Help. Harwich to Copenhagen

[CruisesOnMyMind]

I’m not seeing how this is possible in the timeframe needed.

 

Disembark in Harwich. Ship arrives at 4:00am but I am guessing earliest would be 7:30 to get off the ship, then fly to Copenhagen where we would have to be on the ship by 3:30pm. It leaves at 5:00pm.

 

This would be for May 30th 2015. I can’t seem to find flights that would accommodate this timeframe even when I do mock bookings for any date. Not being familiar with all the different airlines/airports on that side of the pond I was hoping I’m missing something that might fit.

 

Other alternative which we are prepared for, is meet the ship at its first port 2 days later.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

[sverigecruiser]

Probably not possible!

 

The only flight I found with a quick search was BA0814 9.55 from Heathrow but I doubt that it's possible to make that flight even if the ship is on time and you are the first off.

[CruisesOnMyMind]

Probably not possible!

 

The only flight I found with a quick search was BA0814 9.55 from Heathrow but I doubt that it's possible to make that flight even if the ship is on time and you are the first off.

 

Yes that is what I was getting out of it too. If there was a flight around 11:00am it might work, but not seeing anything either.

 

I guess we'll be flying to Stockholm 2 days later. Bright side is I'll get to see some of London and bit more of Stockholm from the airport to the port.

 

Thank you very much for your help.

[Twickenham]

First, let's deal with your 2 assumptions:

 

Disembark in Harwich. Ship arrives at 4:00am but I am guessing earliest would be 7:30 to get off the ship

 

Verify this. Depending on where your last stop is prior to disembarkation, you may have little to no formalities to go thru in Harwich. Others who have disembarked here or other UK ports can shed more light on this, but my guess would be that you could be off the ship as early as 5 am.

 

then fly to Copenhagen where we would have to be on the ship by 3:30pm. It leaves at 5:00pm.

 

The "onboard 90 minutes before departure thing" (actually a requirement to be checked in, a subtle but important difference) is, I'm pretty sure, a US homeland security requirement. Again, verify exactly when you need to be at the dock to be able to board.

 

The 2 possibilities I have seen that might allow you to make this:

 

-A 7:30 flight to ZRH out of LCY (a much smaller airport with a tighter check-in window), connecting to a CPH flight arriving at 2:05 pm. The connection is 2 hours, so easy to make;

 

-They don't have flights listed yet for your dates, but EasyJet have a LGW-CPH flight listed on Saturdays up to the end of March, departing at 10:50 am and arriving at 1:40 pm. Now LGW is a good 2 hours from Harwich, but the flight is non-stop and the times give you some wiggle-room at either end.

[Gardyloo]

Easyjet also flies to Copenhagen from Stansted (STN) which is the closest major airport to Harwich. Unfortunately at least this year, their two daily flights leave at 7 AM, too early for you to make, and 3:15 PM, too late arriving in CPH.

 

Note that in addition to a 1+ hour flight time, there's a 1 hour time change too, and Kastrup (CPH) isn't exactly downtown. You will also need to go through Danish/Schengen border controls and customs.

[scottbee]

First, let's deal with your 2 assumptions:

 

 

 

Verify this. Depending on where your last stop is prior to disembarkation, you may have little to no formalities to go thru in Harwich. Others who have disembarked here or other UK ports can shed more light on this, but my guess would be that you could be off the ship as early as 5 am.

 

 

 

The "onboard 90 minutes before departure thing" (actually a requirement to be checked in, a subtle but important difference) is, I'm pretty sure, a US homeland security requirement. Again, verify exactly when you need to be at the dock to be able to board.

 

The 2 possibilities I have seen that might allow you to make this:

 

-A 7:30 flight to ZRH out of LCY (a much smaller airport with a tighter check-in window), connecting to a CPH flight arriving at 2:05 pm. The connection is 2 hours, so easy to make;

 

-They don't have flights listed yet for your dates, but EasyJet have a LGW-CPH flight listed on Saturdays up to the end of March, departing at 10:50 am and arriving at 1:40 pm. Now LGW is a good 2 hours from Harwich, but the flight is non-stop and the times give you some wiggle-room at either end.

 

I'll offer up this as an option; via Amsterdam from Norwich (north of Harwich); but you'd need to haul to get to Norwich in time

 

KL1506 NWI 0940-1135 AMS

KL1129 AMS 1240-1400 CPH

 

Alternately, Easyjet have a flight from SEN/Southend to AMS; SEN 0730-0930 AMS ; which could also connect to the above flight. SEN is the nearest airport to Harwich....

 

In terms of trying to make this, you need to rid your brain of Heathrow and Gatwick, which are the wrong side of London, and instead look at

SEN/Southend, STN/London Stansted, LTN/London Luton maybe LCY/London City

[alidor]

Set up a private transfer from Harwich to Heathrow and take a flight from there.

[kenish]

Instead of boarding the second cruise late, is leaving the first cruise early a better option? Since you provide no details, I'm not sure if the firse one is a Europe cruise or a Transatlantic.

[cruising cockroach]

Set up a private transfer from Harwich to Heathrow and take a flight from there.

 

110+ miles of which over 50 are on the M25....

 

Not sure if a Saturday would help any....

[fbgd]

This is why Netjets was invented.

 

I was going to suggest following Gardyloo's recommendation of U2 ex-STN but according to Wikipedia that service is ending in a few months.

[scottbee]

This is why Netjets was invented.

 

I was going to suggest following Gardyloo's recommendation of U2 ex-STN but according to Wikipedia that service is ending in a few months.

 

U2/Easyjet are just moving their service down the road to LTN/London Luton. Still easier than LGW or LHR, but the problem is the timing of the flights; only flight on a Sat leaves at 07:40

[alcpa1]

You do have to be onboard 90 minutes prior to sail away in Copenhagen.

The new cruise terminal is a little farther out but if you are arriving later in the day that should not be a problem. We disembarked there in May and it was mayhem.

C & I at CPH is relatively fast but it also depends on the number of flights arriving around your optimum arrival time. There are cabs within fifty feet of the exit (vans for more than three are a little farther away - but not much.)

If you can find an alternate airport closer to Harwich it would still be an iffy proposition if the least little bit went awry. There's nothing wrong with a few days in London but Copenhagen has great charm as well if your next to last port is prior to a sea day.

It is far easier to board after official embarkation in Europe than it is in the US. A simple call to your cruise line will clarify any questions.

I hope this also helps.

[waterbug123]

Instead of boarding the second cruise late, is leaving the first cruise early a better option? Since you provide no details, I'm not sure if the firse one is a Europe cruise or a Transatlantic.

 

I was wondering the same thing. If it's not a transatlantic, where is the last port prior to Harwich? Maybe get off there, spend a night if necessary and then flight to CPH. Or take a train. Or rent a car. Lots of potential options....

[CruisesOnMyMind]

Thank you for all the input and I can see I need to provide more information and gather more information myself.

 

We will be getting off the Brilliance of the Seas May 30th and hopefully boarding Serenade of the Seas the same day. Even though the Serenade is a shorten version of what we have just done on the Brilliance, it's the Arctic cruise to follow that is the appeal. We were going to spend 7 days between London and Copenhagen but decided we rather be on the ship.

 

Before the Brilliance docks in Harwich, it's last port is Visby Sweden followed by 2 days at sea.

 

If we join the Serenade it has one sea day after sailing out of Harwich and docks in Stockholm.

 

I am going to try and find out what a realalistic time is to disembark in Harwich and if we have to abide by the 90min ruling of being on the ship before sailing. I can see where this is very important information.

 

Sounds like EasyJet might be a possibility. Once I have this information I will post it here.

Edited August 14, 2014 by CruisesOnMyMind

[UKBayern]

Thank you for all the input and I can see I need to provide more information and gather more information myself.

 

We will be getting off the Brilliance of the Seas May 30th and hopefully boarding Serenade of the Seas the same day. Even though the Serenade is a shorten version of what we have just done on the Brilliance, it's the Arctic cruise to follow that is the appeal. We were going to spend 7 days between London and Copenhagen but decided we rather be on the ship.

 

Before the Brilliance docks in Harwich, it's last port is Visby Sweden followed by 2 days at sea.

 

If we join the Serenade it has one sea day after sailing out of Harwich and docks in Stockholm.

 

I am going to try and find out what a realalistic time is to disembark in Harwich and if we have to abide by the 90min ruling of being on the ship before sailing. I can see where this is very important information.

 

Sounds like EasyJet might be a possibility. Once I have this information I will post it here.

 

With all these tight connections, you realize Murphy will be lurking around the corner? One little hick up and your whole trip is ruined.

 

How about asking RCL if you can disembark in Visby? SAS flies to Copenhagen via Stockholm from there, or since you have 2 days, you could take the ferry to the Swedish mainland and go to Copenhagen from there. Since Visby is so small, there might be an issue with no customs/passport control being available though.

 

If you want to embark or disembark at another port, always make sure to have written approval.

Edited August 15, 2014 by UKBayern