Took this cruise last Summer. So much fun. Great itinerary to go outside of what Viking offers because they are cheaper and better. (links included below)
The Noss Boat Wildlife & Photography Tours in Lerwick
Take a boat tour around the coast: Lerwick is surrounded by stunning coastal scenery, and a boat tour is the perfect way to experience it. Look out for seals, seabirds, and possibly even whales and dolphins. (Viking shuttle will drop you off right near this. This was amazing going out to the island and feeding the birds)
Tour of Culloden, Cairns & Cawdor Castle in Invergordon
Make the most of your time on land with this comprehensive shore tour of the Scottish Highlands. In a small group you'll enjoy a more intimate experience than the big bus tours as you journey from Invergordon to Beauly, Loch Ness, Inverness, Culloden Battlefield, Clava Cairns and Cawdor Castle. (They pick you up at the ship and get you back with plenty of time. Some of the best scones at Cawdor and the tour guide got us there when they were getting out of the oven.)
Highland Park Whisky Distillery in Kirkwall
An in-depth, enlightening foray into highland park. You’ll start with a short film about Orkney and the origins of Highland Park, accompanied by our ‘dram to discover’, followed by a tour of our distillery and finishing with a tasting of 2 award-winning single malt whiskies selected by our distillery team in our private tasting room. (Get a cab up to the distillery and ask them to come back to pick you up)
Black Taxi tour in Belfast
Black taxi tours are a unique way to learn about the history and culture of Belfast, including its role in the Northern Ireland conflict and its transformation into a thriving city. (Set up in advance and they were at the meeting place waiting for us)
The Beatles' Childhood Homes Tour - Speke Hall pickup
This tour is the only way to get inside the childhood homes of Lennon and McCartney. Lots of other tours will take you to look at the outside but this is the only way to see inside the unique places where John and Paul grew up and the Beatles were born. (Can't recommend this enough. There are just a few available spots each day. All of the other tours drive by their homes but this one you go in. Cab is expensive but worth it).
North Wales Adventure - Sightseeing Day Trip Tour in Holyhead
Make the most of your time at shore on a sightseeing tour around North Wales. Climb aboard your bus and see several landmarks including Caernarfon town walls, Snowdonia National Park, and the Betws-y-Coed and Llanfairpwll railway station. As you explore, your driver-guide sheds light on the local history, legends, and culture of the Welsh. (Similar to Ivergordon, they pick you up at the ship)