Dover Boarding Challenge/Question

[caviargal]

We are spending a few days in London prior to boarding Ovation later this month.

 

I just learned from our driver that streets in a five block radius of our hotel will be closed from 7:30am on.

 

Our option is to leave by 7am (which puts us in Dover at 9am) or change hotels to be out of the path of the marathon.  Hotels of course are far more expensive now than when I booked 6 months ago.

We have no problem wandering about Dover for a few hours before boarding.  Seabourn is advising we cannot drop luggage this early.

What has been your experience with the earliest we can drop bags?

[Techno123]

If you are there on the day of the London Marathon then it's going to be busy even at 7am so could take longer. There have also been horrific queues getting into Dover this last weekend with coaches queuing for 48hours 😱 so if traffic is snarled up for the ferry ports that impacts access to everything else.

 

Your other option might be to travel to Dover the night before and stay in a hotel down there?

[caviargal]

I decided to avoid London altogether this trip and booked a lovely manor home in the country instead.

 

Thanks!

[Techno123]

17 minutes ago, caviargal said:

I decided to avoid London altogether this trip and booked a lovely manor home in the country instead.

 

Thanks!

If you are near to a train station you could still pop in to London to 'see the sites (or is it sights I'm never sure 😂) if you haven't been before. That's if the train drivers aren't on strike of course.

Edited April 4, 2023 by Techno123

[Mahogany]

My party of 3 is staying at the Seabourn-sponsored hotel The May Fair. I have asked my TA to find out the status of our transfer. Maybe a very early departure and then lunch and a tour on the way to Dover?

[Isklaar]

2 hours ago, caviargal said:

I decided to avoid London altogether this trip and booked a lovely manor home in the country instead.

 

Thanks!

 

Good plan. Dover isn't a nice town, although the castle is very impressive. 

[caviargal]

1 hour ago, Mahogany said:

My party of 3 is staying at the Seabourn-sponsored hotel The May Fair. I have asked my TA to find out the status of our transfer. Maybe a very early departure and then lunch and a tour on the way to Dover?

I looked at that as an option but it just was too forced.  I also learned that there is a mini-marathon the day prior that also will have roads closed.  Not worth it.  I'm happy with my Downton Abbey decision 😄

[Mahogany]

On 4/4/2023 at 3:53 PM, caviargal said:

I looked at that as an option but it just was too forced.  I also learned that there is a mini-marathon the day prior that also will have roads closed.  Not worth it.  I'm happy with my Downton Abbey decision 😄

"forced". Is that a typo? What do you mean?

[caviargal]

14 hours ago, Mahogany said:

"forced". Is that a typo? What do you mean?

Forced meaning that leaving puts us in Dover by 9-9:30am and would necessitate stopping along the way.  We are not interested in doing that just to accommodate the road closures.  I also learned that the day before is a separate mini-marathon, also affecting the hotel we had booked.  Being forced to alter our schedule to accommodate the race did not work for us.  Plan B does.

[DC Traveler244]

On 4/4/2023 at 9:42 AM, Techno123 said:

There have also been horrific queues getting into Dover this last weekend with coaches queuing for 48hours 😱 so if traffic is snarled up for the ferry ports that impacts access to everything else.

 

 

Until I read Techno123's comment, I hadn't been aware of the gridlock that affected the Port of Dover last weekend (and might recur over Easter weekend).  For those of use boarding the Ovation on April 23, it's something to monitor.  

[caviargal]

1 hour ago, DC Traveler244 said:

Until I read Techno123's comment, I hadn't been aware of the gridlock that affected the Port of Dover last weekend (and might recur over Easter weekend).  For those of use boarding the Ovation on April 23, it's something to monitor.  

I don't know how it is possible to monitor something like that in advance.  The UK newspapers said it was holiday related.  I suspect Easter will have similar.  Hopefully we will not.

[Isklaar]

Dover port has been operating normally during the late afternoon today but there were problems this morning. Tomorrow and Saturday will be busier than today for the Easter break, so will have an opportunity to see how well the new measures they have in place are actually working.

 

[DC Traveler244]

3 minutes ago, caviargal said:

I don't know how it is possible to monitor something like that in advance.  The UK newspapers said it was holiday related.  I suspect Easter will have similar.  Hopefully we will not.

I meant that it will be worth checking news reports to see what happens over both Easter weekend and  the following weekend.  If things return to normal over April 15-16, that will be most welcome news.  If gridlock continues April 15-16, I'll likely adjust the timing of our transfer to the ship.

 

It's my understanding that some of the recent traffic congestion is related to the volume of holiday travel, but that ongoing protests in France are also a factor.  That's why I think it's worth checking news reports to see whether problems recur over April 15-16.

 

 

 

 

[Techno123]

13 hours ago, DC Traveler244 said:

I meant that it will be worth checking news reports to see what happens over both Easter weekend and  the following weekend.  If things return to normal over April 15-16, that will be most welcome news.  If gridlock continues April 15-16, I'll likely adjust the timing of our transfer to the ship.

 

It's my understanding that some of the recent traffic congestion is related to the volume of holiday travel, but that ongoing protests in France are also a factor.  That's why I think it's worth checking news reports to see whether problems recur over April 15-16.

 

 

 

 

Not just the French striking because Macron has raised the retirement age from 62 to 64 but also much more in-depth passport checks because of Brexit. Combine that with lots of people going on holiday and you have a perfect storm queue!

 

Generally for everyone transferring to the cruise terminal over the next few weeks, if your driver has local knowledge they may be able to use other local roads rather than the roads leading to the Ferry terminal (I don't know Dover so it may be that isn't possible but worth checking with them) - the locals usually know a back street route to places 😜

Edited April 7, 2023 by Techno123

[Tallante]

Your driver can use the A21 towards Hastings then the across country route going through Rye and Romney.  Very interesting route to take. Try googling it.