one way cruise to london

USA to England Cruises

There are cruises from the United States to England, including regularly scheduled Transatlantic voyages between New York and Southampton. A cruise is the comfortable and luxurious way to get to the UK. See the full schedule of departures below.

US to England cruises depart from New York, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Large cruise ships cannot fit up the river to London, so the trips go to Southampton or Dover, England. Southampton is 80 miles south-west of London. Harwich is 85 miles north-east of London.

January 3, 2024: 8-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

January 11, 2024: 10-day cruise to England on Norwegian Cruise Line . One-way from Miami (Florida) to Southampton (England). Non-stop cruise.

March 9, 2024: 16-day cruise to England on Princess Cruises . One-way from Fort Lauderdale (Florida) to Southampton (England). Visit Ponta Delgada (Azores), Funchal (Madeira), Casablanca (Morocco), Cadiz (Spain) and Lisbon (Portugal).

April 5, 2024: 15-night cruise to England on Royal Caribbean . One-way from Fort Lauderdale (Florida) to Southampton (England). Visit CocoCay (Bahamas), Tenerife (Canary Islands), Cadiz (Spain), Lisbon (Portugal) and Vigo (Spain).

April 5, 2024: 16-day cruise to England on Princess Cruises . One-way from Fort Lauderdale (Florida) to Southampton (England). Visit Ponta Delgada (Azores), Lisbon (Portugal), Bilbao (Spain) and Cherbourg (France).

April 25, 2024: 14-day cruise to England on Norwegian Cruise Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England). Visit Halifax (Canada), Reykjavik (Iceland), Belfast (Northern Ireland), Dublin (Ireland) and Le Havre (France).

April 28, 2024: 12-night cruise to England on Royal Caribbean . One-way from Cape Liberty (New Jersey) to Southampton (England). Visit Funchal (Madeira), La Coruna (Spain) and Le Havre (France).

April 29, 2024: 14-day cruise to England on Norwegian Cruise Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England). Visit Halifax (Canada), Dublin (Ireland), Belfast (Northern Ireland), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Zeebrugge (Belgium) and Le Havre (France).

April 30, 2024: 7-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

May 2, 2024: 13-night cruise to England on Celebrity Cruises . One-way from Fort Lauderdale (Florida) to Southampton (England). Visit Ponta Delgada (Azores), Cork (Ireland), Dorset (England) and Bruges (Belgium).

May 4, 2024: 15-day cruise to England on Princess Cruises . One-way from Fort Lauderdale (Florida) to Southampton (England). Visit Ponta Delgada (Azores), Cork (Ireland), Falmouth (England), Portland (England) and Le Havre (France).

May 26, 2024: 7-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

July 5, 2024: 21-day cruise to England on Princess Cruises . One-way from New York to Southampton (England). Visit Halifax (Canada), Corner Brook (Canada), St Anthony (Canada), Qaqortoq (Greenland), Nanortalik (Greenland), Reykjavik (Iceland), Stornoway (England), Glasgow (Scotland) and Portland (England).

July 7, 2024: 7-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

July 21, 2024: 7-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

August 18, 2024: 7-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

September 11, 2024: 7-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

October 13, 2024: 7-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

December 8, 2024: 7-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

January 3, 2025: 8-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

January 4, 2025: 13-day cruise to England on Norwegian Cruise Line . One-way from Miami (Florida) to Southampton (England). Visit Ponta Delgada (Azores), Lisbon (Portugal), Vigo (Spain) and Le Havre (France).

February 7, 2025: 12-day cruise to England on Norwegian Cruise Line . One-way from Miami (Florida) to Southampton (England). Visit Ponta Delgada (Azores).

March 9, 2025: 15-day cruise to England on Princess Cruises . One-way from Fort Lauderdale (Florida) to Southampton (England). Visit Funchal (Madeira), Casablanca (Morocco) and La Coruna (Spain).

March 14, 2025: 14-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from Fort Lauderdale (Florida) to Southampton (England) on the Queen Victoria. Visit Port Canaveral (Florida), Hamilton (Bermuda) and Ponta Delgada (Azores).

March 22, 2025: 12-night cruise to England on Celebrity Cruises . One-way from Fort Lauderdale (Florida) to Southampton (England). Visit Royal Naval Dockyard (Bermuda) and Ponta Delgada (Azores).

March 29, 2025: 8-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

April 4, 2025: 14-day cruise to England on Princess Cruises . One-way from Fort Lauderdale (Florida) to Southampton (England). Visit Ponta Delgada (Azores), Brest (France), Rotterdam (Netherlands) and Brussels (Belgium).

April 12, 2025: 15-night cruise to England on Royal Caribbean . One-way from Miami (Florida) to Portsmouth (England). Visit Grand Bahama Island (Bahamas), Royal Naval Dockyard (Bermuda), Ponta Delgada (Azores), Porto (Portugal) and La Coruna (Spain).

April 24, 2025: 14-day cruise to England on Norwegian Cruise Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England). Visit Halifax (Canada), St John's (Newfoundland), Reykjavik (Iceland), Belfast (Northern Ireland), Dublin (Ireland) and Le Havre (France).

April 27, 2025: 14-day cruise to England on Norwegian Cruise Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England). Visit Halifax (Canada), St John's (Canada), Reykjavik (Iceland), Belfast (Northern Ireland), Liverpool (England) and Le Havre (France).

April 28, 2025: 14-night cruise to England on Royal Caribbean . One-way from Miami (Florida) to Southampton (England). Visit Royal Naval Dockyard (Bermuda), Ponta Delgada (Azores), Lisbon (Portugal) and Vigo (Spain).

May 5, 2025: 7-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

May 23, 2025: 7-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

June 13, 2025: 7-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

July 8, 2025: 7-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

August 8, 2025: 7-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

September 3, 2025: 7-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

October 17, 2025: 7-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

October 31, 2025: 7-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

December 8, 2025: 7-night cruise to England on Cunard Line . One-way from New York to Southampton (England) on the Queen Mary 2. Non-stop cruise.

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CUNARD QM2 SHIP CRUISE ITINERARY, SCHEDULE, PRICES, INFORMATION

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• Transatlantic
• QM2 Transatlantic Crossings

This is the Cunard Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic cruise 2024-2025-2026  schedule of all one-way and round-trip Atlantic Ocean crossings. It shows all departures from New York ,  Southampton-London , and Hamburg as dates and prices per person. RMS Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic crossings are part of the Cunard Line’s regular Atlantic Ocean crossing service between the UK and the USA (London/Southampton and NYC New York). Next is the link to our complete  QM2 itineraries and schedule  (all sailing dates with the lowest prices comparison). This link is to our review of QM2 cruise ticket prices .

Longest QM2 Transatlantic crossings are between New York and Hamburg (Germany /9-day itinerary with Southampton, England). The longest QM2 Transatlantic cruises are when the Caribbean or Canada New England is part of the Atlantic Ocean crossing itinerary.

RMS Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic cruise experience

The Cunard Line maintains a scheduled Trans-Atlantic Ocean passenger service between the UK and the US. It’s almost like a ferry cruise service – but it’s absolutely not a ferry one!

The Cunard Transatlantic cruise schedule offers at least one crossing a month between UK/Southampton and USA/New York City, in the period from April to November or early December. Most of the crossings are 6 nights / 7 days in length. On the Cunard’s RMS Queen Mary 2 ship, it’s definitely the most civilized and adventurous exciting way to visit the UK and USA – or both!

Doing the 7-day voyage on Queen Mary 2 is not a Transatlantic cruise – it’s an Atlantic crossing. Most of the Transatlantic cruises are operated only in the low season when quite a number of cruise ships reposition between Europe and the North or South American continents. But the huge number of QM2 passengers use the Cunard crossings as their preferred travel mode between Europe and the USA. And QM2 is not any ship and not a regular “cruise ship” – she’s a real-deal ocean cruise liner, which power and hull strength helps her to withstand the nasty North Atlantic weather.

Celebrating the 200th QM2 Transatlantic Crossing

To mark her 200th Atlantic Ocean crossing, RMS Queen Mary 2 performed on July 6th a sail-by of NYC’s most famous attraction – the Statue of Liberty. The list of onboard special events includes lectures and presentations by renowned speakers (by the “Cunard Insights” enrichment programme), Big Band musical performances, a most special Gala Dinner (on 11 July). Stephen Payne (a naval architect, responsible for the QM2 design) will present an insight into her construction. He is also guest of honour at the Gala Dinner. Another renown speaker is the BBC’s Nick Owen. Performing onboard is a jazz orchestra of 13 musicians and 1 vocalist from the Juilliard School (juilliard.edu). They will perform in the Royal Court Theatre (in the evening), an afternoon tea dance, lunchtime jam sessions (in the Chart Room), and a late evening in the Illuminations (planetarium).

RMS Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic Crossing statistics and facts

• This cruise liner is one of the biggest (weight 151,000 tons, capacity 2,500+ guests, and 3,056 max/all berths, 1,250 crew), longest (1,132 ft), tallest (550 ft) and most expensive (cost to build USD 800 million) passenger ships ever built. QM2 is also the only one still operational ocean liner, and she is the fastest cruise ship in the world (service speed 34 mph). RMS QM2 is the most famous cruise ship afloat – simply there’s no other ship in the world to enjoy such respect and recognition.
• In the course of the vessel’s 200 Transatlantic Crossings over 500,000 passengers were carried. They have consumed more than 8,400,000 cups of tea; more than 980,000 scones; over 481,000 bottles of champagne; more than 644,000 eggs; nearly 960,000 liters of milk, and 22,400,000 meals have been served. More than 1,000 dogs have been transported in the QM2 kennels.
• In comparison to other Cunard ships, QM2 has many seasons still ahead – RMS Queen Mary (1001 crossings), RMS Queen Elizabeth (896 crossings), ms Queen Elizabeth 2 (812 crossings).

The Cunard’s flagship QM2 cruise liner is a classic/authentic Trans-Atlantic Ocean liner offering deals on regular one-way and round-trip Cunard crossings between UK/England and USA/New York (NYC, Brooklyn). The regular QM2 crossings also offer cruises between New York and Hamburg (Germany) – again with both one-way and longer round-trip itinerary. In this survey, we list only the regular crossings which do not include additional ports of call.

Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic 2024-2025-2026 crossings (UK-USA-UK-Germany)

The following tables show all Queen Mary 2 ship departures from Southampton to New York and the reverse from New York to Southampton. They are part of the ship’s scheduled regular service on  Cunard Transatlantic Crossings: Westbound routes (from the UK to the USA) and Eastbound routes (from the USA to the UK). Prices are only indicative and subject to change.

QM2 schedule from Southampton to New York (UK-USA crossings) and Hamburg (UK-Germany)

The Queen Mary 2 cruise ship is usually departing from Southampton at 5PM and arriving in New York from 6:30 to 7AM. For exact New York USA arrival times please visit the Cunard Line’s website.

Cunard QM2 Southampton cruise port embarkation

There are four possible Southampton cruise terminals where you can board the Queen Mary 2 ship – so check your booking for the exact terminal:

• QE2 Terminal (dock gate 4)
• City Terminal (dock gate 10)
• Mayflower Terminal (dock gate 10)
• Ocean Terminal (dock gate 4).
• The taxi service from Southampton Central is ~10 min, costs ~£7 to Mayflower/City, and ~£10 to QE2/Ocean terminals.
• For schedules and price information on all the trains to Southampton from London and other major UK cities please visit nationalrail.co.uk. For the port’s cruise ship schedule you can visit CruiseMapper (cruisemapper.com/ports/southampton-port-115).

Queen Mary 2 Southampton boarding/check-in services open at 1 pm, and close ~3:45 pm (the exact check-in time is on your Cunard ticket). The line will also send you or you can download and print information about your departure date and room number (print them and put one on each of your bags). Remember that the baggage weight limit is 23 kg / 51 pounds per bag (no limit about their number).

At the check-in service desk, you show your ticket, passport, and credit card for on-ship purchases, and a photo will be taken for security purposes. You will be given a plastic card acting as an embarkation card, room key, and charge card on the ship. After the security check, you embark on the RMS Queen Mary 2.

Cunard QM2 New York cruise port disembarkation

All QM2 NYC disembarkation procedures are delivered to your cabin 1/2 days before the Brooklyn arrival. The Cunard’s “Express disembarkation” service allows you to leave the QM2 ship ~1/2 hour after docking (~7:30am). The standard procedure includes delivering to your cabin of colored labels for your baggage 1 day before the NYC arrival (put one on each of your bags, move them outside your cabin by the door between 8-12 pm the night before arrival. Your bags will be st the Brooklyn cruise terminal next morning, in a dedicated zone marked with your labels color. Know that they disembark the more expensive rooms guests first. The QM2 disembarkation time is 8-11 am.

QM2 schedule from New York to Southampton (USA-UK crossings) and Hamburg (USA-Germany)

Qm2 new york cruise information.

The Queen Mary 2 ship is usually departing from the New York cruise port terminal in Brooklyn at 5 PM. The ship’s check-in services start at 1 PM, and close at 3:45 PM. QM2 arrives at the Southampton cruise port at 6:30 AM. Again, please visit the line’s website for the exact Southampton UK arrival times confirmation.

QM2 New York/Port Brooklyn embarkation

Queen Mary 2 New York boarding/check-in services open at ~1 pm to ~3:45 pm (local time). The embarkation time, along with the other standard procedures information are the same as those about the UK departures from Southampton, since this is the Cunard policy and not the port policy-related issue. So you have the e-tickets with all the info, Cunard will send you labels with departure dates/room numbers, the bag weight limit is again 23kg per bag, you get through the security check, join the queue for check-in, show tickets/passports/credit cards, they take your photo, give you the plastic card for onboard uses, and you embark the cruise ship Queen Mary 2.

The QM2 Southampton disembarkation procedures are also the same as those for the NYC disembarkation – you’ll receive a note explaining them outside your cabin 1 or 2 days before the UK arrival, you can choose standard or “Express” disembarkation, put labels on your bags, place the bags outside your cabin between 8-12 pm the night before the UK arrival, etc. The London/Southampton disembarkation is between 8-11 AM local time.

Note: For exact times and prices on trains to NYC leaving from major US cities please visit amtrak.com  (the Amtrak train schedule).

QM2 schedule from Hamburg to Southampton and New York (Germany-UK-USA crossings)

You can share our “QM2 Transatlantic” review and the RMS Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic cruise schedule via our social buttons. Enjoy the ever best of the best British cruise ships departing from Southampton and New York, and be always happy on your uniquely special Cunard Transatlantic crossings on Queen Mary 2 – the Royal Mail Ship of the 21st century!

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Repositioning cruises 2024 and 2025: Save money with these unusual itineraries

Looking for a cruise where you can truly kick back and take advantage of onboard amenities without getting caught up in the hustle and bustle of a different port of call every day? Consider a repositioning cruise.

Repositioning cruises are the name for one-way sailings that bring the ship to a new home port or a different part of the world to kick-start a new cruise season. Because these sailings often cross oceans, you'll likely experience ports in more than one cruise region — and have ample sea days to take advantage of the spa, dining and entertainment options on board.

All the major cruise lines offer the occasional repositioning cruises, typically on ships that usually sail in destinations with shorter seasons, such as Alaska or the Mediterranean . Here, we answer all your questions about repositioning cruises.

Note: Listed fares were accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change without notice.

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

What is a repositioning cruise?

Cruise ships chase warm and sunny climates, so they often move, or "reposition," from one part of the world to another when chilly weather sets in. Cruise lines don't want to sail a ghost ship, one carrying only crew and no passengers, across the ocean because it's wasting an opportunity to earn money. They have figured out that by discounting rates, they can fill the cabins on these oddball itineraries.

Repositioning cruises are never round-trip sailings. Your origin and destination cities — or, in cruise-speak , embarkation and disembarkation ports — will not be the same. You might sail out of Florida and arrive in Barcelona or Southampton, England, allowing you to explore two continents on one vacation. Or, you might simply sail from Boston to Florida or from San Diego to Vancouver, British Columbia.

Repositioning cruises are known for having a greater-than-average number of days spent at sea, but it's not as if you never get off the ship. On a transatlantic sailing , port stops could be in Spain's Canary Islands or Portugal's Azores islands. A repositioning cruise from Southern California to Vancouver before the Alaska cruise season might sail up the Pacific Coast and visit cities like San Francisco and Astoria, Oregon.

Related: How to avoid seasickness on your next cruise

Another aspect that makes a repositioning cruise different from a typical sailing is that many of these itineraries are longer than a week. (This is by design. It takes longer to sail from Florida to Europe than it does to sail to and from the Caribbean .) Still, there is a lot of flexibility, just as with booking any cruise. The shortest you'll find is four or five days (for example, Southern California to Vancouver) and the longest is around 28 nights (yes, almost an entire month, usually between continents).

Are repositioning cruises one-way?

Yes, repositioning cruises are one-way voyages that start in one region and end in another. Because they happen when a cruise ship switches destinations based on seasonality, these sailings often involve travel to a different part of the world, which can result in many consecutive days at sea.

Where and what time of year do cruise ships reposition?

The good news is you can book a repositioning cruise nearly six months out of the year, spanning mid-spring and mid-fall months, which are the cruise lines' shoulder seasons.

Because repositioning cruises are not all tied to the same destination, this only widens your options in terms of geography. To envision where these will sail and when, you need to know a destination's cruise season.

Take Europe as an example. The majority of Mediterranean and Baltic sailings take place in the spring through the early fall. Europe-based ships flee the region during the winter, spending November through March in the warm Caribbean. Therefore, a ship will need to travel from the Caribbean to Europe in spring and return to the Caribbean by fall. Look for transatlantic repositioning cruises during those changeover months.

Related: From Alaska to the Panama Canal: Here are 9 of TPG's favorite fall cruise itineraries

Some ships stay in the Caribbean year-round and only reposition when the cruise line chooses to move them to a different home port. However, ships sailing short seasons in Alaska, South America, Canada/New England and Europe will always be repositioned at least twice a year.

Due to increased cruise itineraries in the Middle East and Asia over the last decade, you might also find a repositioning cruise departing or returning to either of those regions. For example, MSC Cruises offers cruises from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to Genoa, Italy, in April prior to sailing European itineraries in the spring and summer. Just be prepared to be away from home for a long time. The aforementioned sailing lasts about three weeks — a long trek through the Suez Canal, connecting the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, by way of Egypt.

Note: Many cruise lines have canceled or altered their 2024 Middle East itineraries due to unrest in the region.

What happens on a repositioning cruise?

On many repositioning cruises, you will not get off the ship as often as you might on a typical sailing because there are no ports in the middle of the ocean you're crossing. These itineraries often feature a string of sea days, so be prepared to spend more time and money on board.

Some people love port-intensive cruises so they can quickly check off a list of countries and only unpack once. But if you prefer leisurely, lazy days, then a transoceanic repositioning cruise might be your ticket to utopia. This huge stretch of time is a great opportunity to crack open books you've been meaning to read, launch into a knitting project or finally have time for daily workouts.

Related: 16 mistakes cruisers make on cruise ship sea days

Programming — such as comedy nights, fitness classes, boutique shopping, art auctions, wine tastings and evening shows — are as much a part of a repositioning cruise as any other sailing, only you might be able to take in a whole lot more than you normally would. Some cruise lines organize themed sailings or invite guest lecturers on board for extra sea day activities.

You also might want to consider springing for a cruise line's all-inclusive beverage package on a repositioning cruise. You'll get better value than usual from the price because you'll be ordering most of your drinks on board due to fewer port stops.

Another worthwhile splurge is a balcony cabin . You'll have easy access to fresh air without the top-deck crowds and can enjoy the romance of gazing out at the seemingly endless ocean. Just be sure to pack a sweater or sweatshirt because shoulder seasons in these climates are not necessarily sunbathing weather.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a repositioning cruise?

When you book a repositioning cruise, you'll likely be on board for at least two weeks, allowing enough time for the ship to sail between where it's currently based and its new home port. Sometimes the voyage can be even longer, and it's likely you won't have more than five or six port stops during that time.

That means lots of days on board, many of them consecutive. It's an advantage for anyone who enjoys relaxing at sea and doesn't mind exploring the ship for days at a time without touching land; it's a disadvantage for anyone who sees cruises as merely transportation to explore new places.

An advantage of repositionings is the price, which is often cheaper than what you'd pay for a round-trip sailing of the same length or which has more port days built into the schedule. However, the cost of the potentially expensive one-way or open-jaw flights needed before and after a repositioning cruise could eat up most of the money you'd save by booking that type of voyage.

Do you need a passport for a repositioning cruise?

Yes. The only time you don't need a passport to cruise is if you're booked on a closed-loop sailing — a voyage that departs from and returns to the same port within the U.S. Since repositioning cruises don't leave from and return to the same port, the exception won't apply, and you'll need a passport in order to board the ship.

Are repositioning cruises cheaper than other cruises?

It depends on the sailings to which you're comparing them, but repositioning cruises are often relatively affordable. Even though repositioning sailings can often be two to three weeks in length, you might find that they're less expensive than a regular weeklong voyage that begins and ends in the same port of call. That's because repositioning cruises offer mostly sea days, during which you'll be enjoying the ship instead of lounging on the beach or exploring museums.

How to score repositioning cruise deals

More often than not, a repositioning cruise is a good deal because it costs much less per night than a typical sailing. This is because the one-way, sea day-heavy itineraries are less desirable to the majority of cruisers, and they take place during slower travel seasons.

Related: 6 ways to get a deal on a cruise

Travelers who live near the embarkation or debarkation ports can save even more by only having to buy a one-way plane ticket rather than a full round trip.

Repositioning cruises can be tricky to find on booking sites. They often are referred to as repositioning cruises or transatlantic or transpacific cruises. When ships reposition between ports in the U.S. and Canada, the one-off one-way itineraries might not be labeled anything special beyond Caribbean or Pacific Coast cruises.

Not all of the cruise line or online travel agency booking pages have an option to check a box and search for repositioning cruises. If you can't find what you're looking for, do an online search for the term and the cruise line you wish to sail. Even better, call a travel agent or the cruise line's booking staff directly, and they can help you find the repositioning cruise that's best for you.

What are the best 2024 repositioning cruises?

14-night transatlantic on carnival glory.

This two-week repositioning voyage on Carnival Cruise Line 's Carnival Glory departs Barcelona on April 18 and offers just four port calls. The sailing will visit Valencia, Malaga and Las Palmas in Spain, as well as Bermuda, before reaching Port Canaveral, near Orlando, which is the ship's seasonal home base in Florida.

Prices start from $649 per person for an inside cabin.

15-night transatlantic on Rotterdam

On Oct. 12, Holland America 's newest ship, Rotterdam , sets sail on a transatlantic repositioning from Rotterdam in the Netherlands to Florida's Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. Those ports bookend calls on Bruges, Belgium; Le Havre and Brest, France; England's Isle of Portland; Bermuda; and Half Moon Cay, the line's private island in the Bahamas.

Prices begin at $2,074 per person for an inside cabin.

14-night transatlantic on Norwegian Escape

Norwegian Cruise Line 's Norwegian Escape will relocate from the Mediterranean to Miami on Nov. 26, offering a repositioning cruise that begins in Barcelona. It calls on Cartagena and Malaga, Spain; Madeira, Portugal; Antigua; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and NCL's private island , Great Stirrup Cay, in the Bahamas along the way.

Fares start at $829 per person for an inside cabin.

16-night Panama Canal transit on Seven Seas Grandeur

For a repositioning sailing that transits one of the world's most impressive modern engineering marvels and offers lots of port stops, check out Regent Seven Seas ' 16-night Panama Canal crossing on Seven Seas Grandeur . Departing from Miami on Dec. 13, passengers can check out Grand Cayman before enjoying calls on Cartagena, Colombia; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Antigua; and Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, Mexico, before reaching Los Angeles.

Prices for this voyage on Seven Seas Grandeur, which is an all-inclusive, all-suite vessel, start at $10,499 per person.

What are the best 2025 repositioning cruises?

15-night transatlantic on wind spirit.

Windstar Cruises ' Wind Spirit, a masted sailing ship, is repositioning from Barbados to Lisbon, Portugal, on Feb. 22, 2025. However, you'll only want to book this voyage if you're interested in sailing vessels or you're not easily bored. The ship is small, and there are no port calls on the schedule.

Prices start from $2,399 per person for a room with a window.

23-night Panama Canal on Coral Princess

For a lengthy voyage that will allow you to sail from Fort Lauderdale through the Panama Canal to Mexico and then up the California coast before arriving in Canada, check out Princess Cruises ' Coral Princess. Beginning April 10, 2025, the ship is featuring a cruise that's longer than three weeks as it repositions to Vancouver for a season of Alaska sailings .

Fares begin at $1,593 per person for an inside cabin. If you're short on time, you can opt instead for a shorter voyage of 16 nights that also begins on April 10 and ends in Los Angeles before the ship moves on to Canada. Fares for the shorter cruise start from $1,048 per person for inside accommodations.

17-night French Polynesia and Hawaii on Celebrity Edge

Celebrity Cruises ' Celebrity Edge will relocate from its base in Sydney on April 14, 2025. Its ultimate destination is Vancouver, where it will be stationed for a series of Alaska voyages. On its way, it will take passengers on a 17-night trip to experience the beauty of French Polynesia before concluding the sailing in Honolulu. Port calls include Paihia and Auckland in New Zealand and Raiatea, Papeete and Moorea in French Polynesia.

Rates start at $1,574 per person for an inside cabin.

14-night transatlantic on Odyssey of the Seas

On April 27, 2025, Royal Caribbean 's Odyssey of the Seas is repositioning from Bayonne's Cape Liberty port in New Jersey to Rome. There are only five port stops — Ponta Delgada, Portugal; Malaga, Cartagena and Valencia, Spain; and La Spezia, the port for Cinque Terre in Italy — mixed in among the sea days. However, this Quantum Class vessel has plenty to keep cruisers busy on board. Amenities include surfing and skydiving simulators, bumper cars and a robotic arm that holds a glass-enclosed observation sphere for excellent ocean views.

Fares begin at $829 per person for an inside cabin.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
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The Man in Seat 61

The transatlantic ferry

Cunard's queen mary 2.

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Train travel UK & Ireland...

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This is a guide to travel between Europe & the United States using Cunard's Queen Mary 2. 

Cunard maintain a scheduled transatlantic passenger service between Europe and the United States, usually one sailing a month in each direction between Southampton & New York from April to December taking 7 nights.

You travel aboard the greatest ocean liner in the world, Cunard's Queen Mary 2 (QM2).  It's a crossing , not a cruise , and many people use the QM2 as their preferred mode of transport between Europe & the United States.  The Queen Mary 2 is a proper ocean liner, built with the extra structural strength & power to withstand the rigours of the North Atlantic in all weathers.  The QM2 took over the transatlantic service from Cunard's 1967-built QE2 in 2004.

You can forget being bored, it's a week of relaxation, with cinema, theatre, interesting lectures, spa treatments, swimming pools, cocktail bars, restaurants, an excellent library, shops and even the world's only sea-going planetarium.  Plus the cold grey Atlantic which I never tire of watching.  You can also forget seasickness, the 150,000 ton QM2 is rock-steady in most weather amidships, you'll need to walk forward towards the bows to feel any up and down movement.  Westbound, the crossing is rounded off by an awe-inspiring early-morning arrival into New York City, in my opinion the best way to arrive in the Big Apple. 

Crossing the Atlantic by ocean liner needn't cost much more than a business-class flight, fares for two people sharing the cheapest Britannia stateroom start from £1,099 per person each way, for 7 nights accommodation, all meals & entertainment.

The Man in Seat Sixty-One says:   "From personal experience, staggering round a transatlantic liner in a dinner jacket with a martini is the normal, rational, reasonable way to cross the Atlantic.  Heading for an airport and strapping yourself to a flimsy aluminium tube is an unfortunate and eccentric aberration."

Transatlantic sailing dates

Southampton ► new york.

2024 transatlantic sailings:   28 April, 16 May, 9 June (6 night), 23 June (6 night), 21 July (6 night), 16 August, 15 September, 17 October (8 night), 13 November, 14 December.

2025 transatlantic sailings:   9 January (9 nights, Queen Anne), 8 March, 27 April (8 nights), 16 May, 6 June, 24 June, 27 August, 26 September, 24 October, 19 November, 15 December.

All crossings are now 7 nights except where shown.  The Queen Mary 2 usually sails from Southampton at 17:00, arriving in New York 7 nights later at 06:30-07:00.  The terminal she uses in Southampton varies.  In New York she arrives at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.

New York ► Southampton

2024 transatlantic sailings:   3 January (8 nights), 5 May, 23 May, 15 June (8 nights), 6 July (8 nights), 27 July (8 nights), 23 August, 4 October (9 nights), 25 October, 3 December.

2025 transatlantic sailings:   3 January (8 nights), 6 April (8 nights), 5 may, 23 may, 13 June, 8 July, 8 august, 3 September, 17 October, 31 October, 8 December then 3 January 2026 (8 nights).

The QM2 usually sails from New York Brooklyn Cruise Terminal at 17:00, with check-in opening at 13:00 and closing at 15:45.  She arrives in Southampton at 06:30 seven nights later.

How to check sailing dates, times, prices & availability

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How much does it cost?

Typical Cunard one-way fares for transatlantic crossings.  Late bookings in late season can often be cheaper than this!

Inside = without window, oceanview = with porthole, see the cabin accommodation guide .  All other staterooms & suites have a balcony, except the two Q3 Royal Suites.

Britannia = allocated to the Britannia restaurant for meals.  Princess or Queen's Grill = allocated to the superior Princess or Queen's Grill restaurants for meals.

How to find cheaper tickets:   You'll often find cheaper fares if you buy your tickets from a cruise specialist such as www.cruisenation.com (UK-based) or www.cruisedirect.com (in the USA or Canada), both of which have online booking for transatlantic crossings and cruises.  Agencies like these can save perhaps £100 per person or more off the official Cunard price, and you'll also find cheaper fares if you shop for last minute deals and late-season crossings, as low as £799 or better, for example.  However, be aware that in high summer transatlantic sailings can get full many months in advance.

Round trip fares:   There are special round trip fares covering two back-to-back crossings with just 1 day in New York, but if you plan to spend more than a day at your destination you'll need to pay one-way fares each way.  In other words, for all practical purposes a round trip on the QM2 means buying two one-way tickets.

Cunard Fare & Saver fare:   The Cunard fare lets you choose a specific cabin & dinner sitting up front.  The Saver fares are several hundred pounds or dollars cheaper and guarantee a cabin in the booked grade or higher, but the cabin and dinner sitting time are allocated for you.  You can log in to Cunard's voyage personaliser at my.cunard.com/en-gb/mycruise/login a couple of weeks before departure to see what cabin & sitting you have been allocated.

Child fares:   See here .

What does the fare include?   All Queen Mary 2 transatlantic fares include your cabin accommodation, all meals & afternoon tea, on-board entertainment such as shows, lectures, films, access to the swimming pools & library, plus the tea, coffee & juices available in the Kings Court self-service.  The fare does not include alcoholic & non-alcoholic drinks served in bars or at meals, Canyon Ranch Spa access & treatments, or internet access .  Also, a 'discretionary' fee of around $11-$14 per person per day will be added to your on board account each day as a gratuity for staff.

How to buy tickets

  if you live in uk & europe,   if you live in the usa or canada, how does the ticketing work , westbound transatlantic guide.

Here is a typical transatlantic timetable, port transfer, embarkation arrangements & journey information for a typical westbound transatlantic sailing on the QM2.  Although they normally follow this same pattern, always check the sailing time & check-in times for your specific date.  If you find that something has changed, please let me know .  If you're sailing eastbound, see the eastbound information .  Are  westbound or eastbound crossings better?

Take the train from London Waterloo

Fast air-conditioned trains run from London Waterloo to Southampton Central every 30 minutes taking around 1h17.  No reservation is necessary, just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on the next train.

London to Southampton costs £43.10 adult one-way Super Off-Peak in standard class or £86.80 one-way Off-Peak in 1st class.

These tickets have unlimited availability, you can buy them on the day, the price doesn't change.  Children under 16 half price, children under 5 free.

If you book in advance and commit to a specific train, cheaper Advance fares are available from around £10 in standard class or £16 in 1st class.  These tickets have limited availability at each price level.

Check train times & fares from London Waterloo or anywhere in Britain to Southampton at www.thetrainline.com .  Direct trains run from Manchester, Birmingham, Oxford, Reading, Bristol & Cardiff to Southampton, so you won't have to cross London.  See a beginner's guide to UK train travel .

For train connections from Paris or any other European city to London, see here .  I'd recommend a night in London before taking the train to Southampton on sailing day.

Transfer by taxi in Southampton

Make sure you know which of the four possible terminals the QM2 is sailing from, the QEII terminal (dock gate 4), City Cruise Terminal (dock gate 10), Mayflower Cruise Terminal (dock gate 10), or the new Ocean Terminal (dock gate 4).  Map of Southampton, showing all cruise terminals, Southampton Central Station & the historic Ocean Terminal .

A taxi from Southampton Central station takes 10 minutes and costs around £10 to the Mayflower or City cruise terminals, around £13 to the QEII terminal or Ocean Terminal.  You'll find plenty of taxis waiting at the station, the taxi rank is on the same side of the station where most trains from London arrive, so no bridges or subways to negotiate., level access from platform to booking hall to forecourt.

QM2 check-in procedures

Check-in typically opens at 13:00 and closes around 15:45.  Cunard will give you a specific check-in time on your e-ticket to stagger people arriving, but you can arrive earlier if you like, it's not a problem.

Visitors are not allowed on board, so anyone seeing you off will have to leave you at the terminal.   Cunard either send you or allow you to download labels showing your departure date & cabin number, remember to put one on each bag before arriving at the terminal.

When you get out of the taxi at the terminal drop-off point your large bags are immediately taken from you and whisked away, they will magically reappear later in your stateroom.  No bag should exceed 23Kg (50lb) but you can take as many bags as you like as long as they will all fit into your stateroom.

You then walk into the check-in hall and go to the first available check-in desk, this usually doesn't take long.  At the check-in desk, you show your e-ticket, your passport & your credit card for on-board purchases, and a webcam photo is taken of each passenger for security purposes.  You may be asked to fill out a brief health form to notify the ship of any fever you have or any diarrhoea you've had in the last 48 hours.  Each passenger is given a credit-card sized plastic card which is your embarkation card, your cabin key and your charge card for buying drinks & souvenirs on board. 

After check-in there's an airline-style X-ray & metal detector security check, then straight onto the gangway onto the QM2, entering the Grand Lobby on deck 3.  It's a painless process compared to airports.  If you feel like a late lunch, or just a tea, coffee or juice when you board, you'll find the King's Court self-service restaurant on deck 7 open for business and offering all of these.

What's an Atlantic crossing like?

The Queen Mary 2 is usually due to sail from Southampton at 17:00.  This is the most usual time, but please check for your sailing date.  Once on board and settled into your stateroom, listen for announcements about emergency drill.  This is held at 16:00 and takes about 20 minutes.  You listen for the alarm bells, fetch your lifejackets from your stateroom and go to your allocated muster station where staff will brief you on emergency procedures and you'll listen to an announcement by the captain.  When it's over, return your lifejackets to your stateroom and head up on deck for departure...

Soon after 17:00 the QM2 sails, with a band playing on her aft decks and glasses of champagne available (around $17).  She is sometimes moored facing upstream, sometimes downstream, and if she's moored facing upstream at the City or Mayflower terminals, she'll first head further upstream before turning around, somehow managing to turn her 1,130 foot length without hitting the far bank of the river or the small boats moored there.

Southampton's historic Ocean Terminal:  Cunard no longer use the traditional and historic Ocean Terminal dock, from which the original Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and even Titanic would have sailed.  Indeed, the old 1950 terminal building was demolished in 1983 and this hugely historic location now looks totally unremarkable, a freight dock with a couple of multi-storey car parks next to it for vehicle exports.  You won't know that you're looking at it unless you know where it is, so see this map .  It's just north of the QEII terminal, just south of the City & Mayflower terminals.  About the old Ocean Terminal .

The Queen Mary 2 heads downstream into the Solent, heading directly towards Cowes on the Isle of Wight before making a tight turn to port (left) in the deep water channel, passing Ryde to starboard (right) and Portsmouth to port.  The QM2 rounds the Isle of Wight using the deep water route to the east (although this looks like the long way round on a map) and heads out into the English Channel.  By breakfast next morning, you're well past Bishop Rock lighthouse and out in the Atlantic...

Seven nights at sea on the Atlantic.  Cunard slowed down their crossings from 6 nights to 7 nights from 2011 onwards, although an occasional crossing may take 6 or 8 nights.  This is two days slower than it used to be, as the weekly service operated from 1946 to 1967 by the original Queen Mary and her consort Queen Elizabeth took just 5 nights for the 3,150 nautical miles (3,625 miles). 

There may be no coastline or islands to see in mid-Atlantic (or even other ships, usually), but I never tire of gazing at the brooding waters of the North Atlantic.  It changes from day to day, sometimes smooth and glassy, sometimes choppy and sombre, sometimes sunny, sometimes foggy with the Queen Mary 2's fog horn blaring at regular intervals.

You may get rough crossings especially in October, November or December, but my summer crossings on the 150,000 ton Queen Mary 2 or 70,000 ton QE2 have been rock steady all the way.  You could be in a 5 star hotel rather than on board a ship!

The QM2's clocks are put back an hour at 2am on 5 of the 7 nights because of the time difference, giving you a welcome extra hour's sleep in this direction.  You will pass within a few miles of the resting place of the Titanic (within 38 nautical miles on one of my westbound crossings) and an announcement may well be made on board.  Naturally, you'll find a whole programme of entertainment & activities on board every day, and if you really want to be bored you'll have to work hard at it.

The QM2 arrives in New York at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal at 06:30.  This is the highlight!  Whether you're a natural early riser or not, make sure you're up and on deck by 04:45 on the morning of arrival in New York, as the arrival into New York by ocean liner is something you will remember all you life.  There's a forward-facing observation deck on deck 11,  immediately below the bridge, accessed from 'A' stairway.  You'll see the lights of Long Island to starboard (the right-hand side), Staten Island to port, and the Verrazano suspension bridge dead ahead at the entrance to New York harbour.  The Queen Mary 2 passes under the bridge with just a few precious feet of clearance above her funnel, and as she does so the fabulous Manhattan skyline comes into view.  The QM2 no longer uses Cunard's traditional terminal at Pier 90 on Manhattan itself, so she no longer steams right past the Statue of Liberty, but instead she turns to starboard (to the right) opposite the statue and heads into the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, berthing within sight of the famous Statue and Manhattan skyline.

QM2 disembarkation in New York

A note explaining QM2 disembarkation procedures appears outside your stateroom a day or two before arrival, and each deck is allocated a disembarkation time.  Disembarkation takes place between 08:00 & 11:00.  The upper decks with the more expensive cabins disembark first (e.g. decks 9, 10, 11, 12), other decks such as 4, 5 or 6 later.

Labels for your bags appear outside your stateroom the day before arrival.  You put a label on each of your bags and place them in the corridor outside your stateroom between 20:00 & midnight before arrival.  Your bags will disappear and will be waiting for you in the terminal hall next morning, in an area marked with the same colour as your labels.

It's then just a matter of going through the U.S. immigration check, a slowish process but no worse than any airport.  They you walk out of the terminal.

Express disembarkation:   If you want to get off sooner and are happy managing all your own bags, you can register for Express disembarkation at the purser's desk on deck 2 the day before arrival.  You are given an express disembarkation card.  Express disembarkation passengers gather in the Queens Room from 06:45 onwards with all their luggage, and at around 07:00 when the gangway opens you simply walk off the ship with your bags, straight into the terminal.  With a Deck 4 cabin we were allocated an 11:00 disembarkation time, which would have meant half a day in New York wasted, so I'd go for express disembarkation every time!

Transfer by taxi to Manhattan

The Tour Office on deck 2 offers private transfers by minivan from Brooklyn Cruise Terminal to any Manhattan hotel for a ridiculous $429, or they can sell you tickets for a transfer bus for $59 per person. 

However, both options are crazy, because a normal yellow cab from the terminal taxi rank to anywhere in Manhattan costs only $40 for up to 4 people and all your bags, and you'll find plenty of taxis waiting right outside the terminal building.  Enjoy the drive across the famous Brooklyn Bridge in a New York Yellow Cab!

You'll also find plenty of black private hire vehicles outside the terminal with a fixed price of around $55 to a Manhattan hotel, also a good relaxed option.  The ride takes 20 minutes.

Alternatively, the cheapest option (just $4) is to take the frequent ferry from Brooklyn's Red Hook ferry terminal to Pier 11 on Wall Street at the southern end of Manhattan.  Red Hook ferry quay is only 100m from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, and it'll take you to Manhattan in a matter of minutes, see www.ferry.nyc .  It's aimed at locals, but taking a suitcase isn't usually a problem.  See walking map cruise terminal to Red Hook ferry .

By train from New York to other U.S. cities

You can be at Penn Station by 11:30 or earlier, for onward train connections.  Washington DC is only 3 hours away by train, Boston 4 hours or less.  The Lake Shore Limited train to Chicago leaves Penn Station around 15:45 arriving in Chicago next morning, with connections for all points west including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Dallas, Seattle.  You'll also make the afternoon Crescent overnight train to Atlanta & New Orleans, or the afternoon Silver Meteor overnight to Florida.

You can book any of these trains online in advance at www.amtrak.com , collecting your ticket from the self-service machines at Penn Station.  Note that between New York & Washington or New York & Boston you'll be offered two different types of train:  The premium-fare Acela Express 150mph high-speed train with business class and first class, but no coach class, and the slower but cheaper Northeast Regional trains with coach class and business class. 

You can book Amtrak trains yourself, but if you want an agency to sort a package of train connections and hotels from New York to other US cities, call Railbookers on 0207 864 4600 (UK office) or 1-888-829-4775 (US office).  Beginner's guide to train travel in the USA .

By train from New York to Toronto, Montreal & Canada

Two daily trains link New York with Canada, the Maple Leaf to Toronto and the Adirondack to Montreal.  Both trains leave New York in the morning, so you'll need to spend the night in New York.  It's a very scenic run along the Hudson River valley, past West Point Military Academy, Storm King Mountain and Bannerman's Island.  As it's name suggests, the train to Montreal also passes through the scenic Adirondack Mountains and past Lake Champlain.  Information on trains from New York to Canada .  Change in Toronto for the famous Canadian trans-continental train 2-3 times a week to Winnipeg, Edmonton, Jasper & Vancouver. 

You can book Amtrak & VIA Rail trains yourself, but if you want an agency to sort a package of train connections and hotels from New York to major Canadian cities, call Railbookers on 0207 864 4600 (UK office), 1-888-829-4775 (US office, toll-free) or 1-855-882-2910 (Canada, toll-free).  Beginner's guide to train travel in Canada .

Eastbound transatlantic guide

Here is a typical timetable, transfer & journey information for most eastbound trans-Atlantic crossings.  Although they usually follow this pattern, please check sailing & check-in times for your specific date when you book in case they are different.  If you find that anything has changed, do let me know .  If you plan to travel westbound, click here .  Are  westbound or eastbound crossings better?

By train from Washington DC & other US cities to New York

Amtrak trains link Washington DC & New York in less than 3 hours, Boston to New York in under 4 hours.  The daily Lake Shore Limited links Chicago & New York overnight, with connections in Chicago from LA, San Francisco, Seattle, etc.  However, the Lake Shore arrives at New York's Penn station in the early evening, too late for same-day connections with the 'Mary, so you'll need to leave Chicago two nights before the 'Mary sails and spend a night in New York before sailing day.  You can check schedules and fares and buy tickets for any of these trains online at www.amtrak.com .  Note that between New York & Washington or New York & Boston you'll be offered two different types of train:  The premium-fare Acela Express 150mph high-speed train with business class and first class, but no coach class, and the slower but cheaper Northeast Regional trains with coach class and business class.  You can book Amtrak trains yourself, but if you want an agency to sort a package of train connections and hotels from other US cities to New York for you, call Railbookers on 0207 864 4600 (UK office) or 1-888-829-4775 (US office.  Beginner's guide to train travel in the USA .

By train from Toronto, Montreal & Canada to New York

Two daily trains link Canada with New York, the Maple Leaf from Toronto and Adirondack from Montreal.  Both trains arrive in New York in the evening, so you'll need to spend a night in New York before sailing day - Check hotels in New York .  It's a very scenic run down the Hudson River valley, past West Point Military Academy, Storm King Mountain and Bannerman's Island.  As it's name suggests, the train from Montreal also passes through the scenic Adirondack Mountains and past Lake Champlain.  Information on trains between Canada & New York .  The famous Canadian trans-continental train links Vancouver & Toronto three times a week, via Jasper, Edmonton & Winnipeg.  You can book Amtrak & VIA Rail trains yourself, but if you want an agency to sort a package of train connections and hotels from a Canadian city to New York for you, call Railbookers on 0207 864 4600 (UK office) or 1-888-829-4775 (US office, toll-free) or 1-855-882-2910 (Canada, toll-free). Beginner's guide to train travel in Canada .

By taxi from Manhattan to Brooklyn Cruise Terminal

A normal yellow cab from New York Penn Station or any hotel in Manhattan to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal costs around $40 for up to 4 people and all your bags.  Enjoy the drive across the famous Brooklyn Bridge in a traditional New York Yellow Cab!  The taxi ride takes 20 minutes.

Alternatively, a frequent ferry operates from Pier 11 at the end of Wall Street in Manhattan to Red Hook ferry terminal in Brooklyn, this is just 100m from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, fare $4, see www.ferry.nyc .  See walking map from Red Hook ferry terminal to Brooklyn Cruise Terminal .

QM2 check-in procedures in New York

Check-in usually opens around 13:00 and closes around 15:45.  Cunard will give you a specific check-in time on your e-ticket to try and stagger people arriving, but you can arrive earlier if you like.  Visitors are not allowed on board, so anyone seeing you off will have to leave you at the terminal then wave from the shore.

Cunard will have sent you adhesive labels showing your departure date & cabin number, remember to put one on each bag before arriving at the terminal, as when you get there your larger bags are immediately taken from you.  They will magically reappear later in your stateroom.  No one bag should exceed 23Kg (50lb) but you can take as many bags as you like as long as they will all fit into your stateroom.

You then walk into the terminal and join the short queue for a ticket check, then another short queue for the X-ray and metal detector security check, then you join a long zig-zag queue for check-in proper.

At the check-in desk, you show your e-ticket, your passport & your credit card for on-board purchases, and a webcam photo is taken of each passenger for security purposes.  You also hand in a brief health form notifying the ship of any fever you have or any diarrhoea you've had in the last 48 hours. Each passenger is given a credit-card sized plastic card which acts as your embarkation card, cabin key and charge card for buying drinks & souvenirs on board.  You then go up the gangway onto the QM2, entering the Grand Lobby on deck 3.

Apart from the time spent in the main queue (have a reading book and some refreshments to hand), it's a painless process compared to airports.  If you feel like a late lunch, or just a tea, coffee or juice when you board, you'll find the King's Court self-service restaurant on deck 7 open for business and offering all of these.

What's an eastbound Atlantic crossing like?

The ship normally sails from New York at 17:00.  This is the usual time, but please check for your specific departure date.  Once on board and settled into your stateroom, listen for announcements about emergency drill.  This is held at 16:00 and takes about 20 minutes.  You listen for the alarm bells, fetch your lifejackets from your stateroom and go to your allocated muster station where staff will brief you on emergency procedures and you'll listen to an announcement by the captain.  After this you're free to go up on deck and admire the Manhattan skyline astern and the Statue of Liberty to starboard (right-hand side).  At 17:00 she casts off, and with a band playing on her aft decks and glasses of champagne available (around $17) she heads out to sea.  Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty slowly disappear astern, and the QM2 heads toward and then underneath the huge Verrazano suspension bridge out into the Atlantic.  There is just a few precious feet of clearance above her red funnel!  An NYPD police boat follows behind (seeing you off the premises?), and a police helicopter buzzes overhead.

Seven nights at sea on the Atlantic.  Cunard slowed down their crossings to from 6 to 7 nights from 2011 onwards, although an occasional crossing still takes 6 nights.  Naturally, you'll find a whole programme of entertainment & activities on board every day, and if you really want to be bored you'll have to work hard at it!  There are no islands or coastline to see in mid-Atlantic (or even other ships, usually), but personally I never tire of gazing at the brooding waters of the North Atlantic.  It changes from day to day, sometimes smooth and glassy, sometimes choppy and sombre, sometimes foggy, sometimes sunny.  You may get rough crossings especially in October, November or December, but my own transatlantic crossings on the 150,000 ton Queen Mary 2 or 70,000 ton QE2 have been rock steady all the way.  You could be in a 5 star hotel rather than on board a ship!  The QM2's clocks are put forward an hour at 2am on five of the seven eastbound nights because of the time difference, giving you an hour's less sleep in this direction - if there's one reason why a westbound crossing can be nicer than an eastbound one, this is it!  (update 2013:  Cunard has tried the crazy idea of putting the clocks forward at midday on recent crossings, much to passengers dismay, as it can be confusing and means dinner is too soon after lunch!)  You will pass within a few miles of the resting place of the Titanic and an announcement may well be made on board.  On the last evening at dinner you may catch site of the Isles of Scilly in the distance (about 35 miles west of Land's End), and later the lights of Cornwall twinkling to port.  A first view of Great Britain!  You're now past the Bishop Rock lighthouse an in the English Channel.  Incidentally, a modern transatlantic crossing is now two days slower than it used to be, as the weekly service operated by the first Queen Mary and her consort Queen Elizabeth from 1946 to 1967 took just 5 nights.

The ship arrives in Southampton at 06:30.  You'll need to be up early, at around 04:30, if you want to see the ship round the Isle of Wight and head past Portsmouth & Ryde and into Southampton Water, although this hardly lives up to the spectacular arrival in New York on a westbound transatlantic.  There's a forward-facing observation deck on deck 10, immediately below the bridge, accessed from 'A' stairway.  Otherwise, you'll find the ship docked at the Southampton Terminal when you awake, and the Kings Court & Britannia restaurants serving a welcome cooked breakfast to send you on your way.

QM2 disembarkation in Southampton

It's then just a matter of going through the UK immigration check.  They you walk out of the terminal.

Express disembarkation:   If you want to get off sooner and are happy managing all your own bags, you can register for Express disembarkation at the purser's desk on deck 2 the day before arrival.  You are given an express disembarkation card.  Express disembarkation passengers gather in the Queens Room from 06:45 onwards with all their luggage, and at around 07:00 when the gangway opens you simply walk off the ship with your bags, straight into the terminal.

Transfer by taxi to Southampton Central station

The Queen Mary 2 can use any one of four different terminals in Southampton, either the QEII terminal (dock gate 4), City Cruise Terminal (dock gate 10), Mayflower Cruise Terminal (dock gate 10), or the new Ocean Terminal (dock gate 4).  Map of Southampton, showing all cruise terminals, Southampton Central Station & the original historic Ocean Terminal .  A taxi to Southampton Central station costs around £10 from the Mayflower or City cruise terminals, or around £13 from the QEII terminal or Ocean Terminal.  You'll find plenty of taxis waiting at the terminal, although there can be a long wait as there are so many other passengers.  The taxi ride takes just 10 minutes.

Take the train to London Waterloo

Cunard no longer organise a special 'boat train' in connection with QM2 sailings.  However, fast air-conditioned trains link Southampton Central with London Waterloo every 30 minutes taking around 1h17.  No reservation is necessary or even possible for Southampton-London trains, you just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on the next train.

Southampton to London costs £43.10 adult one-way Super Off-Peak in standard class or £86.80 one-way Off-Peak in 1st class.

I would not buy a cheaper advance-purchase Advance fare because this commits you to a specific train and you are not in control of exactly when you arrive and disembark.  Super Off-Peak, Off-Peak and Anytime fares can be bought on the day and used flexibly, so you can catch the next train.

You can check train times & fares from Southampton to London Waterloo or anywhere in Britain using www.thetrainline.com .  Direct trains run from Southampton to Reading, Oxford, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol & Cardiff, so you won't have to cross London.  Beginner's guide to UK train travel .  Find a hotel in London .

Onward trains from London to Paris & beyond

Onwards to Paris:   Allow plenty of time for onward connections, certainly several hours, and maybe stay in London overnight.  For Paris, take a UK domestic train from Southampton central to London Waterloo (no reservation necessary, see the section above), then take a taxi or Underground across London to St Pancras Station.  Eurostar runs every hour or so from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord in central Paris, journey time 2 hours 20 minutes.   For a beginner's guide to Eurostar travel, see the London to Paris by Eurostar page .  You can book tickets online in advance at www.eurostar.com , and you should indeed pre-book, as London-Paris prices start from £52 in advance but up to £200+ if you wait and buy on the day of travel.

Onwards to other countries:   See this page for information on getting from London to any country in Europe .  Having crossed the Atlantic on the luxurious Queen Mary 2, how about taking the Venice Simplon Orient Express vintage luxury train to Italy ?  This runs on most Thursdays from April to October, and takes 24 hours from London to Venice, a real treat.  You can book European trains yourself, but if you want an agency to put together a package of train connections and hotels from anywhere in Europe to Southampton for you, call Railbookers on 0207 864 4600 (UK) or 1-888-829-4775 (US office).

Which cabin to choose?

There are a bewildering range of staterooms on the Queen Mary 2 at varying prices, but they basically fall into these categories, in ascending order of cost:

Britannia Inside:   An Inside cabin means it has no window, but even though this is the cheapest option, these staterooms are spacious, beautifully designed and have all the facilities mentioned above.  They have double or twin beds for 2 people, although some rooms are fitted with an additional two drop-down upper berths making a 3 or 4-berth room.  Some cabins are wheelchair-accessible.  Allocated to the Britannia restaurant.  Typically 155 sq ft.

Britannia Atrium View:   There are a handful of standard inside cabins on decks 4, 5 & 6 which have a small window opening onto the atrium above the Grand Lobby.  They have double or twin beds for 2 people, but none of these rooms are fitted with additional berths.  Also allocated to the Britannia restaurant.  Typically 161 sq ft.

Britannia Oceanview:   These are outside cabins meaning they have a small non-opening porthole for sea views.  Some seasoned travellers will tell you that with no coastline or islands to see on a 6 day transatlantic crossing, a window is unnecessary.  However, I enjoy seeing where I am and love gazing at the vast and always-changing waters of the North Atlantic.  Paying the extra for a Standard Oceanview is well worth it, both for the views and the natural light.  These staterooms have double or twin beds for two people, but some rooms are fitted with an additional two drop-down upper berths making a 3- or 4-berth room.  Some are wheelchair-accessible.  Also allocated to the Britannia restaurant.  Typically 194 sq ft.

I've crossed with an inside cabin and with an outside cabin, and I think it's well worth the extra for a porthole.  It lets natural light into the cabin and it gives you a much greater sense of place - not to mention sunsets over the Isle of Wight and views of the Statue of Liberty as you pack up on arrival!

Britannia Balcony (Obstructed View) :  The cheapest cabin type to have its own balcony, allocated to the Britannia restaurant.  These are all on Deck 8 above the promenade deck, but with their view heavily obstructed by the ship's lifeboats.  They have a double or twin beds for 2 people, and a few cabins have a 3rd berth in the form of a pull-out sofa bed.

I'd definitely pay a little more for an sheltered balcony, without any obstruction.

Britannia Sheltered Balcony:   The next cheapest cabin type to have its own balcony, allocated to the Britannia restaurant, also with a double or twin beds for 2 people, a few cabins have a pull-out sofa bed as well.  Sheltered balcony cabins are on decks 4, 5 & 6 below the promenade deck with a small balcony cut into the hull.  Typically 269 sq ft, including balcony.

This is my own first choice (unless you can afford a megabucks suite, of course), arguably a better choice for a transatlantic crossing than a more expensive cabin with a more windswept balcony in the ship's superstructure.  See the photos below.

Britannia Balcony:   Also allocated to the Britannia restaurant, these are slightly smaller than the Sheltered Balcony rooms, but have a glass-fronted balcony higher up in the ship's superstructure, on deck 8 and above.

The open glass-fronted balcony lets even more natural light into the cabin than a sheltered balcony, but it'll be more windswept than a sheltered balcony on a transatlantic crossing!   Typically 248 sq ft, including balcony.

Britannia Club Balcony:   Similar to a Britannia Balcony, but allocated to the single-sitting 'Britannia Club' restaurant, a separate off-shoot of the main Britannia restaurant.  Typically 248 sq ft, including balcony.

Princess Balcony Suites:   Suites with balcony, all allocated to the Princess Grill restaurant.  Typically 381 sq ft, including balcony.

Queens Balcony Suites:   Various types of suite, up to and including the extravagant Grand Duplex suites, all allocated to the Queen's Grill restaurant.  All have balconies, except the two Q3 grade Royal Suites.  Size varies from 506 sq ft to 2,249 sq ft.

QM2 deck plans in PDF format

If you pay the more expensive Cunard fare so you can choose a specific cabin, here are some things to consider.

You can feel a slight up & down movement of the ship towards at the bows, but will feel hardly any movement at all amidships.  For this reason mid-ships cabins are higher-graded and cost more (Even if you pay the cheaper Saver fare, you can select a higher grade to ensure a mid-ships cabin).

Some people have reported noise from below when occupying sheltered balcony cabins on 4 deck directly above the Illuminations or Royal Court Theatre, so 5 or 6 Deck may be preferable.  However, we had 4101 & 4105 over the Chart Room bar and these were perfect.

Adjacent cabins with connecting doors are marked on the QM2 deck plan .  Choose these if four of you are going to book two cabins.  But don't choose these if you're only booking one cabin, as a wall with connecting door is never as totally soundproofed as a wall without.

Facilities in all cabins

Even the cheapest QM2 cabin (or stateroom as Cunard calls them) features comfortable beds, a private bathroom with shower, sink & toilet, a dressing table, flatscreen TV, a small coffee table & chair, 240v UK & 110v US style power sockets, pay-per-minute internet access , soap, shower gel, shampoo & conditioner, bathrobes, hairdryer, plenty of wardrobe space, room service menu and a solid electronic safe for your valuables that's large enough for a 14" laptop.  A bedtime chocolate is delivered to your stateroom when the steward turns down your bed.

Where cabins can be configured with either twin beds or a double, you can select your preference in advance using the online voyage personaliser at my.cunard.com/en-gb/mycruise/login the same online system where you download and print your luggage labels and e-ticket.  You log on with your Cunard booking reference and personal details.

Britannia sheltered balcony  See 360º image

This is cabin 4101 on 4 Deck.   The Man in Seat 61 says , "This is my own preferred cabin for a transatlantic crossing.  Even at 20 knots in mid-Atlantic the balcony remains wind-free just as the word sheltered suggests.  Some people say you won't get much use out of a balcony on the Atlantic, but I loved being able to stroll outside at any time and stand at the rail watching the Atlantic drift past.  On a sunny summer crossing off Newfoundland we did indeed sit outside, and even when inside, the French windows let in lots of natural light, making it a far nicer room than an inside or outside cabin, so upgrade if you can.  I have yet to travel with a more expensive full-balcony cabin, but I expect those are a lot more windswept!".  Click the photos for larger images.

Britannia inside & oceanview

Qm2 restaurants, which restaurant.

The fare includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as afternoon tea in the Queen's Room or King's Court.  It does not include drinks, other than the basic water, tea, coffee & juice available at the drink stations in the Kings Court buffet restaurant.  Bottles of wine start at around $30 and real ale lovers can choose Old Speckled Hen or Spitfire for around $6 a bottle.

Your allocated restaurant:   Each stateroom is allocated a restaurant.  Most cabins, including the Inside, Oceanview & Sheltered Balcony, are allocated to the Britannia restaurant on decks 2 & 3. The more expensive staterooms are allocated to the more intimate Princess Grill on deck 7, and the very best staterooms to the Queen's Grill , also on deck 7.  The food is excellent, and you choose from a menu of half a dozen different starters, main courses and desserts, which changes every day.

Optional dining venues:   You can also choose to eat any given meal in the informal King's Court buffet on deck 7, or pub grub in the Golden Lion pub on deck 2, instead of your allocated restaurant.  It's entirely up to you, you can decide on a day by day basis.

There is also the Veranda Restaurant aft on deck 8.  This does seafood and steaks, and is an extra-cost option - you reserve a table and pay extra to dine there instead of your allocated restaurant.

Room service:   If you'd rather eat in your cabin, every cabin has free room service from a simple menu including burgers, pasta, cheese & crackers.  You can order by phone at any time, it's all included in your fare.  However, if you order any drinks from room service, including soft drinks, these are charged at bar prices.  You can also choose to have breakfast delivered to your stateroom, except on the morning of arrival.  Just hang the breakfast order form on your cabin door before retiring.

Britannia restaurant

Most staterooms are allocated to the Britannia restaurant , a magnificent two-storey 1,300 seat restaurant spanning decks 2 & 3 and reminiscent of the grand dining saloons of the great ocean liners of the past.  There are two sittings for dinner, 6pm & 8.30pm.  If you pay the Cunard fare you can choose a sitting when you book, if you pay the cheaper Saver fare you will be allocated a sitting, perhaps the less popular 8.30pm one.  If you log onto your online voyage personaliser at my.cunard.com/en-gb/mycruise/login with your booking reference and personal details it will confirm your sitting before you travel.  Evening entertainment is arranged so that both sittings can enjoy it, although the 6pm sitting gives you the rest of the evening free, and is arguably more relaxed than the later one.  If you've young children, see the section below .  There are no specific sittings or allocated tables for lunch or breakfast, you are allocated a table when you walk in, choosing your own table for 2, table for 4 or if you prefer, seats at a shared table so you get to meet other passengers.

Princess Grill & Queen's Grill

More expensive staterooms are allocated to the Princess Grill , the most expensive suites to the Queens Grill .  Both are aft on deck 7, served by the same galley.  There are no sittings, you can dine any time you choose when the restaurant is open.  If you want a drink before dinner, the Grill Lounge is a lounge and bar exclusively for Princess & Queens Grill passengers, on 7 deck aft, directly opposite the entrance to the Queens Grill.

Kings Court

The Kings Court buffet restaurant takes up most of the centre section of deck 7, and it's open almost continuously from early until late, with only half an hour here and there were breakfast dishes are swapped for lunch or lunch for dinner.  There's a wide variety of food, all good quality, including a carvery.  The window tables with sea views cross the promenade deck are the nicest.  Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, water & juices can be had for free from the drinks stations in several locations around the Kings Court area.  Stewards will take your order for wine, beer, cocktails, mocktails or fizzy soft drinks and deliver them to your table, these drinks must be paid for, added to your on board account.

The Man in Seat 61 says , "If you fancy a first breakfast in the Britannia restaurant then a second breakfast in the Kings Court, why not?  After all, Second Breakfast is the most important meal of the day..."

The Verandah restaurant

The Verandah restaurant aft on deck 8 is an extra-cost option, specialising in steaks and seafood.  You can make a reservation at the Verandah restaurant whilst you are on board, or you can book a table for one or more nights at your desired time before you travel, by logging into your voyage personaliser at my.cunard.com/en-gb/mycruise/login booking the table and paying the extra.

The Man in Seat 61 says , "With our normal Britannia sitting not until 8.30pm, we booked a table at the Verandah for 6pm on our last evening before getting up early to see the arrival into New York.  I wished we'd dined there on more than just one occasion, the steaks were top class."

QM2 bars & lounges

There is no shortage of watering holes on the Queen Mary 2.  Personally, the Chart Room works for cocktails before or after dinner as it's near the social centre of the ship on deck 3, but for quiet reading, working on a laptop and generally getting away from it all, the Commodore Club with its forward view over the bows is my top choice.  Drinks are not too expensive:  A tea is $2, a glass of wine perhaps $6, a cocktail $10.  Although I'm a non-smoker 99.9% of the time, one of Havana's Montecristo number 2 cigars and a 1979 Armagnac were sound recommendations from the barman on the last night of a return crossing from New York.

Champagne bar

Sponsored by Veuve Cliquot, the Champagne Bar is on 3 Deck, on the upper level of the Grand Lobby in the centre of the ship.

Commodore Club

Located on deck 9 on 'A' stairway at the forward end of the superstructure.  It's away from the hustle and bustle, a quiet and relaxing place for a cocktail and a read or chat.  You get a great forward view over the bows, although blinds are drawn at dusk so the light does not interfere with the view from the bridge above.  This is my favourite place on QM2 - it does a great range of cocktails and other drinks, the Churchill Cigar Lounge opens off the Commodore Club, the library is one deck down also on 'A' stairway, and the open-air observation deck below the bridge is two decks up on 'A' stairway.  There's a huge illuminated model of the QM2 behind the bar.

Chart room bar

Located on deck 3 near the Britannia restaurant, this is the largest and busiest of the QM2's bars.  Click the photo for larger image.

Golden Lion Pub

Located on deck 2 near the Britannia restaurant, this is not only a good place for a pint of London Pride, you can take meals here too, with pub-style food such as fish and chips or sausages and mash.  Click the photo for larger image.

Carinthia Lounge

Located on deck 7 next to the Kings Court buffet with doors opening onto the promenade deck.  This is a good place to sit, read, and have a tea or coffee.  You may also find some complimentary snacks or soup here too, at the kitchen counter.  Click the photo for larger image.

Afternoon tea in the Queen's Room

Every day at around 3.30pm, afternoon tea is served in the Queen's Room, on 2 Deck aft.  A choice of teas comes with daintily-cut sandwiches, scones and cakes, served by stewards in white gloves.  Afternoon tea is included in the fare, but a glass of champagne is extra.

Grill Lounge

The Grill Lounge is a lounge and bar exclusively for passengers travelling in the upmarket staterooms and suites allocated to the Princess and Queen's Grill restaurants.  It's located on 7 Deck aft, directly opposite the entrance to the Queen's Grill and the ship's width away from the entrance to the Princess Grill.  It seemed to be empty most of the time even with the ship sailing full, it's main purpose seems to be drinks before dinner.

Churchill's Cigar Lounge

This is a sealed and specially-ventilated room opening off the starboard side of the Commodore Club.  Here you can order a whisky or cognac and choose from a cigar menu.  The rest of the ship's accommodation is of course non-smoking!

QM2 activities & entertainment

A daily programme for the following day is delivered to your stateroom each evening.  It shows details of the entertainment and activities on board, along with navigational & itinerary information and the opening and closing times of all restaurants, bars and other facilities.  There's an ongoing programme of shows, plays & lectures.  For example, recent crossings featured talks by John Cleese about his work on Monty Python & Fawlty Towers, excellent lectures by an expert on New York skyscrapers, an edited version of Shakespeare's 'Taming of the Shrew' and Oscar Wilde's 'The Importance of being Earnest'.  The QM2 also features the world's only sea-going planetarium, called the 'Illuminations'.  And of course there are several live bands on board, with dancing every evening, sometimes themed such as the 'Black & White Ball' and 'Ascot Ball'.  If it's disco you prefer, you'll find that in the G32 nightclub.  You'll also find the Canyon Ranch spa on deck 7, offering a wide range of treatments from manicures to massages, Jacuzzis to saunas.  If you want to be bored, you'll have to really work at it.

Library & bookshop

The QM2 has an excellent library - for me, one of its best features - located on 8 deck forward on 'A' stairway directly below the Commodore Club.  You can take out books using your cabin key, or read them in the library, with comfy seats, some with a forward-facing view over the QM2's bows.  The library is open during office hours every day, outside these times the bookshelves are locked but the library itself remains accessible.  As you'd expect, the QM2's library has a particularly good section of books about ocean liners.  Next to the library is a bookshop selling travel guides, QM2 souvenirs & ocean liner/QM2 books.  Click the left-hand photo for larger image .

Swimming pools

The QM2 has several swimming pools.  The most popular (certainly on a transatlantic crossing) is the Pavilion Pool on 12 deck, with sun loungers, two hot tubs, see the photo below.  The roof can slide away when the QM2 visits warmer climates, but it remains closed on the Atlantic.  Towels are provided, there are toilets (visible below behind the two hot tubs) which you can use as changing rooms, or you can change in your cabin and use your bathrobe.  You can see the funnel from the pool through the glass roof, towering above you.  Don't jump when the ship's horns are tested at midday!  There's also a bar here, open at certain times of day.  In addition to this indoor pool there are two outdoor pools on the open decks aft (7 & 8 Deck), one of which is only shallow for kids, the other designated as adults-only.  Click the photo for larger image .

Illuminations

The QM2's Illuminations towards the forward end of Deck 2 can be used as a lecture theatre, cinema or (with an ingenious dome lowered from the ceiling) the world's only ocean-going planetarium.  You'll usually find varying recently-released films shown most evenings, and planetarium sessions at various times on most days.  There's also usually a lecture series or two during each crossing with subjects varying from New York Skyscrapers to pirates on the high seas to the design and build of the QM2.  Click the photo for larger image .

Royal Court Theatre

The QM2's Royal Court Theatre is used for various shows and performances, for example I have seen an interview with John Cleese here, and some stand-up comedy.  Click the photo for larger image .

Spa & gymnasium

The QM2's Canyon Ranch Spa is at the forward end of Deck 7, with with treatment rooms and pool, plus a small beauty salon above on Deck 8.  You can make appointments at the reception desk, treatments & massages are billed to your on-board account.  There's a free-to-use gymnasium at the forward end of Deck 7, pictured below right.

The Cunard heritage trail

The Queen Mary 2 is filled with paintings, information panels and even interactive screens telling the history of Cunard Line, its ships, and the famous people who crossed the Atlantic aboard them.

Travelling with children

You won't be the only family on the QM2, especially on a transatlantic run!  You'll find plenty of entertainment for children in the Play Zone at the aft end of 6 deck.

Arrangements for children & pregnant women on the Queen Mary 2

The play zone & child care.

The Zone is aft on deck 6, staffed by a team of friendly young British-trained nannies.  It has a toddler zone for ages 1-3, a Play Zone for ages 4-6 and The Zone with various computer games and other activities for older kids up to 17.  There's plenty to do, and activities such as treasure hunts or ship tours are organised by the Play Zone team.

Children from 2 to 7 inclusive can be left free of charge with the nannies in the Play Zone during its opening hours, 09:00-12:00, 14:00-17:00, 18:00-24:00 (shorter hours apply on the first and last nights).  In other words, you can sign them into the Play Zone at 9am, pick them up at noon and take them to lunch, sign them back in at 2pm and enjoy an afternoon show, pick them up at 5pm and take them to the children's tea provided in the King's Court 'Chef's Galley' area between 16:30 & 17:30.  Then you can check them back into the Zone at 6pm until midnight, leaving you free to enjoy a formal dinner and evening entertainment while the kids play happily in the Zone and later settle down and fall asleep in front of some cartoons.  Outside the Play Zone, children 1 to 7 must always be accompanied by an adult around the ship.

Children 8 and up to 17 can also use the Zone, signing themselves in and out.  They are free to wander the ship solo.

I suggest calling Cunard to check current childcare arrangements as they tweak them from time to time, but they don't properly explain them on their website - indeed, we didn't know how extensive their childcare facilities were until we we actually on board!

Cabins & dinner sittings

If you have young children, it's worth asking for a cabin towards the stern of the ship.  We were given a stateroom at the extreme forward end of deck 6, whereas the Play Zone is at the extreme aft end of deck 6.  That meant we had to walk a sixth of a mile from cabin to Play Zone to sign the kids in, then a sixth of a mile back again to get changed.  It proved impossible sign the kids in at 6pm when the Zone opens, walk all the way back to the cabin, get changed into formal dress, then walk forward again to the Britannia restaurant for a 6pm sitting. 

From this experience on our outward crossing, we changed our sitting for the return crossing to 8.30pm.  The evening then worked better, although some after-dinner films or shows finished after midnight so could not be attended without leaving early to collect the kids.  The dinner tended to take up much of the evening.  A stateroom near the Zone, and dressing for the 6pm dinner sitting before taking the kids to the Zone, might be the ideal solution, but my wife's and my opinion is divided!

If you've small children, remember to take your folding buggy (stroller).  It's a big ship!

Other useful information

There is no baggage limit on the Queen Mary 2, either in terms of total weight or the number of bags.  You can bring what you like, as long as it all fits in your stateroom.  However, for safe lifting by staff, no one item may exceed 23Kg (50lb).  Bags are taken from you on arrival at the terminal and they reappear in your stateroom on board.  At the end of the crossing, they are transported ashore for you.  See the embarkation & disembarkation arrangements above.  If you plan to go one way by ship, the other by air, one advantage of taking the ship on the return leg is that you can take as much shopping as you like!

Cunard sometimes have to fight off a stuffy image, and it didn't help that until 2013 they had a three-tier dress code as complicated as a Virgin Trains Saver Ticket restriction.  However, they now have just two codes, formal and informal.  One of two dress codes will apply each evening after 6pm in all the main restaurants and bars, although not in the Kings Court buffet restaurant.  You'll be told which dress code applies on which night in if you log on to your voyage personaliser and it's also stated in the daily programme delivered to your stateroom.

Payment on board

Everything on board, including drinks in the bar, books from the bookshop, massages in the spa, purchases in the shops or internet access, is billed to your on board account.  You simply show your cabin card and sign for the payment.  At the end of the crossing, the total is automatically deducted from the credit card you gave them at check-in and you'll get a summary of your account delivered to your stateroom half-way across and at the end of the voyage.  Just be aware that Cunard follow the American practice of quoting you one price but charging you a slightly higher price, as all bar prices shown on the drinks menu have 15% service fee added to them automatically.  As service is then included, there is no need to add a gratuity unless the service has been particularly special. 

Internet & mobile phone access

Internet access is available for a fee throughout the QM2, both in your cabin and in all the public areas including bars but excluding the theatres & restaurants.  It generally works well with good download speeds.  You pre-pay for a bundle of minutes and this is added to your normal on-board account.

2019 prices:  $15 for 30 minutes (= $0.50 per minute), $45 for 120 minutes (= $0.38 per minute) or $80 for 240 minutes (= $0.33 per minute).

You can spend these minutes individually, so for example you can buy 120 minutes and spend them over the course of the whole voyage, logging on to download emails, logging off again to compose replies offline, then logging on again to send, and so only using a few minutes at a time.

To use your own laptop, simply click on the 'Qm2_Guest_internet' internet connection and open a web browser to see the log-in screen.  Register with your name & cabin number on this log-in page and the cost will be billed to your QM2 stateroom account.  If you don't have your own laptop, the Cunard Connexions rooms on deck 2 or the library on deck 8 have self-service internet PCs which you can use for the same rates.  You'll find power sockets for laptops (both British 3-pin and US 110v) in your cabin, and (if you hunt for them) British 3-pin sockets in certain areas of most bars including the Commodore Club on deck 9 forward and the Chart Room on deck 3.  Tip:  I found that the Commodore Lounge on 9 deck was the quietest and nicest place to work, there's a 3-pin power socket near the skirting in the 'bridge wing' far side of the lounge.  Mobile phone access is available on board throughout the crossing, although it isn't cheap, you'll need to ask your phone network for their rates.

The QM2 is entirely non-smoking apart from the open decks and the Churchill Cigar Lounge forward on deck 9 next to the Commodore Club.

As well as a hotel-style pay-per-item laundry service for laundry collected from your stateroom, you'll find a small free-of-charge self-service laundrette on cabin decks 4, 5, 6 & 8, see the photo below.  These have washers, driers, free detergent sachets, iron & ironing board.  This came in very handy on both our outward and return crossings on a 7-week trip to the States, as we arrived in the US with bags full of clean clothes and arrived back in Blighty without a huge laundry backlog.  Also useful for ironing dress shirts that have become creased in the baggage.

Taking your dog

Yes, you can take your dog across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary 2, but they will be kept in the ship's kennels on 12 Deck during the crossing and (except for guide dogs) are not allowed in the public areas.  Contact Cunard for details.  There's an exercise area next to the kennels.

Visiting the QM2's bridge

There are no official bridge visits, but there is a viewing room behind the bridge with two large soundproofed windows so you can see what's going on.  It's normally open 09:00-16:00 on sea days, although it's closed in bad weather.  The entrance is on the port (left-hand) side of the ship on deck 12, accessed via 'A' stairway.  No photography is allowed now - the photos below were taken in 2010 although little has changed here.

Which is better, a westbound or an eastbound transatlantic crossing ?

If you really haven't got the time or money to go both ways by sea, you might want to go one-way by sea and the other by air.  You can often find one-way QM2 fares with a 'free' air fare in the other direction.  If you're British and a shopaholic, the obvious advantage of going out westbound by air and back eastbound by sea is that you can shop in New York and bring back as much as you like, as there are no baggage limits on the Queen Mary 2.  And you'll have the leisurely voyage back home to look forward to at the end of your trip.  However, for my money (not being a great shopper), westbound is much better.  There's the growing anticipation as you near America at the end of an outward westbound crossing, there's the significant advantage of 25-hour days as the clocks are put back on 5 of the 7 nights due to the time difference, and best of all the spectacular arrival into New York harbour in the early morning, with that Manhattan skyline lit by the rising sun.  When you're enjoying your evenings on the town (or rather, the ship) until late at night, the 23-hour days on an eastbound crossing as the clocks are put forward can be a killer!  On the other hand, if I were an American heading for Europe, I might well be tempted to head out by sea eastbound, returning west by air.

Forum for cruise reviews, questions & the latest advice

A good place to find advice & reviews about the Queen Mary 2 and other ships, and to post your own questions and reviews of your trip, is the online cruise forum at www.cruise.co.uk .

About Queen Mary 2

The QM2 was built in 2003 at St Nazaire in France, by Chantiers de l'Atlantique, the same shipyard that built the famous French Line ships Ile de France , Normandie and France .  The Queen Mary 2 is no longer the biggest passenger ship in the world in terms of Gross Tonnage, as the Queen Mary 2's 148,528 tons have now been exceeded, first by Royal Caribbean's 154,000-ton Freedom of the Seas in 2006, and then by the 225,000-ton Oasis of the Seas in 2009.  However, the QM2 remains the tallest, longest and widest ship ever built, at 1,132 feet long and 148 feet wide.  For comparison, the original Queen Mary is just 81,237 tons, 1019 feet long, 118 feet wide, and the Titanic was only 46,000 tons, 883 feet long, 93 feet wide.  Queen Mary 2 uses an unconventional propulsion system:  Four large diesel engines and two gas turbines generate electricity, and this powers four electrically-powered propellers each housed in a 'pod' attached under her stern.  The rear two pods swivel to steer the ship, so the QM2 does not have a conventional rudder.  The propellers face forwards rather than backwards, and give her a top speed of around 30 knots (1 knot = 1.1 mph), although she normally crosses the Atlantic at 20 to 25 knots.  See Queen Mary 2 Wikipedia entry .

Souvenirs & books about the QM2

Buy a superb model of the Queen Mary 2:   The souvenir shop on board QM2 on deck 3 has a couple of models of the Queen Mary 2, but neither (in my opinion) are particularly well detailed, and yet they aren't cheap, either.  If you become a QM2 aficionado during your crossing (highly likely!) and want a top-quality model of the QM2 to sit on your shelves or desk, I highly recommend the 1:1250 Queen Mary 2 model at www.galerie-maritim.de .  It is hand painted in die-cast metal.  You can buy either a full hull version in a glass case, or a waterline model without a case.  The models are small enough not to take up too much room, yet are superbly detailed.  They are very expensive, but you won't be disappointed!

Books about the Queen Mary 2:

The book by John Maxtone-Graham is beautifully written and illustrated, a great souvenir, search for it at Amazon.com (USA) or Amazon.co.uk (UK).  It's also available in the bookshop on board the QM2.

But by far the best book about the design, construction and operation of the QM2 is written by its designer, Stephen Payne, "RMS Queen Mary 2 Manual: An Insight into the Design, Construction and Operation of the World's Largest Ocean Liner", buy it at www.amazon.co.uk (UK) or www.amazon.com (USA).  Highly recommended!

QM2 video guide

Alternatives to the queen mary 2, passenger-carrying freighters, hotels & accommodation, hotels in new york.

New York has hundreds of hotels, the two most famous being the New York Plaza Hotel opposite Central Park and the Waldorf-Astoria on 4th Avenue.  I've never stayed at the Plaza, but have to say I was not impressed by the rooms at the Waldorf, on either occasion I stayed there.  Here's my top tip for New York:

The Algonquin Hotel

The Algonquin is New York's oldest operating hotel, opened in 1902, and a designated New York City Historic Landmark.  Perfectly located in mid-town Manhattan, a block or two from Times Square one way and Grand Central the other, with a lovely wood-panelled lobby and even its own hotel cat, which you may find wandering the corridors or sitting on the reception desk.  To check prices & book, click here .  For the Algonquin's history see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algonquin_Hotel .

In Los Angeles:  Hotel Queen Mary, Long Beach

If you get as far as Los Angeles after your transatlantic crossing, it has to be the Hotel Queen Mary , doesn't it?  She makes a good base to explore the Los Angeles - Hollywood - Disneyland area.  The original Queen Mary of 1936 has been permanently moored at Long Beach in California since the late 1960s, some 25 miles from Los Angeles Union Station (about a $90 taxi ride), and it's undoubtedly the most fascinating place to stay in LA.  The hotel consists of most of the Queen Mary's original first class cabins, and there are plenty of restaurants and bars available on board, too.  Hotel guests can more or less wander the ship at will, and even sign up for ghost hunts at night on board (and yes, from my own experience there is definitely something going on aboard that beautiful but ageing ship!).  Wood panelled art deco interiors have been preserved, although a few modern items have been installed such as televisions, and (as we worked out from a historic deck plan) in some cases two of the Queen Mary's original cabins have been knocked into one hotel suite by turning one of the en suite bathrooms into a connecting corridor.  She is one of the most atmospheric places I have ever stayed.

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Sightseeing Cruise on the River Thames | City Cruises™

Choose your ticket type.

Return Ticket With a return ticket you can go one way, take in some of the sights around the pier and then take the same route back.

Westminster/London Eye ↔ Greenwich

Westminster/london eye ↔ tower or tower ↔ greenwich, how much does a thames river cruise cost, how long do thames river sightseeing cruises take, where do thames river sightseeing cruises stop, where can i find a timetable.

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How long is a Thames River cruise from Westminster to Greenwich?

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• London Attractions
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Buy Thames River Cruise Tickets

Select Your Experience

Westminster To Greenwich River Thames Sightseeing Cruise

• You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.
• Take the scenic route from Westminster to Greenwich by hopping onboard this River Thames cruise.
• Tune in to an engaging WiFi audio guide (English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, and Mandarin) as you enjoy the cruise.
• See the iconic monuments of London such as the London Eye, Tower of London, The Shard, and many more.
• Choose between a one-way trip or a round trip to enjoy more time onboard.
• River Thames sightseeing cruise tickets (one way or round trip from Westminster to Greenwich)
• WiFi audio guide (English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, and Mandarin)

This ticket has the following options that you can choose from:

• One Way - Westminster to Greenwich
• Round Trip - Westminster to Greenwich and Back
• You will need a smartphone to access the live audio commentary.
• Please note that the exact cruise times might vary.
• At Westminster Pier go directly to the boarding point B.
• At Greenwich Pier board from the right-hand side of the pier.

Westminster To Tower Bridge Quay Thames Cruise

• Enjoy a cruise from Westminster Pier to Tower Bridge Quay, with a choice between one-way and round-trip.
• Let the live English commentary wash over you as you enjoy the city views, or tune in to WiFi audio guides available in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, and Mandarin.
• Revel in a serene route that takes you through Embankment, Festival, and Bankside piers before reaching Tower Bridge Quay.
• Catch stunning views of famous monuments, including the London Eye, National Theatre, HMS Belfast, Tower of London, and many more.
• Sightseeing Cruise (One-way or round trip)
• Live English commentary
• WiFi audio guides in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, and Mandarin
• One-Way Cruise
• Round Trip Cruise

• Uber Boat By Thames Clippers Hop-On Hop-Off Tour in London
• Soak in the best sights of London as you travel on the River Thames by boat.
• With over 18 piers across London and a fleet of 20 boats departing from Putney Pier in the west to Woolwich Royal Arsenal in the east, plan a hassle-free itinerary.
• Navigate through the city safely and comfortably as your cruise past London’s best attractions.
• Choose between a single river journey on the Thames or a River Roamer hop-on hop-off pass.
• Some of the iconic sites you’ll see are the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Bridge, the London Eye, the Oxo Building, and St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Single River Journey on the Thames

• All-day cruise ticket (valid from 6am until the end of service on the same day)
• Service between 19 piers across London
• One-way transfer
• Air-conditioned vessel

River Roamer: Hop On Hop Off Pass

• All-day hop-on-hop-off pass (valid for 24-hours after activation)
• Service between 24 piers across London
• Air-conditioned boats
• Food and drinks (both available to purchase onboard from the fully licensed bar)
• Hotel transfers

Weekday Westbound

• First cruise is at 6:25am from Barking Riverside
• Last cruise is at 10:57am from Putney
• Frequency: approx. every 30 minutes

Weekday Eastbound

• First cruise is at 6:30am from Putney
• Last cruise is at 10:24am from Barking Riverside
• Frequency: approx. every 20 minutes

Weekend Westbound

• First cruise is at 8:20am from Barking Riverside
• Last cruise is at 4:28pm from Battersea Power Station

Weekend Eastbound

• First cruise is at 8:35am from Battersea Power Station
• Last cruise is at 4:53pm from Barking Riverside

Please here for the detailed route map.

• Tip: Opt for a cruise from March to October for the best weather.
• Facilities: Wheelchair accessibility, Pram/stroller accessibility
• You can bring a Guide or Assistance dog on board with you without charge.
• These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

• Evening Cruise on River Thames
• Enjoy a 2-hour cruise on the Thames during the sunset which offers the best views of the city at the best times of the day.
• Check out the prominent landmarks of the city from the water including the London Eye, Big Ben, London Bridge and more.
• Relish a selection of delicious canapes and sparkling wine as you relax on the Thames evening cruise.
• Head indoors and witness the breathtaking cityscape while enjoying a live pop, rock, swing, or funk performance.
• Please note: Children aged 13 and under are not allowed on the cruise.
• 2-hour evening cruise on the Thames
• Sparkling wine or soft drink on arrival
• A selection of cold canapés served throughout the evening
• Live music performances on board

• Thames River Lunch Cruise Ticket
• Enjoy an afternoon cruise along the River Thames and take in breathtaking views of London from the waters.
• The friendly staff on board the cruise will serve up a delicious two-course lunch for your culinary pleasure.
• Gasp in awe as you enjoy the 360-degree view of the river from the deck.
• Cruise past various well-known sights including the Tower of London, the Tower Bridge, and gain a different perspective on them from the waters.
• Admission to the cruise
• 2-course meal
• Live or recorded commentary
• Transportation to the pier

Go City London Explorer Pass: Choose 2 to 7 Attractions

• Explore top attractions in London, including cruises and hop-on hop-off tours, with this London Explorer Pass, and save up to 50% on total costs.
• Save up to 49% on the individual cost of admission tickets to The Tower of London, ZSL London Zoo, and Westminster Abbey.
• Visit the magnificent Westminster Abbey, one of the most famous churches in the UK, the Tower of London which used to be a prison, and the London Zoo.
• Enjoy the flexibility of visiting 2 to 7 famous places in London, with a validity of 60 days from the first date of your visit.
• Access to 2/3/4/5/6/7 attractions
• Validity period of 60 days after activation
• Attractions: Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, Uber SEA LIFE London & more (list of attractions here )
• Airport transfers
• Public transport
• You can visit each attraction only once daily.
• The app is available in different languages including English, French, German, and Spanish.
• First, download the Go City App. Follow the instructions on your order confirmation to sync your pass with the Go City app.
• Once you visit your first attraction, your pass will be activated! Feeling old school? You can also print your pass at home using the link in your confirmation email. You can also show this version of your pass on your phone.
• The Go City app has loads of handy features to help you plan your itinerary, check attraction opening times, and reserve (where required).
• Your pass is activated as soon as you visit your 1st attraction and is then valid for entry to the number of attractions purchased over 60 days.
• These tickets are valid for 24 months from the date of purchase.

Combo: London Eye + River Cruise Tickets

• Unveil London's secrets from above and below with this combo ticket for a ride on the London Eye ride and a Thames River cruise.
• Soar 135 meters above London on the iconic Eye, Europe's tallest Ferris wheel, and witness jaw-dropping 360° views of the city.
• Spot iconic landmarks like Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and the Houses of Parliament in all their glory.
• Glide along the historic Thames, London's beating heart, on a 40-minute cruise and see panoramic views of iconic riverside landmarks.
• Learn about the city's history with the engaging guide or explore freely with multilingual audio guides.
• Entry to the London Eye
• London Eye guide - free download on iOS

River Cruise

• 40-minute Thames River cruise
• English-speaking guide
• Multilingual audio guide
• Food and drinks (available to purchase on board)
• Tip: If panoramic city views are your priority, early morning or late afternoon offer the best sunlight.
• Your London Eye ticket is valid for 90 days following your River Cruise.
• Large bags, sharp objects, and items that can cause security hazards are not allowed.
• Children aged 17 under must be accompanied by adults.
• Children aged 2 and under can go for free but require a ticket to enter.
• This experience is wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible.
• Guests with accessible needs are entitled to a free carer ticket with valid documentation.
• Tip: Choose a seat based on your preference. Inside offers shelter and warmth, while outside provides better views.
• This experience is wheelchair accessible.
• The multilingual audio guide is available in English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Czech, Hindi, Polish, and Portuguese languages.

"You absorb 2,000 years of history just by being near the Thames"

This is Martin Freeman's advice to you, and we couldn't agree more. Take a ride along the Thames River and see London from an entirely new perspective.

The River Thames flows through the heart of the British capital. Its 346-kilometer riverbank is lined with several spectacular sites. The simplest way to get your sightseeing done in one day is to take a Thames River Cruise and hop on and off at important areas; here's a guide to this whistle-stop cruise tour.

Navigate your Thames River Cruise guide

Why go on a thames river cruise, things to know before booking your thames river cruise, your thames river cruise options, find your best thames cruise match here.

• Thames river cruise route map

Your guide to boarding your Thames river cruise

Going on a thames river cruise here's all you need to know, london at a glimpse; explore these attractions on your thames river cruise.

Want a fantastic photo opportunity?

Take a Thames River cruise from Westminster to Greenwich. London's landmarks look amazing from the water. Walking around London can be tiring and crowded, especially around famous spots like Big Ben and the London Eye. Save your legs and hop on a boat instead!

Save your legs!

London is huge, so walking everywhere can be exhausting. While walking along the River Thames is beautiful, it's a long trek. So, why not save your energy for other activities and explore the neighborhoods on foot instead?

Who's the man in the water?

On a Thames river cruise, you not only get great views but also learn about the city's buildings, bridges, and districts. Plus, you'll hear interesting facts about famous landmarks. For example, did you know that Ian McKellen co-owns The Grapes pub and lives nearby? He even installed a lifelike statue in the water!

Wine and dine through the city

Your evening cruise ticket is perfect for a romantic date night or a fun evening out with friends. Imagine cruising down the Thames at sunset with a glass of wine (or a refreshing soft drink) in hand!th open-air upper decks, closed lower decks, and fully licensed bars. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!

Before you book your Thames River cruise, here are some essential details to consider:

• Consider the variety of cruises available, catering to different preferences and experiences. Opt for a Thames Sightseeing Cruise for a comprehensive tour of London's landmarks, or choose the Uber Boat By Thames Clippers Hop-On Hop-Off Tour in London for flexibility in exploration. For a romantic evening, indulge in the Evening Cruise on River Thames with sparkling wine and live music.
• Each cruise offers varying durations and inclusions. Select from options ranging from 1 to 2 hours, with offerings such as meals, live commentary, and unlimited beverages(wine, tea or soft drinks!). For a leisurely experience, consider the Thames Afternoon Tea Cruise , providing a delightful spread of tea-time treats as you cruise along the river.
• Feast your eyes on the beautiful sights of London, but don't run on empty! If you'd like to have lunch while sightseeing, Thames River Lunch Cruise Ticket is for you! Choose from a delectable menu, consisting of Thyme, Rosemary and Lemon Roasted Supreme of Chicken with Creamy Leek, Tarragon and Mushroom Sauce served with Dauphinoise Potato and Seasonal Vegetables. White, Dark and Milk Chocolate Truffle Cake with Raspberry Sauce, and more! Vegetarian? Worry not, you can opt for Baked Field Mushroom Filled with Artichokes, Asparagus and Crème Fraiche wrapped in Lattice Pastry served with Dauphinoise Potato and Seasonal Vegetables, along with the beverages instead!
• Some cruises offer wheelchair accessibility, like the Uber Boat By Thames Clippers Hop-On Hop-Off Tour in London (All the 24 piers are step-free and wheelchair accessible except for Cadogan, London Bridge City, and Wandsworth Riverside Quarter piers.) so check specific details for accessibility options before making a choice.

Most-Popular

• Go on a Thames river sightseeing cruise and experience iconic landmarks of London from a unique aquatic vantage point with live commentary available in multiple languages.
• Duration: 2 hours (Westminster to Greenwich), 1 hour (Westminster to Tower Bridge Quay)

Recommended Tours:

• Westminster to Greenwich River Thames Sightseeing Cruise
• Westminster to Tower Bridge Quay Thames Cruise

Hop-On Hop-Off

Convenience+comfort.

• Explore London's best monuments at your own pace with our Hop-On Hop-Off Tours on the majestic River Thames. Enjoy convenient transfers and panoramic views from the water.
• Check the detailed route map here
• Duration: Flexible, depending on your chosen stops.

Recommended Tour:

Meal Cruises

Sightseeing + lunch/dinner.

• Combine sightseeing with a delicious meal as you enjoy a Thames River Lunch Cruise . Savor a delightful selection of dishes while taking in the stunning views of London's skyline.
• Quintessential English tradition of afternoon tea with panoramic views of London's landmarks. Unlimited tea and coffee.
• For a truly romantic evening, opt for an evening cruise. Indulge in a gourmet meal accompanied by live music and entertainment, while the city lights sparkle around you.
• Duration : 1 hour 45 minutes (Lunch Cruise), 1 hour 30 minutes (Afternoon Tea Cruise), 2 hours(Evening cruise)
• Thames Afternoon Tea Cruise

While there are multiple boarding piers, these are some of the most easily accessible and scenic piers you'd want to hop on from

Westminster Pier (Boarding Point B)

• Famous for its proximity to iconic landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, Westminster Pier offers stunning views of London's historical heart.
• Nearest attractions: Big Ben, London Eye

Tower Pier (EC3N 4DT)

• Tower Pier serves as a gateway to London's past, with the historic Tower of London nearby, along with the famous Tower Bridge.
• Nearest attractions : Tower of London, Tower Bridge

Embankment Pier

• Located near the vibrant Embankment Gardens and within walking distance of Trafalgar Square and the West End theatres.
• Nearest attractions: Victoria Embankment Gardens, Cleopatra's Needle, Somerset House, Southbank Centre, London Eye

Greenwich Pier

• Situated in the picturesque Greenwich area, known for its maritime history and the Royal Observatory.
• Nearest attractions: Cutty Sark, Greenwich Market, Royal Observatory Greenwich, and National Maritime Museum.

London Eye Pier

• Adjacent to the iconic London Eye, offering panoramic views of the city skyline.
• Nearest attractions: SEA LIFE London Aquarium, Southbank Centre, Jubilee Gardens, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey.

Bankside Pier

• Close to cultural hotspots such as Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, offering a glimpse into London's artistic scene.
• Nearest attractions: Explore the vibrant South Bank district.

5 easy steps to a smooth & stress-free boarding

• Choose Your Cruise: Select the Thames River cruise that best suits your preferences and schedule. Whether you're seeking a sightseeing adventure, a romantic evening, or a dining experience, there's a cruise option tailored to your needs.
• Receive Your Voucher: After booking, you'll receive an instant confirmation email with your voucher. Make sure to check your email inbox, including the spam or promotions folder, for this important document.
• Prepare for Boarding: Familiarize yourself with the boarding point, which is typically Tower Pier (EC3N 4DT) for most Thames River cruises. Plan your journey to the pier using public transportation options like buses or the metro. Arrive 10-15 minutes before the scheduled boarding time to avoid any delays.
• Board the Cruise: Upon arrival at the boarding point, display your mobile voucher on your phone and present a valid photo ID for verification. Follow the instructions provided to locate your designated boarding area. Once onboard, enjoy the scenic views and amenities offered during your chosen Thames River cruise.

• Sightseeing Cruises:
• Duration : Typically 1 to 2 hours.
• Timings : Available throughout the day, with multiple departure times starting from early morning to late afternoon.
• Hop-On-Hop-Off Cruises:
• Duration : Flexible, usually valid for 24 hours.
• Timings: Offered from early morning to evening, with boats departing every 30 minutes.
• Meal Cruises:
• Duration : Ranges from 1.5 to 2 hours.
• Timings : Typically scheduled during lunch or dinner hours, with afternoon tea cruises also available.

• For sightseeing: If you want to get the best views of the London landmarks, then aim for a cruise during the daytime, ideally between 10am and 4pm. This will give you plenty of sunlight for capturing photos.
• For a romantic experience: An evening cruise (around sunset) can be very romantic, especially if you choose a dinner cruise with drinks and scenic views.

• Westminster Pier: Accessible by metro. Take the Circle, District, or Jubilee line to Westminster Station. It's a short two-minute walk from the station to the pier.
• Tower Pier: Closest subway station is Tower Hill, a four-minute walk to the boarding point. Metro lines Circle and District will bring you here.
• Canary Wharf Pier: Nearby metro station is Canary Wharf, accessible by the Jubilee line.
• Greenwich Pier: Accessible by the Docklands Light Railway (DLR). Alight at Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich Station, which is a short walk to the pier.

• Westminster to Tower Bridge Quay Thames Cruise: Food and drinks available for purchase onboard from the fully licensed bar.
• Evening Cruise on River Thames: Includes sparkling wine and canapes onboard.
• Thames River Lunch Cruise: Includes a delicious two-course lunch onboard.
• Thames Afternoon Tea Cruise: Includes a selection of pastries, sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, and unlimited tea and coffee.

• Wheelchair accessibility: Many Thames River cruises offer wheelchair-accessible facilities, including ramps for boarding and designated wheelchair spaces on board. Most piers are step-free and wheelchair accessible, ensuring ease of boarding and disembarking.
• Food and drinks: Dining cruises often cater to various dietary preferences, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. However, it's advisable to notify the cruise operator of any specific dietary requirements when booking. Meals are served onboard, and passengers can expect a range of delicious dishes, including afternoon tea, two-course lunches, canapes, and more.
• Restrooms : Restrooms are available on most vessels, with larger boats equipped with accessible toilets and baby changing facilities.
• Commentary : Live or recorded commentary is often provided during sightseeing cruises, offering insights into London's history, landmarks, and points of interest.
• Guide dogs: Guide or assistance dogs are usually welcome on board at no extra charge. Passengers with service animals can enjoy the cruise with their trusted companions.

• Safety first:  Life jackets are provided and must be worn if instructed. Crew members will brief you on safety procedures before departure.
• Smoking restrictions:  Most cruises have a no-smoking policy indoors, including cabins and enclosed areas. Smoking might be allowed on designated outdoor decks, so check signage.
• Mind the gap:  Be cautious when moving around the boat, especially between decks or when disembarking. Wear sturdy shoes with good grip.
• Keep it clean:  Bins are provided for waste disposal. Help maintain the cleanliness of the boat by disposing of rubbish responsibly.
• Evening Cruise on River Thames: Children aged 13 and under are not allowed on the cruise. Outside food and drinks are not allowed and it is not wheelchair accessible.

• Dress for the weather:  Pack layers! London's weather is notoriously fickle. A light rain jacket, a scarf, and sunglasses (even in cloudy skies) are your allies. If it's a scorcher, a hat and sunscreen are essential. Opt for comfy shoes – you might be tempted to explore once you disembark.
• Pick your Pier on HOHO:  Consider your cruise's direction. Greenwich Pier offers a glimpse into maritime history, while Westminster Pier puts you near Big Ben. Research your starting point for nearby restaurants or pubs for a pre-cruise bite.
• Pack like a seasoned traveller:  Bring a reusable water bottle and a tote bag. Plastic is a foe on the Thames! Pack snacks if you're on a longer cruise, but don't forget – most cruises offer food and drinks for purchase. Cameras are a must, and binoculars add an extra layer of swashbuckling fun!
• Capture the golden hour: For stunning worthy for the ‘gram photos, go for sunset cruises, when the sky explodes with vibrant colors.

This iconic landmark isn't just beautiful, it's also functional! Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge famous for its raising center section to allow tall ships on the Thames.

Frequently asked questions about Thames River Cruises

The different types of Thames river cruises include sightseeing cruises, hop-on-hop-off tours, evening cruises, lunch cruises, and afternoon tea cruises.

The best times to go on a Thames river cruise vary depending on personal preference. Sightseeing cruises are typically available throughout the day, while evening cruises offer stunning views of London's illuminated skyline. Lunch cruises and afternoon tea cruises are perfect for enjoying a meal while cruising along the river.

On a Thames river cruise, you can see iconic landmarks such as the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, London Eye, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, and more.

Typical Thames river cruises can vary in duration, ranging from 1 hour to 2 hours, depending on the type of cruise chosen.

The pier you should choose for your Thames river cruise depends on the specific cruise option selected. However, popular boarding points include Westminster Pier, Tower Pier, and Greenwich Pier.

Thames river cruises offer a variety of food and drinks depending on the type of cruise. Options may include afternoon tea with sandwiches, scones, and pastries, as well as lunch options and evening cruises with canapes and sparkling wine. Tea, coffee, and soft drinks are typically available onboard.

Facilities on Thames river cruises may include indoor and outdoor seating areas, restrooms, onboard commentary or live music, and access to refreshments such as a fully licensed bar.

The cost of Thames river cruises varies depending on the type of cruise, duration, and inclusions. Prices typically range from €11.37 for a hop-on-hop-off tour to €63.80 for an afternoon tea cruise.

Popular Thames river cruise options include Westminster to Greenwich sightseeing cruise, Westminster to Tower Bridge Quay sightseeing cruise, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers hop-on-hop-off tour, evening cruises, lunch cruises, and afternoon tea cruises.

While some Thames river cruises may be suitable for children, it's essential to check the specific cruise details and any age restrictions before booking.

There is typically no strict dress code for Thames river cruises. However, smart casual attire is often recommended, especially for evening cruises or special dining experiences.

Luggage is generally not permitted on Thames river cruises unless otherwise specified. It's best to check with the cruise provider for any restrictions before boarding.

Some Thames river cruises may offer wheelchair accessibility, including step-free access and accessible facilities onboard. However, accessibility options may vary, so it's advisable to inquire with the cruise provider beforehand.

Home » Why Taking a One-Way Cruise Might be the Ultimate Vacation

Why Taking a One-Way Cruise Might be the Ultimate Vacation

Last updated on September 15th, 2023 at 07:43 pm

Around 20 million people each year will enjoy a cruise vacation. If you’re one of those people, you know how fun, relaxing, and luxurious a cruise vacation can be. But, do you ever wish you had a little more time at your port of call ? There are a lot of tips and tricks for getting the most out of your cruise vacation, but what do you do if you want to stay in port a little longer, enjoying your destination? A one-way cruise, or a repositioning cruise, may be the perfect solution for you.

Table of Contents

A Repositioning Cruise vs. A One-Way Cruise

A repositioning cruise and a one-way cruise are two different things but are often presented as the same. Ask the cruise line those questions about the type of cruise it is before booking. Repositioning cruises are usually less expensive than a one-way cruise, but you have less control over ports of call in a repositioning cruise.

A Repositioning Cruise

Typically, a repositioning cruise is when the embarkation port and the disembarkation port are different, a repositioning cruise is like a one-way ticket. These types of cruises are less common than destination cruises, but they can also be less expensive.

Cruise ships will need to reposition their ships depending on the season. One example is Alaska cruises. During the winter, ships do not cruise to Alaska . Alaskan cruises are from late spring to early autumn. When winter approaches in Alaska, cruise ships will need to move, or reposition, elsewhere.

Cruises might operate in Meditteranean and Europe for that season, and then reposition by sailing into North or South America for another season. A cruise line prefers not to reposition empty ships from one location to another. These transfers can be two or more weeks in length. Cruise lines will offer passengers the opportunity to take a repositioning cruise at a rate that is less expensive than a destination cruise.

The majority of repositioning cruises are not direct routes, but cruise lines will schedule interesting ports along the way to entice guests to sail along with them. Again, these voyages tend to be two weeks or more as the ships are crossing oceans or changing hemispheres.

A One-Way Cruise

As you might have guessed, a one-way cruise starts at one point and ends at another. Most cruises are round trips, where you start and end at the same point.

Just as with a repositioning cruise, you will need to plan to be able to get yourself back to your point of origin. One-way cruises allow you the opportunity of spending time at your disembarkation port. For those who have the luxury of time, this is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in a new place and truly learn what it is like. Some travelers feel like they may only get to their chosen port once in their life. By being able to spend time there, you can truly absorb the sights and the culture.

The downside is that not every cruise line offers one-way cruises, and some may only be offered at only certain times of the year. There are not the same extensive lists of one-way cruises as there are of round-trips. However, if you plan your vacation well enough in advance, you should be able to find the cruise you’re looking for without any trouble.

Where Can I Go On A Repositioning or One-Way Cruise?

For the traveler looking to embark and disembark in the United States, you may look into a cruise that goes through the Panama Canal . You can sail from Florida, tour the Canal, and arrive in Los Angeles . Once there, you can spend a little time at the Santa Monica Pier, stroll down Rodeo Drive, or hike up to the Hollywood sign. If you live in LA, you could plan your trip in reverse. Fly to Florida, do your sightseeing beforehand , and take a relaxing, leisurely cruise home. Feeling a little more adventurous? Try cruising from the U.S. to Quebec and spend some time in our neighboring country, Canada, before coming home.

You can get a taste of Old Quebec City by exploring the Petit-Champlain District , which dates back to the 1600s. Or, take a day to do a little whale watching. That is one of the perks of a repositioning cruise. Rather than an itinerary mapped out for you, you are the one who can choose what you would like to do and see.

If you have the time, try a transatlantic, repositioning cruise. Get on the ship in New York, and sail across the ocean to places like Spain, France, and England. Enjoy the sandy beaches of Ibiza, a romantic gondola ride in Venice, or an enlightening walking tour in the historic streets of London.

Spend a little time in Hong Kong before hopping on a 13-day cruise through Southwest Asia over to Thailand where you can see some of the beautiful beaches in Phuket. Or get on the ship in Rome, and go for an Arabian adventure that sees you through Egypt, Israel, Greece, and other places that many people dream of seeing.

When Is The Best Time For Repositioning Cruises?

The information below, with maps of cruise routes for spring and fall, came from https://www.roamingaroundtheworld.com/ , and we appreciate their input.

These transatlantic repositioning cruises are the most common routes. But there are many more repositioning cruise routes that happen during these seasonal changes. Here’s a look at some of the more common Spring (March-May) repositioning cruise routes.

• Caribbean, Florida, and other Southern US ports to European ports
• Caribbean, Florida, and other Southern US ports to Pacific Northwest ports such as Vancouver
• South America to Europe (less frequent and often European lines)
• Australia to Asia (particularly Singapore)
• Asia/Oceania to Pacific Northwest (less frequent)
• Other: Every once in a while, there is just an odd repositioning route in which a cruise line may be repositioning a ship not just for a season, but changing a ship’s itinerary on a more permanent basis. Or they may just be less common repositioning cruise routes. Use some creative search filters and find these unique voyages, which may pack a very rare and interesting repositioning cruise itinerary. We’ve seen some interesting itineraries, for example, from Australia through the Pacific islands to Hawaii!

Here’s a look at some of the more common Fall (September-November) repositioning cruise routes. (You’ll notice it is essentially the opposite of what was mentioned above.)

• Europe to the Caribbean, Florida, and other Southern US ports
• Pacific Northwest (e.g., Vancouver) to the Caribbean, Florida, and other Southern US ports.
• Europe to South America ports (less frequent and often European lines)
• Asia (particularly Singapore) to Australia
• Pacific Northwest to Asia/Oceania (less frequent)
• Other: Every once in a while, there is just an odd repositioning route in which a cruise line may be repositioning a ship not just for a season, but changing a ship’s itinerary on a more permanent basis. Or they may just be less common. Use some creative search filters and find these unique voyages, which may pack a very rare and interesting itinerary.

Other Things To Know About A Repositioning Cruise

There is still a lot to do.

While a repositioning cruise may be less expensive than a round-trip cruise, you can expect all the same amenities and activities as a round-trip cruise. There are complimentary dining options, activities, and entertainment just as a round-trip cruise would have.

You will spend more days at sea, and there will still be ports of call. There are times when these ports are not usual that are typically stopped at by cruises. This means that you may be seeing destinations that are not your run-of-the-mill stops.

Cruise lines strive to fill their ships with passengers, even at reduced rates when they reposition their ships, and so they make the prospect attractive by providing the same level of entertainment that you would expect on a round-trip cruise. Comedians, Broadway performers, and singers will still be put on in the evenings. Some cruises will add lectures on a variety of subjects like marine life, astronomy, cultures, or even cooking demonstrations. There are still typical activities like bingo and trivia games.

All of the other options on a cruise ship, like the swimming pools, rock climbing walls, water slides , and everything else on that particular cruise line are available. On a repositioning cruise, there tends not to be long lines or much of a wait for these activities.

You Will Need A Return Ticket

As was mentioned before, your starting point of the journey and your stopping point will be two different locations. You will need to get yourself back home whether it be by flying or renting a car depending on where your final stop is.

This is going to add to the overall cost of your trip, but if you look for flights in the off-season, it can be well worth the time you put into researching cruises and flights.

Repositioning Cruises Tend To Be Longer In Duration

Round-trip cruises can be a week or less, while transatlantic repositioning cruises can be about two weeks. Transpacific cruises can be three weeks or longer.

Who Travels On Repositioning Cruises?

As you might expect, with the duration of repositioning cruises, a good portion of the passengers will be the over-60 crowd. They are the people with a bit of time on their hands and want some adventure. They also tend to be savvy travelers who know about getting the most out of your vacation dollar.

Others on a repositioning cruise might be professionals who are freelance or remote workers, others on a sabbatical, or those who are relocating might also take advantage of one of these cruises. Those who are wanting to continue to work while on the water, they need to know that WiFi on a cruise can be problematic . It can be slow and expensive as it runs off a satellite signal.

One-Way Cruises

Not all transatlantic cruises are for repositioning. Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 Luxury Cruise Ship crosses the Atlantic several times a year. These one-way cruises are an alternative to flying between North America and Europe.

You can also cruise from Quebec, Canada to Boston one way. These cruises typically sail from May through October, with the most popular time being August when the trees start to turn colors.

Norwegian Cruise Line , Carnival , and Royal Caribbean cruise lines offer Canada/New England one-way trips in the fall for the foliage.

There are seasonal one-way cruises that sail southbound from either Seward or Whittier, Alaska, or northbound from Vancouver. One of the advantages of a one-way cruise is that it offers you time in the disembarkation port. Holland America , Royal Caribbean , and luxury lines like Silversea and Regent Seven Seas Cruises offer one-way sailing.

Just as with a repositioning cruise, you will need to provide your transportation back home.

Some Final Thoughts

Book your reservations ahead of time if you can, or at least, get an idea of what you plan on doing and seeing. Then, brush up on the cultures that you’ll be visiting. Take the time to learn a few words in the native language, and watch the faces of the locals light up. Even just a simple “hello,” “excuse me,” “thank you,” or “have a nice day” is more than enough to win bonus points. But don’t worry if you won’t have the opportunity, you’ll find that many countries speak English in addition to their first language – and often, a couple more on top of that! Just make sure that your travel documents, safeguards, and necessities are in line before you go; that should be your main priority. Bring along a travel binder that holds copies of your passport and ID, travel insurance policy documents, trip itineraries, boarding passes, etc.

Trying a repositioning or a one-way cruise at least once will give you a good idea of how to work this type of cruise into your life.

This page contains affiliate links for which we may receive financial compensation when a purchase has been made through one of our affiliate partners.

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Travel from Westminster to Greenwich and enjoy beautiful views over London’s famous landmarks with our River Thames sightseeing cruise. Choose a one-way or round-trip cruise, and enjoy uninterrupted views over riverside landmarks including Westminster Palace, the London Eye, the National Theatre, the Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe, HMS Belfast, The Shard, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, and Canary Wharf.

Yes. Always confirm with the ticket office or crew as to the time of the last boat.

The journey time from Westminster Pier out to Greenwich Pier is 1 hour.

Yes, we have fully licensed bars selling a wide range of tasty snacks and drinks, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic.

The top attractions and activities in Greenwich include the Cutty Sark, Greenwich Royal Observatory, and Greenwich Market. You can find more details on our Attractions page.

Travel from Westminster to Greenwich in comfort and enjoy beautiful views over London’s famous landmarks with our Thames River sightseeing cruise. We’ve been cruising along the Thames for over half a century now, and our expert skippers and crew look forward to welcoming you on board. Our city knowledge, entertaining tales, and local’s perspective will help turn your cruise into a special memory of your time in London. Choose a one-way or round-trip cruise, and take in uninterrupted views over riverside landmarks including Westminster Palace, the London Eye, the National Theatre, the Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe, HMS Belfast, The Shard, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, and Canary Wharf. Our fully licensed on-board bars sell a wide range of tasty snacks and drinks, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic.

+44 20 3778 0700 [email protected]

Westminster Pier, Victoria Embankment. London, SW1A 2JH

Copyright © Thames River Sightseeing 2024

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River Thames Cruise Prices and Reviews

What is the best london river cruise.

While our free London walking tours are a great way to see and learn a lot about the city, Thames River cruises offer a completely different perspective that you might also enjoy.

The most popular type of river cruise is a hop-on hop-off tour , allowing you to stop and get off the boat at various docks on the Thames.

Here are the top cruise services in London:

City Cruises

Uber Boat by Thames Clippers

Thames river service.

There are also special cruise services such as Tate to Tate by Thames Clippers , connecting both historic museums by boat.

Alternatively, you might also want to consider a circular loop without any stops, or perhaps a speedboat ride during the summer.

Like many cities, there are also lunch and dinner cruises available on the Thames River.

If you're in North London, you might want to consider a canal cruise around Little Venice and Camden Lock instead.

Concerned about the price? Check our list of combo packages that include a Thames River cruise for free!

Although we do our best to provide a balanced look at these services, it's important to get other perspectives, so we've also included a selection of recommendations from members of our London Travel Tips Facebook group.

Disclosure:  While our recommendations are always unbiased, we may receive a small share of sales through some of the links below at no cost to you. See the  full text .

TIP: When planning your boat tour or cruise, make sure to check out the  weather in London beforehand.

HOP-ON-HOP-OFF THAMES RIVER CRUISES

If you’re looking for a boat tour or cruise that will allow you the freedom to explore at your own pace, consider one of the following companies.

Although there aren’t many London boat services that specialize specifically in hop-on-hop-off Thames cruises, there are a few that provide the opportunity to explore London however you wish.

You can choose to purchase one single ride, a discounted return ticket, or a 24-hour travel pass with unlimited rides.

TIP: Many of these cruises are included for free or at a lower cost with any of the many London tourist attraction passes available to you.

City Cruises is probably the most well-known company offering a basic Thames River cruise. They are also the best value for the money.

City Cruises also offers speedboat tours and lunch and dinner cruises .

City Cruises offers both single tickets and a hop-on-hop-off service with 4 stops between Westminster and Greenwich. The hop-on-hop-off ticket is called the River Pass.

The River Pass is a 24-hour pass that gives you unlimited access to the river for 24 hours. There is live commentary on every journey.

For just a few pounds more, you can get a 72-hour River Pass giving you three days to use the service.

Guests can sit on the open-aired top of the boat, or inside downstairs if the London weather gets a bit wet or chilly.

TIP:  City Cruises' hop-on-hop-off service is  included for free for holders of a London Pass , a tourist attraction discount card. It is also  included for free  with the purchase of a 24 or 48-hour hop-on, hop-off open-top bus ticket with Tootbus Tours.

Click on the map for a larger view .

Single Tickets

Single-ride tickets vary depending on your starting and ending point. Prices start at £10.80/adult (16+), £7.05/child (5-15), and free for infants 4 and under.

See their full list of single and return ticket prices here .

If you are planning on taking at least two rides, we recommend that you buy a River Pass. This pass gives you unlimited travel between their piers.

River Pass Tickets

24-Hour Pass

• £23 Adults (16+)
• £15.45 for Children (5-15)
• Free for Infants (4 and under)

More information or to purchase tickets .

Cruises run every 30 minutes. Exact departure times depend on which pier you wish to depart from. (Frequency changes seasonally).

Highlights along the cruise include the London Eye, OXO Tower, London Bridge, The Shard, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, and Greenwich.

TIP:  City Cruises hop-on-hop-off service is usually  included for free for holders of a London Sightseeing Pass , a tourist attraction discount card. It is also  included for free  with the purchase of a 24 or 48-hour hop-on, hop-off open-top bus ticket with Tootbus Tours.

Reviews of City Cruises

City Cruises sports a 4 out of 5 stars  rating on TripAdvisor along with mostly positive reviews.

Thousands of reviewers have given them a 5-star rating, which is a good sign.

The negative comments that have been left often mention unforeseen technical issues with the boats or scheduling software.

To avoid any issues, make sure to arrive early for your cruise and call them the day before your excursion to make sure there are no problems.

Thames Clippers is a commuter boat service that sells single-ride tickets.

But, they also offer a day ticket, called Uber Boat, that gives you unlimited hop-on, hop-off travel for one day (between 10 am and 11 pm).

The Uber Boat is valid in their Central and East Zone lines which include 18 piers including Greenwich, Tower, Westminster, and more. Boats depart every 20 minutes.

Some of the central London landmarks you can get to easily from the Uber Boat piers:

• St. Paul’s Cathedral
• Tower of London
• Tower Bridge
• Tate Modern
• Covent Garden
• Trafalgar Square
• Borough Market 
• National Gallery of Art
• British Museum
• Houses of Parliament
• Churchill War Rooms
• HMS Belfast
• Shakespeare's Globe
• Palace of Westminster

You can download their free audio tour (available in English, Spanish, French, and German) if you are taking the boat for sightseeing purposes.

Also, you can buy refreshments on board.

Uber Boat Ticket Prices

• £22.10 Adults (16+)
• £11.05 for Children (5-15)
• This cruise is included with the London Pass .

Thames Clippers has received a 4 out of 5 stars  rating on both TripAdvisor and Viator.

Most reviews are very positive, stating that it is great value for the money. The staff is said to be courteous and helpful.

Also, guests said that the boat went just fast enough to get from point A to point B efficiently while still being slow enough to enjoy sightseeing with the downloadable app. 

Read reviews here .

Thames River Services (TRS) offers a variety of guided sightseeing tours that cover several different highlights along the river.

Prices and the length of the trip vary depending on what route you select.

There are a total of ten different tours offered out of Westminster, Greenwich, and St. Katharine's.

Additionally, this boat tour company provides transportation to popular sightseeing locations such as the Thames Barrier and the Tower of London.

Guests have the option to pay for a one-way ticket or round-trip fare as well as a hop-on, hop-off ticket (through Circular Cruises).

With a 4 ½ out of 5 stars  rating on both Yelp and TripAdvisor, TRS is one of the highest-rated cruise companies in London. 

A majority of reviews are very positive, but there are a few negative comments. 

Complaints tend to focus on the fact that this is a sightseeing cruise, which means it might not be as speedy as other services.

If you’re looking for a quicker boat tour, you might want to consider one of the hop-on, hop-off options.

Other than these issues, most passengers love Thames River Services!

Find out more about Thames River Service Tours .

Tate to Tate by Thames Clippers

This route on the Thames Clippers service is the "RB2 Tate to Tate".

It takes visitors between the two Tate Museums: the free  Tate Modern  at Bankside Pier and Tate Britain at Millbank Pier.

Boats run every 30 minutes. It is a 20-minute ride and is within the Central Zone so this is a one-zone ticket.

The boats have both outdoor and indoor seating. As this is not a sightseeing boat there is no live commentary.

It is, however, a great way to get out onto the water and move quickly between museums and their surrounding neighborhoods.

You can purchase tickets in advance online from the Tate Shop website , or before you board a boat from a self-serve kiosk on the pier.

You can also use your  Oyster card , if you have one, upon boarding the boat.

When you purchase, look for the RB2 service, a central zone ticket price.

Find out more or book tickets here.

Prices (single one-way ticket)

• Adult:  One Way - £10.90
• Child 5 to 15:  One Way - £5.45
• Children under 5 travel for free
• Adult TfL Travelcard: One Way - £7.30
• Child 5-15 TfL Travelcard: One Way - £3.65

For a complete timetable of the RB2 route that stops at both Tates, click  here for schedules.

Look for times for Bankside (the Tate Modern) and Millbank (the Tate Britain).

The Tate Boat service has been given a 4 ½ star rating on TripAdvisor.

Although it is not a full five stars, the reality is that they haven’t received any negative ratings.

There is only one complaint thus far, and it focuses on the length of time it may take to get tickets onto the boat.

Even so, the reviewer suggests that you persevere and use this ferry service to get from Tate to Tate.

Most passengers love this form of transportation, so chances are that it’s very reliable.

CIRCULAR LOOP THAMES RIVER SIGHTSEEING CRUISES

A circular loop cruise is specifically a river tour of the Thames.

From the boat, you will see many amazing sights such as  St. Paul’s Cathedral , the Tower of London, the Houses of Parliament , and  Big Ben .

Most circular loop cruises are about an hour long. 

Note that some circular loop cruises are hop-on-hop-off while others allow you to leave the cruise at any pier, but you may not board again.

Thames River Service Circular Cruise

This circular loop cruise allows you to hop on and off whenever you wish so that you can get a better look at the sites located all along the Thames.

The full cruise takes about an hour, but you can embark and disembark at your discretion throughout the day.

This circular cruise will take you past more than a dozen historic locations that are visible from the water.

There is commentary provided along the way to point out significant sights such as Old Scotland Yard or the Houses of Parliament.

Find more information or purchase tickets here.

Ticket Prices 

Click here to purchase tickets .

Single Ticket

• £12.40 for Adults
• £8.40 for Children/Freedom Pass Holders

Return Ticket

• £18.15 for Adults
• £12.25 for Children/Freedom Pass Holders

This cruise service has been in operation for several years, but they don’t have a lot of reviews.

The few negative reviews say that the tour feels short and that you do not see so many sights.

Mostly though the reviews are positive, saying that the live commentary is very informative and humorous.

Reviews say that the boat ride was relaxing and enjoyable, and well-organized.

The London Eye River Cruise

Whether you’re planning to visit the London Eye or you just want a tour around the Thames which focuses on the giant Ferris wheel, this river cruise is a great alternative to other services.

Although the London Eye River Cruise is not as long as other boat tours in the area, it can be a lot more affordable.

This circular loop will take you past locations such as Big Ben, St. Paul’s Cathedral, The Tower of London, and the Houses of Parliament.

If you purchase your tickets online, you can save 10% on your fare.

TIP: This cruise is also part of the London Explorer Pass , which could save you between 20-50% off of the retail price.

Find out more or purchase tickets here.

Ticket Prices :

• £19.50 for Adults
• Children under 2 ride for free

Before purchasing tickets, note that this cruise is included in the  London Explorer Pass , which could save you between 20-50% off of the retail price.

• Daily Cruises from 10:45 to 19:45
• Cruise departs *10.45, 11.45, 12.45, 13.45, 14.45, 15.45, 16.45, *17.45, *18.45, *19.45

Note: *Opening times may vary depending on seasonality. Be sure to check their schedule .

This river cruise company has earned a 4 ½ out of 5 stars rating on TripAdvisor.

Although there is a small contingent of passengers who had negative experiences, most reviews are very positive.

There aren’t enough complaints to suggest that these are common problems. 

Positive reviews for the service indicate that other guests found their tour guides to be quite helpful and informative.

The majority of people who take this cruise find it enjoyable. It’s fair to assume that the few complaints may just be random outliers.

Thames River Tours

In addition to their speedboat tours and lunch and dinner cruises , Thames River Tours provides a circular loop with commentary and sightseeing.

This circular cruise operates out of Westminster Pier and lasts approximately one hour.

Although it isn’t a hop-on-hop-off tour, you are allowed to leave the cruise at any pier. 

If you’re looking for a boat tour that will provide information about the Thames as you glide down the river, this is an excellent option. 

Ticket Prices

• £14.90 Per Person

This boat tour company has a 4 out of 5 stars rating on TripAdvisor, indicating that they provide quite a good service.

Most of the reviews are 5-star ratings, but a few negative comments are bringing the score down.

Positive comments suggest that the guides on Thames River Tours provide a lot of information and point out relevant sites along the river.

Unhappy customers report that they had a variety of scheduling issues, so it might be in your best interest to arrive early and call ahead to make sure that your cruise is still on schedule.

Sail on a 1920s Barge

Hop aboard a historic wooden Thames Sailing Barge, Lady Daphne, and enjoy a voyage through history along the Thames.

Spend a day or an evening on a wooden sailing vessel built in 1923 and have Tower Bridge raised especially for you during the trip!

Lady Daphne is the last wooden sailing barge still working on the Thames regularly and in addition to their private tours, you can take a public tour when offered.

Most trips begin at Tower Millennium Pier, and you pass through Tower Bridge en route downstream toward Greenwich Pier.

Depending on the time and length of your trip, you can get to see the O2, Canary Wharf, and maybe a glimpse of the Thames Barrier!

Check their website for prices and more information.

SPEEDBOAT RIDES

Speedboat rides on the Thames are not a budget option, but they are thrilling.

Throughout the experience, passengers will alternate between enjoying a leisurely ride along the Thames for sightseeing and a fast-paced thrill ride.

Guests are well protected with waterproof jackets, a life jacket, and goggle-style visors to withstand the thrilling wind speeds they will experience.

Thames RIB Experience

This RIB (Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat) is one of the fastest boats on the Thames, jetting visitors along the river at approximately 30 knots.

Each boat (which only holds up to 12 people) is manned by a guide who provides commentary throughout the journey.

In addition to their longer tour of the Thames, this company also manages three shorter tours of Canary Wharf, and the Tower Millennium Pier.

Ticket prices typically depend upon the length of the boat ride.

Ticket Prices:

Thames Barrier Experience (75 minutes)

• £62.10 for Guests 14+
• £53.10 for Children 2 - 13 years

Canary Wharf Experience (50 minutes)

• £54 for Guests 14+
• £49 for Children 2 - 13 years

Tower RIB Blast (20 minutes)

• £35.50 for Guests 14+
• £31.50 for Children 2 - 13 years

The Thames RIB Experience has earned a full 5-star rating on TripAdvisor – and that includes over 2,500 positive reviews.

Many comments report that this is an excellent trip for families on holiday.

Other positive comments mention that you will probably get wet while on this excursion, so it’s best experienced during hot days.

This is intended as more of an entertaining thrill ride. If you’re looking for excitement on the river, consider the Thames RIB Experience.

Thames Jet by City Cruises

This speedboat service is managed by City Cruises and offers a similar excursion to the RIB Experience.

They don’t offer as many tours as their competitors, but the Thames Jet is an excellent alternative.

Their Thames Rush speedboat tour is over 50 minutes.

Ticket prices are comparable to similar services, but they also offer family tickets at a discount.

• £49 for Adults
• £39 for Children (15 and under)

Tour Hours:

• 9 tours between 11 am and 7 pm (there may be fewer tours in the winter months)

TripAdvisor has given the Thames Jet service 4 ½ out of 5 stars . Most of the reviews are very positive, but there are a few negative comments.

Luckily, the few negative reviews don't appear to be the norm.

Most people enjoy this speedboat tour, with a majority of reviews stating that the tour guides are very entertaining and informative.

CANAL BOAT RIDES

Operating entirely along the canals that flow through the north of London, a canal ride is a charming way to see parts of London that most tourists miss.

For a true experience off the beaten path, these relaxing and beautiful rides are a definite must.

Jason's Original Canal Boat Trip

From March to November, you can take a canal boat ride with Jason's Original with live commentary from trained guides. 

• One Way: Adult - £18 / Concession £14
• Return: Adult - £23 / Concession £19

Jason’s London Canal Boat Trip is offered as part of the London Pass , which means more savings for you! 

London Waterbus Company

Their Regents Canal Waterbus Tour travels between Little Venice and Camden Lock (where the vibrant Camden Market is located).

Along the ride, the boat passes through Regent’s Park and the grounds of London Zoo. 

• Adult (17-59 years) £15.00
• Child (5-16 years) £11
• Student 17+ with photo student ID £11
• Senior 60+ years £11
• Toddler (under 3 years) Free

The  London Zoo Express ticket , which includes zoo admission, is not currently available as of May 2021.

Check their  website  for more details and to purchase tickets.

LUNCH AND DINNER CRUISES

Sightseeing cruises are nice, but they might not be the best option for business events or dating.

If you’re looking for a more sociable trip along the Thames, consider one of the following Dining Cruises.

In addition to the typical dinner cruise, many companies offer a variety of dining and party cruises, such as tea and showboat cruises, that allow you to enjoy more than just the sights and sounds of London.

To browse a full list of lunch and dinner cruise options by type rather than by company, click here .

Whether you want to go on a cruise with wonderful music and fabulous food, or you just want to have your afternoon tea out on the Thames, City Cruises offers a wide variety of options.

If you order online during the summer, you can save 20% on each dining cruise offered through this company.

Tickets are already quite affordable, so this is an excellent opportunity to save money while having fun out on the water.

More information or to purchase .

Lunch Cruise on The Thames

• £47 for Adults
• £37 for Children (ages 3-12)

Afternoon Tea on The Thames

• £45 for Adults
• £35 for Children (ages 3-12)

Jazz Cruise on The Thames

• £107+ (depending on date/time) per Adult (18+ only)

London Dinner Cruise on The Thames

• £89+ (depending on date/time) per Adult (18+ only)

When it comes to its dining cruises, this company has received fairly high ratings on TripAdvisor.

Although this isn’t their primary service, City Cruises regularly receives positive remarks for their dining boat trips.

Most reviewers have given them a 5-star rating, reporting that the food is quite excellent and the cruise itself is very relaxing.

Some have said that their Sundowner cruise is a great way to unwind after a long day, while others have reported that the Afternoon Tea cruise is a good value for the money.

BUS & BOAT COMBOS

There are a lot of boat tours and cruises offered on the Thames, but none of them will show you everything worth seeing in London.

To experience more than just the river that runs through this beautiful city, you’ll want to consider combining a cruise with either walking tours or bus tours.

Thankfully, there are a lot of companies in the area that provide combo packages that include many different types of excursions.

These combination packages can be a great way to save money on all kinds of activities!

Big Bus Tours

Big Bus is one of the most popular tour companies in the world. They offer services internationally and are well known for providing quality service.

Their combo package for London includes a cruise with City Cruises, their hop-on, hop-off bus tour, a selection of guided walking tours, and a coupon booklet.

Tickets for this combo package can be purchased either for 24 or 48 hours, allowing you to take as much time as you wish to enjoy everything included.

If you’re looking for a combination package that will allow you to discover as much of the city as possible without paying a lot of money, this is a great choice.

Click here for more information or to book .

• £44.00 for Adults
• £35.00 for Children (ages 5-15)
• £140.50 for Families (2 Adults + 2 Children)
• £64.00 for Adults
• £54.00 for Children  (ages 5-15)
• £209.00 for Family (2 Adults + 2 Children)
• Tickets can be used on any date within 6 months of purchase.
• Enjoy each tour or cruise at your own leisure.
• Follow the tour hours of City Cruises to schedule your boat trip.

Big Bus Tours of London has a 4-star rating on TripAdvisor. Most reviews are very positive, and comments about this specific combo package tend to be favorable.

Even customers who did not enjoy their experience reported that the cruise was excellent. Many passengers have said that this is a great value for the money.

Others report that the buses run frequently, allowing you to get off and experience various sites such as the Tower of London.

Tootbus Tour

This tour service is almost the same as Big Bus Tours. Much like their competitor, they also offer a Thames River cruise pass through City Cruises.

You’ll also have access to 80+ stops at attractions all over London on their hop-on, hop-off bus tour.

Ticket prices are very similar, so this might be a great alternative if other combo packages are all sold out.

Ticket Prices  (online purchase)

• 24 Hour Tickets: £42/Adults | £24/Children
• 48 Hour Tickets: £49/Adults | £29/Children

Purchase tickets or learn more .

• Tickets can be used on any date within 6 months of purchase
• Enjoy each tour or cruise at your own leisure
• Follow the tour hours of City Cruises to schedule your boat trip

Tootbus, once known as the Original London Sightseeing Tour, has received a 4-star rating on TripAdvisor.

A majority of the reviews are positive, but experiences with this tour company are a bit more mixed than other services in the same range.

Most of the complaints focus on a lack of buses, but this doesn’t appear to be the norm.

Most customers have not reported a problem with their offerings, and there are thousands of reviews suggesting that this company provides excellent service.

Many passengers noted that their tour guides are very good, so this should be a great choice if you want to learn a lot about the London area.

Things to Know When Going on a River Thames Cruise

Do you need to book Thames River Cruises in advance?

You don't necessarily need to, but if you do not book your tickets in advance, then you can get ticket from ticket counters on piers.

Due to limited availability, you may not always get tickets for a particular date or time slot. As such, it is always advisable to book your cruise tickets in advance.

Where can I catch a Thames River Cruise?

Piers of some popular cruises are listed below:

• City Cruises - Westminster Pier, London Eye Pier, Tower Pier, and Greenwich Pier
• Uber Boat by Thames Clippers - Embankment Pier, Westminster Pier, Tower Millennium Pier, London Bridge City Pier, Canary Wharf, Greenwich Pier, North Greenwich Pier
• Thames River Service - Westminster Pier
• Tate to Tate by Thames Clippers - Bankside Pier, Millbank Pier
• Thames River Services' Circular Cruise - Westminster Pier
• London Eye River Cruise - The London Eye pier
• Lady Daphne - Tower Millennium Pier
• Thames RIB Experience - Embankment Pier
• Thames Jet by City Cruises - Westminster Pier

How far do cruise boats go up the Thames?

It all depends upon which river cruise you are taking.

Most of the cruises start from Westminster Pier and goes up to Tower Millennium Pier.

Some long run cruises also start from Millbank Pier and reach Greenwich Pier.

There are also some special river cruises during the warmer months which run from Westminster to Hampton Court Palace .

Are River Cruises safe?

The cruise river boats are inspected by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and they carry modern safety equipment onboard.

Also, trained skippers and crews run the safety briefing as they leave their respective boarding points.

In other words, there is no reason to worry about safety while enjoying a cruise ride.

Tips From Locals and Travelers

Assuming you've read all or even just some of this post, you've had the chance to see our recommendations when it comes to Thames River cruises. However, it's important to get a variety of opinions when it comes to these types of services.

Thankfully, many members of our London Travel Tips group on Facebook will offer their own thoughts on these cruise companies, and we've included some of their most helpful suggestions here.

It can get pretty cold in London during the winter, so travelers might be surprised to learn that they actually do keep most of the Thames River cruises open all year.

While it can get cold, pretty much every company uses boats with an indoor area where you can stay warm as you enjoy the ride.

Even so, it is recommended to bundle up during the winter anyways, so you shouldn't be too cold on a river cruise boat as long as you wear warm clothing.

A lot of locals recommend using the Uber Boat, because it's a very easy and consistent service and it offers stops all along the Thames, even in Greenwich.

The reason this river cruise boat is so popular is because it's often used as transportation by people who live in London, and in fact they rely upon these boats to get to and from work.

Locals also note that you can pay for the Uber Boat by using an Oyster Card, and they offer discounts for card holders.

Even better, once you get past the Tower Bridge, the boat will speed up and allow you to get around the city much quicker!

If you're wondering whether to take a hop-on hop-off tour on the river or a dinner cruise, it's worth noting that the dinner cruise does not include any commentary.

Travelers who want to learn more about the city while cruising down the Thames might not enjoy the dinner cruise as much, but it's still a great service for anyone who wants to enjoy the view of London as the sun is setting!

Other travelers suggest skipping the dinner cruise and hopping on the speed boat. As Trish notes, these boats will wait until they are in clear waters and take off at thrilling speeds!

For even more helpful advice, you can always visit our London Travel Tips group on Facebook and ask whatever questions you might have.

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Middle East latest: Six children killed in Israeli airstrike in Rafah, hospital says; Iraq military base explosion was 'attack'

Six children are reportedly among those killed in an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gazan city of Rafah overnight. Meanwhile, one member of an Iran-backed group was killed after a large explosion at a military base in Iraq, which has been described as an "attack".

Saturday 20 April 2024 18:22, UK

• Israel-Hamas war

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• Airstrike on Iraqi base from 'unknown source'
• Iraqi security force claims explosion was result of attack
• Iranian minister compares 'drones' in attack to 'children's toys'
• Six children among nine killed in Israeli airstrike, hospital says
• What we know so far about Israel's apparent attack on Iran
• Iran has 'no plan for immediate retaliation'
• Analysis: Iran isn't biggest threat to the coalition right now
• Live reporting by Bhvishya Patel and (earlier)  Narbeh Minassian

By Alex Rossi , international correspondent in Tel Aviv

On Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, people took to the beach in Tel Aviv. Under the hot spring sunshine, the tensions between Iran and Israel seemed a world away.

Most of the people there are hoping that the worst of this phase of the crisis has passed.

As he rested on the sand between surfs, Jonathan Weiss told me: "I definitely hope this direct bit is over. We have enough things to worry about - internally and with our direct borders.

"Lebanon, Hamas, Gaza…we don't want to add anything to that."

Lior Shalev agreed: "I hope everything will be over soon. It's just unnecessary for both sides to get people hurt."

Israel's government has remained officially silent on the attack on a base near the Iranian city of Isfahan. It is another indication that the situation is de-escalating.

The strike appears to have been limited; symbolic in nature to send a warning rather than ignite a bigger confrontation.

But whilst the latest flare-up in the wider Middle East appears to have died down for now, Israel is still locked in conflict closer to home.

The indication is that Israel's long-anticipated incursion into the southern city of Rafah - which Israel sees as the last stronghold for Hamas - may not be far away.

US officials met their Israeli counterparts virtually this week to discuss the imminent incursion.

The White House has consistently warned the Israelis against a wholesale ground offensive of the city, fearing that an indiscriminate approach could lead to yet more huge civilian casualties.

But as we saw this week, Israel will make its own decisions on matters of war.

After Israel repelled a mass Iranian drone and missile attack, President Biden initially advised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "take the win" and not strike back.

Within days, the US realised Mr Netanyahu was going to strike anyway - albeit in a limited fashion.

Further to reports we brought you earlier on the meeting between Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh (see post at 3.08pm) we can bring you more on this.

It was the first meeting between the two since Israel began its operation in Gaza. 

The Turkish presidency said in a statement: "Issues related to Israel's attacks on lands of Palestine, particularly Gaza, efforts for adequate and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and a fair and lasting peace process in the region were discussed."

Mr Erdogan also "stressed that Israel should not benefit from the developments (between Iran and Israel) and that it is important to make efforts that will draw attention to Gaza again", the statement added.

NATO member Turkey has denounced Israel's offensive in Gaza following Hamas' attack on Israel and called for an immediate ceasefire.

Mr Erdogan has called Hamas a "liberation movement" while slamming the West for what he calls its unconditional support of Israel. 

The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives is set to vote on, and expected to pass, a $95bn package providing security assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan today.

Before the voting, the House began a sombre but serious debate with an unusual sense of purpose as Republican committee chairs and top Democrats on the panels united to urge swift passage that would ensure the US supports its allies and remains a leader on the world stage.

"The eyes of the world are upon us, and history will judge what we do here and now," said Michael McCaul, chairman of the House foreign affairs committee.

The weekend scene presented a striking display of congressional action after months of stalemate fuelled by Republicans, who hold the majority but are deeply split over foreign aid, particularly for Ukraine.

Speaker Mike Johnson is relying on Democratic support to ensure the military and humanitarian package is approved, and help flows to the US allies.

There will be a series of votes on three aid bills, for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific, as well as a fourth that contains several other foreign policy proposals, including a clampdown on the social media platform TikTok.

If the votes are successful, the package will go to the Senate, where passage in the coming days is nearly assured. 

President Joe Biden has promised to sign it immediately.

Passage through the House would clear away the biggest hurdle to Mr Biden's funding request, first made in October as Ukraine's military supplies began to run low. 

By military analyst Sean Bell

The dust appears to be settling on the latest round of tit for tat exchanges in the Iran-Israel conflict with the risk of a regional escalation abating. 

However, with both sides apparently reluctant to discuss what actually happened in the early hours of Friday morning, what impact did the Israeli military action have, and was it decisive?

Iran takes every opportunity to showcase its broad array of military equipment - whether it be tanks, missiles or fighter jets.  

One of Iran's strategic priorities is to protect its nuclear programme which most military analysts believe is only a matter of weeks away from being able to develop a nuclear weapon.  

Iran's military bases and specifically its nuclear development sites are protected by a complex array of layered military capability, with the outer layer including surface-to-air missile systems capable of striking targets out to 200km.  

At face value these defensive capabilities appear very robust, and form the basis or Iranian military deterrence capability.

However, long-range missiles are not the only component of a credible military capability. 

The first priority is to detect a target, and that requires a long-range radar.  

The F-35 joint strike fighter - a central pillar of Israel's air power capability - is not invisible to radar, but does present a much smaller profile than a conventional aircraft.  That means that the F-35 can get much closer to the Iranian radar before being detected which reduces the time available for the missile operators to enable a targeting solution.

Once the Iranian air defence missile has been locked onto the F-35, the Iranian radar continuously tracks the fighter to enable the missile to be launched en-route to its target.  

However, at this point the F-35 uses its electronic warfare capability to confuse the radar.  

Building on decades of hi-tech radar techniques developed during the Cold War and since, modern electronic warfare techniques can deceive enemy radars to create a false target - some way away from the F-35.  

As the Iranian anti-aircraft missile is racing towards this "shadow", the Iranian radar is providing continuous guidance and updates to the missile system.  This makes the radar vulnerable to Israeli anti-radiation missiles, which can target the radar in a passive detection mode.

The West has developed a raft of hi-tech electronic capabilities to "roll back" enemy air defence systems to enable fighter jets or missiles to target high-value targets.  

Although Israel will not have had access to the very latest iteration of this decisive military capability, they will have been able to punch large holes in Iran's comprehensive but aging air defence systems.

In short, Israel would have demonstrated that despite Iran's layered military capability, all Iran's key military targets are vulnerable and within Israel's reach.

Israel has no need to advertise that message to the international community - the target audience was Iran's political leaders who were delivered a clear demonstration of Israel's military dominance.  

It was little surprise therefore that Iran has sought to downplay Israel's most recent strikes, as behind the bluster of public statements Iran had been reminded of the potential repercussions should it ever consider repeating its unprecedented attack on Israel.

Satellite images following Iran's drone attack on Israel last week show repairs on a damaged Israeli desert air base.

The overall damage done to Nevatim air base in southern Israel was minor despite Iran launching hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.

Israeli air defences and fighter jets, backed by the US, the UK and neighbouring Jordan, shot down the vast majority of the incoming fire.

The satellite images were analysed by The Associated Press.

Mourners in Poland have gathered for the funeral of Damian Sobol, one of the seven aid workers for the World Central Kitchen killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza earlier this month.

Dariusz Dudek, an adviser for Polish President Andrzej Duda, attended to pay his respects for the aid worker described as "pure joy" by the WCK.

"We're saying farewell to a wonderful young man, courageous and generous activist, who followed the idea of solidarity," he said, reading a letter written by the president.

"A man who couldn't ignore the fate of those who suffer, those in need… I'd like to honour the sacrifice he made to help civilians affected by the war in Gaza."

Mr Sobol, 35, had previously worked in Greece following wildfires and in Turkey after the earthquakes there.

On "day one" of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the WCK says he volunteered to help refugees arriving in his native country.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has met Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh for talks in Istanbul today. 

During the meeting, the pair discussed efforts to reach a ceasefire and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, state broadcaster TRT says.

The meeting took place at the Dolmabahce Palace.

The Palestinian health ministry reported earlier on an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank (see post at 12.10pm).

The raid, which began on Friday, took place in the Nur Shams area of Tulkarm

Now, the IDF has said its forces killed 10 militants in the camp and the surrounding areas since it began its raid.

In a statement, it said the Israel army and the country's border police arrested eight Palestinian suspects from the area.

Nine of its officers and soldiers have been injured during the ongoing raid, it said.

According to the Palestinian health ministry, only four Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in camp since Friday.

The two day raid appears to be one of the largest that has taken place at Tulkarem's refugee camp since the Israel-Hamas war began.

The Palestinian Authority will reconsider bilateral relations with the US after Washington vetoed a motion to make Palestine a full UN member, President Mahmoud Abbas has told WAFA news agency.

The move by the US yesterday essentially denied Palestine's recognition as a state in the eyes of the UN. 

A spokesman for the US state department had described the motion as "premature".

"Specifically, there are unresolved questions as to whether the applicant can meet criteria to be considered as a state," he added. 

Earlier today, China's foreign minister Wang Yi said efforts to admit a Palestinian state into the UN were a move to "rectify a prolonged injustice", according to state media Xinhua.

Over in the US, one of California's most prestigious universities has announced it will have no outside speakers after cancelling a traditional student's farewell speech over security concerns.

The University of Southern California is due to hold its annual commencement ceremony - which honours outgoing students - next month.

Controversy has surrounded the event since the university moved to cancel a valedictory speech from a Muslim student, Asna Tabassum, earlier this week.

USC head Andrew Guzman said that decision was made to protect campus security, but Ms Tabassum says the university is "caving to fear and rewarding hatred", which she says is directed by "anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian voices".

The valedictorian - the student chosen to give the speech - is typically the highest-achieving student from those set to graduate from the university.

The Council on American Islamic Relations advocacy group and anti-war group Jewish Voice for Peace supported Ms Tabassum.

On Thursday, about 500 demonstrators marched at the USC campus in her support.

USC's ceremony, scheduled for 10 May, will honour a class of 19,000 graduates and is expected to draw 65,000 people to the downtown Los Angeles campus.

Tensions have risen at universities across the US since the war in Gaza began.

Two days ago, more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested at Columbia University in New York after its president authorised police to clear an encampment set up by students demonstrating against Israel's actions in Gaza.

Those protests continued for a third successive day yesterday.

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