Private tour companies for British Isles Cruise

[Emptynesternow]

We have always had good luck with private tours outside of using the cruise line tours. However, we are doing the British Isles cruise with overnight in Dublin 5/1/19. Have any of you used any tour groups that you would highly recommend. Our stops are in Guernsey, England; Cork, Ireland (Cobh-Blarney Castle); Belfast/Glascow; Invergaren, Scotland; Edinburgh, Scotland; Paris/Normandy. This is one cruise we have yet to do and are really looking forward to it. Your help is greatly appreciated.

[trosebery]

You'll have a wonderful time! It's a great itinerary.

 

As for recommendations, I would search back through the pages of this forum for trip reports and reviews from last summer. I know I posted ours here:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2539205

 

I particularly enjoyed our tours with:

eCoach in Cobh to Blarney Castle and Kinsale,

Odyssey (the smaller bus Extra Leg Room tour) in Belfast to the Giant's Causeway an etc. with a driving tour of the city,

and Overlord in Le Havre to the D-Day beaches and Bayeux.

 

We also took a tour to Newgrange and the Hill of Tara from Dublin (since we had two days) and a transfer tour via Stonehenge on the way to Heathrow because I have a particular interest in pre-history -- but I can understand to other people that even a site like Newgrange might be, well, just rocks, and they'd prefer to spend their afternoon at the Guinness Storehouse or the Jameson Distillery or on a photography tour of the Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough. People might find it easier to make recommendations if you told us more about what interests you?

 

Also, do you prefer a very organized bus/minibus style of tour (easy, usually cheaper), or a very customizable small group tour with just you or a handful of people from your Roll Call (more flexible)?

[Emptynesternow]

You'll have a wonderful time! It's a great itinerary.

 

As for recommendations, I would search back through the pages of this forum for trip reports and reviews from last summer. I know I posted ours here:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2539205

 

I particularly enjoyed our tours with:

eCoach in Cobh to Blarney Castle and Kinsale,

Odyssey (the smaller bus Extra Leg Room tour) in Belfast to the Giant's Causeway an etc. with a driving tour of the city,

and Overlord in Le Havre to the D-Day beaches and Bayeux.

 

We also took a tour to Newgrange and the Hill of Tara from Dublin (since we had two days) and a transfer tour via Stonehenge on the way to Heathrow because I have a particular interest in pre-history -- but I can understand to other people that even a site like Newgrange might be, well, just rocks, and they'd prefer to spend their afternoon at the Guinness Storehouse or the Jameson Distillery or on a photography tour of the Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough. People might find it easier to make recommendations if you told us more about what interests you?

 

Also, do you prefer a very organized bus/minibus style of tour (easy, usually cheaper), or a very customizable small group tour with just you or a handful of people from your Roll Call (more flexible)?

 

We are going with one other couple right now...could be more....and we know the guys want to do a Scotch tour and a Guinness tour. Organized minibus is more our cup of tea. We especially dislike large travel busses that can carry over 80 people, as you spend more time getting on and off, waiting, etc.

[Cindy]

We’re booked with the following for this summer:

 

Guernsey — Annette Henry

Cork — Butlers Bus

Dublin — Dublin Tour Guide, Beautiful Meath Tours, and Irish Folk Tours (dinner show at Brazen Head pub).

Belfast — City and Causeway Tours

Greenock — Photo Walk Scotland (Tom Docherty)

Invergordon — G&S Tours

Edinburgh — G&S Tours

LeHavre — Overlord Tours

 

I have a travel/photography blog, and I will post links to each port and let you know how we liked the tour providers.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[prish]

We’re booked with the following for this summer:

 

Guernsey — Annette Henry

Cork — Butlers Bus

Dublin — Dublin Tour Guide, Beautiful Meath Tours, and Irish Folk Tours (dinner show at Brazen Head pub).

Belfast — City and Causeway Tours

Greenock — Photo Walk Scotland (Tom Docherty)

Invergordon — G&S Tours

Edinburgh — G&S Tours

LeHavre — Overlord Tours

 

I have a travel/photography blog, and I will post links to each port and let you know how we liked the tour providers.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Cork and Belfast: In 2015 we went with Paddywagon, their small group tour in a bus to seat 16, though we kept the group to 12. We had the same guide for both tours, actually some did Dublin too with him and we were more than happy with the tours. Last year we took a tour to Rock of Cashel and Cahil castle with Butlers, again an excellent day.

 

 

Dublin: I highly recommend Beautiful Meath, our tours with Derek were some of the best we've ever done. Went with him for 2 days in 2015 when we had an overnight in Dublin, then again last June.

 

Le Havre: Overlord is top class, we booked a van for 8 last year. In 2015 my sister and I got together with another couple from our RC and did a private tour with Colin McGarry. I'd rate both tours on par, cost-wise maybe Colin was a little more expensive.

[D C]

We have always had good luck with private tours outside of using the cruise line tours. However, we are doing the British Isles cruise with overnight in Dublin 5/1/19. Have any of you used any tour groups that you would highly recommend. Our stops are in Guernsey, England; Cork, Ireland (Cobh-Blarney Castle); Belfast/Glascow; Invergaren, Scotland; Edinburgh, Scotland; Paris/Normandy. This is one cruise we have yet to do and are really looking forward to it. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Depending on what you're looking for in Guernsey, there are numerous options from self-guided walks to bus tours.

I recommend Intransit if you're interested in an island tour by bus. This is a good overview of some of their tours, although they do specialised tours for cruises http://www.intransit.gg/day-trips.html/

 

There are other small, personal tours of town, and the petite train tour as well.

 

Many people do a round-island ride on either the #91 or #92 bus, which is not narrated and takes you around the island's perimeter for only £1. Assuming they do it again this year, there's also a guided bus along much the same route that's intended for cruise guests. It's a little more than the £1, but still a cheap way to see the island. There should be a representative from the bus company present when you go ashore.

[KCBailey]

Hi, what are people planning in Dunmore East? We were thinking of taking a bus or taxi into Waterford and checking out some of the Medieval museums. Not sure if we are missing out on some interesting tours of the area?