We chose this cruise for the itinerary - that's why the five stars. We'd been talking about visiting Ireland for several years and also wanted to see Scotland. As this cruise had an ideal itinerary and was the right price and time for our vacation, we booked it within a few days of seeing the listing online.

It did not disappoint. The ports and tours were everything we could hope for, and the weather was better than we'd hoped. We went prepared for a lot of rain and chill, but the weather gods were kind to us. Temperatures were generally in the sixties, sometimes chilly with the wind, but we only had one day of actual rain. And the seas were amazingly calm throughout.

Ireland is as beautiful as the pictures - being there was an incredible experience. We took a private tour with Holloway Travel from Cobh along part of the Ring of Kerry to Kilarney, driving through Cork City before returning to the ship. Seamus, our guide was warm, funny and very informative. We learned a lot about Ireland - past and present - from him. We visited Macroom, a small market town, made a quick stop at the Muckross House, through the mountains of Kerry, stopping along the way to enjoy beautiful vistas. We drove through Cork City before returning to the ship, stopping to take pictures at the cathedral. Read more