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Belfast Ireland Cruise Port Guide
Location:
Belfast has three locations: See Map
* D1 Belfast Cruise Terminal is used for all "cruise calls" - cruise ships just visiting.
This new terminal (2019) can accommodate ships with up to 6,000 passengers and crew and it has a smart cruise visitor information centre, a gift shop, plenty of seating and free wifi plus a large coach parking area and space for shuttle buses and taxis.
* Stormont Wharf is used for smaller ships.
* Pollock Dock is used only for "turnarounds" ships starting or ending their cruise in Belfast.
Most of the time there are shuttles that run between the harbor and the city center, close to the tourist office, every 15 minutes.
This is only announced the night before, so not to jeopardize the excursion sales. The usual rate is $12 per person.
A taxi only costs £7 one way per taxi, and thus is a much better deal especially if traveling with more persons.
Printable map to take along.
Hotels near the Cruise Terminal
Cruise calendar for this port.
Watch a destination video.
Live Nautical Chart with Wikipedia Markers
Monthly Climate Averages for Belfast Ireland
Sightseeing:
The center of Belfast is small enough to be explored by foot.
To make the most of your time in the city your first point of contact should be the centrally located Belfast Welcome center (Tourist Office) at 9 Donegall Sq North, opposite of City Hall. The staff can provide maps, book tours, recommend itineraries and places of interest. There is also a useful left luggage facility. See gotobelfast.com for more information.
If you are interested in going to the Titanic Belfast museum, buy your tickets online at www.titanicbelfast.com . The museum is only a few years old but it’s still popular enough that it sells out.
Tours Excursions Transportation:
At the cruise dock taxi tours of 90 minutes can be booked to see the World Famous Catholic & Protestant Murals that paint a picture of Belfast colorful history while your personal tour guide gives you the inside info. £35 per taxi. A very highly rated tour.
If your time is limited, the open-top 'Belfast Sightseeing' bus tours are recommended, costing about £13 per person for a 2-hour journey. You will be shown the sights in the city center and suburbs including famous murals painted on the ends of terraced houses during 'The Troubles' in the Falls Road area, the Harland and Wolff shipyards where the Titanic was built and Queens University. The guides are friendly, well informed and interesting. As guides are "real": only English spoken and no earphones.
It pays to compare your cruise line shore excursions here.
Nearby Places:
The top visitor attraction in Northern Ireland is the Giants Causeway. Considered by many to be the eighth wonder of the world, the Giants Causeway is well worth the effort to get to it.
Shopping and Food
St. George's Market, on May Street, is situated near Belfast Central Station, It is Northern Ireland's largest indoor market and one of Belfast's major attractions for visitors and locals alike. Farmers markets are held on Saturdays, and variety markets are held on Sundays and Fridays. It sells a fascinating range of foods, clothing and crafts. You can pick up some real bargains here, and the market itself provides a fascinating glimpse into Belfast life both past and present.
Currency:
UK Pound Sterling.
Communication:
English is spoken everywhere but Irish (Gaeilge) is also used.
Free WiFi at the Belfast Welcome center and the new terminal.
Opening Hours and Holidays:
City center Shops generally open Mon- Sat, 9.30am-5.30pm (Thurs. until 9pm).Some larger stores open Sun 1-5pm. Neighborhood stores and garage forecourt convenience shops often open much longer - 24 hours in many cases.
Holidays in the United Kingdom
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