Titanic Quarter, Belfast

[noddy10]

Anybody been to the Titanic Quarter in Belfast visiting in May with Princess cruises and wondered if it is walkable from where shuttle bus drops you off. Wondering whether it would be easier and cheaper and not pay for shuttle bus and get a taxi from port.

[Kendhni]

The ship usually docks on the opposite side of the Lagan to the Titanic museum and paint shop. it is walkable but is 3 or so miles (that is a guess since I am not quite sure where the exit point to the cruise docks area is ... you would have to walk towards Belfast City centre, past 'the big fish', across the Lagan, up past the Odyssey centre, turn up past the Premier Inn and you will come to the museum, paint shop and pump house (not forgetting the science park including innovation, white star, concourse 1&2 and legacy buildings).

[Boris+]

We thought of doing a visit to Belfast to see the exhibition etc - but then we watched this traffic cops thing on tv - and no way am I taking one of our cars over there! so maybe we'll fly over.

However whilst we want to do that, we also want to go and stay in an hotel which bought the original dining room from the Olympic - if we can string the two outings together, it should be great.

Em

[HK phooey]

Give me strength!

[Kendhni]

EM, I have driven in many places all over the UK (and much further afield) and can assure you Northern Ireland drivers are better than in many other areas ... in fact at times they can be overly courteous .. too busy letting people out. There is an old trick someone suggested to me ages ago if you are nervous about driving somewhere new ... stick up 'L' plates (or you could also use 'R' plates in Northern Ireland) and you will quite often get a 'fools pardon'.

As far as worrying about one of your cars, I think you will find that on average cars in Northern Ireland are better looked after than in many other areas of the UK (jeez, my FIL is out washing his in the rain .. whereas mine gets washed once every other year whether or not it needs it) ... not sure if it is still true, but NI once had more BMW's per head of capita than anywhere else in the world.

[Manoverboard]

The Titanic displays were on TV a while ago and looked well worth seeing ... or so I thought.

As for driving ...

Driving in Belfast is very civilised whereas Dublin leaves a lot to be desired even though the people themselves are very courteous, they are both a little inpish however and will spray paint dents on cars that are owned by posers ... smashing, as I would say

[Boris+]

Hi Ken,

I must be an age thing - when I was younger I wasn't so concerned about our cars - but now for some different reason it's something that's more important.

I too have driven all over the place and covered some amazing mileages, but I can remember last time I was in Eire - well it's best forgotten! It's more important to me nowadays to go and enjoy myself than to worry - so it'll probably be a fly-drive thing; besides which I can't be doing with driving through Wales to get to Ireland ...... it's just better to fly for us.

Em

[Boris+]

Hi Helen,

I'll give you strength!!!! We just thought it would be interesting to be in a dining room with the actual original interior from (allegedly) the Olympic, and then go and see the mock up of the Titanic. We still are caught up in the conspirary theory (Titanic/Olympic) - and that makes it all the more interesting.

Em

[Towngirl]

Hi
We went last year to titanic quarter when docked at Belfast. We used the shuttle bus to the town centre then caught a bus to the titanic qtr. it is walkable as we walked back.
I would recommend buying your tickets online as many people where disappointed as the museum had sold out. You have to pick a time when you book so would that 11am is best.

Hope this helps you

Shirley

[noddy10]

We dont dock until 1030 so would have to be at the earliest lunchtime and we are trying to avoid paying for the shuttle bus.

[Towngirl]

Hi this was one port that I don't remember paying for the shuttle. I thought it was provided free by Belfast tourist board. However you can get a taxi for about a fiver to the titanic quarter.

We found Princess very expensive for shuttles and excursion and found cheaper alternatives locally eg the train for Glasgow, hiring a car in Orkney, and a local shuttle bus in Edinburgh.

Hope you have a good time.