Arriving at Heathrow and taking Celebrity transfer

[gourmetlover]

Will I have time to stop at Duty Free Shop before boarding coach on day of departure? It will be Terminal 4. Thanks

[scottbee]

Will I have time to stop at Duty Free Shop before boarding coach on day of departure? It will be Terminal 4. Thanks

 

I'd double check, but I don't know if there's an ARRIVALS duty free at T4. Most duty free stores are on the departure side.

[John Bull]

There's no duty-free facility for "arrivals" at UK airports.

Is there anywhere in the world? :confused:

You need to buy your duty-frees at your departure airport or on the aircraft.

 

 

At some major UK terminals (don't know about T4 LHR) there's a little shop between customs clearance & the arrivals hall, their stock is duty-paid though they often have some specials, but the choice is very very limited.

 

A rep. of the cruise-line (or their agents) will be stationed in the arrivals hall to meet passengers, & ships' transfer coaches ply the terminals throughout the morning. So when you arrive in the arrivals hall isn't important as long as it's before the last coach.

 

For Southampton, coaches go direct from airport to ship, with no opportunity to do any shopping. I suspect the same applies to Dover, Harwich, etc.

 

So buy before you fly.

 

Limits into the UK here:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/arriving/arrivingnoneu.htm

 

JB :)

[scottbee]

There's no duty-free facility for "arrivals" at UK airports.

Is there anywhere in the world? :confused:

You need to buy your duty-frees at your departure airport or on the aircraft.

 

it's becoming more and more popular, and I know they're campaigning for Canadian airports to have it, here's a couple of things about it.

 

http://www.taxfreetravel.com/Arrivals-Duty-Free-Airport-Shopping

http://www.arrivalsdutyfreeforcanada.ca/

 

Actually makes more sense to me than lugging all my duty free on board

[Ashland]

Will I have time to stop at Duty Free Shop before boarding coach on day of departure? It will be Terminal 4. Thanks

Your priority should be first checking in with the transport staff...they will then tell you how long of a wait it's going to be and there will usually be a wait...

[gourmetlover]

Thanks do for the replies!

 

Now, I have problem with transfer back from ship on May 12th. Ship docks at 5:30 am and shuttle doesn't drop at Heathrow until 1:00 p.m! Any better options for getting there by 10 a.m.?

[iancal]

The only Arrivals duty free that we are aware of is in Istanbu Ataturkl.

 

It is probably the best place to buy wine prior to going on a cruise. Good selection and prices are much, much better than in the city. The only challenge is that Turkish customs limit you to three bottles per person.

[John Bull]

Thanks do for the replies!

 

Now, I have problem with transfer back from ship on May 12th. Ship docks at 5:30 am and shuttle doesn't drop at Heathrow until 1:00 p.m! Any better options for getting there by 10 a.m.?

 

1.00pm will be the earliest flight time that they recommend for those taking the shuttle, not the earliest that the transfer coaches drop.

 

What time is your flight, & how far ahead of flight time does your airline's check-in close ? (avoid confusion with the airline's recommended latest arrival time at Heathrow)

 

The first of the ship's transfer coaches is likely to depart from the pier about 08.30 and arrive Heathrow before 10.00, though that's a little tight.

May 12th this year is a saturday & traffic will be light.

Coaches to the airport are dedicated to a single terminal, ie all passengers on your coach wil be going to T4.

 

The train or National Express coaches are less likely to get you there before 10am, even if you opt for unassisted early disembarkation.

 

Early disembarkation (about 7am) and a pre-booked private transfer by car (about 75 mins) will get you to the airport about 08.30. www.westquaycars.com or www.smithsforairports.com are local companies frequently recommended on this forum, expect to pay about £90 for the car.

 

JB :)

[LHT28]

Thanks do for the replies!

 

Now, I have problem with transfer back from ship on May 12th. Ship docks at 5:30 am and shuttle doesn't drop at Heathrow until 1:00 p.m! Any better options for getting there by 10 a.m.?

That cannot be right :confused:

 

We were docked at 5:30 am & on the bus by 6:15am at LHR at 8:30am

People will have early flights

I would check with your cruise line for verification

 

Private transfer, train, National Bus are other options

[gourmetlover]

My flight leaves from T4 @ 1:05. 3 hrs for Delta check in before flight.

[Bob++]

Are 'duty free' shops worth bothering with these days? Most of the stuff I saw on sale last time i flew seemed to be on offer more cheaply at our local supermarket.

[John Bull]

My flight leaves from T4 @ 1:05. 3 hrs for Delta check in before flight.

 

Delta's check-in closes just 60 minutes before flight time

http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/itineraries_checkin/requirements/

 

3 hrs ahead of flight time is the recommended arrival time for t/A flights from Heathrow, and Delta's recommended time for international flights.

But this extended time is a recommendation only - it gives a margin for folk who don't allow for delays getting to the airport or who get lost looking for check-in etc. And it spreads the load for their check-in staff - if everyone arrived five minutes before check-in closes they'd have big problems.

 

I wouldn't suggest you aim to arrive at the airport a bare sixty minutes before your flight time, but if you use ship's transfer coach you'll be there about 10 am, probably before. That's around 2 hours before you have to be there.

And it gives you a very comfortable margin if there's a long line for security.

You'll almost certainly have time for a leisurely breakfast & some duty-free shopping airside.

 

Your flight time conforms to the cruise line's earliest recommended flight time (albeit by only 5 minutes) and the cruise line has allowed a wide margin for weekday commuter traffic & delays en-route - no significant chance of a serious delay heading to Heathrow on that saturday.

 

Use ship's transfer coach - no worries :)

 

JB :)

 

ps Scottbee. Thanks for the link re duty-free arrivals. Good website, yes it does make a lot of sense, it gets my vote.

[MarlboroBell]

Delta's check-in closes just 60 minutes before flight time

http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/itineraries_checkin/requirements/

 

3 hrs ahead of flight time is the recommended arrival time for t/A flights from Heathrow, and Delta's recommended time for international flights.

But this extended time is a recommendation only - it gives a margin for folk who don't allow for delays getting to the airport or who get lost looking for check-in etc. And it spreads the load for their check-in staff - if everyone arrived five minutes before check-in closes they'd have big problems.

 

With the (very big) proviso that I've waited over an hour in the bag drop line for Delta at T4 before -- even after having done online checkin. For some reason, huge bag drop waits at Heathrow are common. So while you could potentially leave it late, you really do need to be there 2-2.5 hours before the flight. (I've had the same experience with American and Virgin at T3, too.)

[Grumpy100]

Last May we were on the Crown Princess and our flight left at 1:00 PM from Heathrow. We did the Princess transfer from Southampton to Heathrow and I remember getting to the airport around 8:30 am. Then we had to go through security and check in and we still had around 2.5 hrs. to wait for our flight. Celebrity should be about the same.

[gourmetlover]

You all have been so helpful!

[iancal]

We have never found the duty free at LHR to be a bargain. In fact, most items that we have looked at over the past few years have actually been quite a bit more expensive than we would pay at any retail store in Canada.

 

We don't even bother going in any more unless we are absolutely bored to death and are walking around to pass time.