Belfast - Titanic Museum and Discovery Tour Options

[Nashna]

We will be on Azamara's Onward's 12-Day Intensive Ireland cruise in July.  While in Belfast, we intend to take the Black Taxi Troubles Tour and will reserve the Titanic Museum with the Discovery option.  The museum has timed entries.  Does anyone know how long we should allow for the museum?  Can we wait until closer to the sailing to make these reservations?  

[Joanne G.]

I spent about 3 hours at Titanic Belfast, counting time on the nearby SS Nomadic, one of Titanic’s tenders.  You can board Nomadic and explore its several decks.  It’s much bigger than what we modern cruisers think of as a tender, and I found it fascinating to walk in the footsteps of those passengers who were onboard from Cherbourg out to the ship.

 

You move through the museum at your own pace.  I read everything and took my time, as I found the exhibits interesting and very well done.  It can be seen in less time if you move a little faster than I did.

 

If you are sure you want to go, I would book any time now for a July visit.  I’d consider July to be peak tourist season, and with your other activity for the day, you would want a specific time.  I will add that I arrived about 30 minutes before my entry time, and I was welcomed in immediately.  
 

By the way, I had a very nice lunch at their cafe, so keep that in mind if it suits your plans.  

[CCJack]

2 hours ago, Joanne G. said:

I spent about 3 hours at Titanic Belfast

 

 I read everything and took my time, as I found the exhibits interesting and very well done.  It can be seen in less time if you move a little faster than I did.

 

 

I agree... I think we spent 2 1/2 hours there.   I am sometimes skeptical of Titanic venues as they seem to be everywhere, however, this is a really nice museum.  Gives you a good idea of what life was like in Belfast in the early 1900s - I almost think this is more of a Belfast museum than Titanic museum.

 

We took taxi from ship to museum, then after the museum we walked downtown which was a pleasant walk.

 

[tomcherv]

2 1/2 to 3 hours is about what we spent as well a couple years ago.  The museum is very well designed and has a lot to offer - we also spent time reading everything.  

 

The museum is well worth the visit.

[onyx007]

The Black Taxi Tour is great and they will pick you up (if requested) at the pier and my guide/driver even dropped me of at the Titanic Museum.

 

Don't know about the timeslots as I bought my ticket right there at the museum without a problem. And yes I probably also spent 2-3 hours there, boarding the amazing SS Nomadic as well and walking on the place the big ship was built. There's also a Memorial with all the names of the souls who were lost at sea in that faithfull night in 1912...

 

If you're fan of Game of Thrones; there are some stained-Glas-Windows around commemorating the series.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Has anyone added the Discovery Tour to a visit to the museum? My ship (Cunard) offers a tour called the Titanic Trail, which is 3 hours, as opposed to the 1-hour museum tour. Has anyone done a ship's tour like that? 

 

And how much can I wander around on my own in that area?