Boarding in Dover - what is it like?

[Liverpoollovely]

Even though I am from UK, I have NEVER sailed from the UK before... this time around my family and I are sailing from Dover, UK ... has anyone sailed from this port before? What was your experience? 

 

I am do excited to return to cruising! Anyone  who wants to share their review (I am trying to follow as many as possible) please go ahead I love reading reviews and experiences. Since covid19 I feel like a new cruiser since I last cruised (November 2019). 

[BlerkOne]

I've cruised from there and don't recall any unpleasant experiences. Great views of the White Cliffs and if you do a back to back cruise you have time to visit Dover Castle and get some views of the ship. I also recall walking to town, finding a bottle of scotch, and bringing it back to the ship without issue.

[kwokpot]

Looks like the Pride will use CT2.

https://www.doverport.co.uk/

[Clairescurtains]

We sailed from Dover several years ago, I don't really remember much about it so it must have been fine. If it was really bad or really wonderful it would have stuck in my mind.

The views were great.

[Eli_6]

Which cruise are you going on? There is a Europe Pride sailings group on Facebook.  A woman name Sandra (who is absolutely wonderful) runs it and also does tours.  I am on the July 22 UK sailing.

[MeHeartCruising]

I did it years ago (well before Brexit and Covid, if they changed anything).  I recall it to be easy peasy, as we say.  I took the train from London the morning of the cruise and when I got to Dover Priory there wasn't a taxi waiting, but a worker in the station said, "wait a couple minutes, one will be here... they're just taking someone to the port and will be right back".  It wasn't 5 minutes later and a taxi drove up and took me on my way to the ship.  

 

Check-in with the cruise line (NCL) was very smooth and without delays.  I walked right on to the ship, if I recall.

 

I really enjoyed seeing the castle on the hill from the ship (no time to explore it that trip) and the White Cliffs.  The Cliffs became even more stunning to see as we left later in the day and headed off toward the Baltic. 

 

It was a great day and went without issues.

 

On the return to Dover, I took the ship's excursion that consisted of a bus ride into central London with a stop in Canterbury for a few hours.  This also worked out well. A guide walked us from the bus to the Cathedral and gave a small amount of information and then set us free to do as we pleased until it was time to return to the bus.  The bus then went on to London and dropped us off at a hotel (which/where I can't remember).  From there, I jumped on the nearby Underground to get to my own hotel.

Edited May 4, 2022 by MeHeartCruising