London Hotel

[jandm]

We will be staying in London on a 3 day precruise in July. Does anyone have any information about the Sheraton Belgravia Hotel? I appreciate any help. Thanks

[cnmiranda]

There are reviews at tripadvisor.com

 

Majesty of the Seas (2)

Norwegian Dawn

Monarch of the Seas

Diamond Princess (5/04)

[big al]

Jandym-The Sheraton Belgravia is a 4-star hotel in a terrific area not far from Harrods,the world's best and most famous department store (don't miss the food halls in there!!)..I've been to London 15 times,any questions,fire away.....Very nice place,you won't be disappointed!

Alan

[2dogcarol]

big al,

Thanks for your offer of questions on London. My husband and I are going to be in London for 4 days the end of September (unfortunately, not for a cruise). We want to see Phantom of the Opera while we are there. I can book tickets over the internet but they are fairly pricey. I have heard you can get day of performance discount tickets if we wait till we get there. Have you ever gone to the theater in London? If so, how did you get your tickets? Thanks for the info.

 

Carol

[big al]

Carol-You can get tickets the same day at half price,but Phantom is usually sold out.It is at the Society of London Theatre ticket kiosk in Leicester Sq.If you want the tix for sure,pay the extra $$ and get them; London is very expensive,especially now with the $ so low...if you need some places you MUST see let me know-also I know some great pubs to see(a must even if you don't drink).Harrods,London Eye,Tower of London,Buckingham Palace,Westminster Abbey,a boat ride down the Thames River,St.Paul's Cathedral,and Kew Gardens are a must if you've never been.Also Camden Market is nice (on a nice day) and strolling in Soho,too.Madam Tussauds is touristy,but the wax figures are the best in the world...any more,give a hollar..

Alan

[sprinkles]

Hi Big Al,

 

We will be in London next month for 3 days after our cruise (we have never been to Europe). We plan on getting in everything you mentioned, but are also considering a day tour to Stonehenge and Bath, is it worth it? I don't expect to get bowled over by Stonehenge, but Bath sounds like a fun way to see an old style village? Thanks.

 

Tammy

[big al]

Tammy-Bath was probably THEE best historical place we visited..my wife's favorite as well.Take the audio guided tour and the town is lovely.Stonehenge is very eerie,but I loved it....we were there in 25 degree weather,sleet and wind,right out of a gothic movie!When you see these giant monoliths and wonder how did they transport these without trucks and for what purpose,it makes it even more mysterious...you only need 30 minutes for Stonehenge and they also have a guided audio tour;also Shakespeare's house in Stratford-on-Avon is very nice too.If you have one day to travel outside London,I'd do Bath first,then decide which is more convieniant,Stonehenge or Stratford.DON'T MISS "YE OLDE CHESIRE CHEESE" on Fleet St in London.It is a pub that's 500 years old and underground!Make sure you go DOWNSTAIRS and try a meat pie,or fish & chips and a pint of Samuel Smith lager.I've sent about 50 people there in the past and ALL of them raved about it-what a neat place!Anyhting else,just ask.....

Alan

[KAJOKG]

Big Al -- Your posts almost make me want to give up cruising and go back to England!! Did you know that the Olde Cheshire Cheese Pub was a favorite hang out of Charles Dickens? Enjoyed all your wonderful recommendations to those just going over there for the first time.

 

KB

 

NCL NORWAY - 2000

GOLDEN PRINCESS - 2001

GOLDEN PRINCESS - 2002

HAL NOORDAM - 2002

HAL VOLENDAM - 2003

ISLAND PRINCESS - NOV. 2003

HAL VOLENDAM - JAN. 2004

CORAL PRINCESS - OCT. 2004

[sprinkles]

THANKS ALAN!

 

We will do it. I also had not heard of "Ye Olde Chesire Cheese", sounds fun.

 

Tammy

[big al]

KB-I am friends with the British institution rock group,Status Quo.I have been going to the UK for years now.This winter will be my 12th straight tour.I usually go to Wembley,Brighton,Ipswich and/or Oxford shows.Have been a fan(THEE PREMIER YANKEE FAN-everybody knows me there-I am known as the "Yankee Quo fan" and I am singled out by Francis Rossi every year and get a standing ovation from the British fans!!) since 1975 when I heard "Down Down" on NY radio...I keep a list of all the pubs I have visited and hotels that have my perks I like....other great charming pubs are the Mayflower,The Anchor,The Dove,and the Prospect of Whitby and near the Holiday Inn at Gatwick,the Eight Bells (breathtaking )...I love sitting in a pub,drinking a pint(s)watching people,and talking about what's happening in the world,London,USA,etc.It's only April,and I'm already waiting for the Status Quo concert tour to be announced.Next year in 2005,will be their 40th anniversary tour.The most successful British rock group of all time with 60 chart hits and 125 million records sold are still the best live band in the world-if only I could them to perform on a cruise,that would

be perfect!!!

Alan

"Cruising All Over The World".........

[KAJOKG]

Alan -- No wonder you gave such good advice!! Loved your British "bio" -- You are an intereting fellow!

 

KB

 

NCL NORWAY - 2000

GOLDEN PRINCESS - 2001

GOLDEN PRINCESS - 2002

HAL NOORDAM - 2002

HAL VOLENDAM - 2003

ISLAND PRINCESS - NOV. 2003

HAL VOLENDAM - JAN. 2004

CORAL PRINCESS - OCT. 2004

[KAJOKG]

Al -- That's interestingfellow.

 

KB

 

NCL NORWAY - 2000

GOLDEN PRINCESS - 2001

GOLDEN PRINCESS - 2002

HAL NOORDAM - 2002

HAL VOLENDAM - 2003

ISLAND PRINCESS - NOV. 2003

HAL VOLENDAM - JAN. 2004

CORAL PRINCESS - OCT. 2004

[2dogcarol]

Alan,

 

Thanks so much for all your great advice. I think I will go ahead and order those theater tickets. We are planning to see all the places that you mentioned. Do you think it is worthwhile to buy The London Pass or the Heritage pass? We will be traveling GB for 2 weeks so are getting the Britrail Pass. We have planned stops in Bath and Stratford-Upon-Avon so your suggestions have confirmed my research. We'll also visit some of those great pubs. Thanks for all your help.

 

Carol

[big al]

Carol-The Britrail pass is great and for any questions call them at 800-677-8585 and the British Tourist Authority at 800-462-2748..I'm not that familiar with the Heritage Pass.Also,if you expect to use the tube (don't EVER call it the subway-subway in England is completely different from ours!),get an "all day pass" for Zones 1 & 2,that's where most of the Tourist attractions are,and don't lose it-you must have it ready to put into the machine in order to get out of the underground stations..Finally,visit both HMV and Virgin record stores on Oxford St (tube-Oxford Circus) just to walk in and see the difference between British music stores and ours-it's amazing!When I walk into a record store here in Florida,there might be from 3-20(max)people in the store.Walk into HMV or Virgin and there's likely to be 300-500 at any time.The Brits are serious about 3 things:Shopping,music,and beer(called Ales,bitters or lagers-if you want a colder beer,ask for a lager on draft-bottled beer is NOT consumed in England!)

Big London Al

[jandm]

Big Al - Thanks for telling us that the Sheraton Belgravia was a good choice as a London hotel. We had been told that it might be a bit older and rundown and that it was too far from the tube station. We had stayed in London previously and were right near the tube station. The hotel itself left a lot to be desired, so I was happy to hear that the Sheraton was a good choice. We have been to some of the tourist attractions on our last trip. I would love to have more time than our three days, but will try to follow your advice on places we have not yet seen. Thanks again. You have been most helpful.

[UK Cruiser]

Hi Carol. Where else are you intending to visit in the UK besides London? Are you intending to go further afield?

 

jandm - if you're staying anywhere in central London you are never going to be far away from a tube station.

 

big al - I must disagree with one thing - bottled beers are plentiful over here in the UK, just not our only options (and as a non-drinker I know this not from experience!). You're right about the difference in music shops between the UK and US but the biggest differences are the prices - CDs and DVD are much more expensive in the UK.

[big al]

UK cruiser-What I meant about the beer thing is that 75% of the beer consumed is draft beer(I know that for a fact)..of course there IS bottled beer in England,but most Brits drink the draft pint,which is real beer....bottled beer is made with lots of preservatives to keep the beer as fresh as possible,since many bottles stay on shelves for months at a a time...you are also right about the prices of CD's and DVD's-they are much higher than ours-but boy,the choices are 100% better.I often spend hoursin the record stores...and now with the dollar hovering around $1.85-88 for the pound,soon the prices will be the same!!

[2dogcarol]

UK Cruiser,

 

Our main reason for visiting GB is to take a week long canal boat trip with 3 other couples. We will be on the LLangollen Canal and will travel between LLangollen and Chester. After our two weeks in GB we are taking the Eurostar to Paris. I have a question. As we will be traveling by train, if we want to see a couple of different cities in one day and we have our suitcases, is there a place to store them in the train stations? Thanks for your info. Carol