London City Stay

[cpz523]

Has anyone done this.  Was it costly and was it worth it.

[Orator]

Doing this in October before the SIL TA. Cost depends of course where you stay. I'm staying at the Cavendish right off Piccadilly Circus and if I didn't think it was worth it I just wouldn't book. Looking forward to seeing friends and experiencing London! 

[Denny01]

Agree with depends on where you stay, but London itself is well worth the the visiting. So much to do: historical, art, plays, just a fantastic big city. Some of the most famous and well worth museums. 

 

We picked a B&B near the Victoria station and were able to visit many sites via the ‘tube’. London is Not cheap, just like most large major cities, but worth the cost......for me. 

 

There are different passes you can get for discounts and front-of-line privileges, such as the London Pass, and one I loved, the Oyster Card which is access to use the Tube (underground rail) above ground rail, buses and so on. A fantastic deal to get you around town easily, and cheaply.

 

Den

Edited July 22, 2019 by Denny01

[Mynki]

21 minutes ago, cpz523 said:

Has anyone done this.  Was it costly and was it worth it.

 

You'll be hard pressed to find a city anywhere with such a variety of things to do. London really does have something for everyone. It really is worth visiting. Spend a few dollars on a 'Rough Guide to London' book so you can plan and get the most out of your stay. No it's not cheap, but then again I don't think there are any 'cheap' capital cities in the western world. 

[Denny01]

7 minutes ago, Mynki said:

 

You'll be hard pressed to find a city anywhere with such a variety of things to do. London really does have something for everyone. It really is worth visiting. Spend a few dollars on a 'Rough Guide to London' book so you can plan and get the most out of your stay. No it's not cheap, but then again I don't think there are any 'cheap' capital cities in the western world. 

A few Eastern Euro places are cheaper, such as Prague. But in fact, it’s getting up there because of it’s popularity.

 

Each city has a flavor that is unique, and I agree London is in the top of the list. So many different things to do. And there are a ton of walking tours given locally with differing themes: Sherlock Holmes; Jack the Ripper; nighttime ghost tours; pub tours; a ton of them done by locals. Just check the internet. Mynki mentioned a good guide and there are many. There are so many famous sites, but think about a few off the driven path; that’s why a Hop-On/Off is great - you’ll see lots 

 

Den

[dkjretired]

Also, check on a web site called London Walks, they do numerous hour or two walks which always start at one of the Tube Stations.  We did a number of them and they were very informative, good ones are the Jack the Ripper tour at night and a Westminster Abbey tour in which we bypassed the line.  They have everything including Harry Potter tours and they are generally only about 10 pounds each.  

[CruisinNole]

3 hours ago, cpz523 said:

Has anyone done this.  Was it costly and was it worth it.

Just curious -- is your question about the Celebrity London City Stay vacation package?

[cpz523]

yes.  

 

[HeddaGarbled]

Yes, it’s costly. Yes, it’s worth it. 

[CruisinNole]

We did the London City Stay in late 2017. We'd been to London a few times but wanted to go to Bath and the Cotswolds, so we booked the City Stay before a TA. We didn't care for the hotel and I see that Celebrity has changed hotels. If you do book this, I recommend that you really take advantage of your arrival day and do as much sightseeing as possible. We used the Hop On/ Hop Off bus and boat. The visit to Bath and the Cotswolds is a full day. The final day, your free time is in the morning and guided tour in the afternoon which means getting a really early start if you want to sightsee first.

 

It is expensive but on a previous trip to London, I did all the planning for four us and I discovered that I am basically lazy and don't enjoy doing the travel agent job. 😀

[Jim_Iain]

I did a City Stay ONCE and can only say.   Yes it is expensive and you are better off booking on your own.   The prices Celebrity charges are about 2x the normal price and are on a per PAX basis.  

 

If you booked directly with Celebrity you might be able to see prices in cruise planner otherwise I believe you have to call your agent to get the prices.  When I was looking for prices for a cruise I had not yet booked the only way I could get them was to call Captain's Club and they transferred me.

 

[alcpa1]

Rarely is any cruise line optional land package worth the cost. As noted it is very often almost double of self booked lodging and excursions.

We were just there after a cruise and realize how daunting planning a London trip can be. This was also not our first time there. If you have a good sense of direction and/or a good GPS you can get from one neighborhood to another with relative ease. 

Make a list of your site priorities, plan on a London Pass, Oyster Card, Hop On Hop Off etc. Also keep in mind that you will spend time in lines at the major sites. We walked by The Tower of London mid day and were so glad we had been there years ago. The lines were long. The lines at The Globe were down the block too.

A short but doable London experience would be four full days. With a longer stay there are wonderful museums that deserve time, a trip to Windsor or to Bath or the Cotswalds or anywhere else in southern to the midlands are doable on a longer trip. And don't forget the theatres. We snagged good tickets for Hamilton the day they were released for a fraction of the New York prices. 

We've sailed from Southampton and Harwich and both have train, shuttle, car service and bus service to London. 

It can be a little daunting planning everything but much better in the end.

[Denny01]

And if you find getting a hotel daunting consider using a TA.

 

I’ve used some hotel websites to check out hotels and it’s been hit/miss on quality. So check if the hotel you are considering has its own website. I’ve found the ‘discount’ websites many times reflect the hotel’s online price and you are booking directly w the hotel so if there are issues, you are their customer, not some website. 

 

Den

[HelenREMfan]

With sites like Booking.com you can research hotels, read reviews, see pics ,location etc online. With the £ weak against near every currency and very unlikely to improve - esp as Brexit date approaches you should get a good deal for your $. 

There are coach trips running fromm Victoria coach station which take in Stonehenge ( an unbelievable massive draw for Americans! not worth it imho) and then on to an afternoon in Bath - well worth a visit. Museums and art galleries in London are free! I recommend the National Gallery in Trafalgar sq and the Nat Portrait gallery attached to the side. I recommend also the riverboat trip to Greenwich from Westminster Pier to Greenwich where there is the Maritime museum and then up on the top of the park the Greenwich meridian and observatory. Great pub with fab food by the Thames with Nelson connection The Trafalgar - worth a rest break and food 🙂 Plus there is Greenwich market (free to browse) as is Borough market with fab food stalls. Covent garden has many street performers and is near shopping. Free to enter (but not to buy) are the superstores of Selfridges on Oxford st, and then Harrods in Knightsbridge. Always worth a look ! (Hot salted beef sandwich on far left ground floor at Selfridges for a yummy snack !!)

So it doesn't need to cost the earth. get Oyster card as ppl have said ...travel by tube is fast...by bus you see more.If you go to Tussauds, Ripleys etc then you will pay £££££££s. 

 

Shout out if you need help on here am sure ppl will add to my list! Oh I forgot... www.Thetrainline will give you train travel to Southampton and usually 10 - 12 weeks before travel is needed there will be deals showing.