Although my friend had experienced cruising before (a brief 3-day trip to the islands), it was enough to convince her that cruising was not her cup of tea. However, it didn’t take much convincing when I stumbled upon this itinerary for Ireland and Iceland , tempting her to give cruising another chance.
Our 10-night cruise departed from Dublin aboard the Celebrity Reflection, with ports of call including Belfast, an overnight stay in Reykjavik, Akureyri, the Shetland Islands, Scotland, and another overnight stay in Dublin. While the itinerary was breathtaking, we opted to enhance our experience with some pre-cruise exploration along the coast of Ireland, immersing ourselves even further in the stunning Irish countryside.
A lightning storm in Tampa, Florida led to a missed connection in Reykjavik, prompting a reroute through Heathrow and resulting in a missed train to Killarney, leaving us on a bus late at night en route to our hotel. Thanks to the kindness of strangers and the hotel manager, we finally arrived around 3 am on Saturday instead of the intended 3 pm on Friday. However, a room upgrade and a delightful complimentary Irish breakfast the next morning left us revitalized and eager to begin our exploration.
Killarney embodies the picturesque vision I held of Ireland, and I can’t imagine visiting the country again without including a trip here. The castles, forests, waterfalls, history, and charming pubs made all our travel delays and concerns melt away. Killarney is a place I fervently hope to return to very soon!