6:45am is an early start, but well worth the effort.
Get there at 6:30am if possible.
Patrick (tour guide) and Brian (driver) were absolutely wonderful and went out of their way to make our tour a 5 star experience. When possible, they were able to point out places of interest along the way and slow down so we could snap a quick photo from the bus. At this point I should mention to try to sit on the right hand side of the bus (not behind the driver) to get the best views/photos from your seat on the way up. The way back is not as scenic as they are trying to get everyone back to Dublin at a decent time.
Important things to note:
- THEY LEAVE AT 6:50 AM SHARP AND WILL NOT WAIT IF YOU ARE LATE!! (There were 3 people missing when our tour left).
- We did not book the tour with the Titanic Museum included. That being said, we were offered the option to pay £10 each for tickets (instead of £21.50 at the door). We did and I would highly recommend. We could have used a little more time to read every panel, but worth doing none the less. Afterwards, Brian and Patrick picked us up a the museum and took us to Belfast for the remaining 30min. If you decide not to do the tour, you will have 2 hrs in Belfast instead.
- Most places will take credit cards, but if you want to add on the Titanic Museum as a last minute add-on, you will need UK currency. There is an ATM at the first rest stop, but they will charge a €2.95 surcharge and don’t forget most credit cards start charging interest immediately for cash advances on a credit card (no interest free grace period until you pay off the entire credit card balance!!), so get some before you go if you can.
- It cool and windy, so ladies bring an insulated jacket and tie your hair back! ;>)