London to Harwich

[TheChap]

We will be on the Celebrity British Isles cruise leaving Harwich on Aug. 4, 2014. Would anyone know how to get from London city center to the port, without having to transfer trains? Anyone know about private transportation? We're also interesting in doing private tours at the various ports.

Anita

[DorneyBoy]

For Celebrity cruises there is normally a special cruise train that runs non-stop between London Liverpool Street and Harwich Cruise port at about mid-day.

In 2013 the fare was £30 which is a big premium to pay over the standard trains requiring a change of train at Manningtree where advance tickets are less than half that.

 

There is also a cruise bus service with hotel pick-ups in London early morning door to door for £59 per person in 2014 arriving at Harwich midday. Although Liverpool Street is awkward from most hotel districts a taxi to Liverpool Street is going to be a lot less than the premium of the cruise bus service over it.

The cruise bus stops at a supermarket as its mid-way break to Harwich so you can buy some cheap wine up to your limit allowed to bring on board if that has any appeal.

 

There is little to see in the way of sightseeing between London and Harwich.

Edited November 6, 2013 by DorneyBoy

[TheChap]

Thank you for the quick reply. Which way (being picked up by bus at the hotel vs getting to the train station, etc) would be the simplest and quickest way to get down to Harwich? We'll be staying at the Marriott at Marble Arch.

[Ashland]

Take the taxi to Liverpool Street Station..and use the train...We've done the bus transfer before...a loooong drive.

[DorneyBoy]

Thank you for the quick reply. Which way (being picked up by bus at the hotel vs getting to the train station, etc) would be the simplest and quickest way to get down to Harwich? We'll be staying at the Marriott at Marble Arch.

 

The simplest way is clearly door to door on the coach service but a black cab to Liverpool Street then the cruise train is hardly stressful and will be a lower cost. If you are a bit frail and travelling heavy with more than one case then finding the platform and then lugging your cases onto the train independently may get the heart racing a little.

 

The Marriott Marble Arch is a fair way from Liverpool Street in the back streets of the Arab district of London, public transport with luggage would be very stressful and a fair walk with luggage to Marble Arch Underground which has direct trains to Liverpool Street that only take 15-20 minutes.

 

The cruise bus has changed its routing for 2014. Pick-up at the Marriott about 8:30 a.m. and at the cruise terminal about midday.

By taxi/cruise train you'd get a cab about 11 a.m. and be at the cruise terminal about 2 p.m.

 

Getting the normal hourly stopping trains is much cheaper than the cruise trains but you have to change trains, but would only add about 30 minutes onto the journey.

[Turtles06]

Two weeks ago, my spouse and I flew into Heathrow (overnight from the US) and used Harwich Taxis (pre-booked) to take us to Harwich, where we were embarking the next day on the Infinity. I'd selected them based on recommendations from The Pier Hotel in Harwich and comments I read on Cruise Critic. They were terrific. Easy to deal with Dave, the owner, via email in advance to set things up, and the driver was there at Heathrow waiting for us (at about 6:30am) when we emerged from the Arrivals Building. Also used them to take us from the hotel to the ship the next day.

 

You'll of course pay more for a private transfer than you will for a bus, or for the train, but since we were coming in on an overnight flight, this really worked for us, particularly since no schlepping of luggage was involved.

[cozzello]

Turles06,

I am wondering what is the earliest return flight I can book from Heathrow?

Thanks for your assistance.

C. Christ

[DorneyBoy]

It depends on what day you are travelling and the urgency you get off the ship.

Assisted disembarkation starts normally around 7 a.m. and is completed by 9 a.m.

Most cruises you can get unassisted disembarkation before that.

 

Using a taxi on Saturday or Sunday it should be about 2 hours to Heathrow, during the week I'd allow double that to be safe.

 

If the cruise train runs at its normal normal time around 9 a.m. in 2014 you should get to Heathrow eventually around midday or shortly after.

The cruise bus service arrives at Heathrow around 1 p.m. so wouldn't have a flight before 4 p.m. with contingency

Edited November 11, 2013 by DorneyBoy

[Turtles06]

Turles06,

I am wondering what is the earliest return flight I can book from Heathrow?

Thanks for your assistance.

C. Christ

 

I'm afraid I can't help you with that, since we were on a westbound TA and returned to the U.S. by ship. :)

 

I will say, however, that as we drove from Heathrow to Harwich (this was early on a Wednesday morning), the traffic heading in the opposite direction (toward London) was bumper to bumper seemingly forever.

 

Before booking a return flight after a cruise, I always like to check with the cruise line to ask what they consider to be the safest time. (But it's good to ask on here as well.) Good luck, and have a great trip!

[SixOneTwo]

Regarding how early you can book your flight, I would like to relay our experience returning to the US via Heathrow from a cruise that ended at Harwich.

 

We took the train to London to extend our trip, so I can't help you there. But the AIRPORT situation we experienced is something to consider. We arrived 2 hours in advance.

 

First of all, there was quite a long line to check your bags. I would say there were 100 passengers in line at the Delta/KLM counter.

 

Once bags were checked, we went to the security line. As we waited, we were asked NO LESS than 20 times, "Do you have any liquids? Please take one of our ziploc bags." Then we got to the conveyor belt and there was a person there giving the following speech: "If you have any electronics, phones, laptops, e-readers, ipads, tablets, ipods, etc. TAKE THEM OUT OF YOUR BAG and set them in the security bin. If you have liquids, take them out of the bag, put them in a ziploc bag and set them in the security bin. If these items are found in your bag by the X-ray machine, you may be delayed up to ONE HOUR for us to hand search your bag. We are not responsible if you miss your flight." She said this clearly and loudly to everyone standing around us.

 

I would say 6 out of 10 bags, when X-rayed, were subject to a loud alarm and flashing lights, then pushed aside for hand inspection. My bag was one of them. All of my liquids and electronics were outside my bag in the bin as instructed. (I had been warned in advance of the very adept security process at Heathrow, so was diligent.)

 

I then walked through the scanner and was pulled aside for a random search. I had no metal on me. I was assured it was some sort of random number that caused me to be searched.

 

Next, I joined 10 people at the end of the security line and watched for no less than an hour while security hand searched each person's bag. EVERY SINGLE PERSON BEFORE ME had electronics or many, many liquids packed within their luggage. It wasn't like the passengers were trying to get away with something, nor were they surprised when the goods were found, it was like they didn't have a clue. Once the "contraband" was removed the bag had to be re-X-rayed, so more waiting.

 

When it came time for my bag to be hand inspected, they took everything out and found no liquids. They told me they were searching for somethig that looked like liquid, but it was not present. The X-ray screen even showed exactly where the item should have been in my bag... They re-X-rayed my bag, then offered to help me re-pack (at least they were nice!)...

 

We walked on to our flight with the very last passengers at the gate. I would say we had about 10 minutes to spare.

 

Please keep this in mind when booking your flights out of Heathrow!

[cozzello]

Thanks for sharing your experiences, I appreciate your help. I guess the 12:50 flight is not a good idea.

 

Cheryl

[TheChap]

If you take a train down to Harwich, do you then take a cab from the train station to the ship? I'm not clear on how far the train stop is from the ship. Can I assume it's not walking distance?

[Traveling Library]

The train at Harwich International is right at the port. No taxi. You walk across the platform and go into the check-in building. Make sure you pick the port train stop and not the town station.

[Twickenham]

Can I assume it's not walking distance?

No, it's very much walking distance. This video:

posted by kelmac in another thread shows you just how close the train is to the port.

[Turtles06]

No, it's very much walking distance. This video:

posted by kelmac in another thread shows you just how close the train is to the port.

 

And here's a still photo that I took last month from the deck of the Celebrity Infinity. The train tracks are just to the left of the cruise terminal, they are that close.

 

 

(photo by turtles06)

[DorneyBoy]

Another image depicting Harwich International platform, cruise terminal and ship.