London Pre Cruise Option

[bobnatt]

This morning we arrived at Heathrow after an overnight flight from JFK to meet the Queen Victoria for our cruise leaving from Southampton on June 10th. In order to deal with potential travel delays and get over jet lag before we join the ship we purchased from Cunard a two night hotel add-on in London that includes transfers from LHR to the hotel and from the hotel to the port on Tuesday.

 

What a greart deal this is. It cost us $1400 extra in total for me and my wife. We are staying at a beautiful hotel... the Renaissance Chancery Lane which is located near Convent Gardens. When we arrived at the airport over an hour late (surprise, surprise) and left the customs area there was our driver with a big Cunard sign who helped us with our luggage and took us to the hotel in a private limo. Because it was Sunday morning we were in the city in about half and hour. The hotel could not be nicer. Because I am a platinum Marriott club member the hotel allowed us access to the Concierge floor which means a free bkfst and pre dinner canapes.

 

When we leave on Tuesday morning for the pier the bus will be picking us up at 9:30am and I understand that we will be in Southampton by noon.

 

I checked the Marriott web site and if we had purchased the room only by ourselves the cost would have been about $1300 for the two nights without the transfers from the airport and to the ship. So for the additional $100 for two people we had all the transfers paid for...what a great deal. Also, and this is important for Americans, you don't have to worry about the declining value of the dollar as the rate was set in dollars when we booked the cruise last July.

 

Tomorrow we are seeing the King Tut exhibit at the O2 and in the evening we are going to the Ballet which is within walking distance of the hotel.

 

What a great two day pre cruise excursion.

 

Definitely would do this again....

 

Next post will be from on board the Queen Victoria,,,,

[Fifty Dollar Bob]

What ballet are you seeing at Covent Garden? Make sure you see the Crush Room (the old Crush Bar of pre-modernisation times) as well as the wonderful Floral Hall - although that is hard to miss. Worth too going upstairs to the Amphitheatre bar and going outside - the view over Covent Garden is good.

[bobnatt]

What ballet are you seeing at Covent Garden? Make sure you see the Crush Room (the old Crush Bar of pre-modernisation times) as well as the wonderful Floral Hall - although that is hard to miss. Worth too going upstairs to the Amphitheatre bar and going outside - the view over Covent Garden is good.

 

Actually we got the idea to go to the Royal Opera House from a previous Cunard thread where I asked about London musicals. Someone suggested that we try the dance program (I guess it is not exactly a ballet) at the ROH. We are seeing a two part program The Gathering and The Dream. Honestly, I am doing this for my wife. I will probably be able to get two or three hours of sleep.;)

 

We had lunch at Covent Gardens today in a greenhouse like hall (is that Floral Hall?). Where is the Opera House in relationship to the hall?

[Essiesmom]

Glad to hear the transfers work well. We are sailing QE2 July 31 and I didn't feel comfortable flying in from Newark the same day, so I booked a one day stay at the Millennium Mayfair (least expensive that Cunard uses). Unfortunately, I am not platinum or diamond anything, so will ahve to pay for breakfast somwehere...We are looking at doinf St. Paul's, the Museum of London, and maybe a revisit to St. Bartholomew the Great (I dragged my sister there in 2003 and she loved it.). And if we still have energy left, we might walk to the Thames and partway across the Millennium footbridge. EM

[bobnatt]

Glad to hear the transfers work well. We are sailing QE2 July 31 and I didn't feel comfortable flying in from Newark the same day, so I booked a one day stay at the Millennium Mayfair (least expensive that Cunard uses). Unfortunately, I am not platinum or diamond anything, so will ahve to pay for breakfast somwehere...We are looking at doinf St. Paul's, the Museum of London, and maybe a revisit to St. Bartholomew the Great (I dragged my sister there in 2003 and she loved it.). And if we still have energy left, we might walk to the Thames and partway across the Millennium footbridge. EM

 

If you haven't already seen it go to the Churchill underground war museum. It is absolutely fantastic look back into history and where Winston managed the British troops during World War 2. It is a very short walk from Westminster Abbey.

[moniquet]

If you are in Covent Garden have lunch (or just a drink) in the Crusting Pipe. Vintage Port by the glass, very old English style. Inside is in the old cellars or sit outside.

 

http://www.davy.co.uk/main.asp?id=__3045&tid=

[Essiesmom]

We aren't sure how much energy we will have after flying all night. Last time for London was 2003, when she was on a choir tour with the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, and they had to have rehearsals and concerts (Southwark cathedral and the PROMS at Royal Albert Hall) but we did spend a bit of time at Westminster Abbey and the Tower. We rather like out history ancient, and I found the Museum of London interesting, so suggested we go there. She doesn't remember doing St. Paul's since college choir tour in 1963, and they are rather close together. (She can do the whisper gallery alone...). EM