Belfast Weekend Away Ideas For Cruise Port Excursions

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

I did a weekend away to Belfast recently. Belfast is a port stop on many British Isles Cruises and also one of the big tourist cities in Ireland.

I live in Dublin and its only 2 hours by bus so its an easy weekend away for me. This was my third time to visit Belfast.

Itinerary
Friday 1 March 2024 Travel To Belfast Hotel Review
Saturday 2 March 2024 Black Taxi Tour West Belfast
Sunday 3 March 2024 Titanic Museum
Monday 4 March 2024 Travel Back To Dublin

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Friday 1 March 2024 Travel To Belfast

I travelled to Belfast from Dublin by bus. I will put the bus details in the last post.

The day I travelled we had snow in Dublin and the traffic was slow. I arrived in Belfast about 40 minutes behind the scheduled arrival time but that was ok. I didnt have anything planned.

I walked up the street from the bus station to my hotel

I stayed at Ibis Belfast City Centre, 100 Castle Street Belfast.





The Ibis chain is a member of ACCOR Hotel Group and I am a loyalty club member.

I booked online on January 20 2024 for check in on Friday 1 March 2024. I choose Flexible Rate £409 for 3 nights plus breakfast. I got a 10% members discount.

Flexible Rate =
No cancellation charge applies up to 1 day prior to arrival. Beyond that time, the first night will be charged. Pay in full at check in, no deposit.

The room description on my booking confirmation
Queen-size Bed , hairdryer, tea/coffee facilities, Wi-Fi.

Check In Time = 3pm
Check Out Time = 12pm
The breakfast is a buffet with hot and cold items. I'll do a separate post about the breakfast.



The room had an open wardrobe, hanging space, a large desk area and open shelves.

There were 2 extra pillows, a hair dryer and a menu for the onsite bar / basic restaurant. There is no fridge, but there is a kettle, mugs, teabags, instant coffee, sugar and long life milk sachets. Something to not for Americans, the bed does not have a top sheet, this is standard for hotels in Ireland and generally in Europe.

The bathroom is small but functional. The shower is a walk in with a split glass door. Plenty of soft towels available. Something to note for Americans, it is just towels, no wash cloth. This is standard in hotels in Ireland, most do not provide washcloths. There are large shampoo / shower gel and conditioner bottle on the wall of the shower. There is a similar bottle on the wall beside the sink.



There is also a temperature control panel on the wall which I didnt change.

Its a new built hotel and I still could get a new building smell when I came into the room.

There are plenty of plug sockets, one either side of the bed and 3 in the desk area. Each plug socket also had a USB outlet.

I had a street facing room and had no issues with noise.

After checking in and refreshing it was now about 4pm. I decided to just have a walk down to the main shopping areas which is about 10 minutes walk from the hotel.

I decided to go to Wagamama for my evening food. This is a UK Japanese chain fast food place. I got take away as I didnt want to be out after dark.

I got Chicken Katsu Curry which cost £15.95
Aromatic katsu curry sauce.
Chicken in crispy panko breadcrumbs on sticky white rice
Side salad

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Saturday 2 March 2024 Black Taxi Tour West Belfast

This morning started with buffet breakfast in the main lobby area of the hotel. I included breakfast each day with my hotel package, but its an optional extra.

Breakfast in hotels in Ireland is very different to breakfast in American hotels.

Cold Items

• Mini croissants
• Bread for toast
• Fruit
• Cold meats and cheese
• Yoghurt
• Jams and butter
• Cereals, cornflakes, muesli
• Apple juice and orange juice

Hot items

• Scrambled Eggs
• Hard boiled eggs in the shells
• Fried mushrooms
• Potato bread
• Baked Beans
• Fried tomatoes
• Black pudding
• Pork sausages
• Bacon

Black Pudding is a type of blood sausage. It is flavored with spices and oatmeal. It is cut into rings and fried and is very tasty.
In Ireland our bacon is different to American bacon. It is cured pork loin with a bit of the side attached. It is not crispy like American bacon.

This type of breakfast is a treat for me, I only have it when I stay in hotels, its not an every day breakfast.

Tea and coffee machine



After breakfast I went back to my room to get ready for the day.

At 11am I was back in the hotel lobby where I had arranged to meet with a tour guide for a Black Taxi Tour of West Belfast. It cost me £50 for about 90 minutes. The pick up point was the lobby of my hotel and he bought me back to my hotel.

After a few minutes it was obvious which side the driver was from and he knew which side I was from. But it didnt matter. Even though I was on my own , he was very professional and I felt totally safe. His job was to keep the history alive and to make sure those from both side are not forgotten.

A Black Taxi is a type of vehicle used mainly in London as a taxi. They have a large interior and can seat up to 5 people.



Over the last number of years, Black Taxi Tour of West Belfast have become a popular and safe way to visit the area
around the Falls Road and Shankill Road which are the Catholic and Protestant' areas where The Troubles were centred.

These tours are by local people, many in their 50's and 60's who have lived and experienced life in Belfast.

For those who may not know The Troubles is the name give to the time period between 1968 and 1998. These 30 years were years of major conflict and saw the building of The Peace Wall which separates these two areas. Theres a huge amount of history in those 30 years, the why and the who and the consequences.

I grew up watching all the news reports in the 1980's and 1990's. In Dublin we have BBC Northern Ireland so long before the internet we had the local news from Belfast and knew so much more that what even people in England knew about.

In 1998 The Good Friday Agreement made peace possible. Since 1998 the economy in Northern Ireland has recovered and the standard of living is now the same as in UK and Republic of Ireland. Without The Good Friday Agreement Games of Thrones and the Titanic Museum and the booming tourist industry would not be possible.

As an Irish Catholic from Dublin, I am acutely of my personal safety in Belfast. While I am fine in the main shopping areas and around the Titanic Quarter, and I feel just as safe as I do in Dublin, I would never just take a walk up The Falls Road. Doing a Black Taxi Tour is the safest way for me to see the places I grew up watching news reports about.

Before 1998 there would be no way someone like me could take a taxi to the Shankill Road and get out and see the murals. Over the years, from various jobs and in social settings I have had friends from The North, but its always been an unspoken rule that The Troubles are never asked about or spoken about. Its just something you dont even acknowledge. We all know but we keep conversations about our shared experience or job or whatever has brought us together.

The Black Taxi Tour really filled in so much for me, things Ive always wondered about but could never ask. While things have changed and the economy is booming and a generation have now grown up never knowing the horrific times of The Troubles, the Peace Wall still exists, separating the two communities. Gates are locked at 6pm every day and in fact one gate is lacked at 12pm every day, as that particular street is still very volatile.

I did not take any photos during the tour, but I did see other taxi tour groups taking photos.

I know its hard for Americans to understand and visualise that its all so localized. It only took 2 hours by bus on the motorway for me to get here.

I have seen some criticism from Americans about the Black Taxi tour, that the driver had a bias, that they knew which side the driver favoured. But for me, thats the point, its in your face and its real and raw, and its not sanitized or dumbed down. The taxi drivers lived it back then and live there now. To them its not abstract history , its their life.

If you are ever in Belfast, please do a Black Taxi tour. Its important that these stories are told and the history is not lost.

After the tour I went around the shops. It was a Saturday afternoon and very busy. I had watched some YouTube vlogs about Belfast and saw a great pizza place recommended so I decided to go there for my evening food. They were very busy and not taking walk ups so I made a reservation for the next day.

I decided to just go to McDonalds instead. I rarely go to Mcdonalds at home, so it was nice to have a treat.

After McDonalds I just went back to my hotel as I dont like to be out and about after dark. Im not really a pub or nightlife person.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Sunday 3 March 2024 Titanic Museum

Today started again with the buffet breakfast, the same as the previous day.

For the circle of people who may have read my 2023 cruise trip report, you will know I am a big Titanic fan. My interest in Titanic goes back to the 1980's when Robert Ballard discovered the wreck. My grandfather was interested in Titanic and had a book called A Night To Remember by Walter Lord which was first published in 1955. Whenever I visited I would read this book. When my grandfather died in 1990, my grandmother gave me this book as a memory of my grandfather.

Then about 10 years ago, I discovered one of my Irish friends had a relative who was a Titanic survivor. They only discovered her story when she died, as she never spoke about her experience. Its not unusual to have a connection to a Titanic passenger in Ireland, 123 Irish people got on the ship at Cobh, Co Cork, or as it was called back then Queenstown.

I walked from my hotel Ibis Belfast City Centre at 100 Castle Street. It took about 20 minutes down Castle Street and High Street to the river and then another 20 minutes across the footbridge, around the SSE Arena , around the harbour to Titanic Museum.

Since my last visit Titanic Hotel has opened, so I decided to do the ticket package. This is called White Star Premium Pass. It cost me £51.50. I booked online on January 20 for Sunday 3 March at 11am.

The White Star Premium Pass packages together

1. 1 hour guided tour of the outside area, which includes parts of Titanic Hotel
2. Entrance in the main Titanic Museum
3. Entrance to The Nomadic Tender ship
4. £10 voucher for use in either the museum shop, the coffee shop or The Galley Restaurant
5. Dated metal fridge magnet which is not onsale in the shop
6. Children also get an activity pack

The guided tour part can be bought separately, its called The Discovery Tour. It costs £15

If you just want to go to the main museum building The Titanic Experience without any of the extras it costs £24.95

The tour I was booked on was at 11am. I had printed out my ticket from my confirmation email which had a QR Code.

There were lots of staff in the main atrium so I just showed my print out and was brought to a side window of the ticket area. My QR Code was scanned and I was given a lanyard and the £10 voucher. I was then given a head set and told to wait in the area for the tour to start.



The guide had a microphone connected to the head set system, so it meant we could all hear what she said but not have stay beside her.

We started by going out to the front of the building where she explained about the building and how the museum was built.



We then went over to the red brick building and The Titanic Hotel. These are the original Harland and Wolf offices from when Titanic was built.



She explained about the buildings and what we were looking at. She then gave a great overview of Titanic Hotel, that it only opened in 2017.



The main bar in the hotel is one of two architect drawing rooms where Thomas Andres and his team worked and drew the blueprint plans for Titanic and many other ships.



We were then taken upstairs to the main office and reception area of Lord Willian Perri who was Chairman of Harland and Wolf. This room overlooks one of the drawing rooms and was where all the meetings with Thomas Andrews, Edward Wilding, and Alexander Carlisle took place. This is the room where it happened, where the decision about the number of lifeboats was made.



We then went outside to the slipway where Titanic was built and then back into the building where she pointed out some interesting features in the main atrium.



The tour ended at about 12.15, so just a bit over the hour.

After the tour I used my voucher to get a coffee and sandwich and then went into the main museum at about 1pm. I just had to show my lanyard.

I spend about 3 hours in the main museum. I could have stayed longer but I was conscious of the time as I had a restaurant reservation at 4.30pm. There are some new sections since my last visit, at the end they now have a section about Robert Ballard and finding Titanic as well as a very moving audio visual presentation of
the sinking and how Titanic is today.

My ticket also included entrance to the SS Nomadic ship.
This is the last remaining White Star Line ship. It was built in Belfast by the same people who built Titanic and used as a tender ship in Cherberg France. It is the ship that Titanics passengers who boarded in Cherburg used. It is now in a dry dock beside the main Titanic Museum building and has been fully restored and is open to the public. I didnt visit this time, as I have been in it on a previous visit.

Before I left the area I went back over to Titanic Hotel to have a better look at some of the rooms. The hotel encourages people to walk around and view the rooms, photos and various artifacts. They have a self guided tour map which you can download from their website and you can also arrange a free guided tour with the hotel concierge services.

I walked back to the main shopping area of Belfast, reversing my walk from the morning.

I had found this cool pizza place on a YouTube Vlog called Pizza Punks
Its a vibrant and busy independent pizza restaurant. It has an open plan kitchen so you can see the pizzas being made. The pizzas are sour dough flatbread pizza, totally different to what Americans know as Chicago Pizza or New York Pizza.

I did Create Your Own Pizza which cost £12.95, and had a can of San Pellegrino Orange, which is similar to Fanta Orange which was £3.50. All of the pizzas are the same size.



A 10% service charge was automatically added to the bill so I didnt tip any extra. The total was £18.10

I didnt finish all the pizza, so I was offered a box to take away. This is not usual in Irish restaurants.

By now it was nearly dark so I just went back to my hotel.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Monday 4 March 2024 Travel Home Day

Today again started with buffet breakfast.

I was ready to leave the hotel by 11am.

My bus back to Dublin was at 1.40pm so I planned to have one last look around the shops.

I could have left my bags at the hotel luggage store but I decided not to, as the bus station is in the opposite direction.

After the shops I went to Starbucks opposite the bus station for lunch and then went over to wait for the bus.

Travelling By Aircoach Dublin to Belfast return

I booked my return bus ticket online direct with Aircoach.

I booked on Thursday 15 February for Friday 1 March Dublin to Belfast, Monday 4 March Belfast to Dublin. The return ticket cost me €20.50

The Dublin Belfast route is number 705X and the time table is on their website

I was sent the tickets on email, and each journey were separate emails, and had a QR Code. I printed them out as a back up and screencapped them on my phone.

This is what the bus looks like, photo from Aircoach Facebook Page



They are very active on both Facebook and X Formally Known as Twitter and thats where you will find any updates about disruptions or delays.

Dublin to Belfast Journey Friday 1 March
The weather on Friday 1 March was really bad, it was snowing in Dublin. I checked social media and there were no delays or disruptions listed for the 705 X Dublin to Belfast route.

I was in Dublin city centre early so I went to Starbucks before my bus. The pick up time was at 12.20pm from the top of O'Connell Street, opposite The Gresham Hotel.
It is a bus stop on the street, so you just wait at the sign and the bus will pull up.
The bus arrived early at about 12pm.
The driver opened the under bus luggage store for people to use. The driver does not handle luggage, you have put your bags in the under bus luggage area and then when you get off take your bags out of the luggage area.

This is the luggage size guide from Aircoach website


As I was only staying 3 nights in Belfast I had a gym bag and a tote bag, so I brought my bags onto the bus and didnt use the under bus luggage area.

There is a digital sign on the side of the bus which state the route number and direction.

I got onto the bus and showed the driver my ticket on my phone, he scanned the QR code and I found a seat.

This is what the seats are like


There is a foot rest, seatback tray and a seatbelt.

Buying a ticket in advance guarantees you a seat on that specific bus. If you buy on the day from the driver, you will only get on the bus if there are seats available ie not pre booked. The driver does not take cash, card only.

At 12.20pm the driver closed the luggage doors and then the door and we were off.

Traffic was very bad leaving Dublin city due to the weather.

We were about 30 minutes behind schedule by the time we got to Dublin Airport, the only stop.

The 705 X Dublin to Belfast route only picks up at Dublin Airport, it doe not drop off. They pick up at Terminal 2 first and then Terminal 1.

Once people had got on at Terminal 1, it was then onto the motorway and straight to Belfast.

There is free WiFi onboard so I was able to follow the journey on Google Maps.

There is no border between Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The M1 / N1 Motorway is the one road , the border is halfway between Dundalk and Newry. There are 2 ways to know that you have crossed the border

1. The Road Signs Change
In The Republic of Ireland

• The exit signs are white
• Are Irish language and English language
• The road is called N1
• The speed signs are green and speed is in KM per hour

In Northern Ireland

• The exit signs are green
• Are in English language
• The road is called A1
• The speed signs are white and speed is in Miles per hour

This is a screen cap from Google Maps of the border on the N1 / A1 road from Dublin to Belfast



2. Mobile Phone networks change from Republic of Ireland networks to UK networks.

Once on the motorway there were no delays but we didnt make up the extra time. I got off the bus in Belfast at 3pm, the scheduled arrival time was 2.20pm.

The drop off point in Belfast is at Glengall Street, which is at the side of The Europa Hotel and Europa Bus Station.



Belfast To Dublin

I just reversed the journey on Monday 4 March. The weather was much better on the Monday and there were no delays. The 705X route drops off only at Dublin airport, Terminal 2 first and then Terminal 1.

The drop off point in Dublin city centre is the opposite side of the street, outside The Gresham Hotel. The scheduled arrival time at The Gresham Hotel was 4pm but I was off the bus at 3.50pm.

 

[princesscinderella]

We did the giants causeway and loved it when we stopped at Belfast.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

We did the giants causeway and loved it when we stopped at Belfast.

When I visit Belfast, I stay in the city and just do things in walking distance. I know The Giants Causeway is popular, but its not something I am interested in

 

[princesscinderella]

When I visit Belfast, I stay in the city and just do things in walking distance. I know The Giants Causeway is popular, but its not something I am interested in

That’s too bad it was one of the most beautiful natural places I have ever been. I was shocked at the elaborate barbed wire all over the city of Belefast when we toured through the city on our way back to the ship. The remnants of all the fighting there was so sad.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

That’s too bad it was one of the most beautiful natural places I have ever been. I was shocked at the elaborate barbed wire all over the city of Belefast when we toured through the city on our way back to the ship. The remnants of all the fighting there was so sad.

Im over the touristy country side of Ireland. I have family in various parts of Ireland and have lived and worked in many places. I know Americans go goo goo gaa gaa but Im done with all that.

I'm guessing you dont know much about The Troubles. Im sure it must be a shock to see the reality of Ireland which is far different to the sanitized Darby O'Gill version promoted by Irish Tourism Check back tomorrow for the next update, as it might interest you.

 

[PacificCoaster]

Nice detailed report and I love the Wagamamas I've dined in in the UK. The Boston Wagamama in the Prudential Center is terrible though.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Day 2 updated Saturday 2 March 2024 Black Taxi Tour West Belfast

 

[PacificCoaster]

Saturday 2 March 2024 Black Taxi Tour West Belfast

This morning started with buffet breakfast in the main lobby area of the hotel. I included breakfast each day with my hotel package, but its an optional extra.

Breakfast in hotels in Ireland is very different to breakfast in American hotels.

Cold Items

• Mini croissants
• Bread for toast
• Fruit
• Cold meats and cheese
• Yoghurt
• Jams and butter
• Cereals, cornflakes, muesli
• Apple juice and orange juice

View attachment 839779
View attachment 839777
View attachment 839778

Hot items

• Scrambled Eggs
• Hard boiled eggs in the shells
• Fried mushrooms
• Potato bread
• Baked Beans
• Fried tomatoes
• Black pudding
• Pork sausages
• Bacon

View attachment 839780

Black Pudding is a type of blood sausage. It is flavored with spices and oatmeal. It is cut into rings and fried and is very tasty.
In Ireland our bacon is different to American bacon. It is cured pork loin with a bit of the side attached. It is not crispy like American bacon.

This type of breakfast is a treat for me, I only have it when I stay in hotels, its not an every day breakfast.

Tea and coffee machine

View attachment 839781

After breakfast I went back to my room to get ready for the day.

At 11am I was back in the hotel lobby where I had arranged to meet with a tour guide for a Black Taxi Tour of West Belfast. It cost me £50 for about 90 minutes. The pick up point was the lobby of my hotel and he bought me back to my hotel.

After a few minutes it was obvious which side the driver was from and he knew which side I was from. But it didnt matter. Even though I was on my own , he was very professional and I felt totally safe. His job was to keep the history alive and to make sure those from both side are not forgotten.

A Black Taxi is a type of vehicle used mainly in London as a taxi. They have a large interior and can seat up to 5 people.

View attachment 839782

Over the last number of years, Black Taxi Tour of West Belfast have become a popular and safe way to visit the area
around the Falls Road and Shankill Road which are the Catholic and Protestant' areas where The Troubles were centred.

These tours are by local people, many in their 50's and 60's who have lived and experienced life in Belfast.

For those who may not know The Troubles is the name give to the time period between 1968 and 1998. These 30 years were years of major conflict and saw the building of The Peace Wall which separates these two areas. Theres a huge amount of history in those 30 years, the why and the who and the consequences.

I grew up watching all the news reports in the 1980's and 1990's. In Dublin we have BBC Northern Ireland so long before the internet we had the local news from Belfast and knew so much more that what even people in England knew about.

In 1998 The Good Friday Agreement made peace possible. Since 1998 the economy in Northern Ireland has recovered and the standard of living is now the same as in UK and Republic of Ireland. Without The Good Friday Agreement Games of Thrones and the Titanic Museum and the booming tourist industry would not be possible.

As an Irish Catholic from Dublin, I am acutely of my personal safety in Belfast. While I am fine in the main shopping areas and around the Titanic Quarter, and I feel just as safe as I do in Dublin, I would never just take a walk up The Falls Road. Doing a Black Taxi Tour is the safest way for me to see the places I grew up watching news reports about.

Before 1998 there would be no way someone like me could take a taxi to the Shankill Road and get out and see the murals. Over the years, from various jobs and in social settings I have had friends from The North, but its always been an unspoken rule that The Troubles are never asked about or spoken about. Its just something you dont even acknowledge. We all know but we keep conversations about our shared experience or job or whatever has brought us together.

The Black Taxi Tour really filled in so much for me, things Ive always wondered about but could never ask. While things have changed and the economy is booming and a generation have now grown up never knowing the horrific times of The Troubles, the Peace Wall still exists, separating the two communities. Gates are locked at 6pm every day and in fact one gate is lacked at 12pm every day, as that particular street is still very volatile.

I did not take any photos during the tour, but I did see other taxi tour groups taking photos.

I know its hard for Americans to understand and visualise that its all so localized. It only took 2 hours by bus on the motorway for me to get here.

I have seen some criticism from Americans about the Black Taxi tour, that the driver had a bias, that they knew which side the driver favoured. But for me, thats the point, its in your face and its real and raw, and its not sanitized or dumbed down. The taxi drivers lived it back then and live there now. To them its not abstract history , its their life.

If you are ever in Belfast, please do a Black Taxi tour. Its important that these stories are told and the history is not lost.

After the tour I went around the shops. It was a Saturday afternoon and very busy. I had watched some YouTube vlogs about Belfast and saw a great pizza place recommended so I decided to go there for my evening food. They were very busy and not taking walk ups so I made a reservation for the next day.

I decided to just go to McDonalds instead. I rarely go to Mcdonalds at home, so it was nice to have a treat.

After McDonalds I just went back to my hotel as I dont like to be out and about after dark. Im not really a pub or nightlife person.

The Troubles era is fascinating to me having grown up during this period and seeing constant glimpses of it in the news. I recently started watching the Derry Girls on Netflix and I'm loving it. We are going to London and York in the Fall but I'd love to include Belfast and Dublin. I think it will have to be a separate trip though.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Day 3 Sunday 3 March 2024 Titanic Museum updated

 

[tony67]

Great info @Bad Pink Tink 2.0

We have talked about going up to Belfast for years, but never get around to it, so I will be reading it in detail when I get some time this weekend.

Just for comparison - how much is a pint in Belfast (if you know) - I tend to use that to gauge how expensive everything is.

£18.10 for the pizza seems pretty reasonable.

I feel just as safe as I do in Dublin

Not sure that helps sell it to me to be honest.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Great info @Bad Pink Tink 2.0

We have talked about going up to Belfast for years, but never get around to it, so I will be reading it in detail when I get some time this weekend.

Thanks

Just for comparison - how much is a pint in Belfast (if you know) - I tend to use that to gauge how expensive everything is.

This is the drinks menu from my hotel,
Guinness = £6

£18.10 for the pizza seems pretty reasonable.

Yes very reasonable, for the pizza, a drink and service charge.

For comparison my local Dominos, just a medium pizza is €18.99

Not sure that helps sell it to me to be honest.

oops

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Updated Monday 4 March Travel back to Dublin, Aircoach information

 

[Nora03]

I’ve enjoyed reading your Belfast trip report Bad Pink Tink. Especially since I was born in Belfast. I immigrated to Canada with my parents and sister when I was seven years old. I have only been back once when I was fourteen. I was born on Ravenhill Road, so heard a lot about the Falls and Shankhill Road. We lived in Holywood for a few years. I wish I had gone again when I was able to travel so far. My Dad worked at the shipyard long after the Titanic was built. I did see a ship launched there. It’s refreshing to see how people respect each other’s beliefs now after all the Troubles. Thanks for writing such a detailed report.