British Isles Cruise Photo Heavy Review

[redlady62]

We cruised with Celebrity around the British Isles August 2016 and had a fabulous time, meeting new people /friends. Love following your review as it brings back memories of visiting some of the ports. As well your tips for some accommodations pre and post cruise.

 

 

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[Kevin's girl]

We cruised with Celebrity around the British Isles August 2016 and had a fabulous time, meeting new people /friends. Love following your review as it brings back memories of visiting some of the ports. As well your tips for some accommodations pre and post cruise.

 

 

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So glad to bring back some happy memories. I am really looking forward to our next Celebrity cruise. There are still two more post cruise hotels coming up, one of which has become our favorite of all.

[cricketts]

So glad to bring back some happy memories. I am really looking forward to our next Celebrity cruise. There are still two more post cruise hotels coming up' date=' one of which has become our favorite of all.[/quote']

 

 

 

Anxious to read your final “chapter” and curious your views on Celebrity vs Princess. We did Solstice in Australia and chose Princess for the British Isles, both because of itineraries.

 

 

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[Kevin's girl]

Deedee, we were on the Solstice when she was brand new and are really looking forward to sailing her again in Alaska.Our Celebrity cruises have been so enjoyable. There has been a classy feel with our cruises with them. The food has been good, but we tend to be of the feeling as long as I didn't have to cook it and you are going to clean up afterwards it wasn't that bad. With this cruise, the ship was clean, food eatable and our cabin comfortable. Princess just sort of fell short of our expectations on this cruise. We had a wonderful time, as I'm sure you will too. It's a wonderful itinerary with very friendly people to meet in the port.

[Kevin's girl]

Original floor support tiles

Aqueduct for the hot spring

So much history here.

[Kevin's girl]

There are videos that play at different points throughout the Baths to explain the purpose if that area was and how it was used.

It was on to the Abby when we finished with the Baths. We had stopped by earlier in the day, but there was a service going on and we were asked to come back later. I’m so glad we did.

[Kevin's girl]

I just could not get enough of the ceilings here. Each alcove was just so beautiful.

[Kevin's girl]

I just have to love my husband. He is not a church fan, yet he came in with me as I indulged my church thing in this beautiful Abby.

[Kevin's girl]

The outside of the Abby. Next we were on to our HOHO bus tour.

We were able to grab the very last HOHO bus of the evening and I was so happy that it was the Skyline Tour. This tour gives you the chance to visit parts of Bath that are not in easy walking distance from the city.

One of Jane Austen’s homes, #4 Sydney Place

Ear buds were provided for the prerecorded tour

[Kevin's girl]

Once again, we headed up to the open air top for a better view

This was the view I had wanted to see most of all. Unfortunately, the area was very overgrow with greenery this time of year making the city view hard to see.

Locks on the river Avon

[Kevin's girl]

Our room and inside the hotel:

The room was small but plenty for just an overnight stay. The bed was one of the most comfortable of the whole trip.

[Kevin's girl]

We slept in the next morning and were met by yet another Smith’s driver promptly at 11:00. The trip would be a bit over three hours and cost 135 GBP.

Saying goodbye the The Royal hotel and Bath

[Kevin's girl]

We were both very excited to get to Thornbury. This was our second visit and stay at the castle. We first stayed here following our cruise to Norway in 2015. The village of Thornbury could be a village in an episode Midsomer Murders. Not really a quaint or touristy village, but a friendly normal feeling place to spend a few days.

When I was first planning our post cruise adventures I was looking at renting a car and driving around the Cotswold area and staying in a few different places. Kevin on the other hand just wanted to come back to the castle to rest and relax.

The castle is walking distance from town and is as one of our Smith’s drivers and dear British friend has said “is a proper castle”.

Here is a bit of the castle’s history from Wikipedia:

 

The site was occupied by a manor house in 930; Japser Tudor, Duke of Bedford, died in the Manor House in 1495. Part of the original plans for a very grand residence were "well advanced" before the duke was beheaded, in 1521, on the orders of his distant cousin Henry VIII, for alleged treason. As in the King's palace at Sheen, the main ranges of Thornbury framed courts, of which the symmetrical entrance range, with central gatehouse and octagonal corner towers, still stands, as do two less regular side ranges with many irregular projecting features and towers.

Following the Duke's death Thornbury was confiscated by King Henry VIII of England, who stayed at the castle for ten days in August 1535 with his queen, Anne Boleyn. Following the English Civil War, the castle fell into disrepair, but was renovated in 1824 by the Howard family. It is situated behind St Mary's Church, a church whose founding dates from the Norman period.

Between 1966 and 1986 the castle was operated as one of the UK's top restaurants by Kenneth Bell MBE with staff including food writer Nigel Slater and MasterChef New Zealand judge Simon Gault early in their culinary careers.

The castle is now a 26-room luxury hotel and restaurant, and a venue for weddings.

 

St Mary’s church and the entry to the Castle

 

The gatehouse and entry

 

The vineyard just inside the gate

 

The castle front view

[Kevin's girl]

Reception and courtyard

Through the little dark walkway in the ivy is the spiral staircase that lead to our room on our first visit. This is the Howard room. It’s listed a a Deluxe Bedchamber

[Kevin's girl]

This room faced out to the front of the castle and the small vineyard.

Our Deluxe Bedchamber this visit

[Kevin's girl]

The view out of our window in the bedroom

[Kevin's girl]

Following our check in, we headed into town to get some fish and chips.

[Kevin's girl]

After our lunch in town we headed back to the castle to relax. Here are some of the public rooms inside the castle.

[Kevin's girl]

We had eaten in the restaurant during our last visit here and were looking forward to eating there again. We made reservations for a late dinner. What a treat this was.

[Kevin's girl]

You are lead first to the lounge where you receive hors d’oeuvres and the menu. You place your order for the main course here.

The beautiful dining room

Let the dinner service begin

[Kevin's girl]

Dessert and a very nice dessert wine

[Kevin's girl]

Following dinner it was off to our room to relax and get a good night’s sleep. Next morning we were up and back in the dining room for breakfast and a walk around the gardens.

This is the annex where our room (The Eleanor) is located

[Kevin's girl]

We had planned to see the gardens and make it into the church as there had been a function there last time we visited.

The area outside the lounge, you can order off of the lounge menu here and enjoy bar service. St Mary’s church is in the background behind the castle wall.

And into one of the gardens

The roses are hard to see in this pic, but they were so pretty.

[Cindy]

The castle looks lovely! It reminds me a bit of our hotel in Venice. It was a former palace, and much of the character and history has been preserved. I love places like that!

 

 

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[Kevin's girl]

The castle looks lovely! It reminds me a bit of our hotel in Venice. It was a former palace, and much of the character and history has been preserved. I love places like that!

 

 

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It is actually a place we have found ourselves planning a future trip around. It's kind of funny how a place can become so special.