Newbie Question...need to find a way to get started!!!

[CanuckinSMA]

I've done one cruise to Alaska with Holland and that's all my cruising experience. Next year family will be in England for a year. We want to visit them and this likely will be our last trip overseas. After our visit, I would like to do a UK cruise. I think we'll visit Ireland with my family so a cruise in England, Scotland and Wales would be great. Then I got thinking about a river cruise. Would that be way too much to do the two cruises so close together? I assume most UK cruises start from Southampton. But wondering if anyone has used an itinerary of cruising UK and then doing a Budapest/Prague River cruise?? Would we be better to do the river cruise first and then fly/train to Oxford? Has anyone recommendations of cruiselines that are best for these itineraries. I know I'm being somewhat vague but I'm just starting my through process and will get more specific as I get more info. Thanks!!!

[LHT28]

maybe do the ocean cruise then take a week to visit family

then do the river cruise

 

Lots of river cruise to choose from just depends on time/money & what inclusions you want

I would maybe do some more research & see what it is you want to do

 

maybe talk to a TA that has done both type of cruises

 

JMO

[Essiesmom]

maybe do the ocean cruise then take a week to visit family

then do the river cruise

 

Lots of river cruise to choose from just depends on time/money & what inclusions you want

I would maybe do some more research & see what it is you want to do

 

maybe talk to a TA that has done both type of cruises

 

JMO

 

 

I would do this, but in reverse order. Reason? I have never taken a river cruise, but I have post retirement friends who did, combined with several other ocean cruises. they thought the river cruise much more exhausting than the ocean cruises, with all the walking tours. So, do the river cruise, relax with the family, then relax again on the ocean cruise. I think you should also ask this on the River Cruising forum here. EM

[diane.in.ny]

Sounds to me like your next move should be speaking with a cruise expert TA.

[taglovestocruise]

What about a transatlantic from Southampton. Cost would be about the same as airfare. Using the cruise lines air fare discounts you could fly to England for well under $500.00 pp

[Heidi13]

While Southampton is UK's biggest cruise port, a number of other ports are also Turn Around Ports - Tilbury, Greenwich (London), Dover, Newcastle, Liverpool, Greenock and a couple of others.

 

My suggestion is not to pre-plan the sequence of the Ocean or River cruises, but to find a Travel Agent (online or bricks & mortar) and research companies and itineraries. Once you have a shortlist of potential itineraries, plan which one to take first.

 

Due to CC posting guidelines we are unable to recommend or even mention TA's by name, but they can be easily researched on Google.