Happy Friday, friends, and cheers to the weekend ahead! To those of you in the path of Hurricane Florence, we are thinking about you and praying for your safety and well-being!!
Last week I shared our Travel Diary from Week 1 of our cruise through the British Isles, and today I’m back with the second half of the trip. It was a 12-day cruise, with nine ports, so I’ve got tons to share in the coming weeks!
But these Travel Diaries are just a quick look at each day so you can see how the itinerary fits together, and get an idea of what I packed. I hope it’s helpful if you’re considering similar trips of your own. Oh, and you can find our exact Princess Cruise here.
Catch up on week 1 here.
Day 8 / Glasgow, Scotland
By day eight with no break, our pace definitely slowed…and turns out Glasgow was the perfect city to take it easy. We started at the University and gaped at the Harry Potter-style architecture, then wandered to the Botanic Gardens, before settling in for a long lunch at the cutest cafe, Kember Jones.
From there, we hit up our new favorite store, Oliver Bonas, before spending the rest of the afternoon at Champagne Central. Yes, that’s really a place and it’s magical. We were back on the ship by 6p, and in pajamas eating room service peanut butter and jelly by 6:30p.
Collared Sweater | White Jeans | Loafers | Trench Coat | Crossbody Bag
Trench Coat | White Jeans | Loafers |Crossbody Bag
Day 9 / At Sea
As much as I love seeing all the ports, sea days are secretly my favorite part about cruising! A full day of relaxation and enjoying all the amenities of the ship! (I’m working on a post about those!)
We slept in, ordered more room service (it’s free on Princess!), caught up on work, then headed to the spa. That evening we gussied up for our second Formal Night of the trip.
Tiered Lace Dress | Sandals | Earrings | Cuff | Ring
Day 10 / Orkney Islands, Scotland
Feeling rested and energized, we watched from our balcony as the Royal Princess arrived in the Orkney Islands…the northern most part of Scotland, and completely remote. Our half-day excursion stopped at the Cliffs of Yesnaby and the Standing Stones of Stenness, both of which left us speechless…and instantly smitten with the Scottish coastline.
Once back in Kirkwall (the port city), we wandered the little village and had a delicious lunch…and more scones. From there, I headed back to the ship to work, and Mr. SP joined up with friends for a quick 9-holes on a local golf course.
That evening, we decided to keep it low key and all met on the top deck of the ship for pizza and Movies Under the Stars.
Jacket | Fleece Pullover | Hat | Jeans | Sneakers | Camera | Camera Strap
Day 11 / Invergordon, Scotland
Here we are on Day 11 of a trip through Scotland and Ireland, and had yet to see a castle! Well, Dunrobin Castle more than made up for that, and was pretty much all the castle I ever need to see! We were even greeted with bagpipes!
The grounds and rooms are impeccably maintained, and even has a delicious cafe with amazing baked goods. Mr. SP’s day was made when they allowed him to play the Steinway grand piano. It was also a good thing I’d added my packable down jacket, because it was especially chilly that day!
That night, we all met at the ship’s top-notch steakhouse, the Crown Grill.
Packable Puffer Jacket | Leopard Sweater | Jeans | Sneakers | Crossbody Bag | Pom Hat
Slip-On Sneakers (so comfy for walking!! size down half)
Packable Puffer Jacket | Pom Hat
Ruffle Sleeve Top | Jeans | Leopard Heels | Earrings
Day 12 / Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh has been top of my list of places to visit for some time, so I was excited we had an extra-long day in port here. (Most days we get 8-10 hours, but it totally varies each day.) We took a 30-minute bus to the heart of the city, and from there explored as many neighborhoods as time allowed.
We stumbled on the coziest Scottish pub, complete with worn tartan arm chairs and possibly the best fish and chips, and had a long lunch surrounded by locals. We’ve learned that there’s no way to see everything in day, so we try to balance seeing as much as we can, with actually enjoying the vibe of a city.
That night was a casual gathering at Alfredo’s Pizzeria on the ship.
Utility Jacket | Sweater | Gingham Shirt | Jeans | Loafers | Crossbody Bag
Utility Jacket | Sweater | Gingham Shirt | Jeans | Loafers | Crossbody Bag
Hooded Pullover | Jacket | Jeans | Sneakers
Day 13 / At Sea
Another blissful day at sea…we worked, exercised, and even played pickle-ball and ping-pong on the top deck. That night we had an early dinner, followed by the new Princess show, The Secret Silk. The original musical was created in collaboration with Stephen Schwartz, the Oscar, Tony, and Grammy award-winning composer of Wicked, Pippin, and Godspell. (I outfit-repeated my go-to little black dress.)
Shirtdress | Booties | Earrings | Clutch | Cuff
Day 14 / Honfleur, France
Our cruise ended with a beautiful day in France! The ship docked at LaHavre, and half of our group set out for Paris (2.5 hours away), while the rest of us decided on exploring the quant sea-side villages in Northern France.
I can tell you one day is not near enough for the charming countryside of Normandie, and I’ve already added it to our travel wish list! We spent the morning in Honfleur, which is pretty much a Disney fairytale, exploring the narrow cobbled streets, and eating crepes on the marina.
We arrived back at the ship after lunch, and decided to hop on another excursion to make the most of our time in France…and traveled to the Benedictine Castle for a tour and private cocktail class!
That night we said our tearful goodbyes to our Princess family. I can’t believe I don’t have a group shot of us…I know there’s one somewhere though!
Collared Sweater | Jeans | Sandals | Crossbody Bag
Jumpsuit | Earrings | Sandals | Crossbody Bag
Day 15 / Home
We woke extra-early to catch the bus from Southampton back to London Heathrow (Princess can arrange all transfers), and were on a flight home by 11am. I wore pretty much the same outfit as going, but swapped the white tank for a black one. If you don’t have these joggers yet, you don’t know what you’re missing!
Jean Jacket | V-Neck Tank | Jogger Pant | Similar Sneaks | Gold Carry-On Suitcase | Leather Tote | Monogrammed Crossbody Bag
Whew, that was a lot more than I’d planned to share in one post! But don’t worry, I’ll still share full posts on the main ports (these are just iPhone snaps, there’s so much more to see!), along with some fully-styled posts on formal nights, how we spend days at sea, etc.
Many of you noticed last week how many shoes I packed…true, it was a bit excessive! But between rain, hiking, city tours, and evening events, I wanted to be prepared! I definitely could have pared them down a bit (see what I did there?), but who am I to ignore extra room in the suitcase!
For the record, we only checked two bags (each under the weight limit, thankyouverymuch), and carried on one small bag. Would you be interested in an official packing post? (See what’s in my carry-on bag for long flights here.)
And just when we have our land legs back, we’re actually flying out tomorrow for another cruise!! This time, it’s a family affair planned by Mama Sugarplum and my step-dad (aka, Big Daddy)! The timing of the two trips was unplanned, but I’m grateful for the opportunity for both.
So follow along on my Instagram as I travel Alaska with Mama Sugarplum and family!! Bon voyage, lovebugs!
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I’m going to London and Paris next week, and man, I wish I’d left some time for Northern France too now! It looks so beautiful. 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Did you go to Holyrood Palace where the queen stays when she is in Edinburgh or Edinburgh Castle? If you wanted to see a castle that would have been the one! It looks by your pictures that you only managed to go to the Royal Mile. If you had walked down a wee bit further you would have came to Holyrood Palace. There is so much more to see in Edinburgh. If you come back again hopefully you’ll have more time to sight see 😊
Oh yes, we saw a lot more of Edinburgh than I showed in this post!! This is just a quick recap to show how the itinerary flowed together. I’ll be sharing more details in stand alone posts of each port soon. Although, with only a partial day, obviously we didn’t see all that beautiful Edinburgh has to offer! I’d love to go back!
Wow. What a post !!! Thank you!
A cruise of the British Isles is next on my bucket list. I’ve really enjoyed following along on your cruise. Were your tours all with a guide? I like a guide for the tour then some free time to explore on our own.
Pack for cold and rain in Alaska! I went on that cruise about nine years ago. We really enjoyed it. Of course a big part of that was time spent with best friends. 😄
You really did pack a lot of shoes! I just looked back at your posts and wow! I was on a two week cruise along the Danube in May and had 1 sandal, 1 pair of flats and 1 pair of heels. I wore a pair of black Nikes on the plane. I was determined to travel somewhat light, as I always go home with unworn clothing. Many of the airlines raised the price on checked luggage. Geez! I realize as a fashion blogger you have to have a varied wardrobe.
I do bring more than the average traveler just so I can show a range of outfits…but actually, on this particular trip, there were so many scenarios I needed to pack for!! Rain, city walks, working out, evening events, etc. Plus, I love clothes and creating outfits, so I’d rather have the shoes I want if they fit in my bag! 😉
We loved cruising with so many close friends….so much fun! And I’ll go into more detail on the individual port recaps, but we did a combo of tours and on our own, depending on the city. xo
I’m jealous it looks like your having a great time! Atowle|https://formationvacations.com/
Beautiful post, just like you. I enjoy your travel diaries. They inspire wonder and adventure.
Loved these travel posts! And yes, if you can provide a more detailed packing post it would be so helpful. I am heading out on a cruise early next year and always have trouble planning for trips.
Great post.
I’m always super concerned about my *plane outfits*..want to look cute..but comfortable. I notice you frequently wear a tank or sleeveless dress under your Jean jacket…do you remove the jacket during a long flight?do you wrap yourself in somethng? Just thinking of how cold planes can be..
Hi Carol,
I always take a pair of socks in my carryon. Once ensconced in my seat, I remove my shoes and put socks on for comfort. Always put your shoes on before leaving your seat especially if going to the washroom. Dirty, germs floors! Icky!
A jacket is a must even if you’re leaving from or going to a hot climate. Planes tend to be cool. I detest being cold. I often have a sweater, then I can take off my Jean jacket and wear a snuggly sweater instead.
And, take noisy cancelling earphones. Often there are crying babies which means no sleep.
Oversea flights are long, so your comfort is paramount. Getting some 💤 allows you to feel fresher once you reach your destination.
Hope this helps.
Yep — all great tips!! Pretty much what I do, as well! Here’s everything in my Carry On bag: https://hisugarplum.com/what-to-pack-in-your-carry-on-bag/
I actually get warm on most flights, hence the tank. But I do usually pack a snuggly cardigan and socks on longer flights. Here’s a post with all my carry-on faves: https://hisugarplum.com/what-to-pack-in-your-carry-on-bag/
Hi Cassie
A full post on packing and how you mixed and matched everything would be fabulous and very helpful,
I usually enjoy your blog but was really disappointed in these travel posts. I feel like I know more about what your wore than where you went. It would have been great to know if you use guides, were the places you went worth the price of admission, how you decided on the excursions, the cost of them etc. To be honest, I think I am becoming disillusioned with so many blogs that seem to have cut down on content and increased all the clickable links. I respect that this your income but I miss the days where there was balance.
Hi Sharon…this isn’t my official travel post!! I’ll still be sharing more pics and all the scoop on each port at a later date. These posts were just to show the full itinerary of the trip, and give a little insight as to what we did on the ship and what I wore! More details to come! xo
Just curious, on your “at sea” days, do you have Wifi available on the ship?
Yes, internet is available for purchase on the ships. It’s not super high-speed, but it gets it done!
I’d love a packing post. And yes, we may have to put a cruise around the British Isles on our bucket list; we’ve done just about everything else! I loved Honfleur. We spent three days there on a river boat trip down the Seine to Paris. Maybe that should be on your bucket list… River boats are more informal than cruise ships; I do most of my trips with two pairs of walking shoes. No heels needed.
That sounds amazing!! I’d love more time in Honfleur!
Patricia, I love river boat cruising. Less people make for better service, much better food and less crowded restaurants/lounge/tours. It’s a wonderful way to see Europe!
This trip looks awesome. I think I know what the hubs and I will do for one of our anniversary trips coming up. I assume summer is the best time to go due to the cooler temps.
I thought September was perfect…cooler temps, and with kids back in school, it was mostly adults. Summer cruises tend to be really busy and a lot of families. So depending on the kind of trip you want, I’d choose the timing based on that! 😉
Gorgeous sites…looks so fabulous! Would you share what lens you use on your camera in your travel pictures? You always capture such amazing shots that show people and the amazing scenery around them! Love your blog and your trip posts are my favorites!