not find any Princess shuttle info in Dublin on file and asked me to check with their excursion desk on board. They said sometimes the port authority may offer free shuttle to passengers but there is no guarantee. So the bottom line is "no one knows how it will be for 2018".

So I will ask any fellow cruisers who are going to Dublin port this year (before my Jun 30 cruise), to be so kind to post a reply here: if there is really a free shuttle, and if not, then how much is the fare one way or return? Thank you for your help!

Just to let you know, I just booked the Princess excursion to Powerscourt Gardens. Peace of mind!

The 2 taxi companies that I sent enquiries to never replied me.

 

For the $16US one way Princess shuttle - I am not sure anymore! It seemed the fellow cruisers who cruised last year in 2017 all said the shuttle is free. Earlier posts prior to 2017 all said there was a fee, some said $8 one way, some said $8 return.

So I called Princess helpdesk again today and got another rep on the line. This time, they said they could not find any Princess shuttle info in Dublin on file and asked me to check with their excursion desk on board. They said sometimes the port authority may offer free shuttle to passengers but there is no guarantee. So the bottom line is "no one knows how it will be for 2018".

So I will ask any fellow cruisers who are going to Dublin port this year (before my Jun 30 cruise), to be so kind to post a reply here: if there is really a free shuttle, and if not, then how much is the fare one way or return? Thank you for your help!

Yes, we couldn't get a straight answer on the shuttles in 2017 until the cruisers on the first few cruises reported back. (Fortunately, we didn't sail until August.)

Thanks a lot! I Will post the shuttle fares (if there are!) after my may cruise. I'll write a short review of Powerscourt excursion either.

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Thank you AI54 for your help! I am sure other Princess cruisers in 2018 would want to know this information as well. Looking forward to getting your information and review after your May cruise. My cruise will be June 30.

Thanks a lot! I Will post the shuttle fares (if there are!) after my may cruise. I'll write a short review of Powerscourt excursion either.

 

 

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Thank you AI54 for your help! I am sure other Princess cruisers in 2018 would want to know this information as well. Looking forward to getting your information and review after your May cruise. My cruise will be June 30.

I come back late to this thread and hope you'll be able to read it : unfortunately, a few days before my cruise departure, my 88 years old mother had a very serious health problem and I had to cancel my cruise because she now needs a permanent help and survey : so, I won't be able to send you "first hand" British Isles cruise tips. Hope somebody else will be able to help you : have a safe and nice cruise!

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So sorry to hear about this. Hope all is well. I have booked the Princess excursion to Powerscourt Gardens.

I come back late to this thread and hope you'll be able to read it : unfortunately, a few days before my cruise departure, my 88 years old mother had a very serious health problem and I had to cancel my cruise because she now needs a permanent help and survey : so, I won't be able to send you "first hand" British Isles cruise tips. Hope somebody else will be able to help you : have a safe and nice cruise!

 

 

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Someone on the princess boards was in Dublin this week and said the shuttle was $8 each way or $16 round trip which sounds right. $16 one way is too high even for princess standards.

So sorry to hear about this. Hope all is well. I have booked the Princess excursion to Powerscourt Gardens.

Thank you, she's better now. I hope you'll have a good cruise and tell us on this thread how your Powerscourt excursion was.

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Thank you Anthonyy7 for your up to date info!

Someone on the princess boards was in Dublin this week and said the shuttle was $8 each way or $16 round trip which sounds right. $16 one way is too high even for princess standards.

Glad to hear this AI54. Will be on the cruise this coming week June 30! Will certainly share my Princess excursion to Powerscourt afterwards!

Thank you, she's better now. I hope you'll have a good cruise and tell us on this thread how your Powerscourt excursion was.

 

 

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Hi all, I just came back from my BI cruise and want to share my experience to Powerscourt as promised:

1. Shuttle bus: Princess offered shuttle bus to Dublin city centre for US$8 each way or $16 return. Apparently some earlier cruises before peak season got free shuttle. So this info can vary depends on when you travel. We took this shuttle on Day 1 and the ride was 30 mins due to heavy traffic. In non rush hour, the ride would only be 20 mins.

2. Taxi situation: I saw 5-6 taxis at the pier, and then when they left, maybe a 5 min wait for another to come. The queue for taxi was not long either. In the city, there are also taxis on the streets or at taxi stands. The fare is dependent on the duration of the ride. 12€ for 15-20 mins in non rush hour, and could be 15-20€ in rush hour.

3. Princess Powerscourt excursion: The bus was right outside the pier so it was the easiest way to go there. We are happy to have chosen this option. It was a sunny and hot day to visit the Gardens. We have plenty of time (2.5+ hrs) to walk the massive gardens leisurely. Due to the recent heat wave everywhere, unfortunately they did not have rain for 5 weeks, so much of the grass was brownish and there were not as many colourful flowers as seen in the pictures. Despite of this, there are still many beautiful spots to take photos. In the afternoon, we had a quick drive through the city centre and then was dropped off near Grafton St and Trinity College for free time and shopping (around 2.5 hrs). We were picked up at 4pm to go back to the port.

We had 2 days in Dublin, and we took this tour on Day 2 as a day of leisure. If you only have 1 day, I would suggest you go into the city to tour the main attractions instead. Given the current dry conditions at the Gardens, it might be better to wait till the grass and flowers flourish again to fully enjoy the beauty of it.

Hope this information is useful to your travel planning.

Thank you so much for your report.

Thanks a lot! Sorry for the flowers : five weeks without rain in Ireland?! How unlucky you were![emoji4]

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