British Isles & Early Church History Cruise
Casey Griffiths and Scott Woodward provide wonderful insights about early church history on our journey to the British Isles. Join our optional private tours at each of the ports to make the most of this incredible journey. In Edinburgh travel the Royal Mile from Holyroodhouse to the Edinburgh Castle and see Arthur’s Seat where Orson Pratt dedicated Scotland for the preaching of the Gospel in 1840. Check out the incredible architecture, museums, and galleries in historic Liverpool, the embarkation point for many Saints sailing to Zion between 1840 and 1860. Kiss the Blarney Stone in Cork. Visit the sobering sites of Normandy. Savor onboard evening shows, endless gourmet delights, and private lectures from Casey & Scott with our adventurous LDS group, as we create memories to last a lifetime.
Join us for a 2-night pre-cruise tour featuring Peter Fagg, London and early church history. Price $850 per person, based on double occupancy.
A post-cruise transfer to the London Heathrow airport is also available. Price TBD
London pre-cruise tour (with Peter Fagg)
Pre-cruise Day 1 · ✈ Travel · Fly to London
Board an overnight flight to the London Heathrow Airport.
Pre-cruise Day 2 : Arrive in London
Arrive at the London Heathrow Airport and make your own way to our hotel.
Pre-cruise Day 3 : London Tour
Peter Fagg, our LDS guide, helps us explore London. London is a remarkable city and today we give you a sampling of its many layers. Our first stop is the Hyde Park Chapel where we learn about its significance in church history and attend sacrament meeting. Those who wish can visit the Victoria & Albert Museum with Peter and enjoy two of his favorite galleries. We have some time to enjoy lunch on our own. We stop outside the majestic St. Paul's Cathedral and then see Stationer's Hall and learn about how our LDS scriptures were saved. We enjoy a bit more of London as we follow in the footsteps of Wilford Woodruff, Heber C. Kimball and George A. Smith. We sense their shadows passing the inspiring non-conformist tombs piled in Bunhill Fields and sense the frustration of Wilford sitting in Wesley's Methodist Tabernacle. We end the day with a lovely river cruise taking us past iconic Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. Those who wish can explore more on their own or try and catch Evensong in Westminster Abbey. The rest of the group returns to our hotel to rest up and prepare for tomorrow's adventures. (B)
Pre-cruise Day 4 : Winchester - Southampton
Meet in the lobby with your luggage and board our coach. Before we head down to Southampton cruise terminal, we visit the ancient capital of Winchester. We learn about King Alfred the Great, Romans, Mills, an ancient school and the Bishop's Palace. We see the house where Jane Austen spent her final days and see the beautiful stature erected in her honor. There may be a bit of time for those who wish to pay the entrance fee and step inside the abbey where Jane Austen was laid to rest. We drive to Southampton and our cruise ship. Arrive at the Southampton cruise terminal and board the ship. (B)
Main trip
Day 1 : Depart Southampton
If you did not sign up with Bountiful Travel for the 2-night London pre-cruise tour, meet up with us onboard the ship.
Day 2 : Cornwall, England
Explore this section of Cornwall on your own. Falmouth is rich with history. You can take a walking tour or visit Pendennis Castle and its impressive gun collection. There are self-guided tours telling you all about the maritime history of this seafaring town.
Day 3 : Cork, Ireland
This tour begins with a scenic drive through the Irish countryside on our way to Kinsale Village. We stop along the way for photos at Charlesfort. Then we enjoy some time strolling through the picturesque streets of Kinsale. We head to Cork City where we will enjoy the sights from our coach. We continue to the village of Blarney. We visit the famous Blarney Castle. Those who wish can kiss the famous Blarney Stone or just take in the scenery from atop the ramparts. We will have time to walk around the grounds or shop at the Blarney Woolen Mills. Our tour ends with another opportunity to enjoy the Irish countryside as we return to the port of Cobh. Tour Price: $TBD per person
Day 4 : Dublin, Ireland
We begin with a drive into the city of Dublin where we enjoy a guided tour of the city. We stop at Trinity College and have the opportunity to see the Book of Kells. The Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript of the four Gospels. We then have time on our own in Dublin center. Following our free time, we see more of the city before returning to the port. Full tour description to be posted when available. Tour Price: $TBD
Day 5 : Liverpool, England
Today we focus on early church history in Great Britain. We come away with a greater understanding of how the church developed in this area as we learn about the Liverpool and Preston areas. Our LDS guide is very knowledgeable and he shares many things with us at every stop. We walk along the the famous Royal Albert Dock where many saints boarded ships for America. We drive to St. Leonard's Church in Downham and learn of some miracles that took place here. We wander the streets of Preston and see the famous sites of the restoration including the River Ribble (where the first baptisms in England were performed). We make a short photo stop at the Preston Temple. We might have time to see the plaques dedicated to early saints. Then we return to our cruise ship. Tour Price: $100 per person
Day 6 : Belfast, Northern Ireland
Today we board our bus for a tour of the city of Belfast. We see sites such as Stormont, City Hall, Queens University, The Falls, Shankill Road with the peace wall and the renowned Belfast Murals. Our guide shares the turbulent and amazing history of Belfast before releasing us for some free time for shopping or eating. Next we head to the Titanic Centre. This incredible museum brings the story of the Titanic to life. In the self-guided Titanic Experience we uncover the sights, sounds, smells and stories of the ship as well as the people and the city that made her. We learn about those who sailed on the Titanic on that fateful day. At the conclusion of this experience, we return to our own ship. Tour Price: $TBD per person
Day 7 : Glasgow, Scotland
We depart from Greenock and head to Dumbarton to enjoy worship services with a local ward. We drive to the "bonnie banks of Loch Lomond." Perhaps you sing aloud as we explore the area. We visit the tranquil village of Luss. Our journey takes us to the town of Inverary and we enjoy time on our own for shopping or fan an additional fee, exploring Inverary Castle itself. All too soon, it is time to return to our ship and journey to our next destination. Full tour description to be posted when available. Tour Price: $TBD per person
Day 8 : At Sea
Seminars at sea
Day 9 : Invergordon, Scotland
Today we have a chance to catch a glimpse of the famous Loch Ness Monster! We begin our tour with a scenic drive from the dock inland to Loch Ness. We see the Urquhart Castle ruins from our boat as we sail on the Loch Ness. Our minds are filled with the rich history of the Scottish Highlands. We enjoy time on our own in the city of Inverness before visiting the Culloden Battlefield, the site of the last Jacobite battle in the 1745-1746 rebellion. We then head back to our ship. Tour Price: $TBD per person
Day 10 : Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh, the "Athens of the North," is a wonderful city filled with a rich history, brilliant authors, sobering events and interesting architecture. We start with a walk up Calton Hill to gain a delightful overview of the city. Our coach then takes us into the Old Town where we wander through Greyfriars Kirkyard and the charms of Victoria Street. After lunch on our own, we explore the imposing Edinburgh Castle with its Crown Jewels, Stone of Scone (now missing!), prisons, war memorial, State Rooms and King James Bible beginnings. We spend time on the Royal Mile. We enjoy St. Giles Cathedral and its glorious stained glass and chapel, and give you a bit of free time to buy a kilt or a hairy coo. After a lovely day in Edinburgh, we return to our ship. Tour Price: $170 per person
Day 11 : At Sea
Seminars at sea.
Day 12 : Paris/Normandy
Normandy is a 2-hour drive from the port. Pay tribute to the troops who fought for and secured freedom. Today we visit the sobering sites of Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery. Pointe du Hoc is a view point overlooking the English Channel. Here the Germans had machine gun posts and bunkers. We stop at Omaha Beach and relive the events that took place during the D-Day Invasion. Our journey of remembrance includes a visit to the Normandy American Cemetery and memorial. This cemetery honors the American troops who lost their lives in Europe during World War II. Tour Price: $180 per person
Day 13 · ✈ Travel · Southampton Return
If you did not sign up with Bountiful Travel for a transfer to the London Heathrow Airport, make your own way to the airport for your flight home.
Princess Cruises · Majestic Princess
The Majestic Princess is a Royal-class ship built around the Piazza — a three-story atrium of cafés, live music, and glass elevators that serves as the ship's gathering place. Dining runs from the Symphony, Allegro, and Concerto dining rooms to the Crown Grill steakhouse, Sabatini's Italian trattoria, and the casual World Fresh Marketplace buffet. Evenings bring productions in the Princess Theater, and the SeaWalk — a glass-bottomed walkway extending out over the sea on Deck 16 — is a signature stop. Its scale still leaves plenty of quiet corners to gather our group and settle in with fellow travelers.
What's included
- Port charges
- Onboard shows
- Meals
- Private lectures
Not included
- Shore excursions
- Airfare to and from the tour
- Gratuities
- ID / Passport
- Passports: Passports are required for this sailing and must be good for at least 6 months prior to the end of the cruise.
- Tips & Gratuities
- Terms and Conditions: Advertised rates INCLUDE port charges but DO NOT INCLUDE shore excursions, airfare, or gratuities.
- Physical Requirements
- Must climb stairs and walk unassisted at moderate pace; 4-7 miles daily
- Cancellation Policy
Deposits are refundable prior to the final payment date, less a $50 cancellation fee. After final payment, all payments are non-refundable — see our Terms & Conditions for the full deposit and cancellation policy.
- Airfare
Guests are responsible for arranging their own airfare to the tour’s starting destination and home from its ending destination. Airfare is not included in the trip price.
This trip follows our standard physical requirements and cancellation policies — see our Terms & Conditions. Anything specific to this trip is noted above and takes precedence.
Price per person: TBD — call 801-453-9444 for pricing details.
Reserve with a $400 deposit per person; final payment due 04/06/2027.
Optional experiences
Enhance your journey with these optional extensions. Your travel consultant will confirm pricing and help you add any of them.
 Pre-trip: London pre-cruise tour (with Peter Fagg) (2 nights) | On request |
Post-trip: London Heathrow airport transfer | On request |
Casey Paul Griffiths
Casey Paul Griffiths is an Assistant Teaching Professor of Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He is a director of BYU's Church History Travel Study, leader of the BYU Interfaith Outreach efforts to Community of Christ, and President of the BYU Latter-day Saint Educators Society. He is the author of numerous books and articles on Latter-day Saint history, including What You Don't Know About the 100 Most Important Events in Church History, authored with Susan Easton Black and Mary Jane Woodger. He has been a popular speaker and session director with EFY and B…
Full profile ›Scott Woodward
Scott Woodward loves helping people learn ancient and modern Church history and doctrine and to have an enjoyable time doing so. He has been teaching professionally in the Church Education System for two decades—including in Seminary & Institutes, the BYU Religion Department, and currently as a member of the BYU-Idaho Religion Faculty. Scott is a speaker at Education Week and Church symposia and is also a managing director of and content producer for Scripture Central. He is also a co-host of the popular Church History Matters podcast. Scott graduated with his PhD from Brigham Young University…
Full profile ›