Cotswold Eagle

As a seasoned international traveller, I am surprised the previous two posters have been quite so blasé. To me, it seems pretty tight, with risks over which you have little control (and that may not be insurable). A delay through the sea locks into Amsterdam or retrieving bags at Barcelona could make life difficult. What's Plan B?

The time of arrival and departure of the two ships are not relevant - it's what time you can get off in Amsterdam (and do you know if you would be disembarking at the passenger terminal in the centre of Amsterdam or out at Ijmuiden) and the 'all aboard' time in Barcelona. I would expect both those to squeeze your window.

Looking at a random date next week, the only feasible flights seem to be the 1025 KLM or 1030 Vueling. If you are off the ship with your luggage by 0730 they are possible, but earlier than usually suggested here. 

14 hours ago, John Bull said:

Altho those Advance tickets are "no changes, no refunds",

This is a common misconception, oft reinforced on these boards. 
 

Advance tickets are changeable until time of departure of the booked train, for a £10 fee and change of fare to an available one for the service one now wishes to travel on. 

First, just to be clear, you mean the Millennium Gloucester Hotel on Gloucester ROAD in Kensington, London right? The American habit of dropping the last part of an address, which has now infected the actual name of this hotel, can really backfire in Europe - in this case, the title of the thread reads as if you are going to Gloucester, a town almost 100 miles from London. 
 

This one should be a no-brainier. Gloucester Road tube station is right next door and on the direct Piccadilly line from Heathrow. As easy it gets, except you don’t want to take the train, so I’m not really sure why you’re asking 🤣

On 3/16/2024 at 8:19 AM, Sarnia 432 said:

Alesund - 15 Sept 2022 and 27 June 2023

Town is very walkable from the ship

Stairs to Fjellstua viewpoint - 418 steps to the top (or use cable car)

There is no cable car up Mount Aksla in Ålesund. The 418 steps are well worth it for the view, or one can get there by road. 
 

You may have been thinking of Tromso, where there is another cafe also called Fjellstua at the top station of the Fjellheisen cable car? 

5 minutes ago, cruiseaholic78 said:

Maybe this will help.

https://www.space-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Avoiding-Stairs-on-the-Tube2.pdf

Rosalyn

That's very out of date (2011) - not sure why you posted from a third party site. 

The current TfL version is here, or their app (TFL Go) has a host of step free information.

https://content.tfl.gov.uk/step-free-tube-guide-map.pdf

7 hours ago, travelbuds said:

Curious why Elizabeth line picked over Heathrow Express from Paddington to LHR? Thanks.

There's an inexplicable cult of the Elizabeth Line 🤣

It is more expensive than the tube, slower and less comfortable than the HEX, yet it consistently gets recommended. It can get terribly overcrowded, there's nowhere to store luggage and it has one of the worst records in the country for disruption. 

From Paddington (and elsewhere in town), I'm on the HEX every time 😀

I have done it a couple of times when I have wanted to work prior to arrival in Amsterdam (it’s an over four hour journey). Given the convenience of Schipol for central Amsterdam and the timings, it’s harder to make a practical case for the train over flying than it might be for Paris or Brussels.  
 

But if you like trains, care about your travel CO2 emissions or want to “do” the tunnel, why not? It’s not a terrible option 😀

[By the way, the only times I hear “Chunnel” these days seems to be  from North Americans on this board!]

On 2/21/2024 at 4:38 PM, cruisemom42 said:

having visited quite a few of the outlying sites more than once (e.g., Windsor, Stonehenge, etc.), so am more looking for a pretty little town where I can just acclimate, walk around, and enjoy the (perfect, I hope) June weather. 

 

Ideally it should be a place relatively simple to get to from Heathrow and also easy to get to Southampton. Bonus points if there are Roman ruins nearby

9 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

I have visited Portchester castle/Roman fort. I have also visited at least one other Roman fort on the so-called Saxon shore, at Dover (loved the Roman lighthouse there, one of the only ones still extant).

 

Not to mention Caerleon and Caerwent and most of the forts along Hadrian's Wall and the villas already mentioned. And (*ducking further*), Chichester, Silchester, Cirencester, and St. Albans/Verulamium.

I find the contrast between your original post and subsequent ones such that I am no longer sure quite what input you are asking for.... but I hope you find what you are looking for and have a wonderful trip 😀

9 hours ago, John Bull said:

It's in a lovely waterside setting, but I think the only Roman remains are the gatehouse and high perimeter walls

That may be the case, but that still makes it the best preserved Roman fort in Northern Europe. It is hugely important for students of Roman buildings. 

4 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

You know I've made a second career out of visiting far-flung Roman sites

Then I’d boost Portchester Castle, which JB mentioned up thread. Although it is largely Norman and Medieval, it incorporates a remarkably well preserved Roman Fort on the shore. 

That graphic simply shows different places in the city centre, and as gnome12 says, Amsterdam CS is the Central,Station. 

On 2/16/2024 at 12:07 AM, RagnarDanneskjold said:

I think that this is doable, but I normally prefer to be on the safe side and get a later flight. My wife thinks it'll be OK and that we will easily get the 11:50 flight in Amsterdam.

You just have different risk appetites, there is no 'right' answer. There are, however, a few 'wrong' answers in this thread....

Why spend a day on connecting flights (which adds another type of risk)? If the morning flight is outside your tolerance, book one of the late afternoon directs. Take the train to Amsterdam at your leisure and either have a good lunch at the airport or drop your luggage at Centraal Station (there are lockers) and spend a couple of hours in the city. 

We are way off topic (and I apologise to the OP), but I also take the sort of balanced approach that JB describes. Mentioning operators and commenting on the options I think is fine. Plenty of places for folk to get reviews and opinions on t'internet. The key word in that rule is 'recommendations'. 

But in this specific case, which crops up from time to time, I know several of the small number of local guides personally. I know who I would suggest to family and friends, but can understand that CC would not want me to take such a personal view, particularly if I haven't been on their tours, and in a way it would be unfair to those I don't know, who may well be better...

It's not impossible that sooner or later I may fall foul of a further draconian rule too, and have to leave the forum - I'm assuming my volunteer role as a room guide at a local National Trust property doesn't count!

"the participation of Tour Operators, Guides, Drivers, Businesses, Transportation or Taxi Drivers is NOT ALLOWED."

11 minutes ago, Harters said:

Isnt it just travel agents that are banned from mention? I'm sure I've often seen the likes of tour operators, taxi firms and the like mentioned without problem. 

From the Rules for Posting sticky:

Participation of Local Experts in Ports of Call

Locals living in ports of call are encouraged to contribute, as long as their recommendations are general in nature. Those living in ports of call who recommend individual businesses or tour operators/guides will find that their posts have been removed and their posting privileges may be suspended.

There is also a more general rule that one can’t recommend a tour you haven’t been on. 

Excellent! My nest is about 3 miles away, so do ask if you need any local knowledge (although per CC rules I cannot recommend toiur operators). 

On 2/10/2024 at 2:25 PM, John Bull said:

but Cruise Critic has a resident eagle in the Cotswolds,

You called, sir? 😀

Yes, for a short stay MiM (NB it’s Moreton, not Morton) makes a good base - access to the rail network and some local bus services (run by at least two different operators) which would require a degree of careful planning, but can be used for days out. 
 

There are a number of local taxi operators, but these are all driver-owners, there are no taxi firms as such. So best to book in advance, even for short point-to-point journeys, and they will also do tours and airport runs. 
 

There are various more specialist tour operators, using cars or small vans, some of who double up as taxis. Also at least a couple of regular van tours who pick up from trains at MiM, so also convenient if you are staying in MiM. 

3 hours ago, CruiseSter1ing said:

Yes, we have to go through immigration off platform, and then connect to next train.  But that's not that bad.

Have you done this connection before? As I said upthread, it can be a scramble and once when I did it a lot of people were getting very anxious and stressed on a delayed arrival from the Netherlands.
 
You have to check-in, which nominally has to be done at least 30 minutes before departure, clear two passport controls (Schengen outbound, UK inbound) and a luggage scan security check. It’s fine, and probably hundreds of people do it every day, but it’s sometimes not quite as straightforward as you made it sound 😀

On 2/12/2024 at 5:24 PM, Globaliser said:

direct trains (which I think were being introduced independently of the Eurostar/Thalys merger,

Yes, I’m sure this is correct - the critical path was the opening of the (small) Eurostar terminal at Amsterdam, which is what is being replaced later in the year.  

4 hours ago, nho9504 said:

In other words we probably need to use Uber App for the very first time.  Duh.  I have been successful in avoiding using Uber so far so good, due it’s unfair treatments to the drivers and other unethical issues.

That's not what the previous poster said at all, as far as I can see. Taxis take credits cards, Uber needs a valid payment card (Discover is very uncommon in UK). Two separate issues, I think.  😀

I share you attitude to Uber, but they are gradually being forced to address the issues and in some areas are now effectively just a way of getting hold of a licensed taxi. 

I wonder if this thread, particularly the videos previous cruisers posted, might be of some use? 
 

I think you are going to have to work with us a little on this one 😀 What makes a port of call unmissable for some may leave others unmoved. 

What would YOU enjoy or look for? Walking around cities/villages/countryside, historic sites, castles, museums, art galleries, shopping, pubs, restaurants, music, coach tours, HOHO tours, steam railways, lake cruises, etc etc.?  

8 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

I was not aware of that condition.  Can you post a link of where it is shown on the website?

This pops up if you try to book a return to the station

5 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Dear Mods,

Why is this thread in "Other Mediterranean Ports"?

Madeira is NOT in the med.  It is not even close to the Med.

Probably should be moved to "British Isles & Western Europe" (you won't get much more "West" than this!

Or perhaps change the "Spain" sub forum to be "Iberian Penisula and Macaronesia Islands".

Well, that’s where Funchal is listed, along with other Portuguese ports. So now you have prompted it to be moved away from where other threads on the same port reside…. 
 

It’s the same CC logic that puts Le Havre (and ‘Paris’) in the French board, even though that too is a sub of the Mediterranean category. The list of named ports takes precedence over the actual geography. 

5 minutes ago, Harters said:

 

 

 Jersey was the only part of the British Isles occupied by the Germans during World War 2. 

The other Channel Islands might have something to say about that! But I agree, for those interested it is a fascinating (and sometimes troublesome) story.

1 hour ago, dickinson said:

Now it makes sense but not sure why it makes a difference if there is inclement weather. 

There’s a roof over the platforms at Hammersmith 😀