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Itinerary comparisons and Military Tattoo


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I have been looking through the different itineraries for a cruise this summer or next to BI ( 12-day, Princess), with mostly the London, Ireland, Scotland ports. A bunch of the cruises go to the same ports with the exception of some saying for the option of the Military Tattoo, Kirkwall, Liverpool, over night Dublin. I was wondering if you want to go to the Military Tattoo, does it need to state that it is an option on the itinerary? Or can you get there from different ports? I felt like I've been reading that might be there case. Are there certain ports that are the most popular or ones not to miss? why? What is Kirkwall like? If it's a tender port do they get missed a lot during the summer? When I'm comparing the different itineraries I just want to understand better what I'm looking at and what's offered so to speak. Thank you for any input, I'm learning a lot from all the posts.

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The Military Tattoo is only an option in August (it runs 3-25 Aug) and only from Greenock/Glasgow or one of the Edinburgh ports -- and only if your ship stays late enough in port to allow you to get back after the show (the ship has a scheduled departure around 1-2 am). I believe Royal Princess, like the Caribbean Princess sailing we were on last year, leaves late from Greenock during its August sailings to allow for this.

 

Kirkwall is occasionally missed. You can read more about it in trip reports if you do a search (we didn't visit). Both the Liverpool and the overnight Dublin stops have their advantages. Which matters more to you?

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We were on a different cruise line which stayed overnight in Edinburgh. Thus we felt comfortable in booking tickets directly with the Tattoo. It is an amazing time. Bagpipe bands, dancers, other military bands, a motorcycle ROTC, a chorus, and lights and images projected on the castle walls and fireworks. Lots of non stop action. We had beautiful weather but be aware it can get cold and rainy and the show happens no matter what. I'm glad we went..

Liverpool has a good HoHo, a very interesting maritime museum and lots of Beatles. We arranged for a 3 hour private tour to various Beatles sites with another couple. I loved it and my husband who less of a Beatles fan felt the tour was "just right."

I'd say the Tattoo was the cruise highlight but wallowing in all things Beatle for a day was a close second..

Beatles4Ever!

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The Military Tattoo is only an option in August (it runs 3-25 Aug) and only from Greenock/Glasgow or one of the Edinburgh ports -- and only if your ship stays late enough in port to allow you to get back after the show (the ship has a scheduled departure around 1-2 am). I believe Royal Princess, like the Caribbean Princess sailing we were on last year, leaves late from Greenock during its August sailings to allow for this.

 

Kirkwall is occasionally missed. You can read more about it in trip reports if you do a search (we didn't visit). Both the Liverpool and the overnight Dublin stops have their advantages. Which matters more to you?

 

So a cruise could have Edinburgh as a port, but if it's not staying till 2am then you can't do the Tattoo, right? If it has Greenock or Glasgow till 2:00am then is that just as good for the Tattoo or does it have to be Edinburgh? I also read/loved/bookmarked your trip report :D

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We were on a different cruise line which stayed overnight in Edinburgh. Thus we felt comfortable in booking tickets directly with the Tattoo. It is an amazing time. Bagpipe bands, dancers, other military bands, a motorcycle ROTC, a chorus, and lights and images projected on the castle walls and fireworks. Lots of non stop action. We had beautiful weather but be aware it can get cold and rainy and the show happens no matter what. I'm glad we went..

Liverpool has a good HoHo, a very interesting maritime museum and lots of Beatles. We arranged for a 3 hour private tour to various Beatles sites with another couple. I loved it and my husband who less of a Beatles fan felt the tour was "just right."

I'd say the Tattoo was the cruise highlight but wallowing in all things Beatle for a day was a close second..

Beatles4Ever!

 

It seems like the Military Tattoo is pretty popular. I you-tubed it to get an idea about what it was :) Which cruise line did you use? For me, it seems like Princess had the most options that work for me since I have to go in the summer. (I work in a school)

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So a cruise could have Edinburgh as a port, but if it's not staying till 2am then you can't do the Tattoo, right? If it has Greenock or Glasgow till 2:00am then is that just as good for the Tattoo or does it have to be Edinburgh? I also read/loved/bookmarked your trip report :D

 

Yes, if your ship is scheduled to visit Edinburgh but is also scheduled to depart the same day (say at around 8 pm), you can't visit the Tattoo that day. The Tattoo is an evening performance, typically starting at 9 pm.

 

Greenock/Glasgow is just as good for the Tattoo because even though Edinburgh is the other side of the country, in Scotland, the other side of the country is only about a 90-minute drive. And there are tour companies that will pick you up at the ship in Greenock in the morning and give you a tour of the Trossachs or Stirling or wherever people might like to visit on the way to the Tattoo in the evening. It makes for a long, full day, but also a very enjoyable one. Watching the massed pipe bands as the sun sets over Edinburgh Castle is a bucket-list experience.

 

I'm glad you enjoyed my trip report! Though I should really learn how to include photos. If there's any details I didn't mention (in the interests of brevity) that I might be able to help you with, please ask. I do like helping people -- it's one of the reasons that I too work in a school!

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It seems like the Military Tattoo is pretty popular. I you-tubed it to get an idea about what it was :) Which cruise line did you use? For me, it seems like Princess had the most options that work for me since I have to go in the summer. (I work in a school)

We were on the Celebrity Silhouette. Note that Edinburgh is usually a tender port. We were in tendered into/out of Leith.

The 2nd night the ship didn't leave until 11PM and our cabin overlooked the city so we were able to see the fireworks a second time.

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We were on the Celebrity Silhouette. Note that Edinburgh is usually a tender port. We were in tendered into/out of Leith.

The 2nd night the ship didn't leave until 11PM and our cabin overlooked the city so we were able to see the fireworks a second time.

 

There are 4 ports in Edinburgh and two of them are tender ports. Leith is actually a port where cruise ships are alongside as is Rosyth. South Queensferry and Newhaven (which is where I think Celebrity Silhouette was anchored) are tender ports.

 

Princess ships at Rosyth usually stay overnight during August but the ones anchored at South Queensferry usually leave in the early evening. Princess offers a visit to the Tattoo as an excursion from Greenock / Glasgow. You can check out your ship's timings by checking this website http://www.cruisecal.com/portal/ItineraryLookup/tabid/2918/Default.aspx

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Yes, if your ship is scheduled to visit Edinburgh but is also scheduled to depart the same day (say at around 8 pm), you can't visit the Tattoo that day. The Tattoo is an evening performance, typically starting at 9 pm.

 

Greenock/Glasgow is just as good for the Tattoo because even though Edinburgh is the other side of the country, in Scotland, the other side of the country is only about a 90-minute drive. And there are tour companies that will pick you up at the ship in Greenock in the morning and give you a tour of the Trossachs or Stirling or wherever people might like to visit on the way to the Tattoo in the evening. It makes for a long, full day, but also a very enjoyable one. Watching the massed pipe bands as the sun sets over Edinburgh Castle is a bucket-list experience.

 

I'm glad you enjoyed my trip report! Though I should really learn how to include photos. If there's any details I didn't mention (in the interests of brevity) that I might be able to help you with, please ask. I do like helping people -- it's one of the reasons that I too work in a school!

Thanks for the offer about future questions. I'm sure there will be a bunch as I'm just getting started in the researching part. I work in a school too :D

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There are 4 ports in Edinburgh and two of them are tender ports. Leith is actually a port where cruise ships are alongside as is Rosyth. South Queensferry and Newhaven (which is where I think Celebrity Silhouette was anchored) are tender ports.

 

Princess ships at Rosyth usually stay overnight during August but the ones anchored at South Queensferry usually leave in the early evening. Princess offers a visit to the Tattoo as an excursion from Greenock / Glasgow. You can check out your ship's timings by checking this website http://www.cruisecal.com/portal/ItineraryLookup/tabid/2918/Default.aspx

Thanks for the website:D

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We booked our British Isles cruise around the Tattoo....It is a WONDERFUL evening....at the time we were pretty loyal Celebrity cruisers, and no one OTHER than Princess were doing British Isles. They say timing is everything, the next year everyone was doing them. Anyway, Princess will stop in Greenock and shuttle you to the Tattoo...it is a long bus ride, I do not know why, when were were in Edinburgh the next day. .....I would look for one that does the Tattoo when you are in Edinburgh....It also is only in August, which is not my favorite time in Europe, but it is the season for the British Isles...ENJOY!!

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I am so excited to find this thread. We are looking at the Princess cruise that spends two days in Edinburgh (Rosyth), making the Military Tattoo a real option.

 

Can you get transportation to Edinburgh for the day, and then just spend the day there on your own? We may also try to see some shows at the Fringe festival. It looks like it is about a one hour trip from the port. Any suggestions on transportation options?

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  • 2 weeks later...
Yes, if your ship is scheduled to visit Edinburgh but is also scheduled to depart the same day (say at around 8 pm), you can't visit the Tattoo that day. The Tattoo is an evening performance, typically starting at 9 pm.

 

Greenock/Glasgow is just as good for the Tattoo because even though Edinburgh is the other side of the country, in Scotland, the other side of the country is only about a 90-minute drive. And there are tour companies that will pick you up at the ship in Greenock in the morning and give you a tour of the Trossachs or Stirling or wherever people might like to visit on the way to the Tattoo in the evening. It makes for a long, full day, but also a very enjoyable one. Watching the massed pipe bands as the sun sets over Edinburgh Castle is a bucket-list experience.

 

I asked Princess if the Crown Princess was going to have the Military Tattoo as an option when they are in port till 2:00pm in Glasgow Aug 2019 and they said no? They said the only ship that would have the Tattoo as an option in 2019 was the Pacific Princess 8 day cruises? Something about the Pacific being a smaller ship? Seemed strange since the Royal is going there this year and it's bigger than both of them?

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I asked Princess if the Crown Princess was going to have the Military Tattoo as an option when they are in port till 2:00pm in Glasgow Aug 2019 and they said no? They said the only ship that would have the Tattoo as an option in 2019 was the Pacific Princess 8 day cruises? Something about the Pacific being a smaller ship? Seemed strange since the Royal is going there this year and it's bigger than both of them?

 

That seems strange since I can't think of any other reason the ship would be scheduled to stay in Greenock/Glasgow until 2 am? (I assume you meant am and not pm.) Maybe the excursion options for 2019 just aren't available yet? You could certainly go on your own (or with an independent tour operator) and get back to Greenock/Glasgow by 2 am, so I can't imagine that Princess would pass up the opportunity to turn a profit by ferrying people over themselves.

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That seems strange since I can't think of any other reason the ship would be scheduled to stay in Greenock/Glasgow until 2 am? (I assume you meant am and not pm.) Maybe the excursion options for 2019 just aren't available yet? You could certainly go on your own (or with an independent tour operator) and get back to Greenock/Glasgow by 2 am, so I can't imagine that Princess would pass up the opportunity to turn a profit by ferrying people over themselves.

Yeah that's what I thought too kind of strange. Maybe the Princess rep I spoke to just got it wrong. When I look for the excursions for 2019 it doesn't open up only for 2018. Not sure if it opens once you actually book or what.

Another question for you. From reading your trip report I know you did the Dublin overnight itinerary. I've been looking into that option as well. I know that if you do the overnight in Dublin you lose a port either Liverpool or Kirkwall and only go to 8 ports. Do you feel the overnight in Dublin is worth missing either of those 2 ports? For me I feel like there are more things/sites in Dublin that I would like to see than Liverpool or Kirkwall, but I've never been to any of them so I can't compare. The extra day would allow me to cover more ground so to speak. I tried to look up port reviews on CC but I just get the full reviews of the ships. I also looked on TA but it's hard to know which of those tours are the ones the cruisers go on and there distance from where we port.

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Yeah that's what I thought too kind of strange. Maybe the Princess rep I spoke to just got it wrong. When I look for the excursions for 2019 it doesn't open up only for 2018. Not sure if it opens once you actually book or what.

Another question for you. From reading your trip report I know you did the Dublin overnight itinerary. I've been looking into that option as well. I know that if you do the overnight in Dublin you lose a port either Liverpool or Kirkwall and only go to 8 ports. Do you feel the overnight in Dublin is worth missing either of those 2 ports? For me I feel like there are more things/sites in Dublin that I would like to see than Liverpool or Kirkwall, but I've never been to any of them so I can't compare. The extra day would allow me to cover more ground so to speak. I tried to look up port reviews on CC but I just get the full reviews of the ships. I also looked on TA but it's hard to know which of those tours are the ones the cruisers go on and there distance from where we port.

 

I remember that when I was planning our trip, in January 2017 for August 2017, I could see excursions before I booked (not specific times or spaces still available, but at least the tour names and descriptions). So yes, I'm guessing that the excursions for 2019 just aren't available yet and the Princess rep just doesn't know what they're talking about.

 

For us, the extra day in Dublin was worth it as it allowed us to devote one day to the city (including evening entertainment) and one day outside of it. We went to Newgrange and the Hill of Tara. Others spent their day on tours to the Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough and/or Powerscourt. But other people might be more enthusiastic about visiting Liverpool -- maybe they're Beatles fans, maybe they want to visit northern Wales, whatever. I think it's a matter of personal preference.

 

If you want to read what's available in the ports, I'd do a Google search on "[port name] shore excursion" (Viator will probably come up first, but you can also scroll down to local vendors). And if you're reading reviews of tour operators in the city on TripAdvisor, you can search reviews for the keywords "cruise" or "shore." I also read through not only trip reports on this board but also postings on other Roll Calls (for example, you could read the postings for the 2018 sailings) to see the variety of activities people were planning.

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I am so excited to find this thread. We are looking at the Princess cruise that spends two days in Edinburgh (Rosyth), making the Military Tattoo a real option.

 

Can you get transportation to Edinburgh for the day, and then just spend the day there on your own? We may also try to see some shows at the Fringe festival. It looks like it is about a one hour trip from the port. Any suggestions on transportation options?

 

You can easily organise your own transport from Rosyth, sallybrown. There will be lots of taxis waiting when you disembark. You can usually negotiate a price for a two way journey with the driver coming back for you after the tattoo. If one driver isn't able to do it, I'm sure the volunteers waiting by the terminal will help you find another driver who will.

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I asked Princess if the Crown Princess was going to have the Military Tattoo as an option when they are in port till 2:00pm in Glasgow Aug 2019 and they said no? They said the only ship that would have the Tattoo as an option in 2019 was the Pacific Princess 8 day cruises? Something about the Pacific being a smaller ship? Seemed strange since the Royal is going there this year and it's bigger than both of them?

 

I suspect the Princess representative has given you the wrong information. Pacific Princess and before her Ocean Princess always visits Rosyth twice during August and is advertised as the itinerary that includes the Tattoo. However Caribbean and previously Ruby Princess have offered tours to the Tattoo from Greenock for several years now that I know off. It is hugely popular / completely over-subscribed so I doubt if Princess would get rid of such a big money-earner - especially when putting such a big ship like Royal on the itinerary

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I suspect the Princess representative has given you the wrong information. Pacific Princess and before her Ocean Princess always visits Rosyth twice during August and is advertised as the itinerary that includes the Tattoo. However Caribbean and previously Ruby Princess have offered tours to the Tattoo from Greenock for several years now that I know off. It is hugely popular / completely over-subscribed so I doubt if Princess would get rid of such a big money-earner - especially when putting such a big ship like Royal on the itinerary

 

That's what I was thinking that they must be wrong. Not so great on their part that they gave out the wrong info and I might have written them off as a cruise company if the Tattoo was a must for me. Still trying to decide if it is worth all the effort and $ to go to the event. I watched it on Youtube to get a sense of it but it's hard to say if it out bets the other options available at the same port. I haven't looked into the other options of the sites/things to do in Glasgow to compare it yet. My husband was feeling that maybe the time would be better spent visiting something historical or architecturally interesting instead of a "show" with a lot of bagpipes:o I've read through a lot of others reviews and many felt it was a "once in a lifetime" "bucket-list" experience so I go back and forth a bit.

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That's what I was thinking that they must be wrong. Not so great on their part that they gave out the wrong info and I might have written them off as a cruise company if the Tattoo was a must for me. Still trying to decide if it is worth all the effort and $ to go to the event. I watched it on Youtube to get a sense of it but it's hard to say if it out bets the other options available at the same port. I haven't looked into the other options of the sites/things to do in Glasgow to compare it yet. My husband was feeling that maybe the time would be better spent visiting something historical or architecturally interesting instead of a "show" with a lot of bagpipes:o I've read through a lot of others reviews and many felt it was a "once in a lifetime" "bucket-list" experience so I go back and forth a bit.

 

Lots of people do private tours that includes the Tattoo, perhaps visiting the Trossachs - very scenic area - and Stirling Castle before have some time in Edinburgh during the late afternoon and early evening before the Tattoo.

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Lots of people do private tours that includes the Tattoo, perhaps visiting the Trossachs - very scenic area - and Stirling Castle before have some time in Edinburgh during the late afternoon and early evening before the Tattoo.

 

Yes, the Tattoo takes up your evening, when other sites are typically closed anyway, not your day. Visiting represents an actual cost in terms of time and money, not so much an opportunity cost.

 

We were some of those that visited Luss/Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Park and then Stirling Castle on our way from Greenock to Edinburgh for the Tattoo.

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I went to the Tattoo and it was one of the highlights of my entire 5 week vacation. I absolutely loved it and would go again in a heartbeat. If you can go, via independently or with a ship's tour, DO IT. And any seat is a good seat. It's simply awesome.

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I went to the Tattoo and it was one of the highlights of my entire 5 week vacation. I absolutely loved it and would go again in a heartbeat. If you can go, via independently or with a ship's tour, DO IT. And any seat is a good seat. It's simply awesome.

Do you need to always book the 7:30 showing instead of the 10:30 showing to get back on the ship on time? How much do the private tours usually run?

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Do you need to always book the 7:30 showing instead of the 10:30 showing to get back on the ship on time? How much do the private tours usually run?

 

 

 

I guess it depends when your ship leaves. But I think the earlier show time is better.

 

 

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