Dover cruise port is approximately 75 miles southeast of central London - a drive of 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes by private vehicle depending on traffic on the M2 and A2. Southampton cruise port is approximately 80 miles southwest of London - a drive of 1.5 to 2.5 hours depending on the M3 and M25. Both ports give you a full port day in London with comfortable time to return to the ship. A Licensed Blue Badge Guide accompanies you on all England private shore excursions from either port.

The Blue Badge is the official government-accredited guiding qualification in England and the highest standard of tourist guiding in the United Kingdom. Blue Badge Guides pass a rigorous two-year training programme covering British history, art history, architecture and practical guiding skills - fewer than 2,000 people hold the qualification in London. All Private Shore Trips England shore excursions include a Licensed Blue Badge Guide, which means your guide has formal expertise in the sites you are visiting rather than general familiarity. This is the standard the National Tourist Board requires for guiding at Royal Palaces, the Houses of Parliament, and major historic sites.

Yes - London is accessible as a full-day private shore excursion from both Dover and Southampton cruise ports. From Dover the drive is approximately 2 hours each way, giving you 3 to 4 hours in London on a standard port day. From Southampton the drive is approximately 1.5 to 2 hours each way, giving you 4 to 5 hours in London. The Southampton port day typically allows slightly more time in the city. Both tours include a Licensed Blue Badge Guide, private vehicle, and back-to-ship guarantee. If your cruise calls at both ports, you could visit different parts of London on each day.

Yes - our one-way tours from London hotels to Dover cruise port and London hotels to Southampton cruise port are among our most popular England bookings. These tours start at your London hotel, visit sights en route - Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, Canterbury, or central London highlights depending on which port you are heading to - and end at the cruise terminal. They are ideal for passengers embarking on a cruise who want to turn a transfer into a full day of sightseeing rather than a straight drive. A Licensed Blue Badge Guide accompanies every one-way London to port tour.

Yes - Stonehenge is one of the most genuinely extraordinary sites in Europe and worth the journey from either port. It is approximately 1 hour from Southampton cruise port and 2 hours from Dover. The prehistoric stone circle on Salisbury Plain dates to around 3000 BC - older than the Egyptian pyramids - and its alignment with the summer solstice sunrise is one of the great unsolved questions of ancient history. Most guests combine Stonehenge with Bath (a 30-minute drive away), the beautifully preserved Georgian city built around the only natural hot spring in England, for a full-day excursion from Southampton.

Our back-to-ship guarantee means that if an unforeseen delay during your private England shore excursion prevents you from returning to Dover or Southampton cruise port before your ship departs, we will arrange and cover the cost of transportation to your next port of call. This guarantee applies to all private shore excursions booked through us from England cruise ports. Your tour must be scheduled to return 1.5 hours before the ship departs.