Earliest time off Carnival Pride in Dover

[Explorer121]

The ship docks at 5am.  What is the earliest time they will let off passengers?  I’m looking at flights and would like to get car service at 6:30am to the airport.  I plan on carrying all luggage off the ship to be one of the 1st group out. Also for a Friday morning, how much time do you think it will take via car from Dover cruise terminal to Stansead if I can get a car at 6:30am?

 

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, Explorer121 said:

The ship docks at 5am.  What is the earliest time they will let off passengers?  I’m looking at flights and would like to get car service at 6:30am to the airport.  I plan on carrying all luggage off the ship to be one of the 1st group out. Also for a Friday morning, how much time do you think it will take via car from Dover cruise terminal to Stansead if I can get a car at 6:30am?

 

 

You’ve left two important items out of the equation:

1.) Five AM is the scheduled ship arrival time. All sorts of factors can (and often do) delay that arrival.

2.) Anywhere in the world, 5 AM may be far sooner than customs/border authorities are prepared to clear a ship or receive passengers.

It’s always interesting to see folks wanting to “get out of Dodge” so quickly and, of course, airlines “accommodate” them (at cruise start/stop ports) with the lowest fares of the day - banking on the number of last minute non-refundable tix that will not be used by the late arrivals from the ship.

[jsn55]

I couldn't agree more.  I don't understand why people want to constantly push things that are out of their control ... creating meaningless stress.  What's so awful about having breakfast and strolling off the ship when you can be fairly confident that your planning will work?   What's the downside of having a flight home at noon?

Edited June 17, 2022 by jsn55
clarity

[MBP&O2/O]

You would be looking at an absolute minimum  of 2hrs in a car at the best of times ... factor in rush hour  peak traffic etc et  etc ... h

How long will airport protocols take .. UK airports are an absolute shambles at the moment!

[letsgo39]

Book at least after 1 pm. Tales of horror are everywhere about LHR these days.

 

[Eli_6]

I booked a 10 am flight for Seattle with a ship arrival time at 7 am.  We were off the ship by 6:50. We were at the airport by 7:30.  Every Carnival cruise I have taken lately, has come in early. Only time I have been late on CCL was out of Galveston due to fog and we were like 14 hours late so it wouldn't have mattered when your flight was...most missed them if they were the same day.  From what I have been hearing about Pride, everyone has to be out of their rooms by 6:15. They rush everyone off the ship because they have to leave out before the ferrys start running. Someone posted that their 6:30 am carnival bus left at 6:13 am.  No clue how long it will take to get to where you are going, but I would think a car at 6:30 would be fine. If anything, you may be waiting on them. I have no clue how far it is to that airport as I have always flown in/out of LHR because it is the only direct flight to/from Houston.

Edited July 1, 2022 by Eli_6

[Fourkids4us]

On 7/1/2022 at 5:29 PM, Eli_6 said:

I booked a 10 am flight for Seattle with a ship arrival time at 7 am.  We were off the ship by 6:50. We were at the airport by 7:30.  Every Carnival cruise I have taken lately, has come in early. Only time I have been late on CCL was out of Galveston due to fog and we were like 14 hours late so it wouldn't have mattered when your flight was...most missed them if they were the same day.  From what I have been hearing about Pride, everyone has to be out of their rooms by 6:15. They rush everyone off the ship because they have to leave out before the ferrys start running. Someone posted that their 6:30 am carnival bus left at 6:13 am.  No clue how long it will take to get to where you are going, but I would think a car at 6:30 would be fine. If anything, you may be waiting on them. I have no clue how far it is to that airport as I have always flown in/out of LHR because it is the only direct flight to/from Houston.

Thanks for this information. I am arranging an early ride to Stanstead also. I will tell the  car company 6:15am. We are Sunday so hopefully not a lot of traffic.

[John Bull]

8 hours ago, Fourkids4us said:

Thanks for this information. I am arranging an early ride to Stanstead also. I will tell the  car company 6:15am. We are Sunday so hopefully not a lot of traffic.

 

A few important factors ............

 

1 - You are unlikely to be off the ship much before 7am.

If your transfer operator is based in the Dover area, they will know the usual disembarkation times and are likely to query a 6.15 booking, a London or Stansted based operator is much less likely to have experience  of that.

 

2 - Stansted ain't Heathrow !!!

Whilst the distance & usual journey times are similar, they're in different directions around the M25 (London orbital road) - fewer  slow parts but the potential for a major delay (and no alternate route) at the Dartford Crossing, where traffic in your direction goes thro a tunnel under the River Thames. You can only breathe easily once you're on the other side of the Thames.

 

3 - Neither you nor the OP have mentioned your flight time, or destination (short or long-haul, domestic or international), or the availability of a later same-day flight.

These are all big, big factors

 

4 - Your flight is on a sunday.

Joy of joys 🙂

No commuter traffic, far less truck traffic, not too much leisure traffic at your time of day or in your direction.

Excluding the aftermath of a big incident, your journey should take less than 2 hours.

 

But we can't confidently advise without knowing your flight time or destination or later alternatives.

 

JB 🙂

 

[Globaliser]

9 hours ago, Fourkids4us said:

I am arranging an early ride to Stanstead also.

 

Make sure that the car company knows that you are going to an airport. As Stanstead's own website says: "First of all, we don't have an airport!"

[Fourkids4us]

Just wanted to update incase anyone else has this question. I arranged transport at 6am. We planned to meet at 5:30am and walk off with our luggage. They were already calling floors of self assist by 5:15am. 

 

We waited outside for 15 minutes for our ride and they arrived at 6am promptly and we got to Stanstead Airport very early, no traffic. We had a 11:35am flight. We sat around, had sit down breakfast at the airport and just waited for our flight. Security line was 5 minutes according to the board.

[jsn55]

8 hours ago, Fourkids4us said:

Just wanted to update incase anyone else has this question. I arranged transport at 6am. We planned to meet at 5:30am and walk off with our luggage. They were already calling floors of self assist by 5:15am. 

 

We waited outside for 15 minutes for our ride and they arrived at 6am promptly and we got to Stanstead Airport very early, no traffic. We had a 11:35am flight. We sat around, had sit down breakfast at the airport and just waited for our flight. Security line was 5 minutes according to the board.

Always good to win one!