Take Advantage Of Wave Season And Book A Viking Cruise To The British Isles

15.01.2024 - 01:19 / forbes.com

In the cruise industry, January through March is considered “wave season,” a time when cruise lines offer promotions, incentives and, often, their best deals of the year. Whether you’re a seasoned cruiser or a newbie, it’s a smart time to book trips.

Viking, a consistent award winner for its ocean, river and expedition ships, just launched its “Discover More” sale, covering itineraries on all seven continents. If there’s anywhere you’ve ever wanted to go, now is the time to start planning. I’ve probably done a dozen Viking cruises, including Egypt, Antarctica and every one of their signature Norway journeys, and I love that there are no kids under 18 allowed, that their gorgeous ships are intimate, with every stateroom and suite featuring a private balcony and that things like wifi, alcohol, laundry and a shore excursion in each port are already included in the price of the cruise. Plus, the Viking crew is exceptional and we would happily book a trip solely based on seeing some of our favorite people again.

Last summer, my husband and I went on Viking’s popular British Isles Explorer, which has its own Facebook group with more than a thousand fans. It’s easy to see why. The 15 day cruise covers six countries and immerses you in history, culture and nature. It’s the ideal way to get to see and experience places like the Scottish Highlands, the white cliffs of Dover and, of course, Liverpool.

In fact, visiting Liverpool was one of the main reasons we wanted to do this cruise and we were lucky to have gorgeous weather for our day in port there. This is obviously not always the case and, as with all cruises, you have to be flexible and know that weather can affect your route. In Dublin, we had to tender and disembark in the port of Dun Laoghaire, which made travel into the city a little more complicated but was perfect for us because we were spending the day with friends who happen to live in Dun Laoghaire!

And, although we were disappointed that our Belfast stop was cancelled, it actually turned out better since we had been there before and, instead, got to walk around the fascinating Douglas, Isle of Man, where the Bee Gees’ Gibb brothers were born. And that’s what makes travel so interesting!

We also really enjoyed the onboard talks by Patrick Jephson, who served as Princess Diana’s private secretary for eight years and shared personal photos and behind-the-scenes stories about the Royal Family.

Here are a few other highlights from our trip:

For me, one of the biggest draws of the British Isles Explorer itinerary was that I would finally be able to walk in the footsteps of the Beatles. We booked The Beatles Experience and it was just magical. Our tour guide was the nephew of the man who bought John