British Isles

18 DAY CRUISE/TOUR - JULY 7, 2013

Ultimate British Isles with Scotland, Ireland & Wales - SOLD OUT!

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Shakespeare ~ Harry Potter ~ C.S. Lewis ~ History

With a little creativity we have taken a Princess Cruise and added a land tour to reach the important places missed on the cruise. When you combine a great cruise, with a great land tour and then add a great educator in Michael Wilcox, you create the Ultimate British Isles & Ireland Cruise & tour. This is the best itinerary we have ever been able to offer! Here is a partial list of what you will see and experience on this special cruise/tour:

Visit the following sites on your land tour:
In England: London, Windsor Castle, Tower of London, Stonehenge, Oxford, Stratford upon-Avon, Warwick, Warwick Castle, LDS Church History sites and the English countryside.
In Wales: Tintern Abbey, Cardiff, a Welsh Open Air Museum and the Welsh countryside.

Visit the following sites by cruise ship:
In England: Southampton, Guernsey Island. (England is mostly by land)
In Scotland: Edinburgh, Edinburgh Castle, Inverness, Loch Ness, Scottish Highlands, Glasgow, sterling Castle, Orkney Islands (Kirkwall) and more.
In Ireland: Belfast, Ireland Costal Drive, Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle, Dublin, Glandalough Monastery, Cork, Blarney Castle and more.  .

Stay in Marriott & Hilton hotels!
Bonus:The last stop before returning to Southampton is Le Havre, France.
Our last shore excursion will include Normandy Landing Beaches and the American Cemetery.

A Message from Your Educator

Dr. Wilcox has been an educator for over 35 years. He has escorted many tours to China, Israel, Europe and Central and South America and more.

 

"England is the foundation of our heritage. From it we received our language, our most endearing literature, our freedoms, our sense of humor, and our general outlook on the world. Many of us trace our individual roots to England, Scotland, Wales or Ireland. From Shakespeare to Harry Potter, to C.S. Lewis to King Arthur and his Round Table, to Beatrix Potter or Jane Austin, the culture of England continues to shape our world and define our place within it. Its heroes and villains are part of our everyday consciousness. Its castles, cottages, palaces and ancient ruins fire our imagination and haunt our thoughts. Come with us to the “Sceptred Isle” as we reminisce of everything from Kings to paupers. You will enjoy the green wonder of Scottish highland lochs, the rocky cliffs of Ireland, the rolling hills of the English countryside and the wild beauty of Wales. I look forward to traveling with you."

Sincerely, 
Dr. S. Michael Wilcox

Price Includes

Option to purchase discounted airfare

  • 12 night cruise on the beautiful Caribbean Princess.
  • All Port Charges.
  • All cruise taxes and booking fees.
  • All of your hotel nights are in Marriott or Hilton Hotel’s.
  • All tours, entrance fees, buses and guides during the 6 days of touring before the ship and after the ship.   
  • All transfers to and from hotels, airports and ship.
  • Individual “Whisper Perfect” Headset receivers.  You do not have to run to keep up or stand next to the guide, tour staff or educator to hear.  You can hear every word spoken with our special receivers, even when you step away from the group to take the important picture!
  • Special Guest Educator: Dr. S. Michael Wilcox.
  • Fun For Less Tour Staff throughout the tour and cruise.
  • Option to purchase deeply discounted shore excursions at a fraction of what you would pay the ship!!!
    • We offer 9 days of shore excursions.  Most are full days.  If you bought similar tours from the ship you would pay over 1,300 dollars – We give you all 9 days of shore excursions for only $699 – a fraction of what you would pay the ship PLUS, when you travel with Fun For Less Tours, you are part of our family, your shore excursions are not with strangers, you are with the same passengers all the way through both the Land tour and the shore excursions!

Pricing Information

SOLD OUT

Itinerary (subject to change)

Day by Day Itinerary
 
***Important note:  Dr. Wilcox will teach on the bus or on site during most of the land portion of your cruise/tour.  On the wonderful cruise portion (where you only unpack once), Dr. Wilcox will do his teaching on the ship during our days at sea or before we depart the ship for your planned shore excursion.  There is so much to see and do on your shore excursions, plus he doesn’t want you to miss all the information supplied by our wonderful local guides!
 
Day 1: July 7: Fly from the US to London.
 
Day 2: July 8: London
After our morning arrival we will spend the day touring London.  Included in our tour is the infamous Tower of London, a castle, prison and the most famous execution site in Europe. Time permitting we will stop at the British Library, home to some of the greatest documents in the English language and world – from the original lyrics of the Beatles to the notebooks of Da Vinci, to the Magna Charta, to the oldest New Testament in existence.
 
Day 3: July 9: Windsor Castle – Oxford – Stratford-upon-Avon
We will start the day with a visit to Runny Mead – it was here the Magna Charta was signed.  We then head to one of the homes of the Queen of England, Windsor Castle. You will have time to explore the Castle and the many shops around the castle. In the afternoon we travel to the literary center of England, Oxford. This is the college town of C. S. Lewis, J.R.R Tolkien, William Tyndale, Lewis Carroll and Dozens of other great English thinkers. Oxford was the scene of the most famous martyrdoms in English Protestant history for it was here Archbishop Cranmer was burned at the stake along with Bishops Latimer and Ridley. It was also used in Harry Potter films.  Before reaching our hotel, we will visit Stratford-upon-Avon where you will have a chance to explore and enjoy dinner in a sidewalk café.  We will overnight a few miles away in Warwick.
 
Day 4: July 10: Warwick Castle  – Cardiff Wales
This morning we will travel the short distance to Warwick Castle, perhaps England’s most famous. You’ll have time to explore the towers and dungeons.  They also have demonstrations of medieval archery, catapults, sword fighting and falconry. This afternoon we will travel the short distance to the most significant LDS church history sites in England.  We will also make a stop at Tintern Abby on our way to overnight in Cardiff, Wales.   
 
Day 5: July 11:  Cardiff – Southampton – Princess Cruise
We will spend the morning visiting a Welsh Open Air Museum.  The original homes, shops and farms date back hundreds of years and have been moved to one location to see how the Welsh lived hundreds of years ago.  When we finish we will drive the approximate two hours to Southampton were we will board our beautiful ship.
 
Day 6: July 12: Guernsey Island, England
Optional Shore Excursion on Guernsey Island – Port: St. Peter.
 
Day 7: July 13: Cork, Ireland
Optional Shore Excursion: Our shore excursion will include a stop at the Blarney Castle. This is your chance to Kiss the Blarney Stone.
 
Day 8: July 14: Dublin, Ireland
Optional Shore Excursion: Just a little south of Dublin we will visit the ancient Monastery of Glendalough. The history of Ireland is deeply intertwined with Christian Monasteries and the inspiring story of Saint Patrick. It would be difficult to imagine a setting more peaceful. You will have time to walk the ruins and sit by the lakes or walk the footpaths once trod by Irish monks whose labors saved much of Western Civilization during the dark centuries following the fall of Rome and the barbarian invasions that swept over Europe. We will then turn to Dublin to visit Trinity College home of the Book of Kells, a beautifully illuminated manuscript of the New Testament and the greatest treasure of Ireland. We will also visit the Trinity Library, one of the most beautiful library’s in the world.
 
Day 9: July 15: Glasgow – Stirling Castle
Optional Shore Excursion: Stirling Castle was built in the 14th and 15th Centuries, Several Kings and Queens have been crowned here, including Mary, Queen of Scotts in 1543. We will also drive a little through the lower highlands.  Glasgow is not a great city, but if time permits we may do a small tour in Glasgow before returning to the ship. 
 
Day 10: July 16: Belfast – Ireland Coast
Optional Shore Excursion: Today will be a highlight day! We begin with a drive up one of the most beautiful costliness in the world. At the top of the spectacular costal drive we will stop at the Giants Causeway, one of the most remarkable geological wonders in Europe. We will also visit Dunluce Castle, perched precariously on the cliffs above the sea, before returning to Belfast and our ship.
 
Day 11: July 17: Fun Day at Sea
In addition to relaxing, dinning and enjoying the ships entertainment; you can meet with Michael and enjoy his history and incites on what we are seeing and experiencing.  
 
Day 12: July 18: Orkney Island (Kirkwall) Scotland
Mike was quite excited the cruise line added this island to their itinerary.  He said it has great Viking History.   We will have an optional shore excursion today.
 
Day 13: July 19: Inverness – Scottish Highlands
Optional Shore Excursion: We plan to spend a fantastic day driving through the Scottish highlands. We will stop at Eilean Donan Castle near the Isle of Sky and then back inland to Loch Ness to look for the Lock Ness Monster. We will also stop at the Urquhart Castle often called the Lock Ness Castle.
 
Day 14: July 20: Edinburgh
Optional Shore Excursion: We have an entire day to enjoy Edinburgh. We will have a morning tour of the city, including Edinburgh Castle. Sir Walter Scott created the mystique of the Scottish clans here and there is monument to this famous Scott. Edinburgh is also the city of Greyfriars Booby and J.K. Rowling who wrote Harry Potter from the upstairs window of a local pub. You will enjoy Edinburgh Castle and have time to walk and explore the Royal Mile before returning to the ship.
 
Day 15: July 21: Fun Day at Sea
In addition to relaxing, dinning and enjoying the ships entertainment; you will meet with our special guest educator, Dr. S. Michael Wilcox.
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Day 16: July 22: Normandy Coast
Optional shore Excursion: This morning we will tour the Normandy Landing Beaches including Omaha Beach. We will also visit the American Cemetery before returning to the ship.
 
Day 17: July 23: Southampton – Stonehenge – London
This morning we will say good bye to our beautiful floating Princess Hotel.  It has been great to not have to pack and unpack every day.  On our way to London we will visit ancient Stonehenge, the Mysterious circle of stones that still carries the aura built into it over four thousand years ago. We will then head to our hotel to repack and prepare to head home with great memories.
 
Day 18: July 24: Fly Home
This morning you will head back to the US and home.