Question - Transfer from Ship to Heathrow Airport then go to HOTEL instead of flight

[sunshine3215]

I don't now what to do so I want all comments.

 

Backstory:

My transatlantic cruise returns on April 27th. My Iceland Air flight does not depart until Saturday, April 28th. My hotel is near terminal 2 at Heathrow. I thought it would be best to reserve a hotel near terminal 2 with the thoughts of less drama on the morning of the flight.

 

Departure Date - Friday, April 27th -

I was thinking if we paid for the transfer service provided by Norw. we would have transportation to the Heathrow airport. Once at the airport we would not board a flight but take one of the shuttles to our hotel (Radisson Bleu).

 

THEN...

 

GOAL:

My goal is to have a place to store our luggage and then go sightseeing in London, preferably an established tour not on our own.

 

Questions -

 

1) Would the hotel store our luggage until the 1:00 pm checkin???

 

2) Should we book lodging for the day before departure. This would mean when we arrive on Saturday at around 11:00 am we can go straight to our room, rest, place our luggage and then go out for the day.

 

Does this make any sense???

 

What do we do so we are not stuck with our luggage all day. Also I don't want to pay a private driver, I'd rather book transfer via the ship so I know it is guaranteed.

 

I want to hear all suggestions and ideas.

[easyboy]

Not post but pre-cruise, we always stay a day before the cruise in London. The usual flight we take on United Airlines arrives around 10am. We always stay at the Holiday Inn in Central London or Heathrow area. The hotel allows us to store our luggage to go around the area while waiting for the room to be available at 2pm at the latest. Would probably depend on the hotel. You can confirm with your preferred hotel. Last Sept, we arrived at the Holiday Inn Slough around 11am and was called for the room around noon when it was already available. This enabled us to go immediately to Windsor Castle for the tour via Uber without our luggage.

 

 

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[phabric]

Check out International Friends (cheaper on http://www.londontoolkit.com). They only go on embarkment and disembarkment days. They will pick you up from Southampton and Dover dock and take you to certain London hotels, Heathrow and Heathrow hotels. They also have tours where they stop along the way to London hotels, LHR, and LHR hotels.

 

A great way to see another part of Britain on the way to London and be dropped off at a London hotel.

 

I have taken International Friends from the Dover port and will use them again from Southampton in July 2018.

 

Any hotel will hold your luggage until your rooms is ready.

[Twickenham]

Transfer from ship: In addition to private transport, you also have the option of taking either the train or bus to London; also, the ship might very well offer a transfer into Central London in addition to LHR, so no need to go to the airport if you want to book your transfer through the ship (I know I've heard of Princess doing this, not sure about NCL)

 

Hotel: Unless your flight is earlier than 7 am, I would not be staying at the airport. LHR is a fair distance from Central London, and you'll be wasting a lot of touring time just going back and forth from your hotel. The Heathrow Express makes the Paddington-area hotels just as convenient, if not more, than any LHR hotel. Also, hotels in London are used to overseas visitors arriving on early-morning flights, so should be able to store your luggage until check-in. Another thing to consider: you mention taking a shuttle to the Radisson Blu LHR - note that no LHR hotels have a free shuttle, you either take the paid Hotel Hoppa (arguably the most hated hotel shuttle out there), use the regular city buses which are free within a certain radius of LHR, or take a taxi.

 

What would I do? Now, note I've been travelling to London for over 30 years, and so am very familiar with transport in the area, but for me, the easy option would be:

 

-Taxi to either the train or bus station in Southampton for transfer to London;

-Upon arrival, taxi from either Waterloo (train) or Victoria Coach station (bus) to the Hilton Paddington (the hotel is literally part of the train station)

-Drop luggage, then tour for the day;

-Heathrow Express to LHR the next morning for my flight.

[fabnfortysomething]

Twickenhams response very good

 

I would suggest another hotel near Hilton Paddington based on stay last week

Hotel Indigo -boutique hotel part of holiday inn group

they stored our luggage morning of checkout so we could sightsee before my afternoon train home

[Cotswold Eagle]

OP you have been given some good alternatives to your plan, which I endorse.

 

A slight wrinkle to your original plan would be to leave the luggage in the Left Luggage facilities found in Heathrow terminals. These can get quite expensive, though, but bear in mind you would be paying to transfer to your hotel and back (unless you figure out the free local buses).

 

 

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[sunshine3215]

Thank you, all the responses were great. I will contact the tour group mentioned that will pick us up one the day of departure. I plan to contact them in the next week as I will be on the Breakaway and we know that ship has so many passengers I can envision them getting sold out.

 

I don't think I will change hotel as this hotel is the closest to terminal two, and I know with possible 4 suitcases we are NOT goin to want to lug too far.

[Bob++]

You don't say what time your flight is. If early, staying near T" is a good plan, but if you have time, a hotel in London would give you more time for sightseeing. Most hotels will store luggage if you arrive too early to check in. .

 

A private hire car for two people is often as cheap or cheaper than the cruise line coach and it has the added advantage of door-to-door transport for you and your luggage. Coach or train is much cheaper, especially booked in advance, but you have to factor in the journey at each end

[Twickenham]

I don't think I will change hotel as this hotel is the closest to terminal two, and I know with possible 4 suitcases we are NOT goin to want to lug too far.

 

Actually, there are at least 4 hotels that could be considered closer, but we're talking by a few hundred feet. And just for fun, I decided to search the journey time by car on Google maps from the Radisson to the Heathrow Central train station (so as to compare accurately with the train). They gave a time of 12 minutes. The Heathrow Express takes 15 minutes. To be honest, even I was shocked it was giving that long, but there is only a 2-lane tunnel to Heathrow Terminals 1-3, and traffic is always crazy.

 

Look, I don't want to come off as a terrible nag (or even a really good nag ;p). Ultimately, you are the one who has to decide what's best for you in your circumstances... But, I just want to reiterate just how easy it is to use the Heathrow Express. If you stay at the Hilton Paddington, there's an elevator and footbridge directly connecting the hotel and the station. Luggage carts are available on the platform at each end, so you'll have to walk with your luggage for maybe 10 feet at the beginning and end, and you will save sooo much travel time on the 27th. Reading your other posts, it appears you have an afternoon flight, thus meaning you could even have time for a little last-minute shopping that morning. Or even see a show on the Friday night. It would just be a shame to stay out at the airport when you could be enjoying London!

[Gwendy]

Actually, there are at least 4 hotels that could be considered closer, but we're talking by a few hundred feet. And just for fun, I decided to search the journey time by car on Google maps from the Radisson to the Heathrow Central train station (so as to compare accurately with the train). They gave a time of 12 minutes. The Heathrow Express takes 15 minutes. To be honest, even I was shocked it was giving that long, but there is only a 2-lane tunnel to Heathrow Terminals 1-3, and traffic is always crazy.

 

 

 

Look, I don't want to come off as a terrible nag (or even a really good nag ;p). Ultimately, you are the one who has to decide what's best for you in your circumstances... But, I just want to reiterate just how easy it is to use the Heathrow Express. If you stay at the Hilton Paddington, there's an elevator and footbridge directly connecting the hotel and the station. Luggage carts are available on the platform at each end, so you'll have to walk with your luggage for maybe 10 feet at the beginning and end, and you will save sooo much travel time on the 27th. Reading your other posts, it appears you have an afternoon flight, thus meaning you could even have time for a little last-minute shopping that morning. Or even see a show on the Friday night. It would just be a shame to stay out at the airport when you could be enjoying London!

 

 

 

Off on a slight tangent here, when you mention Hilton at Paddington is that the Hilton Metropole. We are booked there in May next year and are tossing up between private transfer and Heathrow Express. As there are three of us probably will use someone like Addison Lee or Blackberry, but would like to keep options open. Thanks in advance.

 

 

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[Twickenham]

Off on a slight tangent here, when you mention Hilton at Paddington is that the Hilton Metropole. We are booked there in May next year and are tossing up between private transfer and Heathrow Express. As there are three of us probably will use someone like Addison Lee or Blackberry, but would like to keep options open. Thanks in advance.

 

 

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No, I mean the Hilton Paddington, which is actually attached to the train station. The Hilton Metropole is about a half mile down the road, walkable or you can take the underground. A nice area to stay - lots of shops and restaurants on Edgeware Road, and good transport links for sightseeing.

[Cotswold Eagle]

 

 

 

I don't think I will change hotel as this hotel is the closest to terminal two, and I know with possible 4 suitcases we are NOT goin to want to lug too far.

 

 

Just to reinforce Twickenham's point, this is pretty much meaningless in this context. With the exception of a few hotels attached to T4 & T5, all Heathrow hotels require either a bus ride or taxi.

 

The only relevant distance might be the distance from a local bus stop if you use the free local buses. Otherwise the Hoppa or taxi will deliver you to the door.

 

 

 

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[Gwendy]

No, I mean the Hilton Paddington, which is actually attached to the train station. The Hilton Metropole is about a half mile down the road, walkable or you can take the underground. A nice area to stay - lots of shops and restaurants on Edgeware Road, and good transport links for sightseeing.

 

 

 

Thanks for clearing that up. Been about 9 years since last visit to London, need to get my bearings again. Lol

 

 

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