British Isles Itineraries, anyone know if/when NCL will schedule for 2021 and beyond?

[tbae]

Looking at booking British Isles in 2021; currently NCL has the Star doing 2 itineraries in May 2020, but it is too soon for us - we are doing a 12 Day Mediterranean in Nov. 2019 and need more time to save up. Does anyone know if NCL plans to keep offering some British Isles itineraries--and if so when they might usually release? 

[dexddd]

10 hours ago, tbae said:

Looking at booking British Isles in 2021; currently NCL has the Star doing 2 itineraries in May 2020, but it is too soon for us - we are doing a 12 Day Mediterranean in Nov. 2019 and need more time to save up. Does anyone know if NCL plans to keep offering some British Isles itineraries--and if so when they might usually release? 

Those sailings seem to sell well so probably yes.  They've mixed things up a bit for release dates but my guess would be mid-December.

[KeithJenner]

Historically, Northern Europe cruises, outside of the standard Baltics ones, are have been released very late.

 

For 2019, itineraries from Southampton were released in early May 2018. We are still waiting for the full 2020 season to be confirmed.

 

For 2021 (and I see no reason why they won't be offered) my guess is that they will be released sometime next Spring, although you never know.

[millie8]

I have no idea when/if NCL will offer a British Isles itinerary but I will say that our cruise in 2015 was superb. Great way to see those ports and a lovely cruise. NCL should offer it more often.

[tbae]

Thanks for the responses so far--I am encouraged that they will likely continue to offer the itineraries --and will be patient. :-) 

[lvcrzn]

So glad that this was posted. This is exactly the information that I’ve been searching for on the boards. Thank you.

[lamb616]

Any update, or does anyone have any inside info on this?  I'm hoping we really don't have to wait until Spring!

[MotownVoice]

No additional info as to when latest dates will be released.

But I can give you two tips if you like, if NCL's excursions are anything like the Princess stops we took:

1)  You'll be tempted to skip the Beatles Experience in Liverpool because it will be the most expensive excursion on the cruise.

    DON'T.

   This was one of the highlights of our trip.  Take this excursion!  Unless you're a millennial who doesn't care much about the Beatles you can't help but feel like you're going back to your childhood when you stand in Paul McCartney's bedroom where he wrote most their early music, and relax in the parlor where Aunt Mimi raised John from a young lad. 

 

2)   Also, when we stopped to see the gate at Strawberry Field, it was as far as we got.  There was nothing beyond the gate but a grassy field where a famous city park once was.  But in the past month, they've re-opened Strawberry Field complete with gardens and a museum, which will almost certainly be a part of the next itineraries on this cruise.

[bambilin]

Really want to do a British Isles cruise with my group in 2022 but we are limited to sailing when the kids are off from school.  Fingers crossed!

[Jerseygich]

We were looking at British Isle cruise for June 2020 and was advised that this cruise and most Northern Europe aren’t scheduled until spring of prior year

[lamb616]

5 hours ago, MotownVoice said:

1)  You'll be tempted to skip the Beatles Experience in Liverpool because it will be the most expensive excursion on the cruise.

    DON'T.

   This was one of the highlights of our trip.  Take this excursion!  Unless you're a millennial who doesn't care much about the Beatles you can't help but feel like you're going back to your childhood when you stand in Paul McCartney's bedroom where he wrote most their early music, and relax in the parlor where Aunt Mimi raised John from a young lad. 

 

 

Aww, I'm sure it is an excellent tour.  The Beatles were a little before my time though, and I've never much cared for their music.

I'll leave it as an option for my son though; he's not a Beatles fan either, but he is in a rock band so he may appreciate it anyways (he'll be 18 at the time).

[lamb616]

37 minutes ago, Jerseygich said:

We were looking at British Isle cruise for June 2020 and was advised that this cruise and most Northern Europe aren’t scheduled until spring of prior year

 

I know..... I just keep hoping something changes.    So impatient!😫

And there are already scandinavian itineraries released so....it seems only BI that isn't

 

 

[MotownVoice]

On 11/18/2019 at 2:48 PM, lamb616 said:

 

Aww, I'm sure it is an excellent tour.  The Beatles were a little before my time though, and I've never much cared for their music.

I'll leave it as an option for my son though; he's not a Beatles fan either, but he is in a rock band so he may appreciate it anyways (he'll be 18 at the time).

In that case it won't mean a thing to you!  lol  And I wouldn't torture your son with it either. 

[Joanne G.]

On 11/18/2019 at 8:05 AM, MotownVoice said:

No additional info as to when latest dates will be released.

But I can give you two tips if you like, if NCL's excursions are anything like the Princess stops we took:

1)  You'll be tempted to skip the Beatles Experience in Liverpool because it will be the most expensive excursion on the cruise.

    DON'T.

   This was one of the highlights of our trip.  Take this excursion!  Unless you're a millennial who doesn't care much about the Beatles you can't help but feel like you're going back to your childhood when you stand in Paul McCartney's bedroom where he wrote most their early music, and relax in the parlor where Aunt Mimi raised John from a young lad. 

 

2)   Also, when we stopped to see the gate at Strawberry Field, it was as far as we got.  There was nothing beyond the gate but a grassy field where a famous city park once was.  But in the past month, they've re-opened Strawberry Field complete with gardens and a museum, which will almost certainly be a part of the next itineraries on this cruise.

 

I am on one of NCL's May 2020 British Isles cruise, and the Beatles-themed excursion in Liverpool doesn't sound much like what you had on Princess.   It's described as visiting an exhibit of some kind and then seeing Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, and the Cavern Club (which is not the original, I believe).  Plus a shopping stop.  That's all moderately interesting to me, but not really compelling.   No mention of Paul's bedroom or Aunt Mimi's parlor - I would do that for sure!   I love the Beatles, but given what NCL seems to offer,  I have decided on a visit to a castle and the Welsh countryside out of Liverpool.   

[MotownVoice]

18 hours ago, Joanne G. said:

 

I am on one of NCL's May 2020 British Isles cruise, and the Beatles-themed excursion in Liverpool doesn't sound much like what you had on Princess.   It's described as visiting an exhibit of some kind and then seeing Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, and the Cavern Club (which is not the original, I believe).  Plus a shopping stop.  That's all moderately interesting to me, but not really compelling.   No mention of Paul's bedroom or Aunt Mimi's parlor - I would do that for sure!   I love the Beatles, but given what NCL seems to offer,  I have decided on a visit to a castle and the Welsh countryside out of Liverpool.   

Good call.   If that wasn't a part of it, I wouldn't be as attracted to it as I was either.

True, it's not the original Cavern Club.  What they did was collect the bricks from the original building after it was razed and rebuild the club in the basement of a store front a few doors down.  If you compare the photos of kids lined up to see the bands in the 50s, and photos of people going in to the current Cavern Club you can see they are steps apart.  And I can say that they've re-created the room perfectly.  So much so that there are probably more Liverpoolians going in to that club to hang out, listen to the live music and enjoy a few cocktails than there are tourists.  So still a great place to see. 

[lamb616]

I havent been able to keep up with the NCL releases, but I heard they released some BI for 2021 and I see some on the Jade up until May.  And then nothing on the Jade after that? So, can we assume Jade will also be doing some BI sailings in June-July-August?   I know nothing is definite, but maybe some of you who keep up with this sort of stuff, have some thoughts??

[KeithJenner]

6 minutes ago, lamb616 said:

I havent been able to keep up with the NCL releases, but I heard they released some BI for 2021 and I see some on the Jade up until May.  And then nothing on the Jade after that? So, can we assume Jade will also be doing some BI sailings in June-July-August?   I know nothing is definite, but maybe some of you who keep up with this sort of stuff, have some thoughts??

We don’t know, but in the past they have listed part of the season and then added more later, so it is very possible that there will be more British Isles itineraries listed,

[rocklinmom]

Hoping to see their Norway/Iceland itineraries for summer 2021 soon (hopefully before spring!). Why do they make us wait so much longer than the other cruise lines? 

[Trimone]

The Beatles museum is on Albert Docks, it is free, you don’t need to do any NCL tours in Liverpool, the town centre is full of Beatles and football (soccer) history.

The best way to see the whole city is by Yellow Bus, this has a live commentary with a scouser, full of wife’s tails and better jokes than any comedy club NCL has to offer.

They start at Albert Docks near Revolution, left hand gate.. 

[lamb616]

Ok, it's been almost a year since this was first posted.  WHY is it taking them so long to release?? I've been ready to book for a year now.  Ugh, I should have just gone ahead and booked one of the other cruise lines, but I was curious what NCL would have for itineraries.  😒   I would think NCL must lose customers by being the last one to release their sailings.

[RosieRoo]

1 hour ago, lamb616 said:

Ok, it's been almost a year since this was first posted.  WHY is it taking them so long to release?? I've been ready to book for a year now.  Ugh, I should have just gone ahead and booked one of the other cruise lines, but I was curious what NCL would have for itineraries.  😒   I would think NCL must lose customers by being the last one to release their sailings.

I ended up booking on Celebrity for 2021. 

[ciscodog]

I booked 12 day British Isles cruise for May 16 thru May 28,2021 on Dec 26, 2019 This is on NCL Jade.

 

[KeithJenner]

On 2/11/2020 at 6:32 PM, lamb616 said:

Ok, it's been almost a year since this was first posted.  WHY is it taking them so long to release?? I've been ready to book for a year now.  Ugh, I should have just gone ahead and booked one of the other cruise lines, but I was curious what NCL would have for itineraries.  😒   I would think NCL must lose customers by being the last one to release their sailings.

We don’t know why they take so long, but they consistently do. My advice to anyone who wants to book these itineraries 12 months or more in advance is would be not to use NCL.

[lamb616]

36 minutes ago, ciscodog said:

I booked 12 day British Isles cruise for May 16 thru May 28,2021 on Dec 26, 2019 This is on NCL Jade.

 

Im looking for july

[lamb616]

33 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

We don’t know why they take so long, but they consistently do. My advice to anyone who wants to book these itineraries 12 months or more in advance is would be not to use NCL

 

I know, that's what I've done so far. I really would like to try NCL, but I really just cant book that late.