7. Ahoy There!

30 July 2025

With much anticipation and excitement, we boarded a bus that would take us to the Southampton Cruise Terminal, where we joined the hoards of people that would join us on the Norwegian Dawn, which would take us right around Ireland. Upon boarding, we had been directed upstairs to the buffet, where tables are scarce and food was plenty. I was parched, and was hanging out for a cup of tea, but was equally happy to use the pass card given to us upon check-in, which would give us certain privileges or enticements that had attracted us to this cruise in the first place, to order Proseccos and other drinks. We clink glasses and raise a toast for a happy and successful cruise. Then we tackle the buffet, which is almost immediately dubbed 'The Feeding Frenzy'. After unpacking and settling in, the anchor is raised and before we know it, we are leaving England behind and and looking forward to our Irish Adventure.

That was yesterday.

The itinerary mentions that we would arrive in Waterford at 2:00 PM. In reality, although the time is correct, we are anchored just outside a village called East Dunmore, some thirty minutes by road from the city of Waterford. The ship has engaged in a complicated and disingenuous method of distributing tickets to board tenders for the trip to the small fishing port, information that until yesterday, was somehow glossed over. My question about how we are to travel from East Dunmore to Waterford falls on deaf ears.

But I should not have worried. It seems that the good people of Waterford know how to make a buck and get us to within sneezing distance of the word famous Waterford Crystal factory and showroom. Several 52-seat buses are waiting at the pier for us to pay our €25 for return fares to Waterford.

Laraine has taken a shore excursion offered by the ship, which includes a lengthy walking tour of Waterford. Carolyn, Marianne and I decide to take the bus into town and, armed with a map of the Viking Triangle, intend to stage our own walking tour of the cultural and heritage points of interest in this, the oldest city in Ireland. The eighteen kilometre trip to Waterford from Dunmore East is by way of a typical Irish road that meanders through the village and along a narrow two-lane road. With the beautiful dry and warm weather, farmers are working hard to cut their hay and our journey is slowed by tractors on the road. This is my first glimpse of the Irish landscape and its soft green fields interspersed with the yellow stubbles of those fields already harvested.

Perhaps the buses were sent by Waterford Crystal! I will never know but despite feigning disinterest all round, we decide to have a little peek inside anyway. The last time I was in Waterford and at the crystal factory was in January 1981 with Helene, so the large modern showroom is far removed from my hazy memory of that way-back-when visit. So much has happened to this company since my last visit, and with the upheaval in 2009 when the manufacturing base was virtually closed due to insolvency. I had met Jim O'Leary, glass designer, cutter, and brand ambassador when he was in Australia on various occasions, and like all Irishmen that I know, had many funny stories to tell about his 50 year career at Waterford Crystal. Sadly Jim died in 2013. Inside the showroom today, I am frustrated by the huge number of items that are made in Slovenia and other parts of eastern Europe. I'm not interested in those pieces at all, and when I ask to see items made exclusively in Ireland, I am shown a small collection of beautifully-crafted items. I may have been a little bit naughty, but I am not telling.

We walk across the road and begin to follow the Viking Triangle route, passing ancient walls, ramparts, and towers that were built 1000 years ago. At the 'point' of the triangle is Reginald's Tower, a huge round tower built by the Anglo-Normans, that replaced an earlier Viking structure. It is one of Ireland's oldest civic buildings, and is now home to Waterford's Viking Museum. Standing next to the tower is a replica Viking longboat. Walking along the paths and cobblestone streets, it is almost possible to imagine Viking and medieval-era life taking place along this ancient waterway. There are other museums in this area that have dedicated displays of Viking and Medieval history through to the modern day, and if we had more time, I would be interested in visiting these. But we only have a few hours and we want to explore the cobbled streets first. As our trail brings us up to to a higher elevation, it is no surprise to find the Christ Church Cathedral towering over the city. We find a couple of obliging Vikings, one of which allows Carolyn to sit on its lap.

Our bus is waiting below and it is time for us to return if we want to explore the village of Dunmore East before going back on board. Our return journey takes longer as it appears that all the tractors carrying huge bales of hay have chosen this moment to use the road. Patience is something one learns if they wish to drive in Ireland. There is no set timetable as we will find out during the course of our voyage around this unique country. Returning slowly only means that we can better enjoy our surroundings.

Before long, we are deposited back to the the tender pier. Carolyn opts to return to the ship whilst Marianne and I take a walk up Cardiac Hill to wander each side of the road that runs between the village stores of Dunmore East. It's pretty and the brisk walk provides an opportunity to stretch the legs before returning to the ship.

Like last night, we arrive, dressed to the nines, at the door of the Venetian Restaurant for dinner before exploring options for entertainment for the evening. Before long, we are attracted to the large, sparkly and cheap baubles offered at the gift store in the ship's atrium. Like bowerbirds we peck at the largest, shiniest rings, slipping them on and off our fingers and filling in time before finding a table in the small area where performers keep us entertained for the night.