Norway Cruise (+Iceland/Copenhagen/Dover) TIPS (consolidated)

[MeeskaMooska13]

What is the best area to stay for easy transportation from airport to hotel and then hotel to dover. I could take taxi to hotel, but would want a simple train ride out to dover with luggage. Just from looking at hotel prices the last week in May this year their seems to be a lot of affordable options in the 4 star range. I see nice hotels in all areas for between 200-350 a night USD on websites such as last minute travel, and expedia. May seems to be a good time to visit as far as price goes so I don't think hotel costs will be an issue. I'm more concerned with the area and getting to the ship without a lot of problems.

"Seamlessness" - As a single mom, this is what I opt for when I'm travelling abroad with my kids. Of coure one can plan everything perfectly and, as with most things, it can all go haywire very quickly. Having said that, that's why I am looking into a private car to the port from London. Just one or two less steps can help with any travel anxiety.

I've looked into Premier Inn County Hall and Premier Inn Waterloo as hotel options (suggested by PP). They look promising!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I would fly into LHR, and probably spend first night at an airport hotel.

IMHO, not a good idea, the hotels are not good there, we stayed at one attached to T5 but most are a shuttle, you can get into Town in 45 mins max.

Now unless your arriving circa 10pm onwards I would say stay in town, you most likely will be on USA time so up late and you can go for a walk, even with triple glazing you can hear planes at Heathrow, and if your awake your stuck, nothing to do there bar airport shops.

Get into Town you then have options, a meal, a walk, a movie, and a show,

If I'm looking at it correctly it looks like St Pancras and Victoria area would have direct trains to Dover? I'm guessing it would be a 100 dollar or more taxi ride from airport area to hotel.

Yes Victoria and St Pancras are direct services, StP is new high speed trains so gets there quicker and a great ride on new trains, slightly more expensive but not an issue on a one trip journey. Taxi pre book its expensive and you will encounter traffic at some point. I would strongly advise go with the train, our trains are far better than the USA is a good public service.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

"Seamlessness" - As a single mom, this is what I opt for when I'm travelling abroad with my kids. Of coure one can plan everything perfectly and, as with most things, it can all go haywire very quickly. Having said that, that's why I am looking into a private car to the port from London. Just one or two less steps can help with any travel anxiety.

I've looked into Premier Inn County Hall and Premier Inn Waterloo as hotel options (suggested by PP). They look promising!

Premier Inn County Hall and Premier Inn Waterloo

These a good locations, easy access to both main airport by tube or rail and easy access to Dover by rail. (Waterloo East/ its a stop after Victoria),
In this location is
The London eye.
Westminster
Parliament
Near Piccadilly Trafalgar.
A short boat ride to Tower, Globe,
Tube Waterloo, Westminster ( across the bridge). Southwark.

 

[Ofinn]

"Seamlessness" - As a single mom, this is what I opt for when I'm travelling abroad with my kids. Of coure one can plan everything perfectly and, as with most things, it can all go haywire very quickly. Having said that, that's why I am looking into a private car to the port from London. Just one or two less steps can help with any travel anxiety.

I've looked into Premier Inn County Hall and Premier Inn Waterloo as hotel options (suggested by PP). They look promising!

I guess that's an option I can look at. Since I'm saving over 4k switching from the 12 night cruise to the 7 night Norway I feel like I can splurge a little in London and really enjoy touring the city. I will say I'm liking the May hotel prices much more than the June. I've seen some good prices on very nice hotels. I love cruising, but I also love upscale hotels. I think I'm going to be able to plan a very nice trip, and be within a reasonable budget . I'm also looking for seemless since I'm traveling alone with kids.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

London Transport. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/

Planned track closures, worth looking at as your routes may be affected at weekends if a line is closed. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/track-closures.pdf

Trains to/from Dover.

http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/

 

[Ofinn]

IMHO, not a good idea, the hotels are not good there, we stayed at one attached to T5 but most are a shuttle, you can get into Town in 45 mins max.

Now unless your arriving circa 10pm onwards I would say stay in town, you most likely will be on USA time so up late and you can go for a walk, even with triple glazing you can hear planes at Heathrow, and if your awake your stuck, nothing to do there bar airport shops.

Get into Town you then have options, a meal, a walk, a movie, and a show,





Yes Victoria and St Pancras are direct services, StP is new high speed trains so gets there quicker and a great ride on new trains, slightly more expensive but not an issue on a one trip journey. Taxi pre book its expensive and you will encounter traffic at some point. I would strongly advise go with the train, our trains are far better than the USA is a good public service.

Thanks I'll probably focus on the St Pancras area when I start my hotel search.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Thanks I'll probably focus on the St Pancras area when I start my hotel search.

For 'fast trains' a good location,

And if going to/from Heathrow there you have options;-

Heathrow Express to Paddington, ( non stop, less expensive than taxi more expensive than tube).
Then Short taxi from rank on first floor. or Hammersmith and City/ Circle to St Pancras, -Joint station with Kings cross.

Or

Piccadilly tube line to Kings cross/ St Pancras direct.
Cheapest and direct, but longer as has stops takes an hour, can be crowded, and you have escalators to go up.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Dover port.

 

[jenf22]

Premier Inn County Hall and Premier Inn Waterloo

These a good locations, easy access to both main airport by tube or rail and easy access to Dover by rail. (Waterloo East/ its a stop after Victoria),
In this location is
The London eye.
Westminster
Parliament
Near Piccadilly Trafalgar.
A short boat ride to Tower, Globe,
Tube Waterloo, Westminster ( across the bridge). Southwark.

We're staying at Premier Inn County Hall in 6 weeks!! I am beyond excited. I have yet to figure out how we're getting from Heathrow to the hotel though. I've budgeted a lot for taxis since we're not sure we want to hall all our luggage on public transport.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We're staying at Premier Inn County Hall in 6 weeks!! I am beyond excited. I have yet to figure out how we're getting from Heathrow to the hotel though. I've budgeted a lot for taxis since we're not sure we want to hall all our luggage on public transport.

If going by Taxi and not pre booked then;-

Go for a "Black Cab" there authorised by TFL and safe, there should be marshalls directing you and getting a good size for you.

Heathrow Express is good, to Paddington then a black cab from the first floor taxi rank there to Waterloo is not a bad journey.

Piccadilly line to Piccadilly and swap to Bakerloo is cheapest.

 

[MeeskaMooska13]

We're staying at Premier Inn County Hall in 6 weeks!! I am beyond excited. I have yet to figure out how we're getting from Heathrow to the hotel though. I've budgeted a lot for taxis since we're not sure we want to hall all our luggage on public transport.

Please let us know how this hotel is when you get back! Have a great time!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Pre order gifts on the DCL site for Dover and Copenhagen are now up, the Frozen throws and room decorations look nice.

 

[DahliaRW]

Pre order gifts on the DCL site for Dover and Copenhagen are now up, the Frozen throws and room decorations look nice.

But not the prices! $45 for room decorations only, and it looks like a garland of snowflakes and a big door magnet!

 

[timrousbeastie]

Jens and others have provided a lot of very good information about Copenhagen. I am also originally from Denmark and still visit Copenhagen 4-6 times each year. Tivoli, Stroeget, and Nyhavn are always on my own list when I spend a day there, and you can walk between these very easily. I have never seen The Little Mermaid and it definitely wouldn't be something I'd spend time on unless the weather was gorgeous. Even in that case, I'd rather just walk along the beautiful harbor, past Amalienborg (the royal palace), the opera, and Christianshavn. I always stay at the Marriott which is right at the harbor and has a nice international feel and service (their preferred language is English, not Danish). If someone is into museums, I would very strongly recommend the National Museum (natmus.dk). It is open all days except Monday, completely free for everyone, and very easy to walk to in central Copenhagen. The exhibitions from the stone, bronze, iron, and Viking ages are world class. My favorite place to be on a rainy day in Copenhagen!

Just for the record, I've lived in the US for the last 22 years, currently in Las Vegas, and only cruise with DCL in the Caribbean as everyone from my extended family from Denmark enjoys that.

 

[ldo]

my #1 advice for anyone traveling with kids, esp. if staying in London prior to cruise is for everyone to have a backpack and carry-on size rolling suitcase. Even a 4 year old can roll a small suitcase. Many tube stops in Europe do not have elevators or escalators, and if they do, they might be a good walk away vs popping up the stairs. Everyone being able to manage their own luggage makes traveling so much easier. Assuming that, the train from Victoria to Dover is reasonable and efficient. It is also easy and cheap to take the train or tube from Heathrow into London. Many times, faster than a taxi. Familiarize yourself with the Tube map before you go. WE enjoy getting around be city buses, as well. Great, cheap sightseeing.

 

[disneymath]

http://www.dovertaxis.com/

http://www.dover-sherwantaxis.com/

http://www.centralexectravel.co.uk/

http://richardsdovertaxi.co.uk/

I would not go with Dover Taxis. I had a pre-booking (made in May 2014) for the end of our upcoming Norway Iceland cruise. I had follow up questions in October and by early January, I still had no reply. This is after multiple emails from me and an acquaintance in the UK calling on my behalf and being brushed off. I emailed one last time to cancel my pre-booking and still got no reply. Fortunately, no payment was made or CC info taken (a red flag in retrospect). Their FB page, which I looked up in January was nearly an empty shell.

Many of us on the cruise are using International Friends for our transfers. They offer private vehicles and motor coach tour-transfers (these stop at places like Leeds on the way).

 

[Avery's mom]

We're staying at Premier Inn County Hall in 6 weeks!! I am beyond excited. I have yet to figure out how we're getting from Heathrow to the hotel though. I've budgeted a lot for taxis since we're not sure we want to hall all our luggage on public transport.

We're also staying at Premier Inn County Hall - but not for 8 weeks! We've booked a private transfer from Heathrow, as we have 2 kids (1 is a barely walking toddler) and lots of luggage. I think we're paying 135 pounds roundtrip.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

But not the prices! $45 for room decorations only, and it looks like a garland of snowflakes and a big door magnet!

It's Disney! But cute.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I would not go with Dover Taxis. I had a pre-booking (made in May 2014) for the end of our upcoming Norway Iceland cruise. I had follow up questions in October and by early January, I still had no reply. This is after multiple emails from me and an acquaintance in the UK calling on my behalf and being brushed off. I emailed one last time to cancel my pre-booking and still got no reply. Fortunately, no payment was made or CC info taken (a red flag in retrospect). Their FB page, which I looked up in January was nearly an empty shell.

Many of us on the cruise are using International Friends for our transfers. They offer private vehicles and motor coach tour-transfers (these stop at places like Leeds on the way).

I would say the same, I didn't know that, but when I book anything I test them by email and if they do not respond in time I do not book or cancel.

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

We are also staying at a Premier Inn (St. Pancras) and I thought I had posted that earlier but didn't go back and check as well as we are using www.totallydriven.co.uk to get us from the hotel in London to Heathrow and it's very reasonable. I had read recommendations and the price was very fair (I think around $60ish). They do numerous pick up and drop offs so I'd suggest checking them out.

Heather