Earliest flight time out of Heathrow?

[solofriendly]

Please forgive me if this has been asked before, but I've done a search and also scrolled through 7 pages of posts on this board and I haven't found the answer. If my cruise (NCL British Isles on Dawn) docks at 5am on a Wednesday, what is the earliest time I should book a return flight out of Heathrow, same day, to the U.S.? Is 12:20 too early? I do not have Global Entry.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer,

 

Gray

[John Bull]

Can I presume this is from Southampton?

 

Disembarkation times are usually from about 7am (unassisted) & in tranches from 7.30am to about 9.30am for  regular disembarkation. But double-check with  NCL for their expected disembarkation times - any time that they quote before about 7am is actually ship's arrival time and that's pretty irrelevant.

 

Can be done reasonably comfortably on a saturday or sunday by unassisted disembarkation (haul your own bags from your cabin) and with a pre-booked car (about £120 to £150) waiting on the quayside at 7.30.  The drive takes about 80 - 90 minutes, so you'll be at LHR before 9am.  

 

Other days of the week by the same means are just a bit unreliable due  to commuter traffic. heading for London.

And a motorway accident or roadworks or even a broken-down truck can ruin your day - probably won't but there's a risk.

 

The first cruise lines' transfer coaches leave the pier at about 8am, they recommend that you don't take them for flights before 12.30 (some cruise lines say 1.00pm).

 

When deciding, figure your other options - a flight after 2pm same-day would be a better choice, but if that's the latest flight of the day you'll likely be tempted.

 

JB 🙂

[solofriendly]

Thank you, John. Yes, from Southampton. Based on my flight options, I think I was being overly optimistic about being able to fly home the same day (either too early departure, or not enough connection time back in the US to make my next flight or waaaay too much connection time). So I think my best bet is to stay another night after the cruise at or near Heathrow and fly home the next day. Thank you again.

 

Gray

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, solofriendly said:

Thank you, John. Yes, from Southampton. Based on my flight options, I think I was being overly optimistic about being able to fly home the same day (either too early departure, or not enough connection time back in the US to make my next flight or waaaay too much connection time). So I think my best bet is to stay another night after the cruise at or near Heathrow and fly home the next day. Thank you again.

 

Gray

 

 

That's certainly the safest option.

 

If you want to make use of your disembarkation day, consider a hotel in or near Windsor, about 8 miles from Heathrow.

https://www.lastminute.com/travel-inspiration/cultural-explorer/things-to-do-in-windsor?

National Express coaches from Southampton to Heathrow are cheap and comfortable (by train isn't very practicable) but public transport to Windsor is difficult from either Southampton or Heathrow.

 

So a private transfer to Windsor hotel, if its not convenient to the town or castle drop luggage at hotel, & carry on to castle,  local taxi back to hotel.

 

-  Or bus to Heathrow,  taxi (about £50 from the rank) to Windsor.

https://www.nationalexpress.com/en

 

- Or door-to-door tour-transfer coach from the pier via stops at Salisbury, Stonehenge & Windsor or Bath & Windsor to Heathrow area hotel

https://www.internationalfriends.co.uk/shore-excursions-and-cruise-transfers.html

(most cruise ships, including NCL, are serviced)

 

JB 🙂

 

 

[solofriendly]

All great ideas. Thank you, John!