London to Dover and Back

[Fauntlej]

Given the difficulty I had finding good information about getting to Dover and embarking and debarking on the ship I decided to post an update on what happened on my cruise. 

 

My DH and I flew into London Heathrow. Customs was so quick now that they do facial recognition off your passport. Too bad baggage claim took so long. We had decided to spend a day or two in Dover before getting on the ship. So we took the Underground to Kings Cross and caught a train at St. Pancreas Station. This was very simple. We picked up an Oyster card at the airport so we could use the Underground and it was waiting sitting on the track when we got to the station. Side note, if you decide you want to use the Elizabeth Line you can take that (nicer trip) but you will have to get off and change to the Underground to get to Kings Cross. Or you can get off at Euston Station and walk about 3 blocks to St. Pancreas Station. Elizabeth Line is about 11 lbs and Tube is about 7 lbs.

 

We booked tickets ahead of time on the Southeastern Train Line to Dover. We booked early and cost us about 50 lbs for two of us in one direction, over 100 lbs roundtrip.  This is a commuter train so if you miss the train you can catch the next one with the same ticket. Some trains are fast and take an hour, others are slow and take 2 hrs and you must change trains. You can stand if there are no seats. You should realize that there are steps with the Underground if you chose the Elizabeth. So be prepared to carry your own luggage. Once at Dover we caught a taxi to our hotel. 

 

Note: It would have been easier to catch the Carnival Bus from the airport if we arrived the same day as embarkation, but significantly more expensive. And we wanted to spend time in Dover. 

 

We stayed at the Best Western, but there are several hotels and some small B&Bs that you can spend the night. One the day of embarkation we were scheduled for the 1:30 slot. We prefer to go later so we can go straight to our room and drop our stuff off before lunch. Our hotel stored our luggage until we left and we went to the town museum before we left. Quite nice and very interesting. We called a taxi when it was time to go and cheaper than the taxi from the train station at 8.5 lbs. 

 

Coming back was pretty easy. We wanted to spend a day in London, so we took the train back. I would advise taking the Carnival bus to the airport if you are flying out the same day because training it can take more than 3 hours (train and tube). We had roundtrip train tickets and just got on the first train to London. Be aware not all trains stop at St. Pancreas coming back to London, though all go to one or more of the London terminals. If you don't go to St. Pancreas, realize you will need to take the Underground to Kings Cross to get to Heathrow. You may be able to catch the Elizabeth Line at one of those terminals but we didn't plan on doing that. 

 

They start embarking as soon as the ship clears customs, which was 5:15AM on our cruise. They really want you off the ship as quickly as possible. There are busses already out there for the airport and the train station. Cost to train station is 10 lbs. As soon as a bus fills, they leave and a new one pulls up. 

Breakfast begins at 5:00 (Continental) and 5:30 (buffet) and you have to be out of the room by 8:00. They have express debarkation or you can check your luggage same as any other port. We took our luggage off and hopped on a shuttle to the train and off we went. 

Hopefully this info will help if you are planning a Dover embarkation. 

 

Yours,

Julie

[Fauntlej]

Forgot to mention that the cost of the shuttle to the train is 10 euro/$10/10 lbs. Cash only, so if you have at least one of those you are good to go. 

 

Julie

[phabric]

I took International Friends from Dover to my London hotel.  If staying in London, a great way to see another part of Britain and being dropped off at the door of certain London hotel.

 

They go on embarkment and disembarkment days from/to certain London hotels, LHR hotels, Southampton and Dover.

 

I have taken them from Dover and Southampton to my London hotel.

 

www.internationalfriends.co.uk

[awesome grandma]

I didn’t realize there was a shuttle from the ship to the train station! Are reservations needed or do you just walk out to the shuttle and pay upon entering the shuttle? Do you know if there is also a shuttle on arrival from the Dover Priory Train Station to the ship?

[Fauntlej]

You just walk out the door of the terminal and up to the bus, pay the money and get one. There are signs so you can't miss it. It's 10 dollars/euros/or pounds as long as its in cash. No there is no shuttle from the train station to the boat, but there are usually taxies waiting outside when a train arrives.