Southampton- We arrived at Southampton Train Station at 2:15 and had planned on taking a cab (approx. 8 GBP) but another couple had arrived on the same train so we joined them and walked to the Princess Berth 106. To walk, take the crosswalk on your left when exiting the Train Station. The "mfi" store will be directly in front of you. Turn right and follow the sidewalk around to Southern Road. Turn left on Southern Road and Gate 10 will be a couple blocks in front of you. Turn right on West Bay road after passing Gate 10. You will see the Princess ship docked off to your left on the other side of some shipping containers. The sidewalk is asphalt and somewhat rough, not recommended with more than a roll-a-board bag and backpack. After you almost pass the ship, turn left and this road will take you to the Terminal. The walk was about 25 minutes.

Guernsey- We tendered in and checked for maps at the Tourist Office close to the pier. There is also one computer there with free internet. We joined the queue for the next bus 7 or 7A, both of which circle the Island and leave from the Bus Terminal. You can purchase tickets from the driver. Exact change is not necessary, but appreciated. Note: If you want to get off, you will need to ring the driver. The buses do not automatically stop at the Little Chapel, Sausmarez Manor, etc. I recommend asking the driver to let you know when to get off. All the bus routes terminate at the Bus Station in St. Peter Port, so if you're unsure where to get off, just stay on until you see the town. One other note, Guernsey merchants accept British Pounds on an even exchange but give change in Guernsey pounds. I was told these are not accepted in the rest of the UK.

Cobh/Cork- The ship docks in Cobh directly in front of the Train Station. Just circle the Cobh Heritage Center to get to the train. Trains run every 30 minutes and drop you off a 20 minute walk from the Cork town center. There were two HoHo companies parked across from the Cork Station. We opted to take the City bus (#224) from the Parnell Place bus station instead. The price and route was the same as the HoHo's, except the city Bus also stopped for 90 minutes at Blarney Castle, which the HoHo's did not. The bus driver provided narrative of Cork which was probably similar to the HoHo's as we saw the key points in town. However, there was no "Hop on, Hop off" until we arrived at Blarney. The Woolen Mills shopping area was near the entrance to Blarney Castle and they shared a parking lot. To enter the grounds of Blarney Castle, the cost is 10 Euro, whether or not you wait in line to kiss the Blarney Stone. Cobh was also a pleasant town and I recommend reserving some time to look around before returning to the Ship. Read more