Dover transfers

[tufbuf]

Hello! Has anyone used a private vehicle for transport from Dover to Heathrow before? The N Europe cruise will have the Magic docked in Dover at 930 am, am wondering if a 1235 pm flight is doable. Thanks!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Hello! Has anyone used a private vehicle for transport from Dover to Heathrow before? The N Europe cruise will have the Magic docked in Dover at 930 am, am wondering if a 1235 pm flight is doable. Thanks!

That flight with travel and security is not doable, the ship may be in earlier but some of the Magic cruises did come in at 9.30 in 2010 re high tides. You must allow one and a half hours to drive from Dover to Heathrow Dover is in Kent the south east of England Heathrow to West London you should miss rush hour traffic. So you could get to Heathrow at 11 am. Now they recommend arrival for transatlantics between four and two hours, so your already within check in time on arrival, a traffic jan on the M20 orM25 ( motorways / freeways) and there common there and you have missed your flight. Enhanced security will take about thirty minutes and depending on your terminal a long walk to your gate. Gatwick airport is far better it's closer to Dover and skims little of London.

 

[Pens Fan]

We are on that same cruise. I contacted DCL and was told that they advise flights of 3:15 or later. As we are using frequent flyer miles to obtain the tickets and our options were somewhat limited, no flights that late were available. We decided to spend the night in London, instead, and are flying out the next morning. Extra day of vacation!!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We are on that same cruise. I contacted DCL and was told that they advise flights of 3:15 or later. As we are using frequent flyer miles to obtain the tickets and our options were somewhat limited, no flights that late were available. We decided to spend the night in London, instead, and are flying out the next morning. Extra day of vacation!!

I would say that is a very very good idea.

Yes most Trans Atlantic flights leave in the morning from London to get to the USA, and then fly back overnight to us arriving back early morning, is is because Heathrow is closed midnight to 6am.

You need a good three hours to check in and go through security and to your gate, yes you can do it quicker if it was a European flight I would cut down the time but really you need min of three hours at the airport as a buffet zone and check in will open four hours pre flight.

Dover to Heathrow is circa 90 mins on a good day without hold ups, and Gatwick is about 75 mins on a good day. Commuters use the motorways every day one car crash will cause massive talkbacks. So the times posted are best times it can be far far worst.

I think I will get back home in 75 mins from Dover,

Now when they say 9.30 disembarkation do not think ahhh they say that but it will be 7am.

One of the four 2010 Baltic cruises into Dover came in at 9.30am due to high tides! I guess maybe there is a chance they will be in at 7am, mine disembarked from 7am but do not bet on it!!! There was a late change which caught people out in 2010 so do not book flights close to arrival time.

 

[chiburple]

I had the same question, but with a 2:10 pm departure. I know Disney says 3:15, but that seems overly conservative, even if accounting for traffic. Even if I leave the ship 9:30 (I think it will be 7:30), and get on the bus at 10, two hours to Hethrow means I get to the airport at noon. Am I being overly adventurous? My cruise is 2016.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I had the same question, but with a 2:10 pm departure. I know Disney says 3:15, but that seems overly conservative, even if accounting for traffic. Even if I leave the ship 9:30 (I think it will be 7:30), and get on the bus at 10, two hours to Hethrow means I get to the airport at noon. Am I being overly adventurous? My cruise is 2016.

The Dover website reports this Friday's in at 8 am ( I think earlier with reports on board of 2am I think 7 am. ) The 7/22 and 8/3 Dover shows as 5 am arrival that looks correct.

Two hours to Heathrow is normally OK. We have a round of Tube strikes from Wednesday evening and all day Thursday when that occurs traffic will slow down, they may repeat in following weeks, talks on to try to avert them.

Rail : Southern (Gatwick) Has rail strikes starting with an overtime van on the 10th, and Great Western out of Paddington to the west have strikes, they also will throw more traffic on the roads.

 

[paddles]

The N Europe cruise will have the Magic docked in Dover at 930 am, am wondering if a 1235 pm flight is doable. Thanks!

tufbuf - we're on the cruise leaving July 22nd, and we booked a flight that leaves at 3:15pm. I was really sad because there is a direct flight from London to Austin that leaves at 11:30, but I didn't want to count on the boat getting in early. So, now we're on a connecting flight through Dallas and will get home VERY late when we get back. But better safe than sorry!

Are you on a Baltic cruise this summer? I'm so jealous of your Norway pictures!! What a great summer you're having!

 

[Sotong]

Dover is all over the news at the minute with heightened security at the ports and queueing into Dover ferry ports due to issues with illegal immigrants coming in from France.
This may not affect the cruise ports or exiting the area rather than arriving, but I wouldn't risk it!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-33384744
The BBC website will also give you travel news although not much use until you arrive in port. Gillian

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Dover is all over the news at the minute with heightened security at the ports and queueing into Dover ferry ports due to issues with illegal immigrants coming in from France.
This may not affect the cruise ports or exiting the area rather than arriving, but I wouldn't risk it!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-33384744
The BBC website will also give you travel news although not much use until you arrive in port. Gillian

Yes I posted another thread on that at the weekend Dover and London issues, the current situation on the roads is OK but can change back.

 

[tufbuf]

tufbuf - we're on the cruise leaving July 22nd, and we booked a flight that leaves at 3:15pm. I was really sad because there is a direct flight from London to Austin that leaves at 11:30, but I didn't want to count on the boat getting in early. So, now we're on a connecting flight through Dallas and will get home VERY late when we get back. But better safe than sorry!

Are you on a Baltic cruise this summer? I'm so jealous of your Norway pictures!! What a great summer you're having!

We will be on the same cruise!! We actually booked the ABD on that cruise as well but I couldn't justify the cost, so we canceled.

We just booked a flight out the next day. We're spending an extra day in London and check out Buckingham Palace... while the royals are out...

 

[paddles]

We will be on the same cruise!! We actually booked the ABD on that cruise as well but I couldn't justify the cost, so we canceled.

that's awesome! I hope we have a chance to run into one another on the cruise!

I'm sure you've seen my other posts about the ABD add-on. It is expensive, but I am looking forward to not having to plan a trip with all our other world travel this year!

 

[tufbuf]

I'm sure to see the ABD group. We always see them getting on or off the ship from our veranda.