Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 5 miles, less than 1 hour. Gangways at Historic Dockyard steep at high tide. Low ceilings, trip hazards, uneven floors, steep stairs, low doorways aboard historic vessels. Some museums at Historic Dockyard accessed by waterbus boat across the harbor; four steps with handrails to board, not wheelchair accessible. Extent and duration of free time activities dependent on personal preference.
In the Terrace Café.
We’ll step off the ship and walk to a motorcoach for a short ride through Portsmouth’s docks to the Historic Dockyard. After a brief introduction from our Group Leader, we will set out independently on a self-directed exploration at our own pace to see what we choose of the Dockyard’s many museums, including a number of preserved historic naval vessels. The vessels at the Dockyard include HMS Victory, Nelson’s flagship built in 1759, on which he was killed at the Battle of Trafalgar; HMS Warrior, 1860, the Royal Navy’s first armored battleship, powered by both sail and steam; the monitor HMS M33, one of only three British warships remaining from World War I; and HMS Alliance, the only remaining World War II-era submarine. Museums include the National Museum of the Royal Navy, which tells the story of the Navy over the last 350 years; The Dockyard Apprentice, focusing on Portsmouth’s boatbuilding heritage; the Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower, an interactive museum housed in the former Navy Ordnance Depot; and Boathouse 4, where students of the International Boatbuilding Training College learn their craft by repairing and restoring historic small naval boats. Regular 45-minute boat trips, departing from a pier close to HMS Warrior 1860, offer the chance to view the harbor’s fortifications and the modern Navy vessels in port with accompanying expert commentary. We will regroup at a designated time and place, then return to the ship by motorcoach for lunch. Those who wish to stay ashore and dine out independently are welcome to do so.
In the Terrace Café.
Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
You may choose either the Marco Polo Restaurant that serves a variety of á là carte items or the Terrace Café with its buffet.
At leisure. Enjoy activities aboard ship, spend time with fellow Road Scholars, and be sure to check the briefing memo/daily bulletin placed in our cabins with highlights for tomorrow. Prepare for disembarkation in the morning.
