will i make my flight back home

[linocam]

we have booked celebrity cruise on june 4 2011 from southampton

 

iteniry says arriving 05-30 am will i make mt flight in london that leaves 12-00 , do i have enough time to get there

 

thanks every1

[Keith1010]

I always recommend checking with the cruise line to see what they say the earliest flight you should take.

 

If Heathrow plan on a 2 hour drive. Precise time will vary based on time of day and weather.

 

You will need to arrive 2 hours before.

 

You failed to mention which airport you are departing (Heathrow or Gatwick).

 

Keith

[linocam]

thanks for replying

 

we have not booked yet but most flights depart around 12-00pm

is gatwick closer than heathrow thanks again

[Keith1010]

You are very welcome.

 

Heathrow is 67 miles and about 2 hours again depending on traffic.

 

Gatwick is approximately 90 miles and about 2 1/2 hours depending on traffic.

 

Keith

[Darcy15]

Hi

 

No, Gatwick is further away than Heathrow. You also need to be at the airport 3 hours - at least - before departure, for an international flight. Check-in, security....it all takes time.

 

Even if the ship arrives on time, you have to allow time for customs clearance at Southampton before you can disembark. Then you also need to think about traffic - always an unknown quantity - on the way to the airport.

 

Sorry to sound so negative, but I wanted to be realistic. If it were me, I would be very stressed by trying to make this flight and would aim for a later one.

 

Hope your plans work out, whatever you decide. Have a great cruise:)

[John Bull]

we have booked celebrity cruise on june 4 2011 from southampton

 

iteniry says arriving 05-30 am will i make mt flight in london that leaves 12-00 , do i have enough time to get there

 

thanks every1

 

Here's my response to a similar recent question, it was about Princess but the timings are the same because earliest disembarkation is constrained by customs/immigration rather than cruiseline policy:

 

"Unassisted disembarkation starts around 7am, general disembarkation from about 7.30, only stragglers still on board by 9.30.

Quickest way to Heathrow is by car, 63 miles in just over an hour to T5 on a sat or sun with no incidents, weekdays 75 mins would be the absolute minimum but probably longer, and on a summer monday 90 mins plus. And add 5 to 10 mins for T4, 10 to 20 mins for T1/2/3.

Which translates to arrival at Heathrow 8am to 9am at best depending on day/terminal, and so many potential delays.

I'm no expert on check-in times. As little as 40 mins for short-haul no-frills airlines, but you wouldn't want to then rely on getting through security lines to your gate in time. As much as 3 hours to the USA.

 

If you are USA-bound on a weekday, then the general consensus is not to even consider a flight before 1pm.

If you have a later option, the answer is simple.

If not, I suspect its time for a re-think."

 

That post re London Heathrow, for London Gatwick add a base time of 30 minutes and a much greater risk of delays on the M25 London orbital road.

 

So theoretically a noon flight is just about possible from Heathrow on a weekend, but I wouldn't bank on it. Keith's estimate is perhaps a little pessimistic, but that's no bad thing because there's a big difference between theory & practice.

 

John Bull

[Keith1010]

If this is an international flight the check in time is two hours.

 

Again, check with the cruise line to get the specfics.

 

We have done this several times (three times) over the past few years. I will not make any airline reservations until I get specifics from the cruise line.

 

I tend to error on the conservative side and try to get a flight around 1:00 PM or later.

 

Keith

[linocam]

Thanks everyone

 

you have all made my decision very simple

stay overnight in london then fly out next morning

less stressfull that way

 

thanks again lino

[Keith1010]

Lino, good move.

 

The good news is you asked ahead of time. Often people post to say I booked a flight for 10:00 AM and is this OK. At that point they've already booked the flight.

 

Keith

[Happy ks]

Thanks everyone

 

you have all made my decision very simple

stay overnight in london then fly out next morning

less stressfull that way

 

thanks again lino

 

You beat me to it, that's what I would do as well.

 

When we were in Italy, the day we got off the ship instead of rushing to the airport we had a private tour guide pick us up. He took us to Tivoli and we had probably the best day of our vacation (as if it couldn't have gotten any better). We saw Villa Adriana, could have spent a whole day there! Then went to Villa d'Este and had the best time, could have spent another full day there. To top it off, in between we had lunch at Ristorante Sibilla, one of the best meals of our lives.

 

My point is that you can do something wonderful and memorable instead of rushing to an airport or sitting around in a hotel for the day. I'm sure you can find a tour, rent a car, take public transportation and go to places you may not have the opportunity to see otherwise. A day in London would be wonderful, the airport a bit easier to deal with the next day.

[linocam]

Great idea happy ks i will look around for a tour when time gets closer