Sunway Logo

Your Cookie & Data Settings

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site.

We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website, store your preferences, and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you. These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent.

You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies, but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience.

Necessary Cookies Always Active
Advertising User Data
Advertising Personalisation
Advertising Storage
Analytics Storage


Hamburg, Southampton, Cork, Belfast, Greenock, Liverpool, Falmouth, Hamburg/MSC Preziosa
Cruise holidays   >   Mediterranean and Europe   >   Hamburg,Southampton,Cork,Belfast,Greenock,Liverpool,Falmouth,Hamburg

MSC Preziosa

Hamburg, Southampton, Cork, Belfast, Greenock, Liverpool, Falmouth, Hamburg - 10 night cruise



Cruise only from €1,406

Price based on lowest available cruise only fare for double occupancy. Subject to change at any time.


Description

Highlights

Gratuities

Dates and Prices

Cabins

The classic design of beautifully crafted MSC Preziosa includes spectacular features such as a real stone piazza ,sweeping Swarovski crystal staircases and a magical ‘infinity' pool. There's all this and more to discover at your own pace on board, enjoying every moment to the full as you voyage to some of the world's most beautiful destinations.

Cruise ID: 41088

Your cruise experience is at the centre of everything we do. To help make your holiday with us truly memorable, we give you the chance to tailor your experience to your needs and desires. For example, you can either leave the choice of cabin to us and benefit from the best rates available, or choose your own ideal cabin and location, while enjoying extra flexibility and additional benefits to make your cruise even more special.

  • Bella Experience
  • Fantastica Experience
  • Aurea Experience

SERVICE CHARGES / GRATUITIES

Service Charge / Gratuities are included in the cruise fare.

Tips

MSC Cruises does not recommend tipping individual members of staff.

Date Time Price * Booking
27 April 2025 08:00 €1,406 Call us to book
14 September 2025 08:00 €1,419 Call us to book

* Price based on lowest available cruise only fare for double occupancy. Subject to change at any time.

Cabins on MSC Preziosa

Deluxe Balcony With Partial View
1-2

  • Surface 18 sqm, balcony 4 sqm, deck 8-13
  • Sitting area with sofa
  • Bathroom with shower or bathtub, vanity area with hairdryer
  • Comfortable double or single beds (on request)
  • Interactive TV, telephone, Wifi connection available (for a fee), safe and minibar

The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category).

Facilities

  • Bath
  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Vanity Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • TV
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Mini Bar (Additional Cost)

Junior Ocean View
1-2

  • Surface 12 sqm, deck 8
  • Window with sea view
  • Relaxing armchair
  • Bathroom with shower, vanity area with hairdryer
  • Comfortable double or single beds (on request)
  • Interactive TV, telephone, Wifi connection available (for a fee), safe and minibar

The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category).

Facilities

  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Vanity Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • TV
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Mini Bar (Additional Cost)

Guarantee Outside
1-2

More information coming soon

Facilities

  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Vanity Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • Mini Bar (Additional Cost)
  • TV
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk

Interior Guarantee
1-2

More information coming soon

Facilities

  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Vanity Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • Mini Bar (Additional Cost)
  • TV
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk

MSC Yacht Club Executive and Family Suite
1-2

  • Surface 40-51 sqm, deck 12

  • Panoramic Sealed Window
  • Sitting area with sofa
  • Spacious wardrobe
  • Bathroom with shower or bathtub, vanity area with hairdryer
  • Comfortable double or single beds (on request)
  • Wifi connection included
  • Interactive TV, telephone, safe and minibar

Discover a world of privileges with MSC Yacht Club including:

  • 24-Hour Butler service and dedicated concierge
  • Premium Extra Drink and Internet packages included
  • Complimentary Access to the Thermal Suite in the MSC Aurea SPA
  • Balinese massage package and Specialty restaurants package, available up to 2 days prior to embarkation; 10% discount on all spa treatments purchased on board..
  • 1 Free cruise change

The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category).

Facilities

  • Lounge Area
  • Shower
  • Bath
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • Suite Benefits
  • TV
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Desk
  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Vanity Area
  • Butler Service
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Telephone

MSC Yacht Club Royal Suite
1-4

  • Surface 36 sqm and balcony with dining table 16 sqm, deck 16.
  • Separate living area and dining room
  • Bathroom with bathtub and shower, vanity area with hairdryer
  • Walk-in wardrobes
  • Comfortable double or single beds (on request)
  • Wifi connection included
  • Interactive TV, telephone, safe and minibar
Discover a world of privileges with MSC Yacht Club including:
  • 24-Hour Butler service and dedicated concierge
  • Premium Extra Drink and Internet packages included
  • Complimentary Access to the Thermal Suite in the MSC Aurea SPA
  • Balinese massage package and Specialty restaurants package, available up to 2 days prior to embarkation; 10% discount on all spa treatments purchased on board..
  • 1 Free cruise change

The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category).

Facilities

  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • Suite Benefits
  • TV
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Desk
  • Bath
  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Dining Area
  • Vanity Area
  • Butler Service
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Telephone

MSC Yacht Club Grand Suite
1-2

  • Surface 26 sqm, balcony 6 sqm, deck 15-16

  • Ample wardrobe
  • Bathroom with bathtub and vanity area with hairdryer
  • Comfortable double bed or single beds (on request)
  • Wifi connection included
  • Interactive TV, telephone, safe and minibar

Discover a world of privileges with MSC Yacht Club including:

  • 24-Hour Butler service and dedicated concierge
  • Premium Extra Drink and Internet packages included
  • Complimentary Access to the Thermal Suite in the MSC Aurea SPA
  • Balinese massage package and Specialty restaurants package, available up to 2 days prior to embarkation; 10% discount on all spa treatments purchased on board..
  • 1 Free cruise change

Size, layout and furniture may vary from that shown (within the same cabin category).

The image is representative only.

Facilities

  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Vanity Area
  • Room Service Available
  • Suite Benefits
  • TV
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Bath
  • Lounge Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Butler Service

MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite
1-2

  • Surface 22 sqm, balcony 6 sqm, decks 15-16
  • Sitting area with sofa
  • Spacious wardrobe
  • Bathroom with shower or bathtub , vanity area with hairdryer
  • Comfortable double or single beds (on request)
  • Wifi connection included
  • Interactive TV, telephone, safe and minibar

Discover a world of privileges with MSC Yacht Club including:

  • 24-Hour Butler service and dedicated concierge
  • Premium Extra Drink and Premium Internet packages included
  • Complimentary Access to the Thermal Suite in the MSC Aurea SPA
  • Discounts: 20% on a dedicated Specialty Restaurant prepaid package; 40% on a dedicated SPA prepaid package and 10% on all SPA treatments on board.
  • 1 Free cruise change

The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category).

Facilities

  • Lounge Area
  • Shower
  • Bath
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • Suite Benefits
  • TV
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Desk
  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Vanity Area
  • Butler Service
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Telephone

Grand Suite Aurea
1-2

  • Surface 38-42 sqm, balcony 3 sqm, deck 9-11

  • Sitting area with sofa
  • Spacious Wardrobe
  • Bathroom with bathtub, vanity area with hairdryer
  • Comfortable double or single beds (on request)
  • Interactive TV, telephone, Wifi connection available (for a fee), safe and minibar

The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category).

Facilities

  • King or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Shower
  • Bath
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • Suite Benefits
  • TV
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Desk

Deluxe Suite Aurea with Sealed Window
1-2

  • Surface 25-29 sqm, decks 9-11
  • Panoramic sealed window
  • Sitting area with sofa
  • Spacious Wardrobe
  • Bathroom with bathtub, vanity area with hairdryer
  • Comfortable double or single beds (on request)
  • Interactive TV, Wifi connection available (for a fee), telephone, safe and minibar

The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category).

Facilities

  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Bath
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • TV
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Mini Bar (Additional Cost)

Deluxe Balcony Aurea
1-2

  • Surface 18 sqm, balcony 4 sqm, decks 9-13
  • Sitting area with sofa
  • Bathroom with shower or bathtub, vanity area with hairdryer
  • Comfortable double or single beds (on request)
  • Interactive TV, telephone, Wifi connection available (for a fee), safe and minibar

The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category).

Facilities

  • Bath
  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Vanity Area
  • Shower
  • Room Service Available
  • TV
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Mini Bar (Additional Cost)

Premium Ocean View
1-2

  • Surface 20 sqm, deck 5
  • Window with sea view
  • Relaxing armchair
  • Bathroom with shower, vanity area with hairdryer
  • Comfortable double or single beds (on request)
  • Interactive TV, telephone, Wifi connection available (for a fee), safe and minibar

The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category).

Facilities

  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Vanity Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • TV
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Mini Bar (Additional Cost)

Junior Interior
1-2

  • Surface 13 sqm, decks 8-11
  • Relaxing armchair
  • Bathroom with shower, vanity area and hairdryer
  • Comfortable double or single beds (on request)
  • TV, telephone, Wifi connection available (for a fee), safe and minibar

The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category).

Facilities

  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Vanity Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • TV
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Mini Bar (Additional Cost)

Deluxe Interior
1-2

  • Surface 16 sqm, decks 5-10
  • Relaxing armchair
  • Bathroom with shower, vanity area and hairdryer
  • Comfortable double or single beds (on request)
  • TV, telephone, Wifi connection available (for a fee), safe and minibar

The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category).

Facilities

  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Vanity Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • TV
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Mini Bar (Additional Cost)

Premium Suite Aurea
1-2

  • Surface 33 sqm, balcony 3 sqm, decks 10

  • Sitting area with sofa
  • Spacious Wardrobe
  • Bathroom with bathtub, vanity area with hairdryer
  • Comfortable double or single beds (on request)
  • Interactive TV, telephone, Wifi connection available (for a fee), safe and minibar

The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category).

Facilities

  • Sofa Bed
  • Vanity Area
  • Shower
  • Bath
  • Room Service Available
  • Mini Bar (Additional Cost)
  • TV
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Toiletries Provided

Deluxe Ocean View
1-2

  • Surface 17 sqm, deck 8-13
  • Window with sea view
  • Relaxing armchair
  • Bathroom with shower, vanity area with hairdryer
  • Comfortable double or single beds (on request)
  • Interactive TV, telephone, Wifi connection available (for a fee), safe and minibar

The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category).

Facilities

  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Vanity Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • TV
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Mini Bar (Additional Cost)

Premium Balcony
1-2

  • Surface 18 sqm, balcony 4 sqm, decks 8-9
  • Sitting area with sofa
  • Bathroom with shower or bathtub, vanity area with hairdryer
  • Comfortable double or single beds (on request)
  • Interactive TV, telephone, Wifi connection available (for a fee), safe and minibar

The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category).

Facilities

  • Bath
  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Vanity Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • TV
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Mini Bar (Additional Cost)

Balcony Guarantee
1-2

More information coming soon

Facilities

  • Bath
  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Vanity Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • Mini Bar (Additional Cost)
  • TV
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk

Junior Balcony
1-2

  • Surface 14 sqm, balcony 3 sqm, decks 9-11
  • Bathroom with shower or bathtub, vanity area with hairdryer
  • Comfortable double or single beds (on request)
  • Interactive TV, telephone, Wifi connection available (for a fee), safe and minibar

The image is representative only; the size, layout and furniture may vary (within the same cabin category).

Facilities

  • Bath
  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Vanity Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • TV
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Mini Bar (Additional Cost)

View Itinerary By Date



Day 1 Hamburg, Germany

Hamburg is Germany's second-largest city with a history dating back to Charlemagne. A major port, this vibrant city is home to art and culture, extensive shopping facilities, Baroque buildings and waterfront vistas. With its well-known fish market, art galleries and Museums together with several beautiful parks including a botanical garden, this is a city with something for everyone. British visitors who remember the Swinging Sixties may like to visit the streets around Grosse Freiheit, where an unknown pop group called The Beatles gave their first public performances in various local clubs before achieving worldwide fame.

Day 2  Cruising

Day 3 Southampton, England

Lying near the head of Southampton Water, a peninsula between the estuaries of the Rivers Test and Itchen, Southampton is Britain's largest cruise port. It has been one of England's major ports since the Middle Ages, when it exported wool and hides from the hinterland and imported wine from Bordeaux. The city suffered heavy damage during World War Two and as a result the centre has been extensively rebuilt, but there are still some interesting medieval buildings including the Bargate, one of the finest city gatehouses in England.

Day 4  Cruising

Day 5 Cork, Ireland

Cork City received its first charter in 1185 from Prince John of Norman England, and it takes its name from the Irish word corcaigh, meaning "marshy place." The original 6th-century settlement was spread over 13 small islands in the River Lee. Major development occurred during the 17th and 18th centuries with the expansion of the butter trade, and many attractive Georgian-design buildings with wide bowfront windows were constructed during this time. As late as 1770 Cork's present-day main streets—Grand Parade, Patrick Street, and the South Mall—were submerged under the Lee. Around 1800, when the Lee was partially dammed, the river divided into two streams that now flow through the city, leaving the main business and commercial center on an island, not unlike Paris's Île de la Cité. As a result, the city has a number of bridges and quays, which, although initially confusing, add greatly to the port's unique character. Cork can be very "Irish" (hurling, Gaelic football, televised plowing contests, music pubs, and peat smoke). But depending on what part of town you're in, Cork can also be distinctly un-Irish—the sort of place where hippies, gays, and farmers drink at the same pub.

Day 6 Belfast, Northern Ireland

Before English and Scottish settlers arrived in the 1600s, Belfast was a tiny village called Béal Feirste ("sandbank ford") belonging to Ulster's ancient O'Neill clan. With the advent of the Plantation period (when settlers arrived in the 1600s), Sir Arthur Chichester, from Devon in southwestern England, received the city from the English Crown, and his son was made Earl of Donegall. Huguenots fleeing persecution from France settled near here, bringing their valuable linen-work skills. In the 18th century, Belfast underwent a phenomenal expansion—its population doubled every 10 years, despite an ever-present sectarian divide. Although the Anglican gentry despised the Presbyterian artisans—who, in turn, distrusted the native Catholics—Belfast's growth continued at a dizzying speed. The city was a great Victorian success story, an industrial boomtown whose prosperity was built on trade, especially linen and shipbuilding. Famously (or infamously), the Titanic was built here, giving Belfast, for a time, the nickname "Titanic Town." Having laid the foundation stone of the city's university in 1845, Queen Victoria returned to Belfast in 1849 (she is recalled in the names of buildings, streets, bars, monuments, and other places around the city), and in the same year, the university opened under the name Queen's College. Nearly 40 years later, in 1888, Victoria granted Belfast its city charter. Today its population is nearly 300,000, tourist numbers have increased, and this dramatically transformed city is enjoying an unparalleled renaissance.This is all a welcome change from the period when news about Belfast meant reports about "the Troubles." Since the 1994 ceasefire, Northern Ireland's capital city has benefited from major hotel investment, gentrified quaysides (or strands), a sophisticated new performing arts center, and major initiatives to boost tourism. Although the 1996 bombing of offices at Canary Wharf in London disrupted the 1994 peace agreement, the ceasefire was officially reestablished on July 20, 1997, and this embattled city began its quest for a newfound identity.Since 2008, the city has restored all its major public buildings such as museums, churches, theaters, City Hall, Ulster Hall—and even the glorious Crown Bar—spending millions of pounds on its built heritage. A gaol that at the height of the Troubles held some of the most notorious murderers involved in paramilitary violence is now a major visitor attraction.Belfast's city center is made up of three roughly contiguous areas that are easy to navigate on foot. From the south end to the north, it's about an hour's leisurely walk.

Day 7 Greenock, Scotland

Trendy stores, a booming cultural life, fascinating architecture, and stylish restaurants reinforce Glasgow's claim to being Scotland's most exciting city. After decades of decline, it has experienced an urban renaissance uniquely its own. The city's grand architecture reflects a prosperous past built on trade and shipbuilding. Today buildings by Charles Rennie Mackintosh hold pride of place along with the Zaha Hadid–designed Riverside Museum.Glasgow (the "dear green place," as it was known) was founded some 1,500 years ago. Legend has it that the king of Strathclyde, irate about his wife's infidelity, had a ring he had given her thrown into the river Clyde. (Apparently she had passed it on to an admirer.) When the king demanded to know where the ring had gone, the distraught queen asked the advice of her confessor, St. Mungo. He suggested fishing for it—and the first salmon to emerge had the ring in its mouth. The moment is commemorated on the city's coat of arms.The medieval city expanded when it was given a royal license to trade; the current High Street was the main thoroughfare at the time. The vast profits from American cotton and tobacco built the grand mansions of the Merchant City in the 18th century. In the 19th century the river Clyde became the center of a vibrant shipbuilding industry, fed by the city's iron and steel works. The city grew again, but its internal divisions grew at the same time. The West End harbored the elegant homes of the newly rich shipyard owners. Down by the river, areas like the infamous Gorbals, with its crowded slums, sheltered the laborers who built the ships. They came from the Highlands, expelled to make way for sheep, or from Ireland, where the potato famines drove thousands from their homes.During the 19th century the population grew from 80,000 to more than a million. And the new prosperity gave Glasgow its grand neoclassical buildings, such as those built by Alexander "Greek" Thomson, as well as the adventurous visionary buildings designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and others who produced Glasgow's Arts and Crafts movement. The City Chambers, built in 1888, are a proud statement in marble and gold sandstone, a clear symbol of the wealthy and powerful Victorian industrialists' hopes for the future.The decline of shipbuilding and the closure of the factories led to much speculation as to what direction the city would take now. The curious thing is that, at least in part, the past gave the city a new lease of life. It was as if people looked at their city and saw Glasgow's beauty for the first time: its extraordinarily rich architectural heritage, its leafy parks, its artistic heritage, and its complex social history. Today Glasgow is a vibrant cultural center and a commercial hub, as well as a launching pad from which to explore the rest of Scotland, which, as it turns out, is not so far away. In fact, it takes only 40 minutes to reach Loch Lomond, where the other Scotland begins.

Day 8 Liverpool, England

From world-class attractions and sports to legendary music, Liverpool offers old-world charm with modern sophistication, underpinned by a rich cultural history.

Day 9 Falmouth, England

The bustle of this resort town's fishing harbor, yachting center, and commercial port only adds to its charm. In the 18th century Falmouth was the main mail-boat port for North America, and in Flushing, a village across the inlet, you can see the slate-covered houses built by prosperous mail-boat captains. A ferry service now links the two towns. On Custom House Quay, off Arwenack Street, is the King's Pipe, an oven in which seized contraband was burned.

Day 10  Cruising

Day 11 Hamburg, Germany

Hamburg is Germany's second-largest city with a history dating back to Charlemagne. A major port, this vibrant city is home to art and culture, extensive shopping facilities, Baroque buildings and waterfront vistas. With its well-known fish market, art galleries and Museums together with several beautiful parks including a botanical garden, this is a city with something for everyone. British visitors who remember the Swinging Sixties may like to visit the streets around Grosse Freiheit, where an unknown pop group called The Beatles gave their first public performances in various local clubs before achieving worldwide fame.

Day 1 Hamburg, Germany

Hamburg is Germany's second-largest city with a history dating back to Charlemagne. A major port, this vibrant city is home to art and culture, extensive shopping facilities, Baroque buildings and waterfront vistas. With its well-known fish market, art galleries and Museums together with several beautiful parks including a botanical garden, this is a city with something for everyone. British visitors who remember the Swinging Sixties may like to visit the streets around Grosse Freiheit, where an unknown pop group called The Beatles gave their first public performances in various local clubs before achieving worldwide fame.

Day 2  Cruising

Day 3 Southampton, England

Lying near the head of Southampton Water, a peninsula between the estuaries of the Rivers Test and Itchen, Southampton is Britain's largest cruise port. It has been one of England's major ports since the Middle Ages, when it exported wool and hides from the hinterland and imported wine from Bordeaux. The city suffered heavy damage during World War Two and as a result the centre has been extensively rebuilt, but there are still some interesting medieval buildings including the Bargate, one of the finest city gatehouses in England.

Day 4  Cruising

Day 5 Cork, Ireland

Cork City received its first charter in 1185 from Prince John of Norman England, and it takes its name from the Irish word corcaigh, meaning "marshy place." The original 6th-century settlement was spread over 13 small islands in the River Lee. Major development occurred during the 17th and 18th centuries with the expansion of the butter trade, and many attractive Georgian-design buildings with wide bowfront windows were constructed during this time. As late as 1770 Cork's present-day main streets—Grand Parade, Patrick Street, and the South Mall—were submerged under the Lee. Around 1800, when the Lee was partially dammed, the river divided into two streams that now flow through the city, leaving the main business and commercial center on an island, not unlike Paris's Île de la Cité. As a result, the city has a number of bridges and quays, which, although initially confusing, add greatly to the port's unique character. Cork can be very "Irish" (hurling, Gaelic football, televised plowing contests, music pubs, and peat smoke). But depending on what part of town you're in, Cork can also be distinctly un-Irish—the sort of place where hippies, gays, and farmers drink at the same pub.

Day 6 Belfast, Northern Ireland

Before English and Scottish settlers arrived in the 1600s, Belfast was a tiny village called Béal Feirste ("sandbank ford") belonging to Ulster's ancient O'Neill clan. With the advent of the Plantation period (when settlers arrived in the 1600s), Sir Arthur Chichester, from Devon in southwestern England, received the city from the English Crown, and his son was made Earl of Donegall. Huguenots fleeing persecution from France settled near here, bringing their valuable linen-work skills. In the 18th century, Belfast underwent a phenomenal expansion—its population doubled every 10 years, despite an ever-present sectarian divide. Although the Anglican gentry despised the Presbyterian artisans—who, in turn, distrusted the native Catholics—Belfast's growth continued at a dizzying speed. The city was a great Victorian success story, an industrial boomtown whose prosperity was built on trade, especially linen and shipbuilding. Famously (or infamously), the Titanic was built here, giving Belfast, for a time, the nickname "Titanic Town." Having laid the foundation stone of the city's university in 1845, Queen Victoria returned to Belfast in 1849 (she is recalled in the names of buildings, streets, bars, monuments, and other places around the city), and in the same year, the university opened under the name Queen's College. Nearly 40 years later, in 1888, Victoria granted Belfast its city charter. Today its population is nearly 300,000, tourist numbers have increased, and this dramatically transformed city is enjoying an unparalleled renaissance.This is all a welcome change from the period when news about Belfast meant reports about "the Troubles." Since the 1994 ceasefire, Northern Ireland's capital city has benefited from major hotel investment, gentrified quaysides (or strands), a sophisticated new performing arts center, and major initiatives to boost tourism. Although the 1996 bombing of offices at Canary Wharf in London disrupted the 1994 peace agreement, the ceasefire was officially reestablished on July 20, 1997, and this embattled city began its quest for a newfound identity.Since 2008, the city has restored all its major public buildings such as museums, churches, theaters, City Hall, Ulster Hall—and even the glorious Crown Bar—spending millions of pounds on its built heritage. A gaol that at the height of the Troubles held some of the most notorious murderers involved in paramilitary violence is now a major visitor attraction.Belfast's city center is made up of three roughly contiguous areas that are easy to navigate on foot. From the south end to the north, it's about an hour's leisurely walk.

Day 7 Greenock, Scotland

Trendy stores, a booming cultural life, fascinating architecture, and stylish restaurants reinforce Glasgow's claim to being Scotland's most exciting city. After decades of decline, it has experienced an urban renaissance uniquely its own. The city's grand architecture reflects a prosperous past built on trade and shipbuilding. Today buildings by Charles Rennie Mackintosh hold pride of place along with the Zaha Hadid–designed Riverside Museum.Glasgow (the "dear green place," as it was known) was founded some 1,500 years ago. Legend has it that the king of Strathclyde, irate about his wife's infidelity, had a ring he had given her thrown into the river Clyde. (Apparently she had passed it on to an admirer.) When the king demanded to know where the ring had gone, the distraught queen asked the advice of her confessor, St. Mungo. He suggested fishing for it—and the first salmon to emerge had the ring in its mouth. The moment is commemorated on the city's coat of arms.The medieval city expanded when it was given a royal license to trade; the current High Street was the main thoroughfare at the time. The vast profits from American cotton and tobacco built the grand mansions of the Merchant City in the 18th century. In the 19th century the river Clyde became the center of a vibrant shipbuilding industry, fed by the city's iron and steel works. The city grew again, but its internal divisions grew at the same time. The West End harbored the elegant homes of the newly rich shipyard owners. Down by the river, areas like the infamous Gorbals, with its crowded slums, sheltered the laborers who built the ships. They came from the Highlands, expelled to make way for sheep, or from Ireland, where the potato famines drove thousands from their homes.During the 19th century the population grew from 80,000 to more than a million. And the new prosperity gave Glasgow its grand neoclassical buildings, such as those built by Alexander "Greek" Thomson, as well as the adventurous visionary buildings designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and others who produced Glasgow's Arts and Crafts movement. The City Chambers, built in 1888, are a proud statement in marble and gold sandstone, a clear symbol of the wealthy and powerful Victorian industrialists' hopes for the future.The decline of shipbuilding and the closure of the factories led to much speculation as to what direction the city would take now. The curious thing is that, at least in part, the past gave the city a new lease of life. It was as if people looked at their city and saw Glasgow's beauty for the first time: its extraordinarily rich architectural heritage, its leafy parks, its artistic heritage, and its complex social history. Today Glasgow is a vibrant cultural center and a commercial hub, as well as a launching pad from which to explore the rest of Scotland, which, as it turns out, is not so far away. In fact, it takes only 40 minutes to reach Loch Lomond, where the other Scotland begins.

Day 8 Liverpool, England

From world-class attractions and sports to legendary music, Liverpool offers old-world charm with modern sophistication, underpinned by a rich cultural history.

Day 9 Falmouth, England

The bustle of this resort town's fishing harbor, yachting center, and commercial port only adds to its charm. In the 18th century Falmouth was the main mail-boat port for North America, and in Flushing, a village across the inlet, you can see the slate-covered houses built by prosperous mail-boat captains. A ferry service now links the two towns. On Custom House Quay, off Arwenack Street, is the King's Pipe, an oven in which seized contraband was burned.

Day 10  Cruising

Day 11 Hamburg, Germany

Hamburg is Germany's second-largest city with a history dating back to Charlemagne. A major port, this vibrant city is home to art and culture, extensive shopping facilities, Baroque buildings and waterfront vistas. With its well-known fish market, art galleries and Museums together with several beautiful parks including a botanical garden, this is a city with something for everyone. British visitors who remember the Swinging Sixties may like to visit the streets around Grosse Freiheit, where an unknown pop group called The Beatles gave their first public performances in various local clubs before achieving worldwide fame.

Video provided by 3rd party and complete accuracy can not be guaranteed
Call our experts now

Dublin (01) 2311868

Cruise Finder

All the best cruise deals in one place



TRAVEL AWARE - STAYING SAFE AND HEALTHY ABROAD

The Department of Foreign Affairs has up-to-date advice for Irish citizens on staying safe and healthy abroad. For more security, local laws, health, passport and visa information see https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/ and follow dfatravelwise