British Isles Explorer Cruise

[Lmg1950]

Boarding Viking Neptune May 9, 2023 for the 15 day British Isles Explorer.  Our 1st Viking Ocean after 2 Viking River Cruises.  This cruise celebrates our 50th wedding anniversary!  Is there a "must do" on this itinerary for such an occasion?

[Jim Avery]

2 hours ago, Lmg1950 said:

Boarding Viking Neptune May 9, 2023 for the 15 day British Isles Explorer.  Our 1st Viking Ocean after 2 Viking River Cruises.  This cruise celebrates our 50th wedding anniversary!  Is there a "must do" on this itinerary for such an occasion?

For Beatles fans there is the Magical Mystery Tour.  Actually much better than I anticipated.  If you get to the Shetlands it's beautiful.  Be careful, the ponies bite.😱

[Jim Avery]

On 6/19/2022 at 4:52 PM, Heidi13 said:

 

Nothing available at the end of the World Cruise.

 

You have the DLR (Tube) a couple hundred yards from where you come ashore and on the same pontoon where you disembark the tenders, you can catch one of the river boats down the Thames to Tower Hill, Westminster, etc.

Hey, Andy, wouldn't the boats to Westminster be up stream??🍺

[Moonlion]

2 hours ago, Lmg1950 said:

Boarding Viking Neptune May 9, 2023 for the 15 day British Isles Explorer.  Our 1st Viking Ocean after 2 Viking River Cruises.  This cruise celebrates our 50th wedding anniversary!  Is there a "must do" on this itinerary for such an occasion?

Hi Lmg1950, you may be interested in joining our roll call for this cruise: May 9, 2023 Scandinavia & British Isles London -Stockholm (https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2803433-may-9-2023-scandinavia-british-isles-london-stockholm/page/5/#comment-64979807).  It's fairly quiet right now but may become more active as we get closer to the departure date. 

 

Edited March 13, 2023 by Moonlion

[Sunflower & The Scientist]

We are on BIE for July and are wondering if anyone knows (can those of you in the UK help us out with this) when the Stone of Destiny will be returned to Edinburgh Castle after the coronation? We would hate to miss seeing it. 

[fruitmachine]

26 minutes ago, Sunflower & The Scientist said:

We are on BIE for July and are wondering if anyone knows (can those of you in the UK help us out with this) when the Stone of Destiny will be returned to Edinburgh Castle after the coronation? We would hate to miss seeing it. 

It will almost certainly be returned immediately.  The politics behind it would preclude anything else.

 

I'd have thought that would be within single-digit days of the coronation, but I have no inside knowledge!!

[Sunflower & The Scientist]

Thank you fruitmachine! I hoped that would be the case. We cannot wait to enjoy your beautiful Scotland.

[JerryInIL]

Has anyone taken the Dublin excursions recently?  What was offered?

[SteelCity Cruiser]

Does anyone know where the shuttle drops you off in Dublin and the earliest time of day?  We're looking at booking an independent tour there and would need to know where to meet our guide in the city.

 

[SempreMare]

This is where the shuttle back to the Viking mars picked up at end of day in Dublin, September 2022.  See the words “ bus back to cruise” with a heart icon  nearby
 

Any drop off was probably within walking distance since that is such a popular area near the Oscar Wilde memorial. 
 

oh!  Important tip:

 

I really wanted to spend the afternoon in the national museum, but the tickets were all sold out. I should have reserved in advance.

Edited March 27, 2023 by SempreMare

[molymoo]

On 3/13/2023 at 4:11 PM, Jim Avery said:

Be careful, the ponies bite.

Not all of them!  We took the "Rural Shetland" excursion and got to meet a couple of lovely little ponies ... it was stressed that "unlike some others" they do not bite!  They didn't despite some up close and personal petting from most members of the excursion!  The dogs were wonderful as well!

 

[Jim Avery]

Well, when they get old and have no teeth.......🍹

[Peregrina651]

5 hours ago, SempreMare said:

oh!  Important tip:

 

I really wanted to spend the afternoon in the national museum, but the tickets were all sold out. I should have reserved in advance.

 

Just for clarity, when you say National Museum, are you referring to the art museum (which is not labeled on the map but is right there) or one of the other national museums which are also on the same quadrangle. The National Museum of Natural History is the only one that is labeled on the map.

 

And follow up questions so that I can book my tickets in advance. What time does the earliest shuttle leave and how frequently do they leave? How long is the ride to the drop-off point (more or less)?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Sunflower & The Scientist]

We are getting ready to book excursions soon and are wondering which ports are ones we can just walk off in an interesting area to walk around. We enjoy taking an excursion but also walking off the ship and exploring on our own. I've heard Liverpool is a good port for that. 

[Heidi13]

12 minutes ago, Sunflower & The Scientist said:

We are getting ready to book excursions soon and are wondering which ports are ones we can just walk off in an interesting area to walk around. We enjoy taking an excursion but also walking off the ship and exploring on our own. I've heard Liverpool is a good port for that. 

 

Here are my thoughts

 

London - if Greenwich, you have a number of local attractions and can take the DLR or Thames ferry up stream to Tower Hill/Westminster. If Tilbury, unless you want to take the adjacent small ferry over to gravesend, a shore-ex/private tour is probably best.

 

Dover - cruise ships dock at the west end of the harbour, which is a fair distance out. It is about 1.5 - 2 mls walk to the castle. The marine promenade is a pleasant walk, but the beach isn't fine sand. Could always taxi up to the castle and then walk downhill and through town. However, the surrounding area has some great attractions, so probably worth investigating shore-ex/private tours.

 

Dublin - Viking will provide a shuttle service to Dublin from the port. You can walk around or catch one of the Ho-Ho buses.

 

Holyhead - This is one port I haven't visited, but my researched had the cruise dock at the end of a jetty, sticking out from an island. Fair distance to shore. We had planned a private tour in this port into the Welsh countryside.

 

Liverpool - ships dock by the Royal Liver/Cunard buildings, so easy to walk ashore.

 

Belfast - I've been at a couple of berths, but you'll probably be using the berth close to the city airport, which is an industrial complex. I expect Viking will have shuttles to town. Lots of attractions in town and the surrounding area. We planned a private tour.

 

Ullapool - tender port, where the tenders go to Ullapool Pier. Very small town/large village. We planned to book one of the local cruises and then wander around the town.

 

Orkney Is - this is another port I haven't visited. We were tendering into Kirkwall Harbour. Lots of great attractions outside town, so we planned a private tour.

 

Edinburgh - tender port, with tenders heading to newhaven harbour. The former Royal Yacht is a short walk and the area has lots of restaurants/cafe. Ready access to public transport to visit Edinburgh.

 

Invergordon - the town is a short walk. This port also has many great local attractions, so we planned a private tour.

 

Shetlands - another port I haven't visited. Again, we planned a private tour.

 

 

[LindaS272]

27 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

Invergordon - the town is a short walk. This port also has many great local attractions, so we planned a private tour.

Should be able to get to the Glen Morangie whisky distillery in Tain. My favorite.

[Sunflower & The Scientist]

Thanks so much Heidi13!  That is very helpful and we can have a better idea of what we can do. 

[SantaFe1]

1 hour ago, Sunflower & The Scientist said:

Thanks so much Heidi13!  That is very helpful and we can have a better idea of what we can do. 

I’m saving this as well, as we hope to do this trip in May 2024.  Thank you so much Andy.

[SempreMare]

3 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Just for clarity, when you say National Museum, are you referring to the art museum (which is not labeled on the map but is right there) or one of the other national museums which are also on the same quadrangle. The National Museum of Natural History is the only one that is labeled on the map.

 

Hmmm.  The outside simply said "National Museum of Ireland"

I really wanted to see it because of something the guide said about "The only ____ In the world is here in Dublin inside this museum"; trying to recall what the thing was ;-).

I had read that entrance was FREE, but when I got to the front of the line, they said all reservations were taken for the ENTIRE day! 

 

Ok

Let's look at my Google Location History

 

 

 

 

Conclusion from staring at photos and my Google Location History: 

 

I believe on the map, it's labeled as the National Gallery of Ireland.

This website looks familiar

https://www.nationalgallery.ie/

 

Green circle shows the Dublin Bar I retreated to after learning the National Gallery of Ireland was sold out.   That was SO fun! 

 

These 2 cute guys gave me advice on what to try

 

 

 

 

Great recommendation from included tour guide.

O'Donoghue's Bar on Merrion Row.   Everything I wanted to see was on or near Merrion Row.

https://www.odonoghues.ie/

 

 

[SempreMare]

4 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

And follow up questions so that I can book my tickets in advance. What time does the earliest shuttle leave and how frequently do they leave? How long is the ride to the drop-off point (more or less)?

 

Actually I don't see where that museum supports booking in advance now.  But maybe I missed it. 

 

I took the earliest AM included tour;  not sure when the shuttle leaves. 

From my Google location history, the tour starting at the port took 44 minutes.  It seemed longer.

 

[uktog]

Depending on when your cruise lands in Edinburgh you may have another options to travel from Newhaven to the centre of town.  The long awaited tram extension is now being tested.  There is not a launch date yet but keep an eye on this link.  There is a good chance they might start around mid May.  This will be the fastest way into town

 

https://edinburghtrams.com/plan-journey/trams-newhaven

 

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, LindaS272 said:

Should be able to get to the Glen Morangie whisky distillery in Tain. My favorite.

 

Affirmative, an excellent visit. We stayed at a B&B in Tain last time we toured around the Highlands.

[fruitmachine]

2 hours ago, uktog said:

Depending on when your cruise lands in Edinburgh you may have another options to travel from Newhaven to the centre of town.  The long awaited tram extension is now being tested.  There is not a launch date yet but keep an eye on this link.  There is a good chance they might start around mid May.  This will be the fastest way into town

 

https://edinburghtrams.com/plan-journey/trams-newhaven

 

Tram is now not until 21 June (and they're still saying that's "Spring"!)
https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburghs-new-tramline-leith-newhaven-26225405

[PlainvilleGirl]

We are booked on the British Isles Explorer cruise for early July.  Could someone tell me the amount of expected tips per day, per passenger?  Thank you.

 

[KBs mum]

17 minutes ago, PlainvilleGirl said:

We are booked on the British Isles Explorer cruise for early July.  Could someone tell me the amount of expected tips per day, per passenger?  Thank you.

 

In the UK, Ireland and Norway no tips are expected in most circumstances, there isn't a tipping culture. If you do want to tip a guide or driver £5 or euro/Kroner equivilent per couple is a decent amount, perhaps going up to £10. Nobody will be bothered either way if you tip or not. 

Onboard we just go with the suggested daily gratuity amount, seems fairest that all get a bit. 

 

Edited March 30, 2023 by KBs mum