Belfast

Boasting a rich and varied past, Belfast is a city of both industry and elegance. This exploration of the city will introduce you to the many and varied features of Northern Ireland's largest city. You will also travel outside the city to visit the iconic Royal residence of Hillsborough Castle and the world-famous UNESCO World Heritage site - the Giant's Causeway.

DÍA 1

Fly into either the Belfast International Airport or the Dublin International Airport where you will be met outside the luggage collection area and transferred to your hotel which is located in the heart of the city of Belfast. Set in the Linen Quarter, you’ll find it’s the perfect spot for exploring all that Belfast has to offer.

Aviso: transfer time from the Dublin airport is approximately 1.5 hours and approximately 30 mintues from the Belfast airport. Guests arriving at the Dublin airport will be billed a surcharge of $350 USD per person for a private transfer.

Check in is at 3:00pm so you will be able to drop off your bags with the Concierge and begin independently exploring as this is a day at leisure. Although every effort will be made to have rooms available before this time, this cannot be guaranteed.

Perhaps venture to St. George’s Market – one of Belfast’s oldest attractions and one of the best markets in the UK and Ireland. Other popular sites close by are the Crumlin Road Goal, City Hall, the Ulster Museum and the Botanic Gardens.

Las comidas corren por su cuenta.

DÍA 2

Following breakfast, you will depart your hotel accompanied by a local guide.

Built with 19th century industrial money, many fine buildings from this era still grace the city and are reminders of its prosperous past. Enjoy commentary on such sights as the Grand Opera House and the Albert Memorial before passing Queen’s University where the Botanic Gardens are located. Located in these gardens is the Palm House – a superb structure of cast iron and curved glass panels built even before Kew Gardens opened in London in 1839.

You will drive past Belfast City Hall – an impressive building with a 300ft long façade of Portland stone, which dominates Donegall Square. One of Belfast's most iconic buildings, it first opened its doors in agosto 1906 and is today where the city council sits.

Travelling towards Belfast’s port area en-route to Titanic Belfast®, your informative guide will point out the twin shipbuilding cranes, affectionately known as Samson and Goliath, which dominate the Belfast skyline and are landmark structures of the city.

The most significant tale of Belfast’s ship building past is the ill-fated Titanic. Nicknamed the "millionaire’s special," it was the last word in luxury and signalled to the rest of the world that life in the 20th century would be bigger, faster, newer, shinier. The striking ultra-modern building of Titanic Belfast® resembles the hulls of four ships and the building is clad in thousands of three-dimensional aluminium plates. From above, it resembles a white star, the symbol of the White Star Line, Titanic’s operators.

Inside, the 118,400 square foot building offers a state-of-the-art experience that will take you through nine galleries on six floors. Through the interactive displays you will learn how Belfast became a thriving boomtown, watch a dramatic presentation of the shipyards and the Titanic under construction, explore the superb craftsmanship of Titanic’s interiors, relive the drama of its tragic end, and explore the wreckage on the ocean floor. After your tour and time permitting, you will have some free time to enjoy the breath-taking views that overlook the slip-ways where Titanic was launched, sit down for a bite in one of the fine restaurants or browse the gift shops for souvenirs.

Re-join your coach and drive past the alternative sights of Belfast including the political wall murals which are a unique cultural experience. You will also see the former Crumlin Road Court House and Crumlin Jail (both of these venues were for political offenders only) and The Peace Wall.

A stop will be made for lunch at a venue where you can experience the local fare and perhaps enjoy some Guinness.

Next, travel a short distance outside the city to the historic village of Hillsborough which is home to the distinguished Hillsborough Castle. Built in the 1770s by the first Marquis of Downshire, the mansion has been remodelled in the last 200 years to its present state and is the official residence of the British Royal Family when they are visiting Northern Ireland. Set on 96 acres, the grounds boast woodlands, waterways, and gardens that feature many rare plants. Set out on a guided tour through this lovely two-story late Georgian manor adorned with beautiful furniture and master pieces of art.

Visit the State Room where all visiting dignitaries are formally welcomed. Next door is Candlestick Hall where candles were collected before retiring for the night in the 18th century. The panels around the room, made in the early 19th century, are made from hand-painted wallpaper and depict scenes from Cervantes’ Don Quixote. Today, this is where members of the Royal Family and visiting dignitaries sign the visitors' book.

Next, you can visit the castle’s two dining rooms - the Red Dining Room, which looks out over what is claimed to be the largest rhododendron bush in Europe, and the State Dining Room where official state dinners are served. You will also visit the Throne Room, where citizenship ceremonies are held; the State Drawing Room, which overlooks the Jubilee garden; and Lady Grey’s Sitting Room.

At the conclusion of the tour, feel free to meander through the lovely gardens or stroll to Hillsborough village before re-joining your coach for the journey back to your hotel.

Tendrá el resto de la noche libre, y la cena correrá por su cuenta.

DÍA 3

Following breakfast at your hotel you will depart for a full day tour to Larne where you will join the Antrim Coast.

The three-hour panoramic drive unveils gorgeous vistas of windswept coastline, unrivalled seascapes, towering cliffs, white sandy beaches, tranquil glens and lush forest parks. Around each bend in the road you will find pretty fishing villages or dramatic headlands.

Leave the coach to stretch your legs and take photos at Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge viewpoint. Spanning a chasm some 80 feet deep, this bridge once consisted of a single rope handrail and widely spaced slats. Fishermen would traverse it while holding the salmon they caught - an endeavour that was not for the faint-hearted. Unfortunately, the old bridge was replaced more than a decade ago. There is now a much more sensible, two-railed bridge with no wide gaps or missing boards - not nearly as exciting as the old one.

Continue your drive along the coast, pausing for photos at White Park Bay and Dunluce Castle. Built in the 14th century, Dunluce is perched at the edge of a magnificent cliff with the fierce Atlantic Ocean as its backdrop. Most of the fortifications here date from the 16th and 17th centuries.

Following lunch, visit the Giant’s Causeway – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For centuries, visitors have marvelled at its majesty and mystery. The Visitor Center allows you to decide for yourself which is the most likely (or the most interesting) explanation of how the causeway’s 40,000 basalt stones were formed. Stories about the area’s rich mythology, history, geology, flora and fauna introduce you to the Causeway; then, walk the causeway to see how this unique rock formation has stood as a natural rampart against the unbridled ferocity of Atlantic storms for millions of years. The rugged symmetry of the columns never fails to intrigue and inspire.

Return to Belfast via the inland route of Bushmills and Ballymena -a 90-minute drive.

You are in for a treat this evening as you head out for dinner and a lively show which takes you through the hidden backstreets and lost lanes of old Belfast through narration and dance. Spend an enchanting time in the company of world champion Irish dancers and musicians. Try your hand at 'sean-nós' and céilí dancing as your entertainers sing and play local melodies and street songs that would have been heard in the ship-yards, mills and markets of the old days. With dancing, stories, songs and music played with a variety of traditional Irish instruments, there is something special for everyone in this unique cultural experience that is "The Story of Hidden Belfast ".

Following your enjoyable evening, return to your hotel.

DAY 4 – Sunday, 3 de julio de 2022

After breakfast, the morning is at your leisure. Hotel check out time is 12:00pm, at which point you will meet your guide in the lobby for a transfer to the port where you will embark the ship.

Detalles del Programa Terrestre Paso a Paso

• El orden de los sitios visitados puede variar para evitar que se llenen demasiado. Los horarios del programa son aproximados, se indican a modo de referencia general y están sujetos a cambios.

• Los itinerarios con los detalles más actualizados se emitirán cuando usted reciba por correo electrónico los documentos finales del crucero 21 días antes de que comience la navegación. A continuación, recibirá un itinerario final de nuestro operador terrestre con una Carta de Bienvenida a su llegada o en el hotel. Revise detenidamente la carta y el itinerario final para ver si hay más modificaciones.

• Los hoteles destinados para el programa terrestre serán los hoteles que figuran en este documento, a menos que se indique lo contrario antes de la fecha de comienzo del programa terrestre.

• Los huéspedes que no lleguen el Día 1 según el programa terrestre programado se considerarán ausentes y se liberará su espacio en el hotel.

Noches Adicionales

•All extra nights booked through the cruise line are confirmed at the hotel that is used on the FIRST NIGHT of your land program

• Si reserva noches adicionales a través de la línea de cruceros, será recibido según los detalles del vuelo proporcionados y será trasladado a su hotel. El registro de entrada es a las 15:00 h (sujeto a cambios). Las comidas que no sean el desayuno, así como las actividades, corren por su cuenta hasta el día 2 del programa.

• Si tiene un vuelo que llega temprano, es posible que desee reservar una noche adicional, ya que su habitación no estará lista para ocuparse hasta aproximadamente las 15:00 h.

• Si reserva noches adicionales por su cuenta, los traslados no están incluidos.

DÍA 1

Fly into the Belfast International Airport

Transfer to your hotel

3:00pm is the hotels official check in time

Should you have an early arriving flight, you may wish to book an extra night to guarantee your room’s availability when you arrive.

The remainder of the day is at leisure and all meals are on your own

Overnight at Grand Central Hotel Belfast or similar hotel

AVISO: Guests arriving at the Dublin airport will be billed a surcharge of $350 USD per person for a private transfer.

Encuentro y traslados

• Los documentos finales del crucero se enviarán por correo electrónico 21 días antes de que comience la navegación. El número de teléfono del agente terrestre local estará en la página 1 si no puede ubicar al representante a su llegada. Tenga en cuenta que el representante puede estar ayudando a otros; y es posible que no esté a la vista cuando salga por primera vez de la Aduana y del área de reclamo de equipaje.

• Busque a alguien que tenga un cartel con el logotipo de la línea de cruceros y posiblemente su nombre. En caso de duda, solicite al personal del aeropuerto que le indique el área de reunión para los traslados o que busque a nuestro representante.

• El encuentro y los traslados se organizan para los huéspedes que lleguen el Día 1 de un programa terrestre o para noches adicionales reservadas a través de la línea de cruceros, y se organizan en función de los detalles del vuelo recibidos por los huéspedes al menos 14 días antes de que comience la navegación. Los huéspedes que lleguen de manera independiente antes de la fecha de comienzo del programa no tendrán el traslado incluido.

• Si no hemos recibido los detalles de su vuelo o si sus vuelos han cambiado, y si no se notificó al Equipo Terrestre de Servicios en Destino, no se podrá brindar el traslado y los huéspedes serán responsables de llegar al hotel del programa terrestre a su cargo. Contacte de inmediato a nuestro Departamento de Reservas por cualquier cambio en el vuelo antes de la salida.

DÍA 2

AM Full Irish breakfast at the hotel

8:45am Meet your guide in Lobby

9:00am Begin Belfast city tour by motor coach

City panoramic tour incorporating a visit to Titanic Belfast

1:00pm Lunch will be served in local establishment

2:15pm Following lunch, travel to Hillsborough Castle for visit

5:00pm Arrive back at the hotel

La cena corre por su cuenta

Overnight at Grand Central Hotel Belfast or similar hotel

DÍA 3

AM Full Irish breakfast at your hotel

8:15am Meet your guide in the hotel lobby

8:30am Depart for the North Antrim coast

Stop en-route for photo opportunities

11:30am Visit to Giant’s Causeway

1:30pm Lunch at a local venue

3:00pm Return journey to the city

4:30pm Arrive at the hotel

7:00pm Depart for dinner and show

9:30pm Return to hotel

Overnight at Grand Central Hotel Belfast or similar hotel

DÍA 4

AM Full Irish breakfast at your hotel

12:00pm Hotel check out

12:30pm Transfer to the port of Belfast to embark the ship

Pronóstico del tiempo:

Weather in Ireland is very unpredictable. The average high in Belfast from June through August is approximately 18°C (65°F) and the average low is approximately 12°C (51°F).

Qué debe traer:

Prepárese para un clima moderadamente templado en todo momento; y recuerde complementar la vestimenta básica con un suéter abrigado o un sobretodo impermeable. Empaque calzado cómodo, ya que la mayoría de las atracciones rurales e incluso algunas áreas urbanas se describen mejor como "terreno escarpado", y el suelo está mojado de vez en cuando. También traiga sombreros y gafas de sol.

Moneda Local:

British Pounds. Las tarjetas de crédito son ampliamente aceptadas.

Electricidad:

230 V/50 Hz (los enchufes son de 3 pines cuadrados). Un interruptor adyacente normalmente controla las salidas. Some hotels will have adaptors available, although this cannot be guaranteed so we suggest brining your own international converter for electric devices.

Requisitos de documentación y visa:

Please check with your embassy for up-to-date visa information for your nationality

A valid passport is required

Dirección del Hotel:

Hotel Grand Central

9-15 Bedford St, Belfast

Teléfono: 011 028 9023 1066

*We will only substitute a hotel in unforeseen situations. If a hotel is substituted, it will be similar and with equal ratings and standards and guests will be notified in advance. Si no se notifica a los huéspedes sobre los cambios antes de la salida, se usarán los hoteles que figuran en este programa.

El programa incluye:

•3 nights at the Grand Central Hotel or similar hotel – Deluxe King or Queen Rooms (One king bed or two queen beds)

•Transfer from Belfast International Airport to Hotel on Day 1

AVISO: Guests arriving at the Dublin airport will be billed a surcharge of $350 USD per person for a private transfer.

•Group transfer from hotel to Ship on Day 4

•Two days of sight-seeing and entrance fees as per itinerary

•Entrance to Titanic Belfast (includes audio guides), Hillsborough Castle & Gardens, Giant’s Causeway

•Services of professional English-speaking tour guide

•2 x 2-course lunches in local venues (main course + dessert with tea or coffee and one drink of choice)

•Evening dinner and show on Day 3

•Porterage on two pieces of baggage per person at hotel - in and out

•All government taxes and charges

Tenga en cuenta lo siguiente: Los huéspedes que reservan sus propios vuelos (independientemente de cuál sea la línea de cruceros) son responsables de garantizar que la línea de cruceros tenga la información de llegada actualizada, para poder planificar su traslado. Si usted reserva noches adicionales por su cuenta, la línea de cruceros no proporcionará el traslado de llegada. Si no recibimos los detalles de vuelo con un mínimo de 14 días de antelación, no se proporcionarán los traslados.

El programa no incluye:

• Comidas o bebidas no mencionadas anteriormente

• Propinas a los choferes o guías turísticos

• Servicios imprevistos del hotel, incluidos el minibar y el servicio a la habitación

• Gastos personales

Aviso: Los programas terrestres que incluyen numerosos días en la costa incluyen actividades prolongadas y aquellos de duración más corta ofrecen, en general, actividades más moderadas. Sin embargo, cada programa varía y los huéspedes deben estar preparados para lidiar con distintas superficies, entre ellas, pendientes, adoquines, arena y senderos naturales o de grava. Es posible que haya que subir escaleras o escalones. Se les recomienda a los huéspedes que estén en silla de ruedas o que tengan problemas de movilidad que consulten con la línea de cruceros con anticipación para comprobar si alguna parte del programa de excursión no es apta según su situación particular. Ropa adecuada para el clima: se recomienda el uso de sombreros, gafas de sol y calzado bajo y cómodo.

Aviso: Todos los programas terrestres cuentan con capacidad limitada y están sujetos a disponibilidad. Los programas que no alcanzan la cantidad mínima de participantes requerida están sujetos a cancelación. Los precios publicados también están sujetos a cambios que dependen del aumento de los costos del transporte, de los servicios terrestres o de la fluctuación de la moneda. Después de la compra, el precio está garantizado y no está sujeto a cambios. Los Programas Terrestres deben comprarse hasta 90 días antes de la fecha en que comienza la navegación. Las cancelaciones realizadas 90 días o menos antes de la fecha de partida están sujetas a una multa por cancelación del 100%. There are no refunds for unused portions of any program. Los huéspedes que no lleguen el Día 1 según el programa terrestre se considerarán ausentes y se liberará su espacio en el hotel. Los arreglos para el alojamiento y los traslados estarán a cargo de los huéspedes.