We are back, following a wonderful trip to the British Isles!  You can ready my trip report/review here. I cover the ship, our pre-cruise stay in Amsterdam, our tours, restaurants, and ports of call.  Now I'm gearing up for our next adventure:  The Mardi Gras cruise on Celebrity Equinox!  Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Ready! Set! Go!

I've begun the packing project.  Thus far, I've figured out bag to be checked, backpack to carry on, large purse to carry on as personal item, and smaller backpack and purse to pack in luggage for use on tours, etc.

My Kindle is loaded with books, iPad filled with music, camera, chargers, toiletries, and hair accessories are compiled.

As you can see, Elliott is helping me pack and he also doesn't want to be left behind!  He's traveled around the world with me so he thinks that he's entitled to join us.  I can't believe it, but a CC friend has a duck named Annie who wants to meet Elliott onboard the ship... perhaps a blooming romance?  We shall see!

Next up, clothing, shoes, sweaters, jacket (including waterproof one!).. I will repost when I get this done.

My Itinerary Highlights for British Isles Trip

 

Day 1: Flight on Delta to Amsterdam via Atlanta

   Arrive Amsterdam 5:50 AM on Day 2

    Airport Pickup by Mozio/Shuttle Amsterdam

 +31-20-201-9566, info@shuttleamsterdam.com 

 for transfer to BanksMansion where we will stay for 3 days (+31-(0)20-420-0055 

Dinner evening of arrival at Eatmosfera, 7 PM

Day 2: Jordaan Food & CanalsTour, by Eating Amsterdam 10:30 AM  (+31 (0)6 17 85 83 98)

Dinner at Indrapura 7:30 PM

 Day 3: Tickets in hand for Verzetsmuseum (Resistance Museum) and Rijksmuseum

 Dinner at Haesje Claes 7 PM

 

Day 4: Transfer from Banks Mansion to Pier by Shuttle Amsterdam 10:30 AM

 

  Embark Celebrity Silhouette, departing Amsterdam at 5 PM

Day 5 – Sea Day

Day 6 – St. Peter Port, Guernsey 7AM – 4PM

  Tour: St. Peter Port, Guernsey – Guernsey Military Occupation, departs 12 Noon

 

Day 7 – Cork (Cobh), Ireland 10AM – 7 PM

  Tour:  eCoach Tour – Blarney, Kinsale: departs at 10:30 sharp, 8 hour tour with time for pub lunch in Kinsale!

Day 8 – Dublin, Ireland 6:30 AM – 6:45 PM

Tour – Denny’s Dublin Tour, Meet Denny at 10:30 AM at Molly Malone statue. Cultural, historical, Guinness, Irish music, pubs, and more.

Day 9 - Liverpool, England

8 Am – 8 PM– Beatles Ale Trail Tour with Jackie Spencer, Beatles Guide

 Meet Jackie at the pier 11:00 AM; tour will conclude around 3 PM, visiting Cavern Club,  Beatles hangouts and pubs, with time for lunch at historical pub.

Day 10 - Belfast, Northern Ireland – 10AM – 6PM

  Tours by Locals with Lorraine Mills

   Belfast city, murals, and Titanic Belfast

   Meet Lorraine at pier at 10 AM for 6 hour tour, including lunch break at Pub

Day 11 – Sea Day

Day 12 – Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland 7 AM – 5 PM

  Tour:  Shetland Ponies tour at 11 AM, following by a coastal knab walk, wildlife viewing and another pub lunch! (the walk is easy to find. Turn left once off the ship, past the Tourist Info, and just follow the road/path all the way around the coast going clockwise: Esplanade – Commercial St – Twageos Rd – Gressy Loan. Once at Knab, you can continue to walk further: Knab Rd, Breiwick Rd – South Rd. Near the Tesco, there is a trail heading up the hill from S. Lockside past the sports complex with Clickimin Loch to your left which you can take for some more stunning views of the island.

Day 13 – Inverness/Loch Ness, Scotland 8 AM – 6 PM

  Tour with WOW Scotland

  Meet at pier at 8:30 AM for full day tour, including Loch Ness, Culloden Battlefield, Clava Cairns, and more.

Days 14 - 15:  Edinburgh, Scotland (for two days)

 

   Day 14  – Private transfer from pier to Royal Mile; meet at 2 PM  on dock

Dinner at 6:00 at Angels with Bagpipes

Followed by the Highlight!  Edinburgh Military Tattoo (begins at 9 PM) 

      Immediately following Tattoo, meet coach for transfer back to pier.

   Day 15  – On our own! Exploring more of Edinburgh and lunch in a pub (thinking Whiski Rooms perhaps) Or perhaps even exploring Newhaven and lunching at Loch Fyne Seafood and Grill.

Day 16 –  Relaxing Sea Day!

Day 17 - Bruges, Belgium 8 AM – 4 PM

Tour – On our Own via Celebrity Cruises shuttle

Day 18 – Arrive Amsterdam 6 AM and Disembark
  Celebrity transfer to airport

Depart AMS 1:00 PM

Arrive ILM 12:06 AM

Transfer picks us up and then Home Sweet Home!

My Google Map of Sites to See in Amsterdam

Molly Malone and Cockles and Mussels

Molly Malone is indeed one of Ireland's historical mysteries... or myths?  A fishmonger and a working girl, there is a statue dedicated to her that usually stands at the end of Grafton Street; due to transportation system upgrades, the statue has been moved to a temporary location in front of St. Andrews Church until summer of 2017.  There are a couple of YouTube videos that pay tribute to Molly and her song, the unofficial anthem of Dublin City and perhaps of all of Ireland!  Click here for the video with lyrics (you can sing along)!
And here's another video by the Dublinners of the song, beautifully done. 

It might be fun if we all learned this song to sing onboard and while in Ireland! . 
Here are the lyrics to the first stanza:
In Dublin's fair city, where the girls are so pretty
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone
As she wheeled her wheel-barrow
Through streets broad and narrow
Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!
Alive, alive-O! alive, alive-O!
Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!
 
Karaoke? Talent show? Can you imagine all of us singing this? What a chorus!

The Mobile Passport App

I just downloaded the app and completed my profile; the process was easy and I am hoping that it will work upon our return at the airport in Atlanta when going through Customs!  You can enter information for those who are traveling on the flight with you.  

If you don't have Global Entry, then this looks like a great substitute.  I plan to enroll in Global Entry, but at the moment, the only airport that has an enrollment center in North Carolina is Charlotte; you would need to apply first and once accepted, schedule an interview in Charlotte or at your nearest Enrollment Center (locations can be found on the website).

U.S. Customs and Border Control, CBP, launched Mobile Passport Control (MPC), the first authorized app to expedite a traveler’s entry process into the United States.  This app lets you skip the lines at certain US airports (and the list of airports is growing).  You complete  your profile information (which can be re-used for future trips)  and once you're registered you can go to the Mobile Passport Control Express Lane at the airport.  Current airports include: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Minneapolis, NY JFK, Newark, Orlando, RaleighDurham, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Tampa (soon), and Washington Dulles.  

Click here to download the Mobile Passport App or just download on the App Store (Apple) or on Google Play.  Here are the steps listed on the website:

 

Step 1:
Set up your Profile

Enter your profile information as it appears on your valid, official passport. You can set up profiles for your entire family. Your information will be encrypted and shared only with CBP.

 

Step 2:
Answer a few questions

Answer CBP’s four brief questions about your trip. Then carefully review ALL of your information for the trip.
  
Step 3:

Submit To CBP

Once you land, connect to wireless or wi-fi and submit your data to CBP. Remember: when you submit, you are confirming under penalty of law that your information is correct. Within a few seconds, you will receive a CBP receipt with an encrypted barcode. Your receipt will be valid for 4 hours. 
  
Step 4:

Skip The Line & save time!

Follow the MOBILE PASSPORT CONTROL signs and skip the lines! Show your passport to the CBP officer and scan the barcode on the CBP receipt. And that’s it!

Museums in Amsterdam

If you’re interested in visiting museums in Amsterdam, you can purchase most museum tickets online in advance.  Note that tickets for Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and  Dutch Resistance Museum (VerzetsMuseum), will allow you to skip the ticket purchase line at the museum, but you may have to wait in an entry line. You can also purchase tickets for the Anne Frank Museum online in advance, beginning one to two months prior to your visit.  Here’s the official word from the Anne Frank Haus office: “Tickets are released online a few at a time, usually up to one or two months ahead.  The Anne Frank House is trying to prevent ticket scalpers (who illegally resell tickets either online or on the street) from buying up large blocks of tickets.  The best approach is to check the site as often as possible.”  Note that these can sell out quickly; so keep a watchful eye on the website!

Fun Links Apropos to our British Isles Cruise

Since we are Aqua Class and dining in Blu, check out this YouTube video to whet  your appetite - A film about Blu dining!

(photo from Celebrity's website)

  

Cheese souffle with candied pears and port wine reduction... Yum! 

And to make you even more hungry, check out this video from a true Blu lover!
 

Meet fellow cruisers through the website Cruise Critic!  Here’s the link to the roll call for our cruise (you will have to register to read and post to this forum): Celebrity Silhouette 8.6.16 Roll Call 

 

Celebrity/Cruise Critic Connections Party

Make sure you sign up for the Celebrity/Cruise Critic Connections Party.  Connecting with interesting people is part of the Celebrity experience, and Celebrity Cruises/Cruise Critic Connections helps you do just that. When you register, you enjoy an opportunity to get acquainted with fellow cruisers with whom you may have communicated online, on your cruise. Share information and tips, make plans in advance of your cruise - and then meet your new friends on board during a private, complimentary party.   

If a minimum of 25 people are registered 3 days prior to your sail date, you will receive a confirmation email and you will have an opportunity to meet your new Cruise Critic friends on board at the Celebrity Cruises/Cruise Critic Connections party. Light refreshments, non-alcoholic beverages and snacks will be provided, compliments of Celebrity. A bar will be available where guests may purchase alcoholic beverages. If your party does not reach the 25 person minimum, you will receive a cancellation email from Celebrity Cruises.

To register for our connections party: CLICK HERE! You will need your reservation number.

Edinburgh Fringe, touted to be the world’s largest art festival will be in full swing while we are there.  The festival runs from August 5 – 29, 2016.  Here’s a link to the Fringe website https://tickets.edfringe.com/  

I can't believe the number scheduled events, with everything from an organ concert in St. Giles Cathedral to Stand-up Comedy, to traditional Scottish music, and more.  Check it out! 

Celebrity Secrets and Tips

  

EMBARKATION DAY:

Lunch will be served in the Oceanview Café where the masses will gather for the extensive buffet.  Our secret: We like to avoid the crowd of people with the hand luggage in tow so we head to the Bistro on Five, one of the specialty restaurants onboard Silhouette, that comes with a surcharge.  NOTE: Celebrity is in the process of switching Bistro on Five into a sushi restaurant.  Hopefully this won't happen prior to our cruise; as I don't know if the sushi restaurant would be open on embarkation day!  I also don't know yet if Sushi on Five will be open for lunch on embarkation day; but I hope so!  Reviews of new Sushi on Five are good and you can definitely get more than just sushi. 

ROOM SERVICE

24 hour room service is available and it’s quite good with lots of choices.  It’s fun to order breakfast and sit on the balcony and enjoy the view.The room service menu for Aqua Class is quite extensive, compared to some of the other accommodation categories.

FOOD FINDS

In addition to the dinner menu of the day, you will find Celebrity Classics that are served every night: grilled steak, chicken or salmon, shrimp cocktail, baked potato or mashed potatoes, Caesar salad, and onion soup.

Yummy almond and chocolate croissants are served each morning at the Café Al Bacio!  This is also a great place for a hot chocolate or specialty coffee.

Oceanview Café:  At the breakfast toast & bread station, you will find large assortments of some very nice specialty whole grain, rye and seed breads, as well as some nice variety of bagels and other rolls. The servers will happily slice and toast any of these if you request them.   You will find most everything that your heart desires for breakfast… from corned beef hash to eggs benedict to Greek yogurt and cereals to fresh fruit.

Don’t forget about the waffle station, also located in the Oceanview Café!  Yummy waffles with orange butter, fruit, and syrup… perhaps even whipped cream!

The ice cream bar is good here too; so don’t miss it!  There’s a pizza station, a pasta station, a stir fry station, a Mexican station, a salad bar, and more… enough choices to satisfy any appetite!

From about 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm, there are tea sandwiches, cookies, pastries, and such available in the Oceanview Café.

GENERAL

You can get over-the-counter seasickness meds as needed at customer service or the purser's desk. They dispense a couple of tablets at a time for free. (I recommend bringing your own Bonine, which you can get at a drugstore or Wal-Mart, etc.).

There is only one US - style outlet in most of the cabins, so you'll have to switch things around to charge your camera/phone/iPod/computer, etc. The belkin mini travel charger with surge protection gets good reviews. Extension cords are not allowed onboard.   Also, there's no clock in the cabins so a lighted alarm clock is a good idea if you want to know what time it is when you wake up in the night. A night light helps to find the way to the bathroom.

SPA

Embark early and head for the spa to make your appointments.

LAUNDRY:

There is no self-serve laundry on Celebrity ships but generally there will be at least one “laundry bag special” where for one price you can fill the provided bag with as much laundry as you can fit.  It’s not a bad deal and we used it twice on our last Celebrity cruise!

GALLEY TOUR & More:  Be sure to watch the daily schedule for special one-time only tours, such as a tour of the ship’s galley, backstage tour of the production shows, etc.