British Isles Itinerary: The Ultimate 13 Days Cruise From Amsterdam
We had been looking forward to this British Isles itinerary for months, a cruise that began from Amsterdam to Ireland, the United Kingdom & Scotland. Despite the crazy weather, the overall cruise was relaxing and truly enjoyable.
Celebrity Cruises is known for their multi-country itineraries, and we have been enjoying this cruise line for the past few years.
This was our first time cruising together as a group, and navigating the unpredictable climate of rain, wind & cold was quite the experience! We were very blessed that our days at port turned out to be sunny & nice.
It was during this trip that I realized not to depend too much on excursions but to have the courage to explore on our own.
British Isles Itinerary Summary
Here’s a snapshot of everywhere the Celebrity Eclipse took us:
Day 1: Amsterdam, Netherlands — Embarkation
Day 2: At Sea
Day 3: Cork (Cobh), Ireland
Day 4: Dun Laoghaire, Dublin
Day 5: At Sea
Day 6: Liverpool, England
Day 7: Belfast, Northern Englad
Day 8: Glasgow (Greenock), Scotland
Day 9: At Sea
Day 10: Lerwick, Scotland
Day 11: Inverness / Loch Ness, Scotland
Day 12: At Sea
Day 13: Amsterdam, Netherlands — Disembarkation
Getting there:Flying to Amsterdam
This was a 12-night cruise that started from Amsterdam. We flew Delta Airlines as it offered a direct flight of eight hours from Atlanta for around $1,200.
We arrived at 6am in Amsterdam, and Remi, our professional driver, picked us up in two cars.
I had originally booked with another airport transfer service, but they fell through completely no communication, no follow-up, despite booking them six months in advance.
Pre-Cruise Stop: Haarlem, Amsterdam
Stay at The Ambassador City Centre Hotel
Spending a night in Haarlem was one of the best decisions we made. It’s a quaint area with everything accessible and within walking distance. We arrived around 8am and were able to stroll the quiet streets right away.
We booked the family room at around $100 per person. One important tip – most hotels in Haarlem do not have air conditioning, so we brought a fan for convenience and it was a major help!
Strolling in Haarlem
Haarlem is such a fun city to explore all day. Since we arrived early, we walked around, had lunch, took naps, and ended the afternoon with a relaxing canal cruise.
We also had a meal at a local Irish Pub, it was a truly special experience.
A must visit: The Corrie Ten Boom Home
Corrie Ten Boom, author of The Hiding Place, was renowned for hiding Jews from the Germans during World War II. Pictured below is the wall where the Jews were hidden for several days during the persecution.
This free museum is an absolute must-visit, but it needs to be booked well in advance.
This was actually my third time visiting, and each time it leaves a deep impact on me.
My first visit was back in 2001, just before my first mission trip to Africa
My second time visiting in 2018.
You can reserve your free tour here: https://www.corrietenboom.com
Luggage Experience from our hotel to the Cruise Port in Amsterdam
Remi and his friend came to pick us up for €80 per car. We did have to walk to the end of the street first, as Haarlem’s roads are quite narrow , but the views along the way made it absolutely worth it!
The Cruise Terminal Check-In Process
The drive to the cruise terminal took about 20 minutes. The check-in process was surprisingly swift , even though we arrived early, they welcomed us right in.
We dropped off our bags, waited briefly in line, and were onboard the ship in less than 20 minutes.
Boarding the Celebrity Eclipse
The overall experience aboard the Celebrity Eclipse was a relaxing one, though the food service was slightly disappointing on this particular trip.
We noticed we ran out of ice, coffee, water & paper cups , small things, but noticeable compared to our previous experiences with the cruise line.
On a brighter note, the mandatory immigration process was actually a pretty cool experience , we got our passports stamped right on the ship!
We kicked off the voyage with a lovely first night dinner, and on our sea day, we did some painting.
The British Isles Itinerary 14 days: Port by Port
Cork, Ireland
We did a fun excursion through Cork, Ireland, visiting the charming countryside town of Kinsale. The weather was gloomy and cloudy, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying every bit of our time there!
The Headliner: Heidi Karlsson
On the second night, we were completely blown away by Heidi Karlsson’s show.
I enjoyed it so much that I stayed for her second show. Here is her Instagram: @HeidiKarlsson
Backstage Passes at Celebrity
Our 13-year-old Adam worked his charm and somehow got us backstage passes with our Cruise Director, Pete. He took us behind the scenes and showed us all the areas where the magic happens.
Belfast, Northern Ireland
One of the highlights of our British Isles itinerary was Belfast .
We were originally meant to port at Dublin, but due to rough weather, tendering out was mandatory. They added an extra sea day instead, and we were pretty bummed about it. However, Belfast did not disappoint!
We didn’t have an excursion booked, so we simply paid $15 per person for the shuttle bus back and forth to the city.
Zuzanna and I were able to walk around freely, and we were so blessed to stumble upon a local music festival happening right in the city.
We visited the Belfast market, just a 15-minute walk away, and got to experience authentic local Irish shopping.
We later discovered an Irish pub with a restaurant upstairs, where we sat down for lunch and enjoyed the most delicious fish and chips.
Liverpool, England
Liverpool cruise port was right at the city center, very inviting to tourists. It’s just a few feet away from the famous Beatles statue, the Beatles are from Liverpool, after all!
We did a walking tour with Viator and it was a pleasant two-hour experience.
Liverpool is very inviting and has a free museum nearby. It’s a bustling center for tourism and the buildings are simply spectacular.
Glasgow (Greenock), Scotland
Our first day in Scotland and we took a panoramic tour of the city. Scotland is so beautiful and it became my favorite destination above even Ireland!
Shetland, Scotland
Shetland was my favorite port of the entire trip. It’s a quaint little town with an incredible hiking trail that overlooks the water.
The hike did so much to my heart that I am still contemplating the journey long after this trip ended.
Inverness, Scotland
Home of the infamous Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster! Inverness is a 45-minute drive from the cruise port. There is an excellent gift shop just a few feet away from the terminal.
Zuzanna & I walked around the area and it was very nice. We also visited a special church.
The walk around this city was very nice.
As we made our way back to the ship, we caught sight of the long line of passengers boarding just before departure. It was quite a sight from our balcony!
Return to Amsterdam
We had an airport excursion where we visited the windmills before being dropped off at the airport.
We had a bad experience with KLM as three of us got kicked out of our plane and got detoured. Two of us got back on the flight and a friend had to detour to Boston.
My friends got to experience Dutch Kitchen at the AMS airport. I have eaten at this place alone several times, and it was finally great having my friends here with me on this trip.
Conclusion
Overall, this British Isles itinerary was a relaxing cruise filled with great places to visit. It was also during this trip that I landed in my 110th country — what a milestone to celebrate!
BRITISH ISLES ITINERARY: PIN IT FOR LATER
Planning your own trip to British Isles? Save this British Isles Itinerary to Pinterest for later.
