When to book private tours

[trvlgirlmq]

We have booked a BI cruise on Princess for June 2019. Our previous Mediterranean cruise was DIY for all the ports but it seems that is not as easy for this part of the world. I've been looking at the top-rated companies on TripAdvisor and read several reviews here so basically know what we want. We would book tours for Cobh, Dublin day 1, Greenock, Belfast and Invergordon. We plan to DIY Dublin day 2, Edinburgh and Le Havre.

 

So my questions are:

1. When should we begin booking tours?

2. It looks like prepayment is required for all of the companies. If we have to spread out our bookings/payments which ports should we make a priority?

3. Do tours sell out quickly?

 

Thank you in advance for any help.

[trosebery]

I would book next fall/winter -- after the current cruise season, not only because you'll have had the opportunity to read a few more trip reports but also because tour offerings may change. For example, I note that the Invergordon Tours offerings for this cruise season are different from last season's. (They've trimmed the number of sights they plan to visit with each tour, as last year was too rushed.)

 

Last year I booked our August tours in January and February, and nothing was sold out then (except possibly some private Black Cab tours in Belfast?), although many did sell out later in the spring. If you're going to prioritize, book the smaller group tours first. For example, I believe our small bus (Extra Leg Room) tour with Odyssey in Belfast sold out before the large bus tour with eCoach in Cobh. I wouldn't fret it too much, though. Even if one tour fills up, there may be another very similar tour available. (For example, I believe Paddywagon still had spots in Cobh after the eCoach bus was full.)

 

BTW, I know you are planning a DIY in Le Havre, but I have to say that the Overlord Tour to the D-Day beaches and Bayeux was one of my favourites, and I'm not even a WWII-history lover.

[trvlgirlmq]

Thank you. I will definitely wait until late Autumn to begin making inquiries.

 

We've been on land trips to France many times and have done the D-Day beaches already. What we have never done is visit Giverny and that is the only thing my mom has asked to do on this trip.

[tartanexile81]

It's not easy to DIY to Giverny from Le Havre unless you rent a car or take a taxi. Worth doing though

[trosebery]

It's not easy to DIY to Giverny from Le Havre unless you rent a car or take a taxi. Worth doing though

 

Yes, if you DIY, you'll have to come back and share your experiences. I wanted to go to Giverny (it was my daughter who voted for the D-Day beaches, and I fine with that), but I'm not adventurous enough to venture more than 1.5-hours from the port on my own. (I did see some operators offering excursions to Giverny, but they were pricey.)

[trvlgirlmq]

It's not easy to DIY to Giverny from Le Havre unless you rent a car or take a taxi. Worth doing though

 

We will rent a car probably from the company at the port although we are there on a Saturday and the hours aren't ideal. If I can survive the twisty, narrow roads of the Perigord in a people mover I can get us to the gardens in a compact car!

 

I have nightmares about driving in the UK though hence the cruise.

[trvlgirlmq]

Yes, if you DIY, you'll have to come back and share your experiences. I wanted to go to Giverny (it was my daughter who voted for the D-Day beaches, and I fine with that), but I'm not adventurous enough to venture more than 1.5-hours from the port on my own. (I did see some operators offering excursions to Giverny, but they were pricey.)

 

I am contemplating a trip report as I have never done one. We will be 3 generations with teens. I don't see many reports with information on this itinerary or cruise line when travelling with kids so might be helpful for others.

[trosebery]

I am contemplating a trip report as I have never done one. We will be 3 generations with teens. I don't see many reports with information on this itinerary or cruise line when travelling with kids so might be helpful for others.

 

Yes, I'd like to hear the teens' impressions and opinions. I went with my 20-year-old daughter last summer (and we had a fantastic time together), but I'm considering making a similar trip with my youngest two (now 9 and 12) in a year or two.

 

FYI, before the cruise, since we flew in a day early, instead of visiting London (which we'd done very recently), we visited the Harry Potter WB Studio Tour, which was a huge hit with my HP-loving daughter.