Firstly this is a day tour from Dublin runs every Tuesday, Thursday, Sat & Sun. We have guaranteed tickets for Titanic Belfast. You will need to book online well in advance. It goes without saying that the outside of the £90 million building is extremely impressive. Constructed to look like the famous ship its 14,000 sq.m and is twice the size of Belfast's City Hall. The first thing that you notice about the 'the world's largest Titanic visitor experience' from afar are the 3,000 individual silver anodised aluminum panels which make up its external façade and seem to always catch the sunlight, simply stunning. Walking around the Titanic centre you will notice that at least three of its four 90ft 'hulls' are in view at all times; this coupled with the reflective pools of water which surround it give the impression that the building could sail away at any moment.
- Titanic Belfast day tour from Dublin
With such an impressive exterior, the Titanic Belfast really had a lot to live up to with its interior, and it didn't disappoint. As you enter the building it's hard to miss the rust effect panels which line the walls, and the compass rose on the floor - giving the modern structure an antique air which is fitting with the theme of the Titanic. The exhibition portion of the building consists of ten galleries: Boomtown Belfast, The Shipyard, The Launch, The Fit-Out, The Maiden Voyage, The Sinking, The Aftermath, Myths & Legends, Exploring the Wreck and the Ocean Exploration Centre - each of which contain a series of interactive exhibitions.
As you enter the exhibition space, you learn a lot of interesting facts about Belfast's industrial past including the linen and rope works and the production of cigarettes. The center-piece of this section is the interactive map of Belfast which you hover over with your hand to learn more about the individual sections of Belfast's history. This is great for kids who love to get their hands on anything and for adults who want to learn a bit more about the past of this great city. You also learn how to send a distress telegram and can look at miniature models of areas of the shipyard itself.
You exit this part of the exhibition through the original gates of Harland and Wolff and you enter the drawing rooms and planning offices of the shipyard which have an interactive floor.
As you enter the exhibition space, you learn a lot of interesting facts about Belfast's industrial past including the linen and rope works and the production of cigarettes. The center-piece of this section is the interactive map of Belfast which you hover over with your hand to learn more about the individual sections of Belfast's history. This is great for kids who love to get their hands on anything and for adults who want to learn a bit more about the past of this great city. You also learn how to send a distress telegram and can look at miniature models of areas of the shipyard itself.
You exit this part of the exhibition through the original gates of Harland and Wolff and you enter the drawing rooms and planning offices of the shipyard which have an interactive floor.
Visitors ascend a replica of one of the huge pillars of the Arrol Gantry and then they embark on the Shipyard Ride. You climb aboard a futuristic car and are transported back in time to the Shipyard of the 1900s. The ride uses special effects, animations and full-scale reconstructions to really give you a feel of how the Shipyard would have been at the time of the Titanic's construction. The sights and sounds really do the trick, there's also the option of skipping the ride and simple reading the information.
As you exit the Shipyard Ride, visitors are met with a huge window which looks down at the slipways themselves where the Titanic once resided. As you watch a short film of the Titanic being launched the state-of-the-art glass in the windows uses electrodes to switch from the real view to a superimposed image of the Titanic resting on the slipways. This is one of the most impressive parts of the entire building and is really a unique and novel way of recreating 31st May 1911.
The fourth gallery is the fit-out of the ship and features a four minute video projected onto three walls which shows visitors a CGI recreation of the ship as you go on a journey through the engine rooms, dining areas and the famous staircase. You can also see replicas of first, second and third class cabins and examples of the types of carpet and linen used on board.
The fifth gallery introduces visitors to some of the passengers on board and we learn about the types and amounts of supplies brought for the Maiden Voyage as it stopped off at Southhampton, England; Cherbourd, France and Queenstown (Cobh), Ireland before setting sail across the Atlantic.
The sixth gallery confronts the horrors of the Titanic's final hours and atmospheric sounds and lighting is used to recreate the night of its sinking alongside transcripts of the communications and distress signals on that fateful night. You then descend the stairs to learn about the aftermath and the enquiry which took place and then you use an interactive touch screen display to find out more about the myths and legends associated with the ship.
The sixth gallery confronts the horrors of the Titanic's final hours and atmospheric sounds and lighting is used to recreate the night of its sinking alongside transcripts of the communications and distress signals on that fateful night. You then descend the stairs to learn about the aftermath and the enquiry which took place and then you use an interactive touch screen display to find out more about the myths and legends associated with the ship.
Just when you think the exhibition is over, you enter through a set of doors and are confronted with a multi-level gallery with seating in the top half. If you sit for a while you can watch high-definition footage of the wreckage with commentary from the divers. This eerie imagery is coupled with water-effect lighting on the walls to give the impression that you're a part of their journey. Down a flight of stairs is a glass floor with a projection of the wreckage as a whole which is very impressive and below this is the final gallery, the Ocean Exploration Centre in which visitors can access the technologies which modern ships use.
Our passenger feed back has been extremely positive, the building is impressive and a lot of fun. Our passengers have found that the 2 hour visit is ample time to explore this Titanic experience. We depart Dublin at 8am following a comfort stop on route, we will tour the political murals along the Falls and Shankill roads, before our arrival at Titanic Belfast for a timed slot at 1120am. On arrival a crew member will step onto the bus for a short introduction and overview of the facilities in the world's largest titanic experience. You will then be taken into the building, and fast tracked to the first level. ( no queues) as Day Tours Unplugged have a pre-booked slot. There are audio sets available for our guests with all major languages catered for (small local charge will apply) The feedback from our guests regarding the audio sets has been extremely positive. (make sure you have £££ Sterling £1.50) As the centre can be busy there have been long queues at both coffee shops, and gift shop, dont panic, as we will be heading next into Belfast city where you will have approx. 2 hours free time to explore. If you miss the gift shop at the centre we have been made aware that the tourist office in Belfast city has all of the Titanic souvenirs plus much more. You will be dropped at Belfast city hall and are free to explore the city. Most of our passengers to date have done a wee bit of retail therapy, or just simply grabbed a coffee or a pint. After an enjoyable visit to this vibrant city, its finally time to depart, your tour guide will pick you up at Belfast city hall at 15:30 hrs for our return to Dublin at 18:00 hrs.
What do you need to bring with you on this unique Belfast day tour? A smile, camera, comfortable walking shoes, and please remember you are entering Northern Ireland, you will require £££££ Sterling, our passengers have indicated that it appears none of the shops will accept €€€ Euro (You can always us major credit cards) however there will be fees associated with credit card transactions.
Whats included in your Titanic Belfast day tour from Dublin? All transfers from Dublin - Belfast plus return (0800 am - 1800 hrs) Tour of political murals Entrance and tour at World's largest Titanic experience (Guaranteed fast track ticket) 2 Hour visit Titanic Belfast experience 2 Hour free time in Belfast city Approved Failte Ireland guide facilities during your tour Air conditioned Mercedes mini coach
Whats not includes in your ticket? Lunch / refreshments are not included, and must be paid for locally. Audio headsets (paid for locally)
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