British Isles Explorer Cruise Experience: On Board and On Shore

Viking cruise shore excursions — should you take them?

We always recommend that Viking guests take advantage of the included and/or optional excursions and have written about our experiences in previous posts. On our British Isles Explorer cruise, there was something to appeal to a wide range of people and their interests in the ports we visited — London (Greenwich and Tilbury); Dover; Douglas, Isle of Man; Holyhead, Wales; Liverpool, England; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Ullapool, Scotland; Edinburg, Scotland; Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland; Invergordon, Scotland; and Bergen, Norway.

Viking Jupiter (bottom right) docked in Bergen, Norway

Included panorama and city tour excursions are great for getting an introduction to a new destination featuring highlights and popular activities. Optional excursions provide a deeper look and interactive experiences focusing on local life, traditions, culture, and cuisine as well as privileged access for many attractions. In all cases, the transfers are well-organized and the local guides are knowledgeable, helpful, friendly, and often entertaining.

We’ve already covered the excursions we had in Scotland, England, and Wales on the British Isles Explorer cruise. Follow the links below for those posts.

Shore excursions in Scotland, England, and Wales

Ports in Scotland: Exploring Scotland and Its Islands on a Viking Cruise

Ports in England and Wales: British Isles Cruising with Viking: Excursions in England and Wales

Shore excursion locations in England, Scotland, and Wales

Here’s a look at the other destinations on our itinerary.

Shore excursions in Belfast, the Isle of Man, and Bergen

Port: Belfast, Northern Ireland

Our included excursion choice: Historic Belfast City

A life-long resident of Belfast, our wonderful local guide Gerald shared a lot about the city’s fascinating history (including “The Troubles” between the 1960s and 1990s), enabling us to leave with a much better understanding of those turbulent times), current affairs, key landmarks, cultural aspects and much more. He also had a wonderful sense of humor that we really enjoyed. On our coach tour, we passed or stopped at many important sights such as Stormont Estate (home of the Northern Ireland Assembly), Queens University, Belfast Castle (at Cave Hill County Park), Titanic Belfast, and Belfast City Hall.

View from Stormont, the government Parliament buildings in Belfast

A beautiful place to visit is Belfast Castle (a Victorian structure that was built between 1867 and 1870) high above the city center in Cave Hill County Park. We walked through the elegant interior and enjoyed a stroll around the grounds while admiring the view. Now a major tourist attraction and popular venue for conferences and social events, it was built in the 1860s by the 3rd Marquess of Donegall and given to the City of Belfast in 1934.

Belfast Castle

It was especially interesting to hear more about the history of political, ethnic, and religious differences that defined internal conflicts in the 20th century. As our guide described the various neighborhoods we entered, he included information about the current situation that, while The Troubles fighting ended with the 1994 ceasefire, strong differences and the segregation of Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods still exist in some areas. The viewpoints of residents can be identified by flags and banners in front of homes and graffiti on walls and buildings.

British flags flying on Shankill Rd in Belfast

Unionists (Protestants) wish to stay part of the United Kingdom and fly the British flag while Nationalists (Catholics) in Belfast fly the green, white, and orange Irish tricolor flag to signify their identity and political goals, which often overlap with a desire for a united Ireland.

Looking quite serious as I add my message on the Peace Wall in Belfast

I took my task quite seriously (as you can see above) when adding my message on the Peace Wall in Belfast. The wall originally marked a  separation between Catholic and Protestant communities during The Troubles. It remains a place to record political expression and messages of hope and peace.

Optional excursion tips: A few examples of optional excursions that fellow passengers chose included a drive to the Giant’s Causeway, a Belfast food tour, a coastal drive, and Irish Whiskey tasting.

Port: Douglas, Isle of Man UK

Our included excursion choice: Isle of Man Panorama

Douglas on the Isle of Man is a small city on a beautiful island. Our shore excursion included a drive around the island and time on our own in Douglas. Manx refers to things relating to the Isle of Man, including culture, language, currency, and the Manx, the tail-less cat that originated on the island.

Sailboat on the water — Douglas, Isle of Man, UK

It was a lovely day for a ride through the countryside with a stop in the village of Castletown named for the town’s Castle Rushen, initially built in the 12th century for a Norse king. Famously, it was later attached by Robert the Bruce. We had a short time to stroll through the village which was very quiet in the morning.

Film buffs may know of the movie Waking Ned Devine. Although the story is set in Ireland, filming was actually done on the Isle of Man due to its similarities to the landscape and towns of Ireland. Our local guide shared interesting and amusing anecdotes about the filming and the locals who had parts.

Isle of Man countryside

Bee Gees statues on the Isle of Man

Remember the Bee Gees? Well, they are remembered and prominently honored in the Isle of Man, the place where they were born and lived before moving to Manchester and later to Queensland, Australia. The statue was inspired by the video for their hit song Stayin’ Alive. The statues shown above are located in Douglas on the harbor front. We saw a similar statue of the Beatles in Liverpool and were to learn later that the statues were done by the same artist.

Douglas free time tip: Spend some time walking along the harbor front promenade which is nicely adorned with flowers. Go just a few blocks away from the harbor to find shopping and restaurants.

Disembarkation port: Bergen, Norway

Our included excursion choice: Bergen on Foot

What a beautiful place to end our cruise! Our enjoyment was enhanced by the beautiful day we had on this visit, sunny and 15 degrees F above normal temperature.

Entering the port of Bergen, Norway

The photo below was taken from the top of Mount Fløyen which we reached from a funicular in the city center after our walking tour excursion. The panoramic views of the city center, fjords, and Vågen Harbor are spectacular. We enjoyed refreshments at a cafe at the top and wished we had more time to spend in Bergen.

Bergen from the top of Mount Fløyen

On our walking tour our guide took us along the Bryggen Wharf with its timbered buildings along wooden walkways, an area that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a lovely area to explore and perhaps browse in the artisan shops or stop in a cafe.

Bryggen Wharf — Bergen, Norway

Optional excursion tips: There are several other options to consider that include activities like hiking and an e-bike tour; cultural experiences such as a food tour and a visit to a farm or knitting factory; and an exhilarating flight over the fjords.

Onboard comfort, activities and amenities

Relaxing in my robe and enjoying a glass of champagne on our stateroom veranda

Daily free time and one full day of sailing on the Irish Sea gave us opportunities to take advantage of on-board amenities and activities. We worked out in the fitness center with a view, took many walks along the ship’s promenade, appreciated onboard art, joined (and won) a trivia contest, attended enrichment lectures, had fun on the sports deck, enjoyed meals in the restaurants, and luxuriated with a glass of wine on our stateroom veranda.

One of the factors that really enthused me about taking a Viking ocean cruise was the size and design of their ships. They are much smaller than the giant ocean cruisers of other lines. With only 930 guests, the ships are large enough to provide spacious all-veranda staterooms and a wealth of dining, entertainment, and activity options without being overwhelming. — Sailing the Baltic Sea with Viking on TWS

From the ship, we were able to see many unique views that could only been seen from the ship’s location, both landscapes and villages and cities. We saw many sunrises and sunsets and full-moon rises on the water horizon.

Sunset somewhere between Belfast and Ullapool

Lectures and cultural enrichment

Each day, there are ample opportunities for cultural enrichment — lectures related to the history and culture of destinations by experts, cultural performances, documentary films, art, books, and educational information.

Dr. Martin J. Farr giving a lecture in the Star Theater

Each day, there is a variety of cultural enrichment lectures and presentations in the Star Theater. The presentations are also available on stateroom televisions, but we most enjoyed the live presentations and interactions between the expert lecturers and audience.

Art appreciation

From the first steps onto the Viking Jupiter, passengers can see that elements of art are clearly integral to the interior ambiance of the ship. Art is central to the elegant Scandinavian design and decor of the Jupiter (and its sister ships) with paintings, photographs, sculptures, ceramics, and other pieces placed thoughtfully throughout the ship, creating comfortable and appealing spaces for guests. — Sailing the Baltic Sea with Viking by TWS

Appreciating art on the Viking Jupiter

Download the Viking Voyager app to access the Viking Art Guide that includes a full directory and audio descriptions of each art piece.

Entertainment

Evening entertainment in the Star Theater included musical performances, such as Abba night and Beatles night, and other musical and dance performances.

Entertainment in the Star Theatre

Musicians and singers in the Explorer’s Lounge (below), atrium lobby, Torshavn (specialty lounge), and other common areas provide entertainment during the late afternoon and all evening. They range from classical piano to pop performers.

Guitar entertainer Paolo in the Explorer’s Lounge

Spa, fitness, shopping, relaxation, fun and games

One of our favorite things to do throughout the cruise, especially after lunch or dinner, is to take a walk around the Deck 2 promenade. It’s ¼ mile per lap, and can be used for jogging.

Mr. TWS onboard the Viking Jupiter

There are a number of recreational and fun activities to enjoy while onboard. We often saw guests playing cards, working on jigsaw puzzles, and playing games in the atrium sitting areas. The ship also has a nice collection of books in the main deck library or other common areas for guests to read while sailing. On the upper deck of the ship, there is a sports deck on the ninth level for recreation like bocce ball, golf putting, shuffleboard, and ping-pong. It’s also nice just to relax on chaise lounges around the indoor and outdoor pool areas or to use the pools or spa for a refreshing or relaxing dip

Trying my hand at shuffleboard on the sports deck

It’s great to be able to use the ship’s well-equipped fitness center while enjoying the sea views. There is a good selection of cardio equipment, weights, and stretching areas.

Fitness center, jewelry displays, spa, lounge area

I’m not much of a shopper, but I make it a point to check out the shops on sailing day to look for jewelry and clothing, many representative of Nordic culture. I purchased a traditional Norwegian bracelet made by the indigenous Sami people of Scandinavia. Note that the shops are only open while at sea because of customs regulations.

Dining options

After a day of walking and sightseeing, it was always nice to come back to the Jupiter for dinner and relaxation. There are several dining options aboard the Viking ocean ships and we can recommend each of them. We also like the fact that the dress code is elegant/casual, not formal as on some other cruise lines.

The Restaurant, the main dining room, has an excellent menu of standard offerings as well as nightly specialties incorporating the flavors of the cruise destinations. We found dining here to be especially memorable experiences on this cruise. The staff, the food, the ambiance was just right. The food and wines were excellent, consistent with our previous Viking cruising experiences. Mr. TWS particularly appreciated the many seafood and vegetarian options. — Top Things to Do When You Take a Viking Ocean Cruise on TWS

Making a toast in the Restaurant

There are two alternative specialty restaurants on the ocean ships, The Chef’s Table serving a fixed unique cuisine menu (which changes a few times during the cruise), and Manfredi’s, an excellent Italian restaurant, and reservations are required at both. The World Cafe, Mamsen’s, and the Pool Grill (at the main pool) — three other casual/no reservations dining areas. We had most breakfasts and lunches at the World Cafe. A delicious afternoon in the Wintergarden is also very popular.
Plus — there is 24 hour room service!

Chef’s Table Lotus menu on the Viking Jupiter — Each course was paired with a lovely wine. Shown here (not in order of course served): Sea Bream (a substitute made for pescatarian Mr. TWS — chef is very accommodating), Yuzu Cheesecake, Chili Soft Shell Crab, Goan Potato Chop, Thai Spiced Rack of Lamb, a premium Tempranillo paired with lamb, Red Lotus granite

Alternative restaurant tips: There is no additional charge for meals at Manfredi’s or Chef’s Table, but you do need to make reservations which can be done as soon as you have access to making reservations prior to the cruise or while on board. Don’t give up if there are not tables available prior to the cruise. Check in with the restaurants directly or Guest Services once you are onboard. — Top Things to Do When You Take a Viking Ocean Cruise on TWS

And the crew!

As always, the capable and friendly Viking crew and staff are the best! They have a clear focus on providing their guests with the best customer service, comfort, and safety. We’re always a little sad when it’s time to say “goodbye”. The photo below was taken at the Viking Farewell Reception in the Star Theater.

Viking Jupiter crew at the Viking Farewell Reception

And now, we’re dreaming of seeing more great destinations and having more remarkable experiences on cruises with Viking.