Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are entirely our own, and we have not been compensated in any way for these opinions.
As many times as we have been to Europe, we have had very limited time in the UK, and never in Ireland. So, this cruise, which circled the UK in a counter-clockwise itinerary, looked like the perfect opportunity to explore the area in more depth.
Although we have been on many cruises in Europe, this was our first time on Holland America. We had a wonderful time and were very pleased with the level of service and amenities on the ship. We will talk a little more about ship life below.
Whenever we travel abroad for a cruise, we always include a pre-extension. The main reasons for the additional time include acclimating from jet lag, having a buffer in case of travel delays, and a chance to see more of the departure city.
For this trip, even though the ship departed from Rotterdam, we decided to spend 4 days in London prior to the cruise. This plan worked out well as we were able to book non-stop flights to and from London. We chose to take the train from London to Rotterdam. In this case, the train was a high-speed train that traveled through the Chunnel. It was fast, easy, and very interesting as you traveled a distance of about 23 miles beneath the English Channel.
For this article, we will be writing only about the cruise. So, we will cover each part of our itinerary, starting with an extra day in Rotterdam before boarding the ship.
Holland America Cruises
Holland America has been around for 150 years and their fleet of 11 modern, classic ships offers more than 500 sailings a year, visiting all seven continents. For this trip, we were on the Nieuw Statendam, which is a beautiful ship. While the ship carried over 2600 passengers, it never felt crowded.
We had a Verandah cabin with a balcony. It also included a comfortable couch in the sitting area, helping to make the cabin feel spacious.
Other areas of the ship we really enjoyed included the dining area, theatre and pool. There were also many bar options and restaurants. We thought the food at all the venues was exceptional, as was the service.
TIP: If you like to plan ahead, Holland America has been offering the Have it All Early Booking Bonus. This is a great deal and includes premium WiFi, Elite Beverage Package (up to $15 per drink), shore excursion credit, specialty restaurants, and crew appreciation (gratuities). Check the cruise details for this option.
Holland America – Wild British Isles
Now that we have discussed some of the general information, let’s get started on our itinerary.
While you will see cruises labeled Wild British Isles on the Holland America site, the itineraries can vary slightly. So, be sure to verify all of the port stops before you book.
Our itinerary is listed on the right. It encompassed all of the sites we wanted to visit.
We scheduled our trip for May, which turned out to be the perfect time. We experienced mostly cool mornings, with pleasant, but not hot, temperatures during the day. Crowds were also a little smaller than during peak months. We also got extremely lucky with the weather. We had beautiful sunny days almost every day, with only a single day with a brief rain shower.
TIP: Weather is always unpredictable, so it’s best to bring along layers so that you can easily adjust to changes in the weather during the day. A light rain jacket is necessary, even during warmer months for those unexpected showers. We usually started each day with a light jacket or windbreaker, that we shed later in the day.
Rotterdam, Netherlands – 1 Day Pre-Extension
— Day 1 – Rotterdam, Netherlands
We traveled from London, and arrived at the Rotterdam Central Train Station in the afternoon. The station is very modern and easy to navigate. By the way, if you haven’t used the high-speed trains in Europe, it is an easy, affordable way to travel.
Our hotel, the Rotterdam Marriott Hotel, was just across the street from the train station. So, it was only a short walk to the hotel. This hotel is beautiful, and has all the amenities you would expect from Marriot. Since we were staying for two nights, we spent the next day exploring the Rotterdam.
We had dinner on our first night at Pho – Vietnamese restaurant & Noodle bar, just down the street from the hotel. The restaurant is casual and welcoming, and provided excellent food and service.
— Day 2 – Rotterdam, Netherlands
We had a full day in Rotterdam before boarding our ship the next morning, so we decided to walk around Rotterdam and explore the local sites.
The distance from our hotel (across from the train station), to the waterfront and cruise terminal, was about a half-hour walk, so we decided to make a loop, starting east, and then making our way to the water, before returning to our hotel.
It was a beautiful, sunny day and our first scenic area was along the Rotte Canal, which is actually a section of the Rotte River. The city of Rotterdam was founded in the 13th century after a dam was built on the river, thus the city was named “Rotterdam”. We also strolled through a local market in this same area.
We walked through several parks and the Natural History Museum on the way to the area of the city where the cruise ships are docked. This spot was where we got our first glimpse of the Nieuw Statendam, our home for the next couple of weeks.
The sculpture on the right is a piece of public art titled ‘Santa Claus’ by American artist Paul McCarthy. It seems that the sculpture is either despised or loved by the locals. As such, it has been moved around the city several times, and it is now located in Eendrachtsplein Square in Rotterdam.
Holland America – Wild British isles
— Day 3 – Rotterdam, Netherlands Embarkation
After breakfast at the hotel, we took a taxi to the ship at about 10 AM. We knew this might be a little early, but thought we would see if we could board. There were plenty of other passengers already in line for boarding, but embarkation went quickly, and we were in our stateroom in only 20 minutes!
Although we have done many ocean cruises, this was our first Holland America Cruise. So, we decided to spend the rest of the day exploring the different areas of the ship. We were very impressed with both the ship and the staff.
Our ship departed Rotterdam at 4 PM.
TIP: The cruise director conducts a meeting called ‘Questions about the Next Port’ each afternoon (around 4:30 PM) where the next day’s activities are previewed. It is well worth the time to attend this meeting, in order to ensure that you are prepared for the next day. You can find the specific schedule and location for each meeting in the daily newsletter that is left in your stateroom.
— Day 4 – Sea Day
We knew we had a very busy itinerary for the next 7 days, so we decided an easy, relaxing day was the best way to prepare. We enjoyed viewing the unusually calm North Sea, which was much more like a lake on this day, from various points around the ship, including our own balcony.
— Day 5 – Newcastle upon Tyne, England
For our first excursion of our trip, we selected Hadrian’s Wall and Roman Fort, a 4.5- hour excursion to the much-anticipated Hadrian’s Wall.
We were on the bus for almost an hour as we passed the rolling hills west of Newcastle, an area that once formed the northern border of the Roman Empire in Britain. In 122 A.D., the Roman emperor Hadrian ordered a wall to be built here as a defense against attacks from barbarians to the north. Much of the wall is still standing and other parts of it are scattered along the course of Military Road, which we followed from Newcastle.
Our first destination was Cawfields Quarry. From the parking lot, it was a short walk to Mile Castle 42. This section of Hadrian’s Wall is one of the longest and most well-preserved. The wall was built to a thickness of nearly 10 feet, was 73 miles long, and 15 feet high with a tower every third of a mile. We walked around the ruins of the Mile Castle and along the wall. It is a special experience to actually see the wall and hike along the trail.
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Forts were also constructed along the wall, and only about 15 minutes away was one of the finest remaining examples, Chesters Fort. In this expansive area, we explored the excavated officers’ quarters, baths and steam room with underground heating. We also visited the small museum, before returning to the ship.
— Day 6 – Invergordon, Scotland
We arrived in Invergordon at 8 AM on another beautiful day.
For today’s excursion we booked an 8-hour trip entitled The Wild West Highlands & Romantic Eilean Donan Castle. Our bus left Invergordon and traveled along the banks of the beautiful Cromarty Firth before reaching Loch Ness, the largest volume of fresh water in the UK. We searched desperately for the Loch Ness Monster, but sadly never saw her (wink-wink).
We continued along Loch Ness until we reached the small hamlet of Invermoriston, where we then turned away from the Loch to cross the Scottish Highlands. Our next stop was Eilean Donan Castle. The castle is on a small tidal island situated at the confluence of three lochs, the Alsh, Long and Duich. Originally built in the 13th century, the castle was destroyed in 1719 and rebuilt in the 20th century. A small stone bridge leads to the castle and is very picturesque.
We next drove to the Isle of Skye. We crossed the Skye Bridge and had beautiful views of Castle Moil, which are ruins from a 14th century castle.
The scenic drive back to the ship passed through other areas of the Scottish Highlands, providing more breathtaking views. It was a long day, but well worth the time.
— Day 7 – Shetland Islands, UK
After hearing stories of so many cruises having to miss this stop in the Shetlands due to weather, we were a bit worried about our ability to make the port. However, we were able to breathe a sigh of relief when we woke to another lovely day. The ship anchored offshore and we tendered into the small, friendly town of Lerwick.
Our selected excursion this day was Jarlshof & Scenic Mainland Drive, a 4-hour tour headed to the southern area of the Shetlands. Our first stop was the Jarlshof Prehistoric and Norse Settlement. In the winter of 1896, a violent storm uncovered this archaeological site, revealing remains from New Stone Age (Neolithic), Bronze and Iron Age settlements. Rectangular stone houses from an ancient Viking community were also discovered at the site. As we made our way back to Lerwick, we had a short stop in Hoswick, were we explored some of the history and culture of the Shetlands through interpretive displays.
After returning to Lerwick, we stopped at a local bar to have a beer from the local brewery.
That evening, we enjoyed dinner at the Pinnacle Grill, one of several specialty restaurants on the ship. The Pinnacle Grill is known for their steaks, and we each had filet mignon. We were very impressed with the quality of the food.
— Day 8 – Stornoway, Scotland, The Outer Hebrides
Entering the port of Stornoway early in the morning afforded some spectacular sights. Stornoway is the capital of the Outer Hebridean Isles and home of the Western Isles Council.
Our excursion on this day was Historical Lewis, which allowed us to cross the island to the Atlantic side for beautiful scenery and exploration.
The Atlantic coastal road led to the beautifully remote coastal settlement of Gearrannan. Gearrannan offers a step back in time to a traditional village of ‘black houses’ on the edge of the ocean. Black houses were built originally as a combined byre (barn) and home where people lived together with their animals. An open peat fire dominated the main room, in the tradition of ancient long houses, marking the walls with soot and leading to the ‘black houses’ moniker. Some of the black houses were still inhabited as recently as the 1970s.
Our next stop was Carloway — a pretty parish with a scattering of island croft houses. Here, we explored the Carloway Broch — a fortified stone tower built around 100 BC. It is the best-preserved broch in the Hebrides.
The next stop was the Callanish Standing Stones. This henge, in the shape of a Celtic cross, is the island’s most dramatic prehistoric ruin and dates back 5000 years, even before Stone Henge. Unfortunately, we could not get very close, and had to be satisfied with some rather distant views.
Our last stop was back to the town of Stornoway, which included a walk past Lews Castle and a pint at a local pub.
— Day 9 – Belfast, Northern Ireland UK
We arrived in Belfast around 11 AM and disembarked to travel on our excursion to The Giants Causeway. We enjoyed a panoramic drive inland through Ballymena and Bushmills (home of a famous distillery) to the North Antrim Coast. We arrived at the Giant’s Causeway Visitor Center, which offers differing explanations of how the causeway’s 40,000 basalt stones were formed. Walking from the Visitor Center, it is about .75 miles to the Causeway itself. It is a little bit of a hike to the top of the causeway, but the view on top is incredible. We also hiked further along the coast where you can see additional basalt stone formations.
We also traveled to the nearby sites of Dunluce Castle and the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. As an added bonus, we could see the Royal Portrush Golf Club, which was preparing for the British Open Championship.
Although we loved our visit to the Giants Causeway, unfortunately it did not allow any time to really see Belfast itself. We would have definitely like to have seen more of the sights, especially the Titanic Museum.
— Day 10 – Glasgow, Scotland
Since it was not that very far to Edinburgh from Glasgow, and we really wanted to see the Edinburgh Castle, we selected the excursion City of Edinburgh & Castle.
We arrived in Edinburgh around lunchtime, so after a quick drive around Old Town, we stopped at Deacon Brodie’s Tavern for lunch and a pint.
We then made our way to Edinburgh Castle, home of Scottish kings and queens for centuries, perched on a rocky promontory 445 feet above the city. We explored the castle complex, including the Scottish Crown Jewels and the apartments where Mary, Queen of Scots, gave birth to the future James I of England.
We then walked the Royal Mile. This ancient stretch of roadway is lined with delightful multi-storied houses and quaint side streets. It leads from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood House. The latter is the official Scottish residence of the King, dating from the late 15th century.
On our drive back we passed Dumbarton Castle, which stands on Dumbarton Rock. It is located near the town of Dumbarton in the west of Scotland on the river Clyde. The castle was built in the iron age and has the longest recorded history of any Scottish stronghold.
— Day 11 – Douglas, Isle of Man, UK
We were thrilled to be stopping at Douglas, the capitol of the Isle of Man since 1863. Gabled buildings with arched windows face wooden boats and tall-masted sailing vessels, and the promenade stretches a full two miles.
Our excursion today was The Story of Man. Our first stop, as we traveled across the center of the island, was Tynwald. In the 10th century, the Vikings established the Manx parliament, known as Tynwald. Remarkably, this system of self-government has remained in place for more than 1,000 years, making it the oldest continuous parliament in the world.
We then continued to Peel, on the island’s west coast, to visit the House of Manannan, a heritage center interpreting the long and fascinating history of the Isle of Man.
Nearby are the ruins of an ancient Celtic cathedral and the pink sandstone walls of Peel Castle that dates from the 14th century. In the 19th century, Peel was the main fishing port for the island.
We hiked up the nearby hill for some spectacular views of the castle and city.
— Day 12 – Sea Day
We had some ship board credit, so we decided to rent a cabana in an area known as The Retreat. Little did we know we would be the only ones there that day. We had multiple attendants to get us drinks, food and whatever else we needed. It was really a unique experience.
For dinner we ate at Tamarind, a specialty restaurant serving Pan-Asian cuisine. The menu was pretty extensive, with a lot of options. We both enjoyed our meals and service was impeccable!
— Day 13 – Cork (Cobh), Ireland
The town of Cork is actually a short drive from the port town of Cobh (pronounced Cove). We decided that instead of an excursion, we would take advantage of the fact that the ship docked adjacent to the town square, and just explore the small town of Cobh on our own.
Our first stop was the Titanic Experience. On April 11, 1912, 123 passengers came to the busy harbor town of Queenstown (now known as Cobh), to board Titanic bound for New York. This was the last stop Titanic made. Though a small museum, actually housed in the building were the passengers staged to join the ship, the guide was very good and informative.
Next we visited the Cathedral Church of St. Colman, usually known as Cobh Cathedral. The church is a Roman Catholic cathedral and was completed in 1919. Built on Cathedral Place, it overlooks Cork harbor from a prominent position, and is dedicated to Colmán of Cloyne, patron saint of the Diocese of Cloyne. It serves as the cathedral church of the diocese.
We then walked up the hill above town to a place called the ‘Deck of Cards’. Probably the most photographed spot in Cobh, this is a row of 23 gable-fronted brightly colored houses. It is not just about the colored houses, but also the gorgeous views of the church and harbor.
All in all, it was a very relaxing day in Cobh.
— Day 14 – Dun Laoghaire (Dublin), Ireland
Our excursion upon arriving in Dublin was a Walk Through Dublin. This was an excellent guided walk around Dublin with insightful stories from our guide, especially as he told us about Oscar Wilde and his tragic life.
— Day 15 – Sea Day
As our cruise was entering the last few days, we spent this last sea day relaxing. We had dinner at another of the specialty restaurants onboard – Canaletto. Canaletto is an Italian restaurant and as a lover of Shrimp Scampi, I was happy to see this on the menu. It was excellent.
— Day 16 – Dover, UK
The ship arrived in Dover, UK about 7:30 AM with iconic scenes of the White Cliffs of Dover and Dover Castle.
Our excursion, the Leeds Castle & Canterbury & Time on Your Own, was a full day. Upon leaving Dover, we drove through Deal (and Deal Castle), Sandwich and then on to Canterbury. We took a short tour of the city of Canterbury and ended at the Cathedral.
Canterbury Cathedral, one of the oldest and most historic Christian structures in England, mother church of the Anglican Communion, and seat of the archbishop of Canterbury, the cathedral was originally established by St. Augustine of Canterbury.
Sent by Pope Gregory the Great, St. Augustine arrived at the royal court of Kent in Cantwarabyrig in 597 to a welcome from King Aethelberht I, whose wife, Queen Bertha, was already a Christian. Augustine founded a Benedictine abbey, whose ruins have survived. Having been named “bishop of the English,” he built the church called Christ Church that eventually became Canterbury Cathedral.
The church is incredible both inside and out and well worth the trip to Canterbury.
The main reason we picked this excursion was to visit Canterbury. So, we thought Leeds was just a nice add-on in order to see more of the country side. But the Leeds Castle and grounds turned out to be another highlight of the day.
A castle has existed on the site since 857. In the 13th century, it came into the hands of King Edward I, for whom it became a favorite residence. The castle is often called the ‘Castle of Queens’ because it was the property of five medieval queens prior to the 16th century, when Henry VIII renovated the castle for his first wife, Catherine of Aragon.
The castle and its grounds are a major leisure destination for both tourists and locals, with its massive grounds, there is plenty to entertain both children and adults
We returned to the ship and sailed out of Dover around 7 PM, giving us more stunning views of the White Cliffs of Dover.
— Day 17 – Rotterdam, Netherlands Disembarkation
Disembarkation day is always a little sad, especially if you are heading to the airport to fly home.
While this was the end of the cruise, we headed for the train station for a trip back to London and our return flight home.
We really enjoyed this trip and we think you will too! The itinerary was exactly what we wanted and we were so pleased that the weather cooperated the entire trip!
We recommend adding extensions to both ends of the cruise, either with the cruise line or on your own, as a great way to get even more from your vacation.
We hope you found our review of Holland America’s Wild British Isles Cruise helpful and informative. And we hope you join us in the future as we explore some of our other travel destinations.
Safe travels!