Jim_Iain Apex Key West, TansAtlantic and British Isle with a Week in Amsterdam

[terrydtx]

Jim. I love your pictures in Ireland. Our first trip to Europe was with my parents in Ireland for 2 weeks in 2002 and I loved the country and the people. At that time my parents were my age now and you have put a cruise like yours back on our bucket list. Thanks for the fond memories you brought back today.

[Ramsgate23]

58 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Jim. I love your pictures in Ireland. Our first trip to Europe was with my parents in Ireland for 2 weeks in 2002 and I loved the country and the people. At that time my parents were my age now and you have put a cruise like yours back on our bucket list. Thanks for the fond memories you brought back today.

NCL are doing one at the moment covering Waterford, Dublin, Belfast, Killybegs, Galway, Dingle and Cork. All beautiful places and some are not ’regular’ stops on a cruise around Ireland. 

[GREG781]

On 5/15/2023 at 3:27 AM, Jim_Iain said:

 

Thanks for sharing. 

 

Mar looks as beautiful as ever.   We really miss her.     I was going to e-mail her but left her email address at home.

Thanks Jim! She is great. She only has 3 weeks left and then will be on vacation (maybe permeant). If you can get me her email when you have time that would be great. Thanks and we are loving your picture's and travel log as always!

[kwokpot]

5 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

We are off to Spike Island again today.    We are lucky to have another beautiful day to greet us.

 Our July port stop in Cobh is a short 11-5, so all aboard 4:30. Would you recommend we just stay in Cobh and see Spike Island and the town? Or venture into Cork? For reference we do enjoy just walking around City Centers looking and browsing, and normally we'll leave the ship around 10-10:30 and come back around 3:30-4, but our port stop is so short here!

Edited May 18, 2023 by kwokpot

[dani negreanu]

16 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

Or venture into Cork?

 

We took the train which is adjacent to the terminal into Cobn. Walked, as Jim said, about 10 mins to the English Market and enjoyed it very much. We had more time than you in port and after the English Market took the local bus to Kinsale and back.

Took the train back to ship. Had enough time to walk up to the cathedral too.

 

I think that with your time in port, Cork by train is very doable.

[Jim_Iain]

8 hours ago, Ramsgate23 said:

I’ve never actually made it to Spike. But DW and daughters went last summer and said it was brilliant. Enjoy. 

 

We made it for a second time today.   Still enjoyed it a second time and we discovered things we missed the first time.    Evelyn and Alex really loved it and learned a lot about the Irish breaking away from British Rule.    Something they said they were never taught in school.

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

7 hours ago, upwarduk said:

Yorkshire is bigger 5.486 million in 2019( according to Google).

It's funny that when I google I get different answers according to the source and the year of the estimate.

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, TommyD3 said:

How does the machine verify you are over 65 ???

They don't    LOL.    You just select and no one bats an eye.

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Jim. I love your pictures in Ireland. Our first trip to Europe was with my parents in Ireland for 2 weeks in 2002 and I loved the country and the people. At that time my parents were my age now and you have put a cruise like yours back on our bucket list. Thanks for the fond memories you brought back today.

 

Even though we lived in Dublin for 3 years we never made it to Cork.   I've been to Waterford but the rest of our group hasn't.  

 

When we were looking at populations -  I realized Sunnyvale at 152,000 is larger than Cork but definitely as concentrated.

[Jim_Iain]

5 hours ago, Ramsgate23 said:

NCL are doing one at the moment covering Waterford, Dublin, Belfast, Killybegs, Galway, Dingle and Cork. All beautiful places and some are not ’regular’ stops on a cruise around Ireland. 

 

I have to say we are all enjoying this itinerary.    NCL's would really be fun as the Dingle Coast is incredible.

 

Also if you have the time the Ring of Kerry is not to be missed but does take awhile.

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, kwokpot said:

 Our July port stop in Cobh is a short 11-5, so all aboard 4:30. Would you recommend we just stay in Cobh and see Spike Island and the town? Or venture into Cork? For reference we do enjoy just walking around City Centers looking and browsing, and normally we'll leave the ship around 10-10:30 and come back around 3:30-4, but our port stop is so short here!

Defiantly ---   I think our first stop was that short.    Book the 12:00 ferry it would have a return of 3:30 and you would be back in Cobh (about 6 minutes from the ship) in plenty of time.    We had a 11:00 and the return was 2:30

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

 

We took the train which is adjacent to the terminal into Cobn. Walked, as Jim said, about 10 mins to the English Market and enjoyed it very much. We had more time than you in port and after the English Market took the local bus to Kinsale and back.

Took the train back to ship. Had enough time to walk up to the cathedral too.

 

I think that with your time in port, Cork by train is very doable.

 

We could have done Kinsale but all were tired and was nice to get back for a relaxing afternoon.

[Beachlover1989]

6 hours ago, GREG781 said:

Thanks Jim! She is great. She only has 3 weeks left and then will be on vacation (maybe permeant). If you can get me her email when you have time that would be great. Thanks and we are loving your picture's and travel log as always!

We love Mar!  What do you mean by "maybe permanent"?  Will she no longer be working for Celebrity? 😢

[hawkesbaynz]

No in Britain we learnt about the Weimar Republic, King Charles l, and Norman Conquest. My mother taught me about The Irish Rebellion, Potatoe Famine etc. Countries choose the most comfortable and convenient syllabus.

 

Oceania do an excellent Irish cruise too. Picqued my mother’s interest as it calls at Killybeggs where she was born in 1932. 
 

[Jim_Iain]

Here are what they call Sticky Buns on Apex

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

Yesterday we did Spike Island again. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 19, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

They had a second birthday cake for Alex in Luminae

 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

Liverpool.    Another beautiful day about 60f. Early morning marine layer.  Then cleared. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 19, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[JeanieC,Aston]

The best port of call in the world (I am biased),too much to see in one day.

The last photo shows the ‘Three Graces’….The Liver Building with the famous Liver Birds atop,,,,The Cunard Building where passengers checked in for their emigration to the ‘New World’ on White Star or Cunard liners,,,,the third is the Liverpool Port Authority building.

Let’s see you photographed with the Fab Four on the Pier Head.The white building further along is the Museum of Liverpool a real gem.

Further along is the Albert Dock with its many shops and restaurants.

 

Enjoy our great Northern city.

[AF-1]

3 hours ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

The best port of call in the world (I am biased),too much to see in one day.

The last photo shows the ‘Three Graces’….The Liver Building with the famous Liver Birds atop,,,,The Cunard Building where passengers checked in for their emigration to the ‘New World’ on White Star or Cunard liners,,,,the third is the Liverpool Port Authority building.

Let’s see you photographed with the Fab Four on the Pier Head.The white building further along is the Museum of Liverpool a real gem.

Further along is the Albert Dock with its many shops and restaurants.

 

Enjoy our great Northern city.

This is a cool monument.  

[JackE]

On 5/18/2023 at 3:38 AM, Jim_Iain said:

Cork's English Market

 

Cork’s iconic English market has been trading since 1788.  One of the oldest and certainly the best covered market in Europe, it has survived famine, flood, war, fires, and multiple recessions to remain a strong part of Cork’s retail environment. 

 

“…the stomach and soul of Cork city, it provides nourishment for both… It’s great to have a chat and to look into the eyes of the person selling to you.  The market is a true gem…” - Ross Lewis: Chapter One

Significant to the City as a commercial asset, the building is also architecturally significant so is valued as a heritage and tourist attraction.

 

Renowned as a food market, it is an important part of food culture in Cork, with an emphasis on fresh, local produce with traditional Cork foods as well as an array of international delights. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But no Lamb Balls, I see... 🙂

[boxkite]

Thanks Jim for continuing to share your great pictures and comments!

[Jim_Iain]

8 hours ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

The best port of call in the world (I am biased),too much to see in one day.

The last photo shows the ‘Three Graces’….The Liver Building with the famous Liver Birds atop,,,,The Cunard Building where passengers checked in for their emigration to the ‘New World’ on White Star or Cunard liners,,,,the third is the Liverpool Port Authority building.

Let’s see you photographed with the Fab Four on the Pier Head.The white building further along is the Museum of Liverpool a real gem.

Further along is the Albert Dock with its many shops and restaurants.

 

Enjoy our great Northern city.

it was a fun day for sure.   We just took off and explored 

 

It was a much more modern city than expected.   Really hustling and bustling town. 

[Jim_Iain]

 

 

 

 

Edited May 19, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]