British Isles Trip Review w/Pics: A Thesis :)

[mrspaper]

We are taking this itinerary this Aug. on the Ruby. I have been trying to figure out if it is worth getting the sanctuary since we will be in port on most days. I would like to reserve it for the whole cruise so it will be there when we would like to use it. Can you tell me the hours its open. Thanks

You can purchase the sanctuary on a daily basis. Since it's not the Caribbean, I don't think it will be a sell out. Many days probably won't be worth it, due to chilly weather. (just my opinion). When you get on the ship, you can make a decision to purchase it for the entire cruise.

 

They charge $20 pp for a full day and $10 pp for half day.

 

Even in the Caribbean, I find the sanctuary doesn't sell out

 

Linda

[loma linda ca a & j]

although we were thrilled with the itinerary & all the fabulous places

& people but we were so exhausted that many nights we were in bed

by 830 or 9 - only 2 sea days so those would be when you might want

to purchase the day pass for the sanctuary -

whatever you do you will love this british isles cruise !!:)

Edited February 7, 2014 by loma linda ca a & j

[DeloreanGirl]

I agree with the above posts. The weather might be a bit chilly and/or rainy and the ports are so amazing that you may come back a bit exhausted. However, if you're up for it, trying it for one day might be worth it if you know the forecast ahead of time. Perhaps a sunny at-sea day if you're lucky? :)

Edited February 7, 2014 by DeloreanGirl

[phabric]

We were on the August 16,2013 British Isles cruise. With only 2 days at sea, we were off the ship from early morning to close to embankment time on port days. there was plenty of loungers on sea days. We wore sweat tops/sweaters on sea days to watch Muts. You never know what the weather is going to be.

 

Check out our Roll Call -August 16, 2013 on the Caribben Princess for our list of private tour companies.

[Lobez]

Thanks for the great info. Going this summer and will use much of your advice.

[DeloreanGirl]

Thanks for the great info. Going this summer and will use much of your advice.

 

Thanks! I keep in touch with some of the British Isles CC members on Facebook. Amazing how time flies.

Edited March 14, 2014 by DeloreanGirl

[SusanL10]

Emily! I think I've found a soul sister! My husband's family had a good laugh at my travel binder during our Alaska cruise last summer.

 

We are most likely doing the British Isles itinerary aboard the Royal Princess in June 2015. I usually would spend all my time leading up to the trip reading every post on CC and pouring over travel books to plan every moment of our trip.

 

I just got done reading (and copying/pasting!) your thesis/review. No wonder this thread is still so popular 2 years after your trip! What am I going to do for the next 16 months?? My planning is done... I've never put together a travel binder so quickly, LOL

 

Thanks so much for all the great information and tips.

 

Best wishes to you - Susan

[DeloreanGirl]

Hi Susan!

 

Hurray, another obsessive planning sister!! The work is always worth it when you get there and have a layout of the amazing options in front of you every day. But also, the things you don't expect (gee, getting lost in Dublin?) are also just as exciting. Sixteen months probably feels like forever but will be here in a flash. Planning is always half the fun and the messageboards on here are so very, very helpful. I hope you've found the "British Isles & Western Europe" board. Lots of nice folks there.

 

I see you're from Illinois. My husband is from Springfield and I'm sending him out there next month to visit his parents who are moving to Monticello.

 

Best wishes!

 

Emily! I think I've found a soul sister! My husband's family had a good laugh at my travel binder during our Alaska cruise last summer.

 

We are most likely doing the British Isles itinerary aboard the Royal Princess in June 2015. I usually would spend all my time leading up to the trip reading every post on CC and pouring over travel books to plan every moment of our trip.

 

I just got done reading (and copying/pasting!) your thesis/review. No wonder this thread is still so popular 2 years after your trip! What am I going to do for the next 16 months?? My planning is done... I've never put together a travel binder so quickly, LOL

 

Thanks so much for all the great information and tips.

 

Best wishes to you - Susan

[2disneydads]

Hi Susan!

 

Hurray, another obsessive planning sister!! The work is always worth it when you get there and have a layout of the amazing options in front of you every day. But also, the things you don't expect (gee, getting lost in Dublin?) are also just as exciting. Sixteen months probably feels like forever but will be here in a flash. Planning is always half the fun and the messageboards on here are so very, very helpful. I hope you've found the "British Isles & Western Europe" board. Lots of nice folks there.

 

I see you're from Illinois. My husband is from Springfield and I'm sending him out there next month to visit his parents who are moving to Monticello.

 

Best wishes!

 

Can I be an obsessive planning brother? We just booked the August 25, 2015 British Isles cruise on the Royal Princess. I've already been planning it for months, and now at least we have actual reservations. We're a family of four - 2 dads and 2 daughters, who will be 12 and 10. This is our "Brave" tour - we're going to see some of the places that inspired the animators of the Disney/Pixar movie "Brave." My elder daughter is a bit of a tomboy, and Merida is one of the few Disney princesses that she can tolerate! We have booked M203 and M209 - adjacent inside cabins on Marina deck. These are some of the very few category IF cabins that have a horizontal orientation rather than a vertical orientation. We also want to see Inveraray Castle when we dock in Greenock, having fallen in love with what we saw in "Downton Abbey." I've read this amazing thread and the one by Ohbother (I might have that misspelled.) What great helps they are in our planning. We're trying so hard to get in a little bit of everything. Those Princess shore excursions are really expensive - we'll be looking to try to do more on our own. Thank you for all of the help - it is making the planning even more exciting!

[phabric]

Can I be an obsessive planning brother? We just booked the August 25, 2015 British Isles cruise on the Royal Princess. I've already been planning it for months, and now at least we have actual reservations. We're a family of four - 2 dads and 2 daughters, who will be 12 and 10. This is our "Brave" tour - we're going to see some of the places that inspired the animators of the Disney/Pixar movie "Brave." My elder daughter is a bit of a tomboy, and Merida is one of the few Disney princesses that she can tolerate! We have booked M203 and M209 - adjacent inside cabins on Marina deck. These are some of the very few category IF cabins that have a horizontal orientation rather than a vertical orientation. We also want to see Inveraray Castle when we dock in Greenock, having fallen in love with what we saw in "Downton Abbey." I've read this amazing thread and the one by Ohbother (I might have that misspelled.) What great helps they are in our planning. We're trying so hard to get in a little bit of everything. Those Princess shore excursions are really expensive - we'll be looking to try to do more on our own. Thank you for all of the help - it is making the planning even more exciting!

 

We did the Princess British Isles cruise August 16, 2013. GREAT cruise.

 

Be on deck as you sail away from Cobh, as they had a band and the Titanic ladies (dressed in costumes) dockside as we left. We used http://www.ecoach.ie for an all day tour.

 

Princess had dancers onboard just before sail away in the theatre for Dublin and Glasgow, if you miss the live performance they repeat many times on the tv.

 

Check out our Roll Call on the Caribbean Princess August 16, 2013, post #2965 shows all the different private tours our Roll Call group did. We saved a lot doing private tours with others on our Roll Call. Check out your Roll Call to see if others have planned any private tours.

 

If you are spending any time in London, your daughters might like to see the royal staterooms in Buckingham Palace, if they are open. http://www.royalcollection.org.uk.

 

If they are into Harry Potter, Warner Bros Studio has tours, http://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk, a few tour companies http://www.goldentours.com, http://www.premiumtours.co.uk have tours that go there.

 

http://www.theoriginaltour.com

http://www.bigtours.com

http://www.visitlondon.com

http://www.visitbritainshop.com

http://www.londonpass.com

http://www.discount-londontours.com

http://www.londoneye.com

http://www.historic-scotland-gov.uk (we used this for Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle).

Edited March 16, 2014 by phabric

[Uniall]

Kick Start For St. Paddy's Day

 

Musical introduction to Cobh (Port of Cork)

 

Know as "The Holy Ground" as the port of embarkation

by Irish Sailors, and hundreds of thousands Irish Immigrants escaping slavery and starvation in the 19th century.

 

 

 

 

 

For A History of The Holy Ground (Cobh)

http://www.irishmusicdaily.com/the-holy-ground

[Uniall]

St Paddy's Day Weekend Part 2

 

Musical introduction to Irish Freedom

 

"James Connolly, The Irish Rebel" by the Wolfe Tones

 

The brutality used by the British to crush the Irish rebellion in Dublin on Easter Sunday 1916,

created a firestorm of cries for freedom throughout Ireland.

The public reaction led to the creation of the Irish Free State within 6 years.

 

The rebellion was led by James Connolly who commandeered Dublin's General Post Office.

He was subsequently put before a firing squad in Kilmainham Jail.

The Post Office is near the beginning of Dublin's HOHO bus tours and the Jail is the route's furthest western stop.

 

 

Great Video by Dick Morris on how the Easter Rising led to a national call for freedom

www.dickmorris.com/the-easter...aign=dmreports

Edited March 16, 2014 by Uniall

[DeloreanGirl]

Can I be an obsessive planning brother? We just booked the August 25, 2015 British Isles cruise on the Royal Princess. I've already been planning it for months, and now at least we have actual reservations. We're a family of four - 2 dads and 2 daughters, who will be 12 and 10. This is our "Brave" tour - we're going to see some of the places that inspired the animators of the Disney/Pixar movie "Brave." My elder daughter is a bit of a tomboy, and Merida is one of the few Disney princesses that she can tolerate! We have booked M203 and M209 - adjacent inside cabins on Marina deck. These are some of the very few category IF cabins that have a horizontal orientation rather than a vertical orientation. We also want to see Inveraray Castle when we dock in Greenock, having fallen in love with what we saw in "Downton Abbey." I've read this amazing thread and the one by Ohbother (I might have that misspelled.) What great helps they are in our planning. We're trying so hard to get in a little bit of everything. Those Princess shore excursions are really expensive - we'll be looking to try to do more on our own. Thank you for all of the help - it is making the planning even more exciting!

 

Yes, please join our club! :D ;) I think it's great that you're taking your daughters to such wonderful countries! Brave came out the month we got back from our British Isles cruise and boy did they get the look of Scotland right. I swore I even saw knockoffs of Urquart Castle in there. I am a HUUUUUUGE Downton Abbey fan and Inverary looks amazing!

 

If you poke around on TripAdvisor.com or simply Google what types of trips you're looking for, you may be able to find private day trips that are the same if not a pinch cheaper than Princess.

 

Good luck and happy planning!

[METMAN]

We are planning the British Isles cruise in 2015. Did you have all good experiences with your tours. Any problems with tour operators meeting groups or not following tour descriptions. Thank you

[METMAN]

We did the Princess British Isles cruise August 16, 2013. GREAT cruise.

 

Be on deck as you sail away from Cobh, as they had a band and the Titanic ladies (dressed in costumes) dockside as we left. We used http://www.ecoach.ie for an all day tour.

 

Princess had dancers onboard just before sail away in the theatre for Dublin and Glasgow, if you miss the live performance they repeat many times on the tv.

 

Check out our Roll Call on the Caribbean Princess August 16, 2013, post #2965 shows all the different private tours our Roll Call group did. We saved a lot doing private tours with others on our Roll Call. Check out your Roll Call to see if others have planned any private tours.

 

If you are spending any time in London, your daughters might like to see the royal staterooms in Buckingham Palace, if they are open. http://www.royalcollection.org.uk.

 

If they are into Harry Potter, Warner Bros Studio has tours, http://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk, a few tour companies http://www.goldentours.com, http://www.premiumtours.co.uk have tours that go there.

 

http://www.theoriginaltour.com

http://www.bigtours.com

http://www.visitlondon.com

http://www.visitbritainshop.com

http://www.londonpass.com

http://www.discount-londontours.com

http://www.londoneye.com

http://www.historic-scotland-gov.uk (we used this for Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle).

 

We are planning the British Isles cruise in 2015. Did you have all good experiences with your tours. Any problems with tour operators meeting groups or not following tour descriptions. Thank you

[azrose]

This will certainly be my guide when planning for our Aug 1, 2015 British Isles cruise!! Soooooo....now I need to start my notebook! :D:D

[phabric]

We are planning the British Isles cruise in 2015. Did you have all good experiences with your tours. Any problems with tour operators meeting groups or not following tour descriptions. Thank you

 

If you have private tours with other passengers from your Roll Call, make sure the leader of the tour has the cabin number with first and last name for each person on the tour encase you have to contact them while on board. Set up a meeting place and time, I had my groups met a hour before our tour so we could all exit the ship together. We used the area around the International Cafe to meet and collect the tour money.

 

For all tours, make sure you carry off the ship, the tour's full contact information including phone numbers and names & cabin number of the others in your group.

 

When emailing tour companies, make sure to ask where the pick up and drop off is, tour departure time, cost, how to pay and mention the ship's departure time and their cancellation policy. For all our tours it was cash on the day, one tour asked for a credit card to hold the tour only with cash on the day, one wanted a small deposit, we had a coach company to take us to Edinburgh for the Tattoo and we had to pay the full amount in advance.

 

We only had one problem in Glasgow when only one of the two vans was in the parking lot. We were able to contact the tour company, to find out there had been a traffic accident on the motorway and they finally showed up(that is why to have the phone numbers).

 

Some tour companies would already have a set tour or some on the tour day would ask if there was any other places we wanted to see. A couple of tours we changed or added to the tours as we went.

 

Make sure the tour guide/driver knows your all aboard time. Our Belfast driver wanted to keep showing us more of Belfast and we had to remind him of our embankment time.

 

We usually had a couple of tours from the same tour company for each port with our Roll Call. We found that all the tour guide/drivers had a different way of doing the tours, some were better than others.

Edited March 18, 2014 by phabric

[Anniesails]

I must say it is truly a testament to your writing skills that this thread has lasted several Years, rarely happens. I just read your report today and enjoyed every word. I saw England and Scotland over 2 trips both of which were driving trips my partner and I did on our own. Loved them. We also did 2 weeks driving around Ireland which we loved and could probably go back ina minute. But, I must say the cruise sounds interesting and different from what it was like doing a land trip. We have the Mediterranean booked for next year but will definately look at this in the near future. Plan on printing out your report for future reference. thank you so much for sharing and for taking your time doing it. :)

[DeloreanGirl]

I must say it is truly a testament to your writing skills that this thread has lasted several Years, rarely happens. I just read your report today and enjoyed every word. I saw England and Scotland over 2 trips both of which were driving trips my partner and I did on our own. Loved them. We also did 2 weeks driving around Ireland which we loved and could probably go back ina minute. But, I must say the cruise sounds interesting and different from what it was like doing a land trip. We have the Mediterranean booked for next year but will definately look at this in the near future. Plan on printing out your report for future reference. thank you so much for sharing and for taking your time doing it. :)

 

Wow thank you! That made my day! If we had a bit more time (and bravery), I'd love to tackle the road trip version of the UK. Enjoy the Med! That one is on my bucket list as well. :)

[jrose41]

I recently found this post and love it! We leave in May for the British Isles cruise. We have a almost 4-year-old and 10-month-old coming with us along with my parents and my brother and his girlfriend. Me and hubby splurged for the family suite since it gave us a separate room for the girls naps and I do love the suite benefits! Priority boarding and embarkation which I believe includes the tenders is really nice when you have a rambunctious 4-year-old who does not do well waiting in lines. We both have family roots in all the countries we will be visiting so this is a really exciting trip for us.

 

We took our then only child who was two years old at the time on the Norwegian Alaskan cruise and that was fun. This will be the first time taking two kids at once but at least we have plenty of family help and they all want to babysit the girls so me and hubby will have a few date nights. Date nights are something we treasure we don't get very many of them with two young kids. Thanks for the great travelogue and love the Liverpool part. I told my hubby about it and he is now looking forward to visiting Liverpool. Any easily walkable cities are always a plus with young kids. I recently found out my great-great-great grandfather was born in Liverpool so I am really excited to see this city where my family came from. We already planned a Scandinavian cruise for next year.

 

Thanks for sharing your wonderful trip with you and congrats on your new addition to your family! It is fun taking your kids on cruises we love the fun kids clubs and giving our daughters new experiences is always such a blessing for us! We are blessed to able to travel and show them new worlds and cultures.

[DeloreanGirl]

I recently found this post and love it! We leave in May for the British Isles cruise. We have a almost 4-year-old and 10-month-old coming with us along with my parents and my brother and his girlfriend. Me and hubby splurged for the family suite since it gave us a separate room for the girls naps and I do love the suite benefits! Priority boarding and embarkation which I believe includes the tenders is really nice when you have a rambunctious 4-year-old who does not do well waiting in lines. We both have family roots in all the countries we will be visiting so this is a really exciting trip for us.

 

We took our then only child who was two years old at the time on the Norwegian Alaskan cruise and that was fun. This will be the first time taking two kids at once but at least we have plenty of family help and they all want to babysit the girls so me and hubby will have a few date nights. Date nights are something we treasure we don't get very many of them with two young kids. Thanks for the great travelogue and love the Liverpool part. I told my hubby about it and he is now looking forward to visiting Liverpool. Any easily walkable cities are always a plus with young kids. I recently found out my great-great-great grandfather was born in Liverpool so I am really excited to see this city where my family came from. We already planned a Scandinavian cruise for next year.

 

Thanks for sharing your wonderful trip with you and congrats on your new addition to your family! It is fun taking your kids on cruises we love the fun kids clubs and giving our daughters new experiences is always such a blessing for us! We are blessed to able to travel and show them new worlds and cultures.

 

Hi jrose!

 

You are my inspiration! I can't wait until we can take our son on a cruise! It seems like a great way to be in a safe environment with babysitting services while still being able to escape for a nice dinner and show! The British Isles will be an amazing opportunity for your kids. Your daughter is probably too young but has she seen "Brave"? That may help. And the Beatles museum in Liverpool is a bit kid friendly -- it's very colorful. All the castles they will see will be real and enchanting! The ladies dress up in old timey costumes in Cobh near the ship as well. I'm so excited for you!!

[jrose41]

Hi Emily! Thanks for the suggestion of Brave I will have to get that one for her and have her watch it. She is all about Frozen these days but I think Brave would be great for her to watch. My almost 4-year-old Kathleen is looking forward to the castles she was excited to hear that real princesses visited the castles and I like that I can let her run around the castle grounds. She is big Disney Princess fan. We chose excursions that only lasted about 4 hours since her limit is not for long excursions. The only long excursion is the 8-hour Normandy visit but my whole family is going on that one so we will have plenty of help. Anytime we don't have an excursion planned we plan to just walk around the local village and get her back in time for her naps. My 8-month old who will be 10 months old in May Madeleine is easier to manage we are bringing our Ergo carrier and our smaller Chicco stroller that is easy to fold up. You can tell why we got the Family Suite we have so much gear for the kids. I also have to bring formula for Madeleine and all her diapers and have to figure out how much liquid formula to bring on our 10-hour plane trip. Also we are bringing our iPad for my oldest daughter it was a lifesaver on our Alaskan trip. I plan to download all her favorite movies including Frozen (the digital version came with the DVD) and her favorite Scooby-Doo episodes.

 

I plan to start packing in early-May since I am the kind of packer that packs several times before going on long trips and every time I re-pack I always make my luggage lighter. I am the main person who packs the luggage for our trip my hubby does his at the last minute. Your packing list is amazing I plan to print it out. I am also bringing an outlet strip for me and hubby's many electrical gadgets. When we had our daughter Madeleine during the hospital stay I brought a six-outlet strip and it worked out well for us for charging all our stuff. I also found where to order the wifi packages me and hubby plan to review which one we want. The babysitting services are great on the ship and I really like their kids clubs. I plan to sign Kathleen up for one of the Princess kid clubs she really liked the one on Norwegian Cruise Line. They do fun crafts with kids and it is always in theme with the port you are at. They also give you a phone so they can call you immediately when she is ready to leave. It worked out well and she made new friends.

 

Jennifer

 

P.S. My hubby comes from Santa Clarita the area is beautiful!!

[DeloreanGirl]

Brave and How To Train Your Dragon both took place in Scotland at least. :) Speaking of which, you are so brave (and awesome) for bringing a 10 month old with you! I have an Ergo too and I think you'll get quite the mileage from it. I also hope that baby formula is allowed in larger quantities on an airplane. Does she drink the powdered that you could bring to mix with water onboard? Tommee Tippee makes little cups that screw into the lids of their bottles to hold scoops of powder to be mixed later with water. Also, smart thinking on the packing and re-packing. I can't believe I underpacked!

 

Norwegian Pearl was the ship I was on last May with my mom for Pacific Coastal before it began it's Alaska run.

 

Also, I see you're from Brea. I grew up in Walnut! :)

 

Hi Emily! Thanks for the suggestion of Brave I will have to get that one for her and have her watch it. She is all about Frozen these days but I think Brave would be great for her to watch. My almost 4-year-old Kathleen is looking forward to the castles she was excited to hear that real princesses visited the castles and I like that I can let her run around the castle grounds. She is big Disney Princess fan. We chose excursions that only lasted about 4 hours since her limit is not for long excursions. The only long excursion is the 8-hour Normandy visit but my whole family is going on that one so we will have plenty of help. Anytime we don't have an excursion planned we plan to just walk around the local village and get her back in time for her naps. My 8-month old who will be 10 months old in May Madeleine is easier to manage we are bringing our Ergo carrier and our smaller Chicco stroller that is easy to fold up. You can tell why we got the Family Suite we have so much gear for the kids. I also have to bring formula for Madeleine and all her diapers and have to figure out how much liquid formula to bring on our 10-hour plane trip. Also we are bringing our iPad for my oldest daughter it was a lifesaver on our Alaskan trip. I plan to download all her favorite movies including Frozen (the digital version came with the DVD) and her favorite Scooby-Doo episodes.

 

I plan to start packing in early-May since I am the kind of packer that packs several times before going on long trips and every time I re-pack I always make my luggage lighter. I am the main person who packs the luggage for our trip my hubby does his at the last minute. Your packing list is amazing I plan to print it out. I am also bringing an outlet strip for me and hubby's many electrical gadgets. When we had our daughter Madeleine during the hospital stay I brought a six-outlet strip and it worked out well for us for charging all our stuff. I also found where to order the wifi packages me and hubby plan to review which one we want. The babysitting services are great on the ship and I really like their kids clubs. I plan to sign Kathleen up for one of the Princess kid clubs she really liked the one on Norwegian Cruise Line. They do fun crafts with kids and it is always in theme with the port you are at. They also give you a phone so they can call you immediately when she is ready to leave. It worked out well and she made new friends.

 

Jennifer

 

P.S. My hubby comes from Santa Clarita the area is beautiful!!

Edited March 25, 2014 by DeloreanGirl

[cm3246]

Thank you DeloreanGirl for all the great advice and tips you have provided. I started reading today and will put what you have reported to good use next month when we sail on the Ruby Princess. I do have one question for you regarding currency and forgive me if you have already answered this question. We are planning to bring both Euros and Pounds with us but we are now wondering if we will only need Pounds. We already have the Capital One card but wanted cash for the places we couldn't or wouldn't want to use the credit card.

 

Thank you in advance for your help,

Cindy :)

[newport dave]

You'll need Euros for Republic of Ireland and France. Pounds for everywhere else.