Need London Help RE: Hotels, Transportation and Tours

[FritzG]

We used the Verizon global loaner phone 4 or 5 times before I got my iPhone. All but one time it worked great and was very convenient. Unfortunately the one time we got a phone that quit working mid-cruise on a TA, my father got very ill, and we had no working phone.

I've used the global calling plan, and you can sign up for just a month or whatever time period you need. The last time I used it I didn't have to keep the plan for my whole contract nor did it alter my contract. I hope that hasn't changed because I'm planning to use it again in September.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

I found this thread and thought it was very helpful. I thought others might like to read it. . . and I wanted to make sure I could find it when I need it. so, I am posting it here. :p

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2047278

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Thanks for all of the information I have gotten here up to now. I know I have let this thread slide for weeks. But, our trip is coming up pretty quickly now. Only 36 days before I leave for the UK. Woo Hoo!!

 

I want to ask about money/credit cards/paying for admission.

 

On our last European cruise we purchased a large sum of euros before we left home and we were done with it. We found this worked well, since all of our stops used euros.

 

However, on this cruise we will visit the UK, France, Ireland, Faroe Islands. and Iceland. I think I can use my CC for the last 2 stops and I have prearranged tours booked and have already paid for one of them.

 

That leaves GBP and euros as my problem. I have read that some ATMs in the UK also dispense euros. Is this correct? This would be the ideal solution for euros. If not I can exchange us dollars aboard the ship for euros -- the exchange rate is poor but, I would not need to get too many. [i still have some left from our previous cruise]

 

British pounds is more complicated. We fly into Heathrow and plan to purchase Oyster cards and take the tube to our Tower of London Hotel. Can we use a CC to purchase these? We are flying BA if this makes a difference to your answer and arriving at 10 am. [so not during rush hour] If we can use a CC we would not need money until we arrive in the city. Since this area is listed as the financial district I assume I will have no trouble finding an ATM.

 

Any advise?

[newgrange]

There are ATMs in the airport and in most train stations.

[Girr]

There are ATMs in the airport and in most train stations.

 

Just be alert at Heathrow - I know last year in the arrival/baggage area the "ATMs" weren't bank ATM, but belonged to a money exchange business. If I had used the exchange rate would have been horrible. There are plenty of bank ATMs at Heathrow, just not in the arrival area.

 

Barbara

[Globaliser]

I have read that some ATMs in the UK also dispense euros. Is this correct?

It is, and they are now more common than they used to be because a small bank called Raphaels Bank has been installing many ATMs at Tube stations (in some cases replacing previous ATMs from different providers, and in different places - causing confusion to those of us who depend on some of these machines). Many of these ATMs dispense euros, so these are much easier to find now than they used to be.

 

However, I don't have first hand knowledge of how the conversion works. From the article below, it looks like the sterling:euro exchange rate in these machines is set by Raphaels, so it may be that the charge is sent to your card company in sterling. If there's any margin built into the exchange rate, that means that someone using a non-sterling card in the machine may be paying two lots of exchange rate margin. So this is something to beware of.

 

Although these ATMs have been being progressively installed during the whole of this year, it looks like a PR blitz was done last week, which has produced a number of press articles - for example, this one.

We fly into Heathrow and plan to purchase Oyster cards and take the tube to our Tower of London Hotel. Can we use a CC to purchase these? We are flying BA if this makes a difference to your answer and arriving at 10 am. [so not during rush hour] If we can use a CC we would not need money until we arrive in the city. Since this area is listed as the financial district I assume I will have no trouble finding an ATM.

When you exit from customs at Terminal 5, you will see a branch of Costa Coffee directly opposite the exit. Turn right and walk along the building (so that the big glass windows and the car park beyond them are to your left). Almost directly opposite the door marked Heathrow Express, there's a bank of three Travelex ATMs. I can't remember whether any of these dispense euros, but they all happily dispense sterling. (If you'd asked a couple of weeks ago, I'd have tried to remember to look last Friday when I had to use these myself.)

 

A little further up the building is a London Underground help desk. I think you can buy Oysters here, but the people there will know how you can do it. There are London Underground ticket machines by that desk too. And you should be able to use a credit card.

 

The availability of ATMs is no better in the financial district than anywhere else, which is to say that you'd be unlucky not to walk past one at least every five minutes.

Just be alert at Heathrow - I know last year in the arrival/baggage area the "ATMs" weren't bank ATM, but belonged to a money exchange business. If I had used the exchange rate would have been horrible. There are plenty of bank ATMs at Heathrow, just not in the arrival area.

I'm not sure that there are many bank ATMs left at Heathrow. But if you draw sterling from any of the Travelex ATMs, the charge is simply sent to your card company in sterling in the same way as if you'd used a bank ATM (and the Travelex machines do not charge any additional fees). So I don't think that Travelex's exchange rate is relevant at all. You should end up paying the same amount in your own currency whether you draw from a Travelex ATM or from a bank ATM (subject only to any special deals your bank has, such as the Global Alliance).

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Thank you for all the helpful replies regarding money.

 

Just be alert at Heathrow - I know last year in the arrival/baggage area the "ATMs" weren't bank ATM, but belonged to a money exchange business. If I had used the exchange rate would have been horrible. There are plenty of bank ATMs at Heathrow, just not in the arrival area. Barbara

 

Yes--I read that there are few ATMs in the airport that give a reasonable exchange rate. . . and the problem would be to find the correct one.:o

 

 

It is, and they are now more common than they used to be because a small bank called Raphaels Bank has been installing many ATMs at Tube stations (in some cases replacing previous ATMs from different providers, and in different places - causing confusion to those of us who depend on some of these machines). Many of these ATMs dispense euros, so these are much easier to find now than they used to be.

this one.

 

A little further up the building is a London Underground help desk. I think you can buy Oysters here, but the people there will know how you can do it. There are London Underground ticket machines by that desk too. And you should be able to use a credit card.

 

The availability of ATMs is no better in the financial district than anywhere else

 

Thank you --I saved your directions for arriving at terminal 5.

 

I checked the exchange rate at my home bank today just to get some idea of the exchange. They gave a less favorable exchange than I saw on the financial markets and would charge a fee to mail the money to my home bank. If I can use my CC for the Oyster card I will wait to use an ATM in the city to get GBP.

 

I noted that the Tower Hill tube station had an ATM that dispenses euros. [a link from the article you referenced. So, thank you!]

Edited July 21, 2014 by DragonOfTheSeas

[Globaliser]

Yes--I read that there are few ATMs in the airport that give a reasonable exchange rate. . . and the problem would be to find the correct one.

Sorry, I still don't understand this.

 

To strip the system to its bare essentials, if you draw £100 from an ATM at Heathrow, your card is sent a charge for £100. Your bank/card company/card system (eg Mastercard or Visa) converts that into USD (or whatever), and your bank/card company adds on any fees, and applies the total charge to your account. The currency exchange is done centrally, and the rate applied has nothing to do with which ATM originated the £100 charge.

 

And the ATM doesn't do any money changing, so there's no question of whether one ATM gives a better exchange rate than another. The only difference ought to be if you're unlucky enough to find an ATM which charges fees for you to use it, but it will tell you if it does. The Travelex ATMs at Heathrow do not charge fees.

[Steeler Nation At Sea]

Sorry, I still don't understand this.

 

To strip the system to its bare essentials, if you draw £100 from an ATM at Heathrow, your card is sent a charge for £100. Your bank/card company/card system (eg Mastercard or Visa) converts that into USD (or whatever), and your bank/card company adds on any fees, and applies the total charge to your account. The currency exchange is done centrally, and the rate applied has nothing to do with which ATM originated the £100 charge.

 

And the ATM doesn't do any money changing, so there's no question of whether one ATM gives a better exchange rate than another. The only difference ought to be if you're unlucky enough to find an ATM which charges fees for you to use it, but it will tell you if it does. The Travelex ATMs at Heathrow do not charge fees.

 

Currency exchange is not done centrally as you describe. It is a vendor set exchange and the rate used includes up charges from the market rate for offering the service.

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Sorry, I still don't understand this.

 

.

 

I am sure I am not saying this correctly.

 

I have read that there are machines [maybe they are not called ATMs] in airports that are not bank owned and charge very high transaction fees if you use them. I have never used an ATM in an airport, so I am probably describing this poorly. :o Your instructions on how to find the Travelex machine was clear--I can follow that.

 

[My comments regarding my banks's exchange rate and mailing fee was just to illustrate that waiting until I land in the UK is the better way to go. ]

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Currency exchange is not done centrally as you describe. It is a vendor set exchange and the rate used includes up charges from the market rate for offering the service.

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

OK--this is what I had always read. That is why I asked the question.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Yes, to the best of my knowledge all ATMs at Heathrow use dynamic currency conversion and use the same rates as at the airport foreign exchange bureaux.

 

Although some are operated by Raphaels Bank, they are not 'true' bank ATMs - Raphaels' owns ICE (International Currency Exchange).

[Globaliser]

Yes, to the best of my knowledge all ATMs at Heathrow use dynamic currency conversion and use the same rates as at the airport foreign exchange bureaux.

But if the machines can do that, aren't you always given the option of refusing DCC?

[zonacruiser25]

Hi Dragon, my wife and I just booked the TA. We will be leaving from one of the Intercontinental locations in London to go to Harwich. This is our first time in London. You mentioned sharing private transportation vs a coach or train to Harwich. Have you already made your arrangements? I would be interested in possibly sharing.

[Cotswold Eagle]

But if the machines can do that, aren't you always given the option of refusing DCC?

 

No, you are shown the rate and given the option to cancel :)

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Hi Dragon, my wife and I just booked the TA. We will be leaving from one of the Intercontinental locations in London to go to Harwich. This is our first time in London. You mentioned sharing private transportation vs a coach or train to Harwich. Have you already made your arrangements? I would be interested in possibly sharing.

 

Zona--Yes, I have already booked my transfer to the pier in Harwich. We are at the Tower of London Doubletree hotel. I do not think that is near you.

 

I looked extensively before I booked. I am not sure I got the best deal. But, it was better than many I contacted.

 

We are using Totally Driven. I asked for a car that holds 8 people with a checked bag and carry on each. [luggage is very important to tell them about] That is good because we may average the amount of luggage we quoted for the 6 of us. We only have 3 couples from the same hotel sharing. [i found them on the roll call--I do not know them]

 

We are happy for the convenience. We are paying a little over 150 GBP for all 6 of us.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Yes, to the best of my knowledge all ATMs at Heathrow use dynamic currency conversion and use the same rates as at the airport foreign exchange bureaux.

 

Although some are operated by Raphaels Bank, they are not 'true' bank ATMs - Raphaels' owns ICE (International Currency Exchange).

 

But if the machines can do that, aren't you always given the option of refusing DCC?

 

DH and I have decided we are going to get currency at our bank before we leave. We plan to do it sometime this week. The bank will give us their exchange rate which I know is not as good as the money markets.

 

However, I will not get a "market" rate at an ATM either. As many have noted each vendor determines their exchange rate. Wells Fargo will charge me $7.5 US to ship the currency to the bank. If I have several transactions in London, since there is no partner bank for Wells Fargo in London, and each one has a fee [most say this is around $5] I will not be giving up much for the convenience of having the currency when we arrive.

 

I will report back here to let you know the official market exchange rate on the day of the transaction and what the bank gave me. . . . I may be making a big mistake, but, I need to stop obsessing about this. :rolleyes:

[milolii]

Here is our take on it. There are so many wonderful places to visit in the UK and Europe. I can do without a trip to financial institutions. I do not need to worry about exchange rates, but rather about the history of the Tower of London. My feeling is get the currency you need and go enjoy! Priceless! Also take a pic of your money £s or €s. enjoy that.

 

 

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[DragonOfTheSeas]

Here is our take on it. There are so many wonderful places to visit in the UK and Europe. I can do without a trip to financial institutions. I do not need to worry about exchange rates, but rather about the history of the Tower of London. My feeling is get the currency you need and go enjoy! Priceless! Also take a pic of your money £s or €s. enjoy that.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

Yes--that was exactly our thought. The time it takes to find the ATMs for both euros and GBP could be better used seeing another sight. LOL I love how you think!! :D

[DragonOfTheSeas]

FYI-- I thought this might help others figure out the best public transportation to use:

 

Originally Posted by Mrsosci on our roll call --"This site may help some of us find our way around town. I wanted to see how to get to London Eye. Gave me numerous options and very specific directions. "

 

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/

 

*************************************

I tried it for a couple of my possible journeys. I like that it tells you how far it is to walk and other modes of transportation besides just the tube.

 

I noted that from the Globe theater to the Tower of London where our hotel is-- that it takes 24 mins on the tube, 31 mins to walk and 13 mins via boat on the Thames.

Edited August 3, 2014 by DragonOfTheSeas

[TheCruisingBrewers]

We used the direct line from T5 to Paddington and stayed right at the Paddington Hilton, which is very nice, though a bit pricey. The Original HOHO bus stops just 2 blocks from it and we found it a fun and easy way to see the sights for our two days in London.

 

We did ride the Circle Line (I think) back from London one day which was fun.

 

Because our stay was so short we opted for this plan and it worked really well for us. We then went back to Heathrow, and to an airport car agency to pick up the rental car for our trip through the rest of Great Britain.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

I apologize in advance for the length of this post. :o

 

We leave for London in just over 3 weeks and have 3 days in London. So, I need to make final decisions on tour tickets we will purchase in advance. [i.e. what day and time to visit] We will be flexible due to weather [will expect rain] and stamina. We do not have any mobility issues and walk ~3 miles for exercise most days. [We are more history than art gallery travelers]

 

I would like to share my tentative plans and see if those of you familiar with London think these are workable and the best use of our time. [will do this in 3 posts] All comments and suggestions are welcome.

 

Day 1--We arrive on Thursday morning [ LHR T-5] at 10 am. We expect it will take us around 2 hrs to get luggage and go through customs/immigration. . . . then another 1hr + to get to our Tower of London hotel via tube on Picadilly and Circle line. [Yes—we know we will have stairs at Tower Hill] We hope to check in [or drop off luggage] and head back to the tube around 2pm. We have read that Barons Court is the best place to transfer lines.

 

[Originally we had planned to take a HOHO and ride the whole route for commentary and to get our bearings. But, we would get on too late to do much on day 1. Day 2 we would use it as transportation to get to Westminster Abbey or Buckingham Palace and not get back on. We have read several postings on Cruise Critic and the Rick Steve’s site that the buses are VERY crowded and slow. We felt the tube was more efficient and cheaper transportation—but, we will miss the commentary]

 

Also, last fall we took a TA from Barcelona. We took a HOHO tour there and found that after about an hour of sitting on the bus it was hard to stay awake after the overnight flight.

 

So, we decided to do the Rick Steves’ Westminster Walk—He says it is a leisurely 1 hour walk w/o stops and I have downloaded podcast for commentary.

 

At Westminster tube station take Westminster pier exit. Walk out on Westminster Bridge--view Big, Ben, Parliament, London Eye, and the Thames. Then walk along Whitehall to Trafalgar Square, stopping off to see the Churchill War Rooms [tour inside 1.5-2 hrs] and #10 Downing Street. The podcast includes information on the sites along the way. We plan to visit inside St Martin in the Fields Church [open until 18:00] if we arrive before closing. We figure we will be tired by this time and it will be closing time for the attractions—so will head back to the hotel via tube and look for food.

 

The only ticket we will need for this day is the Churchill War Rooms. We will not buy these in advance in case we have a flight delay that impacts plans. We have read the lines are not too long at this attraction.

 

edit: We have listened to your other comments and are now planning on only one checked bag each and a small tote for electronics on the plane.

Edited August 5, 2014 by DragonOfTheSeas

[SteveH2508]

Sounds quite do-able. You won't see much of 10 Downing Street through the railings. If you are in the Trafalgar Square area you are better off looking for food there than back at Tower Hill (IMHO). A hint as to your likes/dislikes should bring some recommendations, but you are very near Soho/Chinatown with some good inexpensive eateries.

 

You are also within 1 minute of the best pub in London (again IMHO after years of research;)) - the Harp in Chandos Place http://www.harpcoventgarden.com/ . It gets quite busy but you have to visit a pub when in England and this is one of the best. If you want to try the sausages you need to get there early at lunchtime - they sell out quickly.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Sounds quite do-able. You won't see much of 10 Downing Street through the railings. If you are in the Trafalgar Square area you are better off looking for food there than back at Tower Hill (IMHO). A hint as to your likes/dislikes should bring some recommendations, but you are very near Soho/Chinatown with some good inexpensive eateries.

 

You are also within 1 minute of the best pub in London (again IMHO after years of research;)) - the Harp in Chandos Place http://www.harpcoventgarden.com/ . It gets quite busy but you have to visit a pub when in England and this is one of the best. If you want to try the sausages you need to get there early at lunchtime - they sell out quickly.

 

Thanks you for the suggestion of the pub. Yes--we want to eat at pubs/interesting restaurants as much as we can. :)

 

We are former History/Government teachers. We like historical places and want to see as many such sites as we can.

[Pet Nit Noy]

Thanks you for the suggestion of the pub. Yes--we want to eat at pubs/interesting restaurants as much as we can. :)

 

We are former History/Government teachers. We like historical places and want to see as many such sites as we can.

 

Since you like history, here's a recommendation for a museum that bridges the gap between art and history: the National Portrait Gallery in Trafalgar Square (just around the corner from the National Gallery). The art is a collection of portraits with the monarchs beginning with the Tudors and continuing up to the modern era. (The modern portraits have few royal portraits and more portraits of significant contributors to contemporary life.)

 

Excellent signage next to each portrait but you will be able to rent audio guides for more historical detail.

 

Across the street from the National Portrait Gallery is a branch of the ubiquitous Pret a Manger, an excellent soup/salad/sandwich place for a quick lunch. That's where my husband and I first encountered the "Mature Cheddar and Pret Pickle" sandwich that gets mentioned in the link I've provided below.

 

http://www.theawl.com/2013/01/why-does-pret-a-manger-think-americans-are-stupid