Cruising from the UK

[Froggitt]

The Travel section of The Daily Telegraph today has a front page splash entitled The Great British Sailaway, and inside (A guide to no-fly cruising) it lists all the main UK ports (about 15 of them) and all the cruiselines that sail from them (with at least 10 lines sailing from Southampton alone).

 

Of course, not one mention of NCL in the whole article. Unless you are already an NCL cruiser, to a large extent, NCL is totally irrelevant. Are RCI sailing Oasis, Quantum and older ships from the UK so they can make a loss?

[insanemagnet]

The Travel section of The Daily Telegraph

 

The whole of the travel section of the Telegraph (and large chunks of the rest of the paper) are just an 'advertorial', so it is likely as simple as NCL didn't pay to be featured, or didn't give a free cruise to the editor.

[Single Cruiser]

The Travel section of The Daily Telegraph today has a front page splash entitled The Great British Sailaway, and inside (A guide to no-fly cruising) it lists all the main UK ports (about 15 of them) and all the cruiselines that sail from them (with at least 10 lines sailing from Southampton alone).

 

Of course, not one mention of NCL in the whole article. Unless you are already an NCL cruiser, to a large extent, NCL is totally irrelevant. Are RCI sailing Oasis, Quantum and older ships from the UK so they can make a loss?

 

yep would love to do NCL cruise from UK port but they seem intent on focusing on US market and basing all new ships on the East Coast.

[Single Cruiser]

The whole of the travel section of the Telegraph (and large chunks of the rest of the paper) are just an 'advertorial', so it is likely as simple as NCL didn't pay to be featured, or didn't give a free cruise to the editor.

 

The guide was no-fly cruising for UK, all the others do.. NCL don't offer that for UK cruisers except a new ship inaugural on the way to the USA.

[Froggitt]

The whole of the travel section of the Telegraph (and large chunks of the rest of the paper) are just an 'advertorial', so it is likely as simple as NCL didn't pay to be featured, or didn't give a free cruise to the editor.

 

You're right, there often are cruising supplements (mainly for Cunard), and spam articles for inheritance tax every other day, but this was the pukka Discovery Travel section.

 

NCL wasn't in there because it was a "cruising from the UK" article, splashed across the first three or four pages, and NCL have no cruises from the UK (except for the odd one or two repositioning cruises). NCL becoming an irrelevance for new cruisers in the UK (eg never heard of them, aren't they the ones doing the Norway fjord trips like Hootigruten).

[Froggitt]

Even MSC and their Yacht Club starting no-fly from UK next year.

http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2189765#

[fabnfortysomething]

first 2 cruises were NCL Jade from Southampton to Med in 2009 then Dover to Baltics on sun in 2010

 

unfortunately after that they stopped cruising from the South coast so now involves a flight to departure port

 

it's a shame as those sailings were full and so popular especially in School summer holidays-even "low cost" flights add to the expense for a family

[Froggitt]

We also did that Sun Baltics trip from Dover. Parked at the in-laws farm.

 

I posted a comparison of no-fly versus fly a few months ago.........I'll repost it here if I can find it.

[Froggitt]

We in the UK love flying to Barcelona/Rome/Venice/wherever, which consists of:

• getting up before the crack of dawn
  
• driving to the airport (allowing even more time due to roadworks)
  
• parking the car
  
• getting the bus to the terminal
  
• queueing to check in suitcase
  
• queueing to get through security with all the tourists
  
• queueing to get on the plane
  
• spending two hours with germ ridden children in close proximity
  
• waiting for bus to the terminal from the plane
  
• waiting for luggage to come off
  
• queueing for a taxi
  
• getting taxi to the port
  

Obviously more preferable to cruising from the UK e.g. Southampton which consists of

• leisurely drive to the port
  
• park the car
  
• leisurely walk to the ship
  

[SteveH2508]

We in the UK love flying to Barcelona/Rome/Venice/wherever, which consists of:

• getting up before the crack of dawn
  
• driving to the airport (allowing even more time due to roadworks)
  
• parking the car
  
• getting the bus to the terminal
  
• queueing to check in suitcase
  
• queueing to get through security with all the tourists
  
• queueing to get on the plane
  
• spending two hours with germ ridden children in close proximity
  
• waiting for bus to the terminal from the plane
  
• waiting for luggage to come off
  
• queueing for a taxi
  
• getting taxi to the port
  

Obviously more preferable to cruising from the UK e.g. Southampton which consists of

• leisurely drive to the port
  
• park the car
  
• leisurely walk to the ship
  

 

Absolutely! NCL's Mediterranean itineraries are 'same old same old - been there done that'. Thought about the Baltics again but price, Copenhagen and Putin put us off that idea.

 

We had already decided to wait until last minute to decide if, where and with whom we might cruise this year (notwithstanding NCL's dive to the bottom in terms of customer regard and trust). We were watching HAL, Princess, P&O and Celebrity (poor experience on RCL and don't fancy Cunard).

 

12 Days round Britain with Princess on a balcony £899 each + $450 OBC in July - bring it on!

 

Quick 1.5 hour train ride - easy. Cheaper drinks, DSC etc. - what's not to like?

[Single Cruiser]

We in the UK love flying to Barcelona/Rome/Venice/wherever, which consists of:

• getting up before the crack of dawn
  
• driving to the airport (allowing even more time due to roadworks)
  
• parking the car
  
• getting the bus to the terminal
  
• queueing to check in suitcase
  
• queueing to get through security with all the tourists
  
• queueing to get on the plane
  
• spending two hours with germ ridden children in close proximity
  
• waiting for bus to the terminal from the plane
  
• waiting for luggage to come off
  
• queueing for a taxi
  
• getting taxi to the port
  

Obviously more preferable to cruising from the UK e.g. Southampton which consists of

• leisurely drive to the port
  
• park the car
  
• leisurely walk to the ship
  

 

Missed queuing to go through passport control at the far end airport :-) .

And in my case usually a night at airport hotel before the crack of dawn flight!

 

What annoys me more is that you effectively check-in twice. Security and check-in for flight/bag drop and then security and check-in again at the port! And of course first night onboard your so tired to even see the nights show!

 

I've dared go for a 07:50 flight to Barcelona for my cruise in a weeks time!

[wimsikl]

The Travel section of The Daily Telegraph today has a front page splash entitled The Great British Sailaway, and inside (A guide to no-fly cruising) it lists all the main UK ports (about 15 of them) and all the cruiselines that sail from them (with at least 10 lines sailing from Southampton alone).

 

Of course, not one mention of NCL in the whole article. Unless you are already an NCL cruiser, to a large extent, NCL is totally irrelevant. Are RCI sailing Oasis, Quantum and older ships from the UK so they can make a loss?

 

I can't find this section online; can you please post a link? I'm very interested in doing a british isles cruise next summer but the only one I can find is on Princess for 12 days.

[Froggitt]

I can't find this section online; can you please post a link? I'm very interested in doing a british isles cruise next summer but the only one I can find is on Princess for 12 days.

 

I cant find it online either. I can list those cruiselines who it says may do British Isles cruises..............

 

Princess

Swan Hellenic

Hebridean Island Cruises

Fred Olsen

Voyages of discovery

Noble Caledonia

Cruise and maritime

 

You may find some old friends in those lines eg NCL Crown, NCL Dynasty, NCL Sunward, NCL Westward.

[Single Cruiser]

Star does one in Sept. But from Copenhagen!

 

 

Departure:

24 September 2015 for 12 nights

Ports of Call:

Copenhagen, Denmark; Rotterdam, Netherlands; Portland, England; Falmouth; Cork, Ireland; Dublin, Ireland; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Invergordon (Inverness), Scotland; South Queensferry, Edinburgh; Dover (London), England

Edited May 10, 2015 by Single Cruiser

[Froggitt]

Star does one in Sept. But from Copenhagen!

 

 

Departure:

24 September 2015 for 12 nights

Ports of Call:

Copenhagen, Denmark; Rotterdam, Netherlands; Portland, England; Falmouth; Cork, Ireland; Dublin, Ireland; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Invergordon (Inverness), Scotland; South Queensferry, Edinburgh; Dover (London), England

 

Now if they had half a brain, theyd also have a 7/8 day UK cruise

 

Portland, England; Falmouth; Cork, Ireland; Dublin, Ireland; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Invergordon (Inverness), Scotland; South Queensferry, Edinburgh; Dover (London), England

[insidecabin]

NCL struggled to fill the ships on the Baltic/fjord runs from the UK we got some good deals, the move to Copenhagen was probably a good one for NCL and not that big a problem for UK people with cheap flights.

 

April, May there were £20 return flights from the UK to Copenhagen and one 9n cruise was down under £400 inc UBP.

 

I don't mind the BCN flight we overnight with parking at LHR(£88 last time) Breakfast at the Airport on the ships for lunch.

[jaceyar]

I would much rather fly - Southampton is a long drive for us or an expensive coach journey.

[NMLady]

We in the UK love flying to Barcelona/Rome/Venice/wherever, which consists of:

• getting up before the crack of dawn
  
• driving to the airport (allowing even more time due to roadworks)
  
• parking the car
  
• getting the bus to the terminal
  
• queueing to check in suitcase
  
• queueing to get through security with all the tourists
  
• queueing to get on the plane
  
• spending two hours with germ ridden children in close proximity
  
• waiting for bus to the terminal from the plane
  
• waiting for luggage to come off
  
• queueing for a taxi
  
• getting taxi to the port
  

Obviously more preferable to cruising from the UK e.g. Southampton which consists of

• leisurely drive to the port
  
• park the car
  
• leisurely walk to the ship
  

 

Not all of us in the USA live near ports. Many of us have the same fly list you have. In fact for many of us we also have a connecting flight in order to get to a port. So an additional airport wait time and an additional queue to get on another flight.

[insanemagnet]

We in the UK love flying to Barcelona/Rome/Venice/wherever, which consists of:

• getting up before the crack of dawn
  
• driving to the airport (allowing even more time due to roadworks)
  
• parking the car
  
• getting the bus to the terminal
  
• queueing to check in suitcase
  
• queueing to get through security with all the tourists
  
• queueing to get on the plane
  
• spending two hours with germ ridden children in close proximity
  
• waiting for bus to the terminal from the plane
  
• waiting for luggage to come off
  
• queueing for a taxi
  
• getting taxi to the port
  

Obviously more preferable to cruising from the UK e.g. Southampton which consists of

• leisurely drive to the port
  
• park the car
  
• leisurely walk to the ship
  

Leisurely drive to the port.

 

Not if you live 1/2 way across the country from it!

 

Fortunately there are a number of airports that are easy to get to.

 

As for the wasted time, although you have to spend a couple of hours waiting, you don't have to spend a couple of days waiting for the ship to arrive in the med.

[fabnfortysomething]

Leisurely drive to the port.

 

Not if you live 1/2 way across the country from it!

 

Fortunately there are a number of airports that are easy to get to.

 

As for the wasted time, although you have to spend a couple of hours waiting, you don't have to spend a couple of days waiting for the ship to arrive in the med.

 

we live in the North East of England so cant get much further of a drive to the South coast but would still prefer to drive there than the hassle of airports

 

I actually enjoyed the sea days getting down to the Med-gave a chance to explore the ship

 

However this thread just goes to show that everyones preferences differ-just as well as some places would be very crowded!