July 22, 2015 * 12-night Northern European Cruise!

[lmb80129]

DCL used The Chancery Court hotel in Holborn in 2010 centrally located and easy to get to.

I would say firstly ask which airport are you coming into? As that will help decide location for the hotel.

If say you come into Gatwick I would say

• Victoria.
• London Bridge/ Tower Hill.

As both have connections by train to the airport and also Dover by train.

If you come into Heathrow, maybe West London,

• Kensington
• I would say Paddington but see below.
• Lancaster Gate
• Expensive, Park Lane, Dorchester, Mayfair,
• Holborn if you will use the tube, Piccadilly line.

The coach transfer organised in this group leaves hotels in the County Hall area,


Avoid

Due to major construction work on Crossrail Europe's biggest infrastructure project an West> East Rail tunnel that is under construction now and until 2018

Avoid

Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road. Farringdon, Liverpool street, Canary Wharf.

These all have major access holes for stations and lots of construction traffic.

Cheaper often overlooked.

Try Stratford Westfield.

You may know it as the home of London 2012 Olympics and the Queen Elizabeth park, there are new hotels there and as the games have gone good rates and ten minutes to London by Tube.

If you say an area or a hotel i might be able to check it out for you, I travel around all of London all of the time a different place each day.

Thank you so much for your suggestions! I'm pretty sure that we are coming into Heathrow and will rely on the tube for getting around.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Thank you so much for your suggestions! I'm pretty sure that we are coming into Heathrow and will rely on the tube for getting around.

Kensington area is best then, nice hotels there.

 

[DisneyConvert]

Kensington area is best then, nice hotels there.

I would guess I am writing for more than a few in expressing my gratitude for your suggestions and experience . . .

A University friend of my wife's, who lives in the Harringay area (north of King's Cross and the Arsenal/Emirates Stadium), has offered their home for our 4+ day visit before the cruise. I am wondering if the location disadvantage(s) outweigh the substantial savings as we were also considering a Marriott (we have lots of points) closer to Central London.

I see that the location is not far from a Tube stop on the Piccadily Line (we're flying into Heathrow) and for the Lb's we will save, we can take many taxi's to/from our various locations (Speaker's Corner, Parliament, Harry Potter tour, Bruneul Museum, etc.) during our visit.

Since you "travel all around London constantly" (and occasionally find time to post to the DisBoards ), I would welcome your thoughts on the Harringay residential community.

Thank you!

Doug

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I would guess I am writing for more than a few in expressing my gratitude for your suggestions and experience . . .

A University friend of my wife's, who lives in the Harringay area (north of King's Cross and the Arsenal/Emirates Stadium), has offered their home for our 4+ day visit before the cruise. I am wondering if the location disadvantage(s) outweigh the substantial savings as we were also considering a Marriott (we have lots of points) closer to Central London.

I see that the location is not far from a Tube stop on the Piccadily Line (we're flying into Heathrow) and for the Lb's we will save, we can take many taxi's to/from our various locations (Speaker's Corner, Parliament, Harry Potter tour, Bruneul Museum, etc.) during our visit.

Since you "travel all around London constantly" (and occasionally find time to post to the DisBoards ), I would welcome your thoughts on the Harringay residential community.

Thank you!

Doug

Doug that is a truly wonderful offer to you there. I know that part of London very very well.

So I think their in the Wood Green, Turnpike Lane, Manor House area.

Now direct and honest reply " as it is" I have worked in that area, I love it, there are great communities there. Normally I wouldn't recommend it as a tourist base and I will explain that in a moment or so.

As you say it's well located it has the fast and frequent Piccadilly line that goes to Heathrow your talking 90 mins travel there, but to Central London say twenty mins from that area. At Finsbury Park you can change for another line the Victoria line for a different fast route to Central London.

There are main line links as well.

Also on transport the Piccadilly connects at St Pancras, for high speed trains to Dover.

Now the slightly negative bit, as said I love the area, there is a perceived increase in crime in that area and I therefore do not recommend it for tourists staying in hotels in that area. I think it's generally safe, but I think staying out late at night is an increased risk. Do not do anything stupid, do not flash the cash, or have cell phones on display at night, if staying out late get a official taxi.

Now overall it's no worse than any other suburban district of a major city, but it's one weakness is the crime, with a couple of major riots starting over the years in this area in Tottenham.

There are mixed communities in close proximity there, Muslim, Greek, Othordox Jew, Turkish, and Afro Caribbean, a very diverse part of London loverly communities. Finsbury Park has a Gay pride festival in it's park in June each year.

I worked there I didn't have any issue, good transport easy and fast to London, I if offered would take up the offer but go in eyes open and see it as it is and be streetwise.

 

[abayaflowers]

DCL used The Chancery Court hotel in Holborn in 2010 centrally located and easy to get to.

I would say firstly ask which airport are you coming into? As that will help decide location for the hotel.

If say you come into Gatwick I would say


[*]Victoria.
[*]London Bridge/ Tower Hill.


As both have connections by train to the airport and also Dover by train.

If you come into Heathrow, maybe West London,


[*]Kensington
[*]I would say Paddington but see below.
[*]Lancaster Gate
[*]Expensive, Park Lane, Dorchester, Mayfair,
[*]Holborn if you will use the tube, Piccadilly line.


The coach transfer organised in this group leaves hotels in the County Hall area,

Avoid

Due to major construction work on Crossrail Europe's biggest infrastructure project an West> East Rail tunnel that is under construction now and until 2018

Avoid

Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road. Farringdon, Liverpool street, Canary Wharf.

These all have major access holes for stations and lots of construction traffic.

Cheaper often overlooked.

Try Stratford Westfield.

You may know it as the home of London 2012 Olympics and the Queen Elizabeth park, there are new hotels there and as the games have gone good rates and ten minutes to London by Tube.

If you say an area or a hotel i might be able to check it out for you, I travel around all of London all of the time a different place each day.

Thanks for the tips. What area is County Hall? I was searching on TripAdvisor, but they don't have that listed.

Thank you for the great ideas!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Thanks for the tips. What area is County Hall? I was searching on TripAdvisor, but they don't have that listed.

Thank you for the great ideas!

County hall was the London authority in the last like the local council for London, it has moved this area is now a hotel.

The closest famous places on the Southbank of the Thames are Waterloo main line railway station and the London eye.

It is opposite Westminster on the Northbank.

 

[abayaflowers]

County hall was the London authority in the last like the local council for London, it has moved this area is now a hotel.

The closest famous places on the Southbank of the Thames are Waterloo main line railway station and the London eye.

It is opposite Westminster on the Northbank.

Perfect! Thank you! I am searching right now.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Perfect! Thank you! I am searching right now.

Great ask anything.....

 

[abayaflowers]

County hall was the London authority in the last like the local council for London, it has moved this area is now a hotel.

The closest famous places on the Southbank of the Thames are Waterloo main line railway station and the London eye.

It is opposite Westminster on the Northbank.

We are planning to rent an apartment flat in the area. Would you be able to tell me which hotels the bus which will be picking those who have signed up for the transfer to Dover?

Thank you!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We are planning to rent an apartment flat in the area. Would you be able to tell me which hotels the bus which will be picking those who have signed up for the transfer to Dover?

Thank you!

Re the Bus transfer, Paul and Celestine will answer that on their return from their holiday in the USA at this time, but they normally suggest The County Hall area which is near the London Eye.

 

[abayaflowers]

Re the Bus transfer, Paul and Celestine will answer that on their return from their holiday in the USA at this time, but they normally suggest The County Hall area which is near the London Eye.

Thank you!

 

[Andrew2005]

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to say hello - we're booked on the cruise next year too

It's our first cruise of any sort! We're looking forward to getting some disney magic without having to get on a plane!

There's 7 of us going on the trip - Me (Andrew), Mum (Olive), Dad (Will), Brother (Paul), Sister-in-Law (Susan), Niece (Lucy) and Nephew(Aidan)!

We're from the UK, and we'll be travelling down from Cheshire to Dover (probably by train) on the 21st and staying at the Dover Central Premier Inn the night before the cruise starts.

I'm working my way through all 50 odd pages of the thread at the moment So apologies if I've missed mention of it, but could anyone give me any information on how tips work? From what I've read, would I be right in thinking they're automatically added to your bill when the cruise finishes? How much should we budget for for tips?

 

[SleepyV]

Andrew2005

We are currently planning to drive down from Yorkshire on the 21st and stay over at the Premier Inn at Dover too. Looking forward to waking up and seeing the Magic across the port from us!

Sleepy V

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to say hello - we're booked on the cruise next year too

It's our first cruise of any sort! We're looking forward to getting some disney magic without having to get on a plane!

There's 7 of us going on the trip - Me (Andrew), Mum (Olive), Dad (Will), Brother (Paul), Sister-in-Law (Susan), Niece (Lucy) and Nephew(Aidan)!

We're from the UK, and we'll be travelling down from Cheshire to Dover (probably by train) on the 21st and staying at the Dover Central Premier Inn the night before the cruise starts.

I'm working my way through all 50 odd pages of the thread at the moment So apologies if I've missed mention of it, but could anyone give me any information on how tips work? From what I've read, would I be right in thinking they're automatically added to your bill when the cruise finishes? How much should we budget for for tips?

Hello and welcome great name there.

I pre pay my tips, there paid now! But add more on the cruise.

This site will show you the recommended tips.

Your options on tipping are leave it till the cruise, it will debit your stateroom account each day and you can use any onboard credit that you may have to offset that.

You can add or change them at guest services as you see fit.

OR,

Pre pay, I do this, I pre pay when the Dollar to Pound rate is good and so in control of the exchange rate, and then find myself less judgemental on service on the cruise and it helps me budget better knowing it's not going to hit my stateroom account, for a family of four it's just under $600 ($576)

 

[Andrew2005]

Hi there!

Hello and welcome great name there.

Thanks - yep it's a great name isn't it - all the best people use it

Thanks very much for that link it's very useful.

How do you go about prepaying the tips if you want to? Do you have to phone DCL up, or can you do it through the website.

I think we might prefer to prepay it like you have, it would be one less expense to worry about then!

Thanks again

 

[Andrew2005]

Andrew2005

We are currently planning to drive down from Yorkshire on the 21st and stay over at the Premier Inn at Dover too. Looking forward to waking up and seeing the Magic across the port from us!

Sleepy V

Hi Sleepy V

Nice to hear from another Northerner who's going on the cruise

Yep, I'm looking forward to the cruise now - only 330 days to go (not that I'm counting ).

I wonder how many Disney fans will be staying in the Premier Inn on the 21st? Quite a few I suspect!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Hi there!

Thanks very much for that link it's very useful.

How do you go about prepaying the tips if you want to? Do you have to phone DCL up, or can you do it through the website.

I think we might prefer to prepay it like you have, it would be one less expense to worry about then!

Thanks again

Did you book via a travel agent? If booked via a TA then pre pay through them, if booked direct then contact DCL direct by phone, as yet you can't do it online at the DCL website.

 

[Andrew2005]

Did you book via a travel agent? If booked via a TA then pre pay through them, if booked direct then contact DCL direct by phone, as yet you can't do it online at the DCL website.

Thanks - We booked direct, so we'll need to phone DCL - we'll have to finish paying for the cruise first though, then save up the tip money

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Thanks - We booked direct, so we'll need to phone DCL - we'll have to finish paying for the cruise first though, then save up the tip money

Yes I have just paid in full and told my TA to add tips, when I paid the final balance.

 

[Andrew2005]

lucky you

We're paying for ours in chunks as we save up some money. I like the way you can pay for the cruise in bits and pieces that way.

Hopefully we'll have the cruise itself paid fairly soon and can start working on the money for tips then!