Welcome - Preview Our Trip

 Viking Oceans:  British Isles Explorer

August 28 - September 14

We will set off on our latest adventure with not one, but two other couples!

One of our first cruising adventures came in the fall of 2015 on a big ship through New England as Kim and I wanted to see the colors of the fall leaves.  As good fortune would have it, our table for two was seated about three feet away from another table for two and we quickly began chatting with them.  By the end of the cruise we were best of friends with Claudia & Gary and we vowed to travel together again.  We visited them in their northern California home when we went on an extended weekend adventure to Napa Valley two years later and finally we were able to set up a trip to Alaska in 2019.  Again, we had such a wonderful time that we began trying to connect again.  When Claudia reached out and said they were interested in taking a Viking Rivers cruise to the Netherlands in 2023 we were so excited to travel with our friends that we cancelled a trip to Egypt to join them.  And we enjoyed that trip so much that we were able to convince them to join us on this adventure.  Similarly, when Kim and I set off for a Viking Rivers cruise to Portugal with our friends Dennis & Mary Smith, we ended up sharing a dinner table with Mary Pat & Tom Bischoff and Pam & Bob Murray.  By the end of this trip the eight of us were best friends and we agreed to try and travel together again.  Mary Pat, Tom, Bob & Pam all joined us on our first post-Covid trip with American Cruise Lines in September of 2022.  Then Bob & Pam joined us on a Collette land adventure to Iceland in January of 2023 and then we went on an Avalon Waterways "Paris To Normandy" adventure with them in July of 2023.  They were slated to come with us on our Viking Rivers "Pharaohs & Pyramids" trip but Pam broke her foot in the weeks leading up to the trip.  We have since set up not only this adventure with the Murrays but also two other Viking Rivers adventures in the future.  We are so very excited to have our "worlds collide" with four of our most favorite people.  Here's a preliminary look at our itinerary......

August 28-30 - Travel & London

Depart FLL 12:55pm     United Flight 1434     Confirmation: DKZ668

   Arrive Newark 3:56 pm     Economy Plus Seats 8A-8B     Duration:  3 hrs. 1 min.

Depart Newark  6:00pm     United Flight 110

   Arrive London Heathrow 6:20 am     Premium Economy Seats 21A-21B     Duration:  7 hr 20 min (+1)

Friday August 30:  London

During the morning – Viking TV Filming

Set sail for Dover in the evening

Saturday August 31:  Dover

10am – 2:45pm        Sissinghurst Castle & Gardens Excursion

Sunday September 1:  Scenic Sailing

Enjoy the amenities of the Viking Neptune as we sail around the southern coast of Great Britian and up the western coast of Ireland

Monday September 2:  Dublin

We’ve booked an excursion but will be cancelling to meet our friends from my retirement trip to Australia who just so happen to be in Dublin on the same day we are for coffee & breakfast.  Hoping to re-schedule a walking tour of Dublin for the afternoon.

Tuesday September 3:  Liverpool

It’s “Beatle-Mania” all over again as our excursion is “The Beatles Experience” from 8am to 12:30pm

Wednesday September 4:  Holyhead, Wales

We were unable to get the excursion we wanted, but are hopeful to book on board an all day (8 hour) train ride excursion

Thursday September 5:  Belfast

Belfast Food Trail Excursion 1:30pm to 5:30pm

Friday September 6:  The Highlands, Scotland

Scenic Assynt Excursion 1pm – 4:30pm

Saturday September 7:  Orkney Islands, Scotland

The Heart of Neolithic Orkney & St. Magnus Cathedral Excursion 9:15am – 12:15pm

Sunday September 8:  Edinburgh

We’ll trace some of the steps of Dan Brown’s book with the Da Vinci Code & Rosslyn Chapel Excursion 12:45pm – 4:15pm

Monday September 9:  The Highlands, Scotland

Another day where our excursion was “Sold Out” so we hope to go on an 8 hour Ultimate Loch Ness & Outlander experience

Tuesday September 10:  Shetland Islands, Scotland

Shetland Panorama & Ponies Excursion 8:30am to 10:15am

Wednesday September 11:  Bergen, Norway

After sailing across the North Sea we dock overnight in Bergen.  Our tour:  A Snapshot of Bergen 1:30pm to 6pm

Thursday September 12:  Travel to Oslo

Disembark the Viking Neptune and board “The Most Scenic Train Ride In The World” for a trip across Norway to reach Oslo

Friday September 13:  Oslo

Our final day of the adventure sees us enjoy a guided walking tour of Oslo from our hotel

Saturday September 14:  Travel Home

Depart Oslo               11:10 am                    Premium Economy Seats: 21A-21B

                  Arrive Newark           1:15 pm                      Flight duration:  8 hours 5 minutes

Depart EWR              5:59 pm                                        Economy Plus Seats: 8F-8E

                  Arrive FLL                  9:07 pm                      Flight duration: 3 hours 8 minutes