Post Captain

Not a specific recommendation as such, but just some general advice:

I wouldn't call the prices "crazy"--but yes, London hotel rates are generally expensive, especially if you're looking at the higher end. After all, London is one of the most expensive cities in the world, in terms of cost of living. That said, you should be able to find a decent (not necessarily four-star) hotel in June for considerably less than $600 a night.

Note: The "official" star ratings for British hotels (as opposed to the reviewers' ratings posted on various websites such as Trip Advisor) relate to the amenities offered by that hotel, rather than to overall quality per se. For example, a four-star hotel might have in-room tea kettles/ coffee makers/ irons, free newspapers, conference rooms, and the like, whereas a two-star hotel, for example, probably wouldn't. Yet, the two-star hotel could be just as good as, if not better than, the four-star hotel in terms of location, maintenance, and overall comfort and quality.

Thus, I would adjust my search parameters accordingly. The London hotel search page on Trip Advisor is a good place to start.

There's an old Scottish golfing adage that gives an indication of the general state of the weather in the heather:

"Nae wind, nae rain, nae golf."

Rough translation: If it isn't windy and raining, the game isn't really golf.

(Implication: It's windy and raining most of the time in Scotland. Of course, this applies to golfers and non-golfers alike.:D)

And if it isn't windy and rainy right at the moment, just wait a few minutes!:D

Chester is well worth visiting. The train journey from Liverpool to Chester and back is quite easy. The return (i.e., round-trip) fare is £6.95.

On weekdays and Saturdays, trains depart from Liverpool Central Station every 15 minutes or so. (Every 30 minutes on Sundays.) The journey takes approximately 45 minutes. Trains run with similar frequency from Chester to Liverpool.

Post Captain, I see you're not giving up on the cricket! Good on you - keep trying. But I did warn you, in another thread, that my husband's a lost cause where cricket's concerned. I do admire your tenacity, however. :)

 

Looks like you and Twickenham are of a like mind where the groupings are concerned. As usual, you've both come through with great, well thought out advice. I am very appreciative of your help.

How could anyone not like cricket???:confused: I could watch all day--and often have.;)

You could easily work this tour into your London itinerary. Your husband and son would love it! ~

As for Twickenham and me... What can I say? Great minds think alike. However, Twickenham is much too modest, so I will have to be the one to tell you this: Twickenham has the most celebrated rugby stadium in England!:D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twickenham_Stadium

http://www.rfu.com/twickenhamstadium

(What, you don't like rugby???:eek:)

The most obvious groupings, just off the top of my head, are as follows:

_____________

Tower of London

Tower Bridge

"London Bridge experience"

+ maybe Thames River cruise

+ maybe the London Eye

______________

London Eye (if not done in the previous day-group)

Westminster Abbey

Churchill war rooms

Buckingham Palace

Royal Mews

Wellington Arch

+ maybe Kensington Palace (if you're not knackered!)

______________

You can easily spend a full day at Hampton Court. Ditto Windsor Castle. But not both on the same day.

______________

The Regent's Canal boat trip doesn't obviously fit in with any of these other activities. (Frankly, this would be lower on my list of priorities. The Little Venice area is scenic & pleasant, but not necessarily worth going out of your way to see in the limited time you have for your stay in London. The most natural "fit" would be to combine it with a visit to Regent's Park & Primrose Hill--neither of which are on your list.)

______________

Sorry, I can't help with the football stadiums. Though I can tell you how to get to Lord's Cricket Ground (near Regent's Park and the Grand Union Canal:)) and The Oval.:D

hsaroya ~

Lots of excellent information already posted here by Twickenham, Cotswold Eagle, and co. So many places to visit; so little time!;)

I agree with everything that's already been said, but I'll just add another tuppence 'orth of mine to the mix:

If you decide to visit Bath or York (both of which I can't recommend highly enough, although neither of them are "quaint villages") or anyplace that's any distance from London, you'll do yourself a huge favor and save £££ galore by purchasing your rail tickets in advance. If you haven't done so already, bookmark the journey planner page at National Rail website and play around with it frequently--it's an absolutely essential tool:

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search

Also, to give yourself some ideas about places to visit as day trips from London, I strongly suggest a guidebook such as Frommer's Best Day Trips from London and/or Days Out from London (an Ordnance Survey Leisure Guide). Both of these, as well as several other similar guidebooks, provide a wealth of practical information, and are available at discount prices from your favorite friendly online bookseller.

Sorry I can't help with football stadia suggestions. I've been despondent ever since the old Arsenal Stadium was torn down.:(

On the other hand, I can direct you to some superb cricket grounds.;) You'll thank me later.:D

There's absolutely no need to bother with the water taxi from Battery Park to the dock for the 9/11 Memorial. The memorial is an easy walk due north from the Battery Park.

The most scenic route is to just follow the esplanade right along the Hudson River, up to the marina. From there, you're just a couple of blocks from the memorial.

suec12 ~

The easiest & most convenient (stair-free) direct route by tube from Heathrow to central London is to Kings Cross/St Pancras, where you can get from the train platform to street level entirely by lift (elevator), albeit also with some walking through modern pedestrian tunnels.

There are numerous hotels within a 10- or 15-minute walk of King's Cross/St Pancras. Three modern budget chain hotels in this area are Premiere Inn London Euston, Travelodge London Euston (though this wouldn't be my first choice), and Ibis London Euston St Pancras. There are several small, independent hotels on Gower Street as well as others virtually adjacent to the British Museum (e.g., on Montague Street); plus some larger "tourist" hotels near Russell Square.

You will find a plethora of reviews of just about all of these hotels on Tripadvisor.

We stayed at Studios2Let in Cartwright Gardens, a couple mins walk from Euston , Kings Cross and St Pancras stations for a week in August 2012 and are booked for another 8 nights in July this year.

Rooms werent large, but they did have full kitchens, including stove top, microwave oven, refridgerator, crockery etc ..so making breakfast was easy, plus some nights we just bought things to heat up.

We had a small courtyard with table and chairs which was lovely for a wine of an evening or to eat breakfast..I must say we had lovely weather while we were there.

 

Free wifi and inroom safe too. Supermarket and shops were about 5 minute walk, a couple hotels closeby had good reasonably priced meals too.

 

http://www.studios2letservicedapartslondon.com/

 

Deb

That indeed sounds lovely.

Given the choice between staying in Cartwright Gardens and staying in Lewisham, all other things being equal, I'd choose Cartwright Gardens every time.

I know the immediate setting and the surrounding neighborhood very well. The location is extremely convenient in several respects. Among other things, it's just around the corner from Russell Square, a short walk from the British Museum, and near several tube (not metro;):D) stations and a number of bus routes.

If there's a price advantage to staying in Lewisham (a district I admittedly don't know first-hand), it could well be outweighed by the time and cost involved in traveling between there and central London.

Just my tuppence 'orth.;)

bandmp ~

Just to add a bit to the excellent information already provided by Cotswold Eagle:

Stonehenge can easily be "done" by bus (a tour bus of some sort, if not a HOHO) from Salisbury, which is only 25 minutes by train from Southampton. I'd suggest that you combine Salisbury and Stonehenge as a day trip from Southampton. Lots of information on the web.

Personally, I'd skip Dover--not the easiest of trips from Southampton, and IMHO, not really worth going out of your way to visit. (With apologies to Doverians... Apart from the white cliffs, Dover Castle, and the possibility of boarding a cruise ship or a cross-Channel ferry there, Dover really doesn't have much to recommend it as a tourist destination.)

I've been to a multitude of places along the south coast of England from Dover (;)) to Land's End, but somehow have never found myself in Weymouth. Maybe I'm selling myself short; but again, with due respect to Weymouthians, this town wouldn't make my list of top 10 coastal destinations. Since you will have a rail pass, why not treat yourself to a trip to Cornwall instead? (If it hasn't been washed away by the winter gales!)

Or, taking advantage of that rail pass, you could scoot up to York and thence over to the Lake District.:)

(Sorry I can't help with the HOHO buses--they really aren't my thing.)

cadburysmom ~

You're welcome. Glad I could be of service.:)

Just bear in mind that if you buy your train tickets at the station (St Pancras) on the day of your trip, they will cost much more than if you purchase them in advance online.

From a quick play-around on the National Rail site --

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search

-- it looks as if the same journey that costs £22 if you purchase in advance online will cost £95 if you turn up at the station and purchase it on the spot!:eek: And that's just one-way!:eek::eek:

(They call it an "Anytime" fare. I call it a "No-time, Never, Ever" fare.;))

This is what my research has told me so far. [Please let me know if I have it wrong or are missing something.] Since taxi rides from the airport seem to be very expensive, we likely will take the train or the tube. There are 3 choices:

 

• The Heathrow Express train [HEX] from Terminal 1 and 3. The train runs every 15 minutes. This train takes only 15 mins to the Paddington Station at a cost of ~ £42 = approx $70 USD for the 2 of us. However, I will be flying into terminal 5--so, it seems I will need to take a shuttle to access this train.

 

• The Heathrow Connect train takes 25 mins [a few more from terminal 5] since it makes a few stops into the city. The train runs every 30 minutes. The price to Paddington Station is £19.80 = ~ $33 USD for both of us.

 

• The Piccadilly tube line runs from Heathrow to Kings Cross/St Pancras Station. Since St Pancras is the terminal for the Eurostar train, many travelers have luggage on this line. The fare is £5.70pp or as low as £3 after 9:30 am with an Oyster card [smartcard]. The Official tube guide says there are no stairs needed to get on in Heathrow or off at St Pancras. [While there are stops at various stations another CC passenger suggested carefully researching a given station since many have stairs or going all the way to St Pancras and getting a taxi to your hotel.]

 

Here are some thoughts and questions:

 

The fastest way to get to the city is the HEX. If I had very poor timing and just missed one train before boarding the next and because the Connect train takes 15 extra minutes I could “waste” 45 minutes getting to Paddington—but saved $37.

 

• Is it easy to get from terminal 5 to the train?

• Is there anything to see along the way as we travel into the city if I take the Connect train? I might enjoy a slower journey in order to see some of the countryside.

 

It seems that the Piccadilly tube line has a stop right in Terminal 5.

 

• Is this correct? This is by far the least expensive way to go. Also, it seems to take 45 minutes—so takes as long as the Heathrow Connect train.

• Is it difficult to manage getting luggage onto this train? Is there space for luggage?

I won't begin to attempt a definitive answer to your questions. However, following the adage that a picture is worth a thousand words... the first few minutes of the following video may be helpful in giving you a good idea of what it's like boarding the Tube at Heathrow terminal 5, and the luggage space (or lack thereof) on the Tube itself:

See also this video -- "How to get from Heathrow to London":

I frequently travel on the tube between Heathrow and central London (usually Holborn or King's Cross/St Pancras), with luggage--but my luggage (usually a 26-inch wheeled piece & a smallish shoulder bag) weighs considerably less that 50 pounds!

As for the "countryside" between Heathrow and central London: The scenery is mostly suburban and urban, interspersed with some fields. I don't think the locals will be offended if I say that this isn't the most scenic spot in the British Isles.;) Incidentally, for what it's worth, the tube runs above ground for about 20 minutes or so.

Also: Yes, King's Cross/St Pancras is a "stair-free" station--you can get from the train up to street level by lift (elevator), without taking any stairs at all. But you will have to maneuver your luggage through some longish pedestrian passageways, as is also the case at Heathrow.

The "finding us" page on the Chatsworth website says that the closest rail station is Chesterfield:

http://www.chatsworth.org/visiting/finding-us

However, my research indicates that bus service from Chesterfield to Chatsworth is somewhat spotty, and that there are better--and faster--bus options between Matlock and Chatsworth. (In the words of Adrian Monk: "I may be wrong--but I don't think so.")

The National Rail journey planner shows an 8:56 departure from St Pancras that will get you to Matlock at 11:26. (Note: You need to change trains at Derby.) I put in next Tuesday as a dummy date; the journey planner shows an advance purchase singe (one-way) fare of £22.

From Matlock station, it's a five- to ten-minute walk to the bus stop where you can catch the 11:50 bus (#218) to Chatsworth; the ride takes just over 20 minutes.

http://www.derbysbus.info/times/timetables/218M-130722.pdf

Going back to London, you could catch a 17:43 (=5:43 pm) or 18:43 (=6:43 pm) bus from Chatsworth to Matlock. Trains depart Matlock at 18:37 (=6:37 pm) and 20:37 (=8:37 pm); again, change at Derby for the train to London St Pancras. The advance purchase fare shown on my dummy booking for next Tuesday is either £22 (for the 18:37) or £19 (for the 20:37).

Yes, it's me again. We settled on a very nice cottage in Lockerley for three nights, arriving in Southampton on Friday, May 2 returning to Heathrow by 10am on Monday, May 5-decided that we should have as much of two full days in London as possible. We will get a car by 10am and then my dilemma starts.

 

We want to see Salisbury, Stonehenge, Avesbury, (maybe Bath), Winchester, and basically any little quaint villages, markets, countryside drives we can fit in. I'd love a New Forest visit maybe down to Lymington, but may be unreasonable.

 

I'm working hard with guidebooks and the assistance of our lovely innkeeper. However, I know that there are some really knowledgeable and friendly folks here who will be honest with me.

 

We need to make the best use of Friday and I'm uncertain of the roads and routes. It almost seems to make sense to go to Winchester on Friday before checking in to our cottage since it's to the East. Seems like Salisbury and Stonehenge could be in a day, but I realize Bath is really more of a full day destination. Thoughts?

 

It's so hard to make sure that my plans are realistic with regard to driving distances. I live in Texas, and we drive a long way to EVERYTHING. Ha!

 

Any help or suggested itinerary is much appreciated.

 

Theresa

Theresa ~

I don't know Lockerley per se, but, giving the map a quick glance, location-wise it seems like it will make a good base for the sort of driving day-trips you want to do.

Certainly it should not be impossible to "do" Winchester, Salisbury, and Stonehenge on the Friday of your arrival in Southampton. Lockerley is pretty much halfway between Winchester and Salisbury--about 25-30 minutes' drive from each, according to Google maps. And probably about the same driving time from Southampton. By Texas standards, it's hardly any distance at all!;)

So... From Southampton, I'd drive up to Winchester, visit the cathedral, and have lunch in town. Then, early afternoon, drive on to Lockerley and check into your cottage. It might be that you decide on the spot to spend some time just puttering about there and looking around Lockerley; or, after settling in, you might decide to continue on to Salisbury...

I'll have a further look at the map and think about your Saturday & Sunday itineraries and report back anon. But yes, you could well do one day in the New Forest & beyond, and one day in Bath and environs... However, if you do both of those, the Cotswolds probably will have to be left for another time.

BTW, John Bull mentioned that he was departing for Australia a day or two ago, and that will be away for a month. But I'm sure he'll be able to give excellent advice re. the New Forest when he returns. Now that you've got your cottage booked, there's really no rush to plan an hour-by-hour itinerary right away. But I certainly understand your excitement and enthusiasm.:)

More later.

Cheers,

PC

Sorry, maybe I wasn't clear. As I said in the OP, I'm already using Street View (believe me, I use Street View a TON for travel planning), and I already know there's a footbridge across 12th at 46th in front of the Intrepid. That's where the south end of that long port fence is that I was talking about between 46th and 54th.

 

My question was, where between 46th and 54th is the actual cruise terminal, and is it better to come in on the 46th end or the 54th end (or is there better entrance in between that I'm not noticing on Street View)? Street View is great for viewing the area from the street, but it doesn't show where the actual cruise terminal is behind that long fence. Not that we can't walk the 8 blocks dragging our luggage if we come in on the wrong end, but I was just hoping to find the nearest entrance from 12th to the actual cruise terminal where we need to go.

 

Is that still the Intrepid end at 46th? How far is the walk from there to the actual cruise terminal? Or does each pier in there have it's own cruise terminal? Looks like there's 4 piers altogether in that stretch but it's unclear where the actual terminal is where we check in.

 

Thanks.

Offhand, I'm not sure whether Carnival uses pier 88 or pier 90. But in either case, it's very easy to enter on foot right at the pier--you don't have to go down to 46th Street or up to 54th.

For pier 88, cross 12th Avenue at the southwest corner of 48th Street; the gate on the other side of 12th, directly in front of pier 88, will be open on sailing day. Similarly, for pier 90, cross 12th Avenue at the southwest corner of West 50th; the gate on the other side of 12th, directly in front of that pier, will be open.

(The crosswalks clearly visible on Google Streetview. With the pedestrian "Walk/ Don't Walk" lights, it's very easy to get across 12th Ave. at those locations. No need to use the footbridge at 46th St.)

Yes - this is only a weekend problem and affects me because I will have a party of 9 staying at the Candlewood Suites for three days in Sep 2014. It should not affect Bayonne cruisers unless they are planning to travel through World Trade to Exchange Place on a weekend.

 

There is no Hoboken-World Trade Path service on Sat and Sun now.

Ah, right--I'd forgotten that there's no Hoboken-WTC service on weekends anyway.

It looks like there's no longer any weekend ferry service between Hoboken terminal and World Financial Center either, nor between Paulus Hook (Jersey City) and the WFC:

http://www.nywaterway.com/HobokenNJTT-WFCRoute.aspx

http://www.nywaterway.com/PaulusHook-WFCRoute-copy.aspx

Your instructions to the OP about changing from various PATH stations in Manhattan to various MTA subway stations are quite clear and accurate. But yes--it sounds easier than it really is, especially for someone who is not familiar with New York and the public transit system. Whichever route one chooses, the detour certainly will add to the travel time between the World Trade Center and anyplace on the New Jersey side of the Hudson.

Incidentally, there are two Light Rail stops (for service to/from Hoboken) within just a few minutes' walk from Candlewood Suites: Harsimus Cove, and Harborside Financial Center. (As I recall, these two stops are more or less equidistant from Candlewood.)

Ok so I would have to go into Hobeken and then head to Exchange Place?

Yes.

Coming back from Manhattan: When you come out of the PATH station at Hoboken, walk to the south end of the Hoboken rail terminal to the Light Rail platforms (just past track 18 in Hoboken terminal), and take the Light Rail to Exchange Place.

According to the article linked by "Love the beach," above, NJ Transit will be cross-honoring PATH tickets, so you will not have to purchase a separate ticket for the Light Rail.

That's a bummer! I can't believe that I actually might be affected by this on 9/6 to 9/7. We'll have to collect more info and start a separate thread to let folks know.

Carol ~

As I understand it, PATH service between midtown Manhattan (33rd Street) and Hoboken won't be affected, nor will service between the World Trade Center and Hoboken. You can travel between Hoboken and Bayonne on the Light Rail system, so it will still be a seamless trip between midtown and Bayonne (allowing for the walk between the Hoboken PATH station and the Hoboken Light Rail platforms).

timetraveler ~

I routinely take the Tube between Heathrow and central London with luggage--but my luggage invariably weighs considerably less than 50 pounds.

So... Yes, it is entirely feasible. But with a 50-pound bag and a bad back, I'd think twice. (My back tends to be a bit dodgy as it is; I wouldn't risk it with that sort of weight.)

But if you feel able to do it... Yes, take the Underground from Heathrow to Green Park, and change there to the Jubilee Line to Waterloo.

Here's a handy-dandy map showing Underground stations where you can avoid stairs:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/avoiding-stairs-tube-guide.pdf

According to the description for Green Park (scroll down to page 9), there is "Lift access between street and platform." I assume that means that it is possible to take a lift or series of lifts between the Piccadilly Line and the Jubilee Line (the trains on these two lines use different platforms), but I'm not absolutely certain about that. (It's been ages since I've changed trains at Green Park.) This video shows that there are a considerable number of stairs involved in changing trains, but perhaps the person who shot the video had no need to use the lifts (if any):

At Waterloo Station, you definitely can get from the Jubilee Line platform to the street-level exit using a lift or escalator. From there, it's a very short walk to the Premier Inn.

Theresa~

Just a quick note (to throw another spanner [=wrench] into the works):

Although the idea of renting a (self-catering) cottage is a very good one, in practice almost all such rentals are by the week, usually Saturday to Saturday. I'm not sure if you'd be able to find a property that would allow you to rent for just three days.

For a short-term (3-day) day stay, a nice B&B would probably work very well for you, giving you all the comforts of home in someone else's home.

As for where that should be located... I've got lots of ideas of my own, but don't want to confuse you any further. But bear in mind that distances are relatively short by North American standards. You don't necessarily need to base yourself in the absolute center of your touring radius.

If you want to base yourself in the Cotswolds, the following websites might give you some useful ideas:

http://www.the-cotswolds.org/top/english/intro.php

http://www.cotswolds.com/accommodation/bed-breakfast

http://www.cotswolds.info/

Cheers,

PC

Theresa~

Excellent advice, as always, from John Bull and Twickenham.

I'll just supplement JB's itinerary with one of my own, generally along the same route or at least going in the same general directions as his but deviating from it in a few respects. (You can easily pick and choose individual places from either itinerary and mix-and-match to suit your own interests.)

Friday: Disembark Southampton, pick up rental car. Drive to Salisbury by way of the New Forest as suggested by John Bull. Stop for lunch at a pub in the New Forest? In Salisbury, visit cathedral. Stay overnight in Salisbury. (Plenty of B&B's, etc.)

Saturday: Visit Stonehenge (unless you've already visited it later in the day on Friday). Drive west on the A30 through Shaftesbury (picturesque small town famously used in films, tv, and calendars) to Sherborne (very pretty little town; see Sherborne Abbey and Sherborne Castle (not the Old Castle--ca. 1100s--but the New Castle [Elizabethan manor house, ca. 1600, home of Sir Walter Raleigh]). Lunch in Sherborne or perhaps Cerne Abbas (very pretty village just south of Sherborne; home of the Cerne Abbas Giant; several nice pubs for lunch). Then drive northward to Bath. Stay overnight in Bath. (Tons of B&B's, Olde-Worlde hotels, etc. though they can fill up quickly at this time of year--especially during a bank holiday weekend--so book well in advance!)

Sunday: Drive to the Cotswolds (perhaps by way of Bradford-on-Avon—one of my favorite towns in this area, a short drive from Bath) and/or Laycock (very quaint Ye Olde Worlde-y National Trust village used as a setting in many films and tv programs). Leisurely drive through the Cotswolds. (Cotswold Eagle probably can advise on best route and places to see/ stop for lunch, etc.) Overnight somewhere in the Cotswolds. (Lots of small towns & villages with more B&B's than you can shake a stick at. Winchcombe, Broadway, Chipping Campden, & many others...)

Monday: Perhaps drive around the Cotswolds some more then head to Windsor Castle. Tour Windsor Castle. Then... personally, I would drop the car at Heathrow as advised by JB and take public transport (or perhaps a car service) from there to your hotel in London. You really do not want to be driving into London if you can help it.

I also like Twickenham's idea of renting a cottage for three nights and using that as your base. Alternatively, you could base yourself at a B&B or small hotel in one town or village and still drive to many of the places in this itinerary. The use of a single base might make the most sense given that this will be a bank holiday weekend.

If you don't already have one, order a good British road atlas--indispensable for planning a trip such as this (or just for browsing and dreaming about such trips:)).

Cheers,

PC

Jonathan ~

Yes, as Carol (138east) says, these are definitely the nicest, most upscale hotels in the area. I've not stayed in any of them, but am very familiar with the Jersey City waterfront neighborhoods where they are located, and with the immediate surroundings.

Here's a brief video showing a glimpse of of the Westin, which is located right across the street from a pleasant marina. (And there's a fancy restaurant on the marina property.)

And here's the Hyatt Regency and environs:

Another view of the Hyatt--as seen from the Hudson, starting at about 2:45 into this video:

(Yes, that's Bill Miller you hear at around 3:00.)

The W in Hoboken is also top-of-the-line, but further from Cape Liberty.

Note: All these hotels are very close to the NJ Transit Light Rail line that runs to the entrance of the Cape Liberty complex in Bayonne--an easy trip if you're traveling light.

Hope this is helpful.

Cheers,

PC

5onadime ~

First of all... I'm delighted to encounter someone on these boards who is so keen to walk so much in London. You're a person after my own heart. London is a city made for walking; the best way to "learn" and absorb the place is on foot, not from the top of a HoHo bus or from the London Eye!

And I like the itinerary you've mapped out.:)

Having said that... I think you'll find this a wee bit ambitious for your first day there, having just landed a transatlantic flight.

A few points to add to what's already been said by other posters, or to reinforce some of the points they've made:

-- I doubt you'll get to Paddington by 9:30. Depending on which terminal you arrive at, you may have to do a considerable amount of walking inside the terminal just to get from the plane to Immigration. (Sometimes it feels like miles and miles, at least in terminal 3.:() By the time you've passed through Immigration, collected your luggage, "freshened up," and gotten onto the Heathrow Express train, it may already be 9:30 or later.

-- It's almost impossible to do a "quick peek" inside St. Paul's. The cathedral really requires at least a good hour or more. The same goes for the Globe (perhaps to a lesser extent) and Westminster Abbey. All of these places offer a lot to absorb--particularly St. Paul's and the abbey.

-- With all due respect to the Duke of Wellington, I'd probably skip Apsley House, given the ambitiousness of your itinerary. (Personally, I'd be sleepwalking by the time I got there. But I'm not a teenager any more.:D)

But yes--go for as much as you can. Just remember to look Right before you cross the street.:eek:

Thank You Post Captain, you are a wonderful fount of Cruise Ship film and television information. I would love to watch that Ghost Whisperer episode, I love that the character's name is Mr. Rogo. Poseidon Adventure is one of my all-time favorite films.

 

I bet that Mark Perry lecture was terrific, I love those ship lecturers, Bill Miller is my favorite.

 

I have often wondered about the derivation of your CC handle. I imagine it is a nod to the rank in the Royal Navy. It is a great Cruise Critic name with the double-entendre of 'Posting' replies. Nice to chat with you, have often read your comments on the Cunard boards. Now, I hope I can track down this Ghost Whisperer episode somehow, that twenty-three second teaser has aroused my curiosity...

 

Jonathan

Many thanks for the kudos, Jonathan. Very kind of you to characterize me as "a font of information"; most people just say that my head is stuffed full of useless knowledge.:D

"Post Captain" is a nod to Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin novels; it's the title of the second book in the series, in which Jack Aubrey, biding his time ashore without a naval assignment, seeks to be appointed to the command of a ship in Royal Navy while attempting to work his way out of various romantic difficulties and trying to avoid debtors prison.;)

As you no doubt know, in the Napoleonic era a Royal Navy officer could have the rank of captain without actually having a ship to command--in which case, that captain was on half-pay and in something of a dead-end position, a captain in name only. Such captains generally were forced to beg the Admiralty for a ship, often without success. If and when a such a captain was finally given command of a ship, his name was "posted" on the official Admiralty list of active captains, and thus he moved into a more desirable and active position in the navy, with the possibility of moving up to the command of larger ships and eventually becoming an admiral.

But yes--I was taken by the double-entendre when choosing my CC moniker. However, any similarity between Jack Aubrey and myself lies mainly in our efforts to avoid debtors prison.:D

Apparently, we'll be finding a different brand of body lotion, shower gel, soap, shampoo and conditioner in our staterooms soon..

 

"...Queen Elizabeth is the first of Cunard’s ships to offer the Quercus products, which will be introduced to Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2 in the summer of 2014. In response to passenger testing, shower gel and shampoo will be supplied in larger sizes, while body lotion and conditioner will be in smaller bottles. Soaps will also be provided and all items will be replenished as required..." copied from http://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/cunard-line-adds-quercus-amenities-penhaligons-44496

 

Salacia

The Penhaligon Quercus toiletries were already in place on Queen Elizabeth's transatlantic crossing a few weeks ago--and very nice they were indeed!:)