Am I better off flying into Gatwick or Heathrow

[stipmom]

for a cruise leaving out of Southhampton?

[Guest LetMeGo]

Hi

 

If you want to go directly from the airport to Southampton, you're slightly better off going to Gatwick, because there are hourly direct trains from there while you would have to change trains from Heathrow.

 

If you want to visit London on your way, I think either airport would be okay.

[Globaliser]

If you want to go directly from the airport to Southampton, you're slightly better off going to Gatwick, because there are hourly direct trains from there while you would have to change trains from Heathrow.

If you want to go directly from Heathrow to Southampton, there's a National Express coach service that runs directly to Southampton from Heathrow. So it's all much of a muchness, really.

 

If you have a choice, it's probably rather more important to make sure that your air travel is comfortable and convenient.

[Guest LetMeGo]

Ha... I think it's better if I just leave the England questions for you to answer. :D

[05mak05]

We're booked on the Jewel and leaving out of Harwich. Which airport is the most convenient? And, what about transporation from London to Harwich?

Thanks - any and all London info is appreciated!

[Globaliser]

For airports for a cruise from Harwich, and transportation to Harwich, I'd suggest searching both the Britain and British Isles forums, using the keyword Harwich and searching for titles only. You'll find a lot of accumulated wisdom about how to do that.

 

There are also a lot of threads in both of those forums about accommodation in London.

[NancyIL]

We're booked on the Jewel and leaving out of Harwich. Which airport is the most convenient? And, what about transporation from London to Harwich?

Thanks - any and all London info is appreciated!

 

In July 2005 we flew to Heathrow, stayed one night in London, then took the train to Harwich out of Liverpool Street Station. During that 24-hour period pre-cruise in London, we were in King's Cross station (to pick-up train tickets), Liverpool Street station, and rode the same bus route that was bombed a week later! It was very scary to have been in 3 of the 4 places that were bombed - especially since we were staying in London 2 nights after our cruise ended.

 

We loved our Jewel of the Seas Baltic cruise. Is that what you're doing, too?

[Kathie44]

mjkunkle--we booked a cruise/air package through RCI for last June and they flew us into Gatwick, but back home from Heathrow. We use the RCI transfer from Gatwick--a private car and driver, not a motorcoach shuttle--to the City Inn Westminster. We took RCI shuttles from the hotel to Harwich and Harwich to Heathrow. They were all included in our package. We just feel it's easier to do it this way when we are going so far. For domestic flights I do my own airfare and we always have used the cruiseline shuttle.

In Jan we will use the hotel's free shuttle from the airport in San Diego and to the Mercury at the port. Then we will just have to pay extra for the Celebrity shuttle from the ship to the airport after the cruise.

You will love the Jewel. Which cruise are you doing?

 

1/02 Explorer E. Carib.

1/03 Explorer W. Carib.

8/03 Summit Alaska cruise/tour

2/04 Adventure S. Carib.

2/05 Galaxy Panama Canal

6/06 Jewel Brit. Isles/Nor. Fjords + 3 days in London

1/07 Mercury Mexican Riviera

[05mak05]

Hi, Kathie and thank you for you reply. You are exactly correct in saying it's so much easier to use the RCI pkg. for air & transfers. Our problem is that we want to go into London 3 days early and would like to use the RCI pre-cruise program. However, the prices are simply outrageous ... pushing $400 a night per person! We also want to use our AA miles to upgrade to First or Business class and understand that we can use the RCI custom air dept. However, those seats need to be booked really early which means we have to book our own air. RCI says we can buy their transfers to the ship out of London but that we have to arrive the same day as the cruise which makes no sense to us at all. We've decided it's too much of a hassle and too risky so are now looking at Oceania. Actually sticking to domestic is also looking better and better to us!!!

[pcur]

mjkunkle:

 

Although I am by no means an expert on London, we are going for our second pre-cruise stopover there next April. We were also there October 2005. I have a ton of research notes, especially if you're trying to economize. Email me at pcurri a that yahoo place if you're interested in my notes.

 

We looooooove London, and it doesn't have to be outrageously expensive. As stated above, there are several very inexpensive options for travel outside of London, but I'd keep the luggage to a minimum if you're not going to hire a private car or take the cruise line's transpo. I agree, the prices are ridiculous!

[Globaliser]

RCI says we can buy their transfers to the ship out of London but that we have to arrive the same day as the cruise which makes no sense to us at all. We've decided it's too much of a hassle and too risky so are now looking at Oceania.

Getting to Harwich from London under your own steam really is no problem at all, as you'll see from all the different ways that there are of doing it.