Viking Sky’s British Isles Explorer: From Canterbury to The Cavern

Viking Ocean Cruises.

The very name conjures images of sophisticated travelers who seek intellectual pursuits, cultural treasures, and a peek at ancient empires. Television ads feature a melodic and eloquent voice promising an immersive experience, images of cathedrals, fortresses, and museums set against a backdrop of orchestral music and string quartets. 

What those ads don’t say, however, is that Viking can also…rock!

I’ve just returned from Viking Sky’s British Isles Explorer itinerary, a 15-day celebration of England, Ireland, Northern Island, Scotland, and Wales with overnight calls at Greenwich, England and Bergen, Norway. The itinerary will be repeated by Viking more than 20 times in 2027, and I’m not surprised.   

British Isles Explorer certainly appeals to those fiercely-loyal Viking veterans looking to spend an afternoon at Dublin’s Trinity College to view the ancient Book of Kells, a visit to the Belfast Peace Wall, the breathtaking Edinburgh Castle or the magnificent Canterbury Cathedral. Guests will happily endure the winds as they scale the bog cotton-strewn fields that lead to Orkney’s Neolithic Ring of Brodgar and a bit of rain won’t dampen their enthusiasm for the adorable little ponies of the Shetland Islands. And that view of Bergen from the mountain top reached by funicular? Astonishing!

But then there’s me, returning home with a suitcase stuffed with Beatles t-shirts, Beatles socks and other paraphernalia picked up in Liverpool, and recalling the audible gasp I made when my Dublin tour guide pointed out the Clarence Hotel, owned until recently by U2’s Bono. 

Yet, it’s not only the music and musical history that dazzles me during this itinerary but other contemporary highpoints.

James Joyce, Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett may be recognized as the literary masters in Dublin, but in Edinburgh, I celebrate the written word with a visit to The Oxford Bar, a rather lackluster pub that figures prominently in author Ian Rankin’s “Rebus” novels. And, through a chance encounter with Barry Devlin, a Dublin screenwriter (previously front man of Irish Celtic rock band Horslips), I hear about Ireland’s recent rise in the film making industry.

The itinerary has something for everyone yet, thanks to the superb Viking Sky on-board experience, her spacious all-verandah accommodations, clean Scandinavian design and outstanding dining with wine included at lunch and dinner, all guests are bound to find some common ground.

On Board Viking Sky

I must admit that it took me awhile to understand the magic of Viking Ocean’s identical—or nearly identical—47,812 grt, 930-guest cruise ships. Yet after years of cruising with Viking, I totally get it:  Each and every ship feels like home the second you board. There’s no need to study the deck plans, no wrong turns or dead-end hallways and no frustrating search for a ladies’ room. You know instinctively where to find The Restaurant, The World Café, Mamsen’s, The Pool Grill and those heavenly no-surcharge (reservations required) specialty restaurants, the Italian Manfredi’s and The Chef’s Table with its frequently-changing themed menus. 

And after feasting on some of the best dining at sea, you know where to head to dance it off:  Torshavn. While the string quartet or a guest violinist is entertaining the more sedate Viking Ocean guests, you’ll find the spectacular and versatile Viking Band rocking out, tucked within this all-but-hidden nightspot where even the bartenders can’t keep themselves from boogying to the music.

Evenings aboard Viking Sky range from live music and dancing at The Viking Bar. Photo: Judi Cuervo

Viking Sky’s British Isles Explorer itinerary, I was delighted to find, incorporates the music of the British Invasion into its entertainment, not only with several Beatles and other themed theater performances but a screening of the 2016 “Get Back,” a documentary that traces Liverpool music from post war years to the present day. Want a literal taste of England? The World Café showcases some of the country’s specialties in a lavish themed buffet.

Like all Viking Ocean ships, The Viking Daily (both a printed version and digital via the excellent Viking Voyager app) is filled with fitness activities, lectures related to the history and/or nature of the region you’re sailing, film screenings, trivia, Name that Tune, spirits tastings, quirky baggo competitions between guests and ship officers, musical performances and information—tons and tons of information. Viking is one cruise line that can never be accused of poor communication, both before sailing and during. 

Of Beatles and Boats

Music or maritime? 

For me it’s an even split and the British Isles Explorer satisfies both passions with a variety of shore experiences (many of them at no charge) or for those looking to go it alone, free shuttle service into the port’s city center.

In Greenwich, just steps from Viking Sky, I view the majestic Cutty Sark clipper ship with its tantalizing figurehead. In Belfast, the dazzling Titanic Museum holds exhibits and relics that bring the 1912 tragedy to heart-breaking life. And while in Edinburgh, guests may choose to travel the short distance to Leith to board The Royal Yacht Brittania, the British Monarchy’s private yacht which sailed from 1954 through 1997 and hosted prime ministers and presidents.

Yet, it is my very first visit to Liverpool that really floats my boat.

I disembark in this music Mecca that produced the artists responsible for a staggering 58 #1 hits from the 50s through the 60s and feel as though I’ve been duped. Until now, I’d imagined Liverpool an industrial, even downtrodden city, not one brimming with stunning architecture, vibrant shops and pubs and sprawling green spaces. 

During Viking Sky’s Beatles-themed shore excursion, I view the lovely childhood homes of the fab four, The Cavern and some of the tributes that recognize the powerful impact the band has had on the city and its music. I learn that Liverpool isn’t a big fan of Ringo, who hasn’t visited his hometown since 2008, but is devoted to Paul McCartney who seems to be there every other week.

A massive mural of Ringo Starr and the childhood home of John Lennon are among the highlights of Liverpool’s Beatles heritage. Photos: Judi Cuervo

Even the story of Liverpool’s music holds some maritime magic. As home port to the liners of Cunard and other ships, sailors who regularly crossed across the Atlantic arrived home armed with LPs that exposed the Beatles and other bands to American rock & roll, R&B and country music—all influencing the sounds that would change the world. 

That whimsical, brilliantly-colored ferry that you’ll see plying the Mersey River has a Beatles connection too: It was designed by British pop artist Sir Peter Blake, who also designed the cover of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

And during my evening tour, “Historic Pubs of Liverpool,” the nautical connection continues when we visit The Cornmarket, an 18^th century pub that features stunning original wood paneling from Reina del Pacifico, an ocean liner that sailed between Liverpool and South America in the 1950s.

With Viking Ocean Cruises’ British Isles Explorer, guests can marvel at the rolling moors, historic sites and cultural capitols of historic and Celtic Britain. 

They’ll return home with countless, everlasting memories of their time aboard and ashore and, if they’re like me, a whole lot of Beatles t-shirts in their luggage.