While London is on one of Britain’s most important
waterways, the River Thames is about 40 miles from the nearest seaport. Still, London
is a feature of many ocean cruise itineraries, including cruises of the British
Isles, Baltic Sea and North Sea. If you can add a few days in London to the
beginning or end of a cruise, you’ll have a wonderful land and sea experience.
Only a few small (and often luxurious) ships are able to dock
in or close to London, either at Tower Bridge, in the historic suburb of
Greenwich, or at a small cruise terminal at Tilbury. From any of those
locations, it’s a quick ride via cab, Underground or train into the city.
It’s more likely that your ship will dock at Dover or
Southampton on the English Channel, or Harwich on the North Sea. All three are
just an hour or two from London via train. Harwich is a quiet port, but at
Dover, you may want to walk atop the famed white cliffs and tour Dover Castle.
At Southampton, be sure to look around the historic waterfront: this is where
the Mayflower set sail for the New World and where the Titanic began its tragic
maiden voyage.
Take a twirl on the London Eye, a huge Ferris wheel on the
south bank of the Thames, to get a birds-eye overview of the city. The Houses
of Parliament, St. Stephen’s Tower and its clock, Big Ben, are especially
stunning when viewed across the river. Stroll through a chain of beautiful
parks – St. James, Green, Hyde and Kensington– stopping to admire Buckingham
and Kensington Palaces.
The layout of London’s streets is baffling, but its center is
very walkable, with a cozy pub, fashionable boutique, or national treasure
seemingly on every block. Like many of London’s museums, the British Museum
charges no admission to see priceless items such as the Rosetta Stone, suits of
armor, Egyptian mummies and Greek antiquities.
In the evening, enjoy one of London’s many excellent
restaurants – the city’s dining scene has become fabulously diverse – and take
in a show at one of the theaters around Leicester Square or Piccadilly Circus.
As fall approaches, cruise ships will begin to leave the
region for winter cruising in the Mediterranean; ask Anita, your Cruise
Holidays personal cruise expert, about repositioning cruises that can take you
from London all the way to Italy or Greece.
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