Trip Planning - British Isles 9/2019 on the Magic

[BlondePirateofSC]

I am so looking forward to this trip...I have been wanting to go to London and Scotland since I was a child so the opportunity to go on a Disney cruise is just too perfect! The dates worked well with my work schedule and I like that it is a seven day cruise so that we have some time to see London first.

The trip will include my husband of twelve years and I...we have done one cruise together on DCL (Four day Dream cruise) and one Carnival cruise together. I have taken five other cruises with different family members. He has a tighter work schedule with no vacation time, so it is harder for him to get the time off. I am not allowed to take off at month end due to my job, so this cruise was the perfect fit.



The cruise itinerary is:

Sunday 9/8 - Embarkation at Dover, England
Monday 9/9 - Day at Sea
Tuesday 9/10 - Dublin, Ireland 8:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Wednesday 9/11 - Belfast, Northern Ireland 8:30 - 6:15
Thursday 9/12 - Greenock, Scotland 8:00 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Friday 9/13 - Liverpool, England 8 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Saturday 9/14 - Day at Sea
Sunday 9/15 - Disembark at Dover, England

 

[BadPinkTink]

waves hi, Im not on the cruise BUT I am from Dublin, currently living in Dublin. I have lived in Edinburgh and London and visited Belfast, so if you need any help let me know.

 

[BlondePirateofSC]

waves hi, Im not on the cruise BUT I am from Dublin, currently living in Dublin. I have lived in Edinburgh and London and visited Belfast, so if you need any help let me know.

Thank you! I know I have written down some tips you had in another thread, this is definitely different from planning a Caribbean cruise.

 

[BlondePirateofSC]

Our rough plan at this point is to arrive a few days early, giving two days plus the arrival day in London, but this will be dependent on flights as they still haven't opened up near me.We are in Myrtle Beach, which has a very small airport and the airlines that fly in and out have not released their schedules for September 2019 yet.

I'm very excited for London, I was a British Lit major in college and I love British history, particularly Ann Boleyn so lots to see in London.

My outline for London is currently:

Arrival day (complete with jet lag)
- Hotel to drop off luggage - plan to stay near Kings Cross station for convenient train to Dover. Depending on what time flight arrives, I may end up booking the night before as well just so we can go straight to the room and shower and unload luggage. I hate to pay the extra night, but I don't know how badly jet lag will affect us and I would rather have a place for a nap and shower than wander around a new place in a bad mood
- I found a suggested touring walk in a lonely planet book and plan to modify it to my tastes...I google mapped it and it worked out to a two mile route by walking. We love to walk on vacation, and after a long flight it will be good to stretch our legs. I put the non essential items here that I would like to see, but if we miss some, it won't be a big deal at all. I am saving the more critical things for my next few days.

• Museum of London (Free)
• Gherkin (just outside for some pictures)
• Leadenhall market
• Lloyds of London building for pictures (I work in insurance, so I feel like I have to do it)
• Globe Theater - not sure if we will go in or just get some photos outside

- By this point we should be able to fully check in to hotel and have an early dinner and go to bed

Day 2

- Westminister Abbey in morning
- Camden Market in afternoon for some shopping/food
- Night - Jack the Ripper walking tour

Day 3
- Tower of London in morning
- British Museum or Victoria and Alberts

Day 4
- Early train to Dover for embarkation

 

[oufpat]

My husband and I will also be on this cruise, our second Disney Cruise, and second time to Europe. First cruise was the Med on the Magic and it was better then I could ever hoped! Like you, I am in the planning stages , hope for a couple of days in London pre-cruise, pending airline prices. Happy planning! And thanks to BadPinkTink, I have read some of your previous suggestions and find them very helpful.

 

[Tramp&TheLady]

Our rough plan at this point is to arrive a few days early, giving two days plus the arrival day in London, but this will be dependent on flights as they still haven't opened up near me.We are in Myrtle Beach, which has a very small airport and the airlines that fly in and out have not released their schedules for September 2019 yet.

I'm very excited for London, I was a British Lit major in college and I love British history, particularly Ann Boleyn so lots to see in London.

My outline for London is currently:

Arrival day (complete with jet lag)
- Hotel to drop off luggage - plan to stay near Kings Cross station for convenient train to Dover. Depending on what time flight arrives, I may end up booking the night before as well just so we can go straight to the room and shower and unload luggage. I hate to pay the extra night, but I don't know how badly jet lag will affect us and I would rather have a place for a nap and shower than wander around a new place in a bad mood
- I found a suggested touring walk in a lonely planet book and plan to modify it to my tastes...I google mapped it and it worked out to a two mile route by walking. We love to walk on vacation, and after a long flight it will be good to stretch our legs. I put the non essential items here that I would like to see, but if we miss some, it won't be a big deal at all. I am saving the more critical things for my next few days.

• Museum of London (Free)
• Gherkin (just outside for some pictures)
• Leadenhall market
• Lloyds of London building for pictures (I work in insurance, so I feel like I have to do it)
• Globe Theater - not sure if we will go in or just get some photos outside

- By this point we should be able to fully check in to hotel and have an early dinner and go to bed

Day 2

- Westminister Abbey in morning
- Camden Market in afternoon for some shopping/food
- Night - Jack the Ripper walking tour

Day 3
- Tower of London in morning
- British Museum or Victoria and Alberts

Day 4
- Early train to Dover for embarkation

How funny reading this. My family is planning on taking the British Isles cruise in 2020 (a long time away). But, our plans are basically identical to yours. We will fly out of coastal Georgia (or maybe JAX or MCO instead) and do about the same as you - taking some days in London before taking the train down on cruise day in Dover. We also are planning on taking the train from London to Paris (Channel tunnel) after the cruise and flying out of CDG for our return to the states. Really glad to see your plan and how it unfolds as you will be there a year before us. So excited for this cruise also!!!!

 

[ahen]

We were on this years cruise. We too landed in London 2 days prior to the cruise. This was our second time in London and both times we have managed to do things the day we landed. I think the key is getting outside and walking. Neither of us slept the way over. The first time we went to Buckingham Palace, this time we went to Kensington Palace. We were able to leave our luggage at the hotel and check into our room later.

 

[belle032]

DH & I will be on this trip as well! It'll be our 1st Disney cruise, but we are veteran cruisers for sure!

We also plan on flying in on Thursday (hopefully). Still deciding on whether or not to do the arrive early and use the day to sight see or just get into London in the evening, get to hotel, sleep and start fresh on Friday. Knowing DH, we'll probably go with the 2nd choice!

I am also considering a hotel in the King's Cross area for the exact same reason. The train seems very doable! Do you have hotel ideas yet?

Also trying to get some sort of touring plans down. We definitely want to be "tourists" and see London itself, the Tower, Buckingham Palace, etc. I'd also love to do the Harry Potter Studio Tour (DH not so much so that might get scrapped) and see Stonehenge.

So many decisions! Looking forward to hearing about your planning!

P.S. We love Myrtle! DH grew up vacationing there. My family lives right outside of Charleston and my brothers both graduated from Coastal!

 

[oufpat]

waves hi, Im not on the cruise BUT I am from Dublin, currently living in Dublin. I have lived in Edinburgh and London and visited Belfast, so if you need any help let me know.

This cruise has us in Dublin on Tuesday, Sept 10 from 8:30 am to 9m. We plan on taking the Disney Bus into the center of town, believe it drops us off by the Oscar Wilde statue. How would you recommend visiting Trinity College, the Guinness Storehouse and the Kilmainham Gaol ? We've never been to Dublin before and are open to all suggestions. Thanks for all your advice!

 

[BadPinkTink]

This cruise has us in Dublin on Tuesday, Sept 10 from 8:30 am to 9m. We plan on taking the Disney Bus into the center of town, believe it drops us off by the Oscar Wilde statue. How would you recommend visiting Trinity College, the Guinness Storehouse and the Kilmainham Gaol ? We've never been to Dublin before and are open to all suggestions. Thanks for all your advice!

You can walk to Trinity College / The Book of Kells from the bus drop off point. The easiest way to visit both The Guinness Storehouse and Kilmainham Gaol would be to do the Red Hop On Hop Off Buss tour. https://citysightseeingdublin.ie/hop-on-hop-off/ The bus stop is 3 minutes from the main gate of Trinity College.

 

[oufpat]

Thank you BadPinkTink!!

 

[BadPinkTink]

Thank you BadPinkTink!!

You are welcome, also make sure you book The Book of Kells tickets and Kilmainham Gaol tickets online in advance. They both have timed entries with a set number of people each hour.

 

[oufpat]

From the point where the Disney Shuttle drops you off, are there taxi's available, such as to get to Kilmanhein Jail, instead of an HOHO bus? And is it possible to walk from there to Guinness Storehouse and then maybe to Dublin Castle or St Patricks?

 

[BadPinkTink]

From the point where the Disney Shuttle drops you off, are there taxi's available, such as to get to Kilmanhein Jail, instead of an HOHO bus? And is it possible to walk from there to Guinness Storehouse and then maybe to Dublin Castle or St Patricks?

The Disney shuttle will drop off about 15 minutes walk from Trinity College / The Book of Kells. It drops off at the corner of Merrian Square and Clare Street, near The James Joyce statue. I walk that route regularly, its a street in a tourist area. You could be lucky to hail a passing taxi but its a one way street so taxis may or not be passing by.

There is a taxi rank just opposite the main gate of Trinity College, on College Green / Dame Street.

You could walk from Trinity College to Dublin Castle, St Patricks Cathedral and Christchurch Cathedral. They are all located on the street that starts at the main gates of Trinity Colllege, called Dame Street. Dame Street is a bustling city street, which I walk regularly. It would take about 20 minutes to walk from Trinity College to Christchurch Cathedral. About half way you pass Dublin Castle. St Patricks Catherdral, is down the hill, maybe 10 minutes from Christchurch Cathedral

Kilmanham Gaol, however is a bit further out from the city centre. You would need a taxi to get there.

The same with Guinness Storehouse. You would need a taxi to get there.

Both Guinness Storehouse and Kilmainham Gaol are in areas out from the city centre. Both places are not walkable to any of the other places on your list. Also you could not walk between Guinness Storehouse and Kilmainham Gaol

Go to Google Maps and plot these points, and dont forget to switch to satellite view so that you can see the streets

1. The James Joyce statue at Merrian Square
2. Trinity College
3. Taxi Rank College Green
4. Dublin Castle
5. Christchurch Cathedral
6. St Patricks Cathedral
7. Kilmainham Goal
8. Guinness Storehouse

 

[hmsTigger]

Hello Excellent info from BadPinkTink. We were in Dublin last year and look forward to the return in Sept 2019.
Anyone familiar with the Disney Magic Shuttle to Merrion Square? Are the lines long in the morning? Thank you!