Cruises to Dover

54 Reviews
Aerial view of the White Cliffs of Dover (Photo: Peter Smith)

About Cruising to Dover

Located 76 miles (122 kilometers) to the east of London, Dover is a major passenger cruise port (as much for cruise ferries as it is for conventional ships) that's considered England's gateway to Europe.

Dover is best known for its stunning white cliffs (remember the World War II song "White Cliffs of Dover"?) that perch over the English Channel. It's also got a quite-spectacular castle. Once, in the mid-19th century, it was a popular seaside resort, though it was repeatedly bombed during World War II. Dover's city center hasn't yet fully regained its footing.

Dover is most commonly a port of embarkation and/or debarkation (itineraries can vary, from those that head to the Baltics and Northern Europe to those cruising south, to the Mediterranean), and most cruise passengers who want extra time in England will use London as their base instead. London is about a 1 1/2-hour train ride or two-hour drive away. Dover's proximity to some major southeast England towns and villages means there are alternatives to big city touring as well: Rye, a 1 1/4-hour drive south, is a charming medieval village and the city of Canterbury is noted for its awesome cathedral, among other sites. For day trips, Sissinghurst, Vita Sackville-West's famous gardens, are near enough to tuck into an "on the way to the port" sightseeing jaunt, as is Leeds Castle. Find Dover on our UK cruise itineraries.

  • More about Dover

  • Why Cruise to Dover?

  • Dover Cruise Port Facilities?

Loading...

We found you 203 cruises

Loading...
Loading...
Nieuw Statendam
Nieuw Statendam

15 Night
Cultural Crossing With Paris And London

267 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker
Holland America Rotterdam
Holland America Line's Rotterdam at Half Moon Cay, Bahamas. (Photo: Aaron Saunders)

14 Night
Atlantic Sunsets And Exotic Isles

112 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker
Viking Vela
Viking UK June-Sept Advertorial

28 Night
Scandinavia & The British Isles

Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker
Star Legend
Star  Breeze pool lighting

11 Night
Atlantic Archipelago Adventures 11d Lon-le1

124 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

14 Night
Wild British Isles: Belfast Evening Stay

267 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

11 Night
British Isles Cruise

2,100 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

14 Night
Bermuda Brittany & The English Channel Expedition

267 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

11 Night
British Isles Cruise

1,642 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker
Cruise Critic Favorite

14 Night
British Isles Explorer

1,208 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

15 Night
Iceland & Ireland Cruise

1,642 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker
Cruise Critic Favorite

12 Night
British Isles Cruise

1,947 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

14 Night
Canary Island Enchantment With Morocco & Portugal

267 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

12 Night
British Isles Cruise

1,642 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

37 Night
World Cruise

1,032 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

14 Night
Cultural Crossing With Paris And London

267 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

More about Dover

Why Cruise to Dover?

Pros:

Famed for its white cliffs and medieval castle, which are well worth a visit if you're game for a coastal walk

Cons:

There's little to do in the immediate port area other than take a seafront stroll

Bottom Line:

Perfect for a low-key port call and tucking into authentic British fish and chips

Dover Cruise Port Facilities?

Dover's city center is a brisk 30-minute walk from the port terminal (ten-minute ride) and it offers basic services -- drugstore, cybercafe, grocery store. But otherwise, most of the city's major attractions require auto transportation.

Getting Around?

In Dover, cabs are relatively easy to hail. Major car rental agencies like Hertz and National have outposts here.

From London's Airports to Dover: Your best bet is to arrive at Gatwick (a 45-minute drive) or Heathrow (1 3/4-hour drive). Trains from both airports are frequent and both connect through central London. Or opt for renting a car with one-way drop-off from the aforementioned rental car agencies. Taxis are pretty expensive -- from Heathrow, you'll pay about 125 pounds (nearly $250 dollars), and that's one-way.

From London to Dover: Options for traveling to/from London include the new high-speed (1 hour 20 minutes) Javelin train, which runs throughout the day to/from St. Pancras Station ($37.50 day return; $74.60 open return) to/from Dover Priory Station via www.nationalrail.com. Frequent daily buses to/from Victoria Coach Station to/from Dover's Pencester Road ($19.50, 2 1/2 hours) via www.nationalexpress.com. For both local and expanded taxi service, try Central Executive Taxi (44 (0)1304 ($175, 2 hours). Car rental agencies are plentiful, including Avis, Hertz, Budget, National, and Europcar.

Currency & Best Way to Get Money?

The national currency is the sterling pound (quid in slang). Currency exchange can be made in most banks, post offices and train stations. Traveler's checks should be exchanged at banks or exchange offices since very few businesses will accept them (ATMs and credit cards make them nearly obsolete). For the best exchange rate, use ATMs found almost everywhere.

If you are visiting from outside the European Union, you can get back some of the 17.5 percent VAT (Value Added Tax) you pay on certain goods. Not all shops participate, and stores that do, set a minimum purchase level. You will need to carry your passport with you and fill in a form at the time of purchase. Present the forms to Customs at the final departure from the European Union, but keep in mind the agents most likely will ask to see the goods

Note: Some ATMs in England require a PIN to be only four digits long, so plan ahead. Also, many display only numerals on the keypad. For pin codes that include letters, commit them to memory or jot down the translation to numbers.

Language?

English is understood and spoken everywhere.

Where You're Docked?

The Port of Dover is a one-mile/20-minute walk (or quick cab ride) to the town center, Priory Station and Pencester Road. A shuttle bus is available to/from the town center. The Tourist Information Centre is on Old Town Gaol Street and is open Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. In July and August, it's open from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily.


Dover Cruise Reviews
Nice seeing the "white cliffs of Dover" in person on the way to Canterbury. The guide made the history of Canterbury come alive. Enjoyed the other churches in Canterbury also. Read More
User Avatar
Ron and Bonnie
Seeing the cliffs was great. The Kent railroad was not a good tour. A 2 hour bus ride along roads with high bushes and no view to ride a 30 minute train through the same scenery. Tea and biscuits was nothing speciRead More
User Avatar
DeShy
Originally scheduled the included Canterbury morning tour but then, with the help of excursion staff, added the tour of Walmer Castle and the town of Sandwich in the afternoon. The "castle" was fascinating and SandwiRead More
User Avatar
marsieb
Easy to access and good facilities. Read More
User Avatar
AdeAfloat

Related Cruises

Cruises to Virgin Gorda

Cruises to Virgin Gorda

77 Reviews
Cruises to Fanning Island

Cruises to Fanning Island

14 Reviews
Cruises to Montreal

Cruises to Montreal

94 Reviews
Cruises to Amsterdam

Cruises to Amsterdam

1,057 Reviews
Cruises to Rouen

Cruises to Rouen

121 Reviews
Cruises to Saint John (New Brunswick)

Cruises to Saint John (New Brunswick)

449 Reviews
Cruises to Gdansk (Warsaw)

Cruises to Gdansk (Warsaw)

120 Reviews
Cruises to Marseille

Cruises to Marseille

936 Reviews
Cruises to Izmir

Cruises to Izmir

187 Reviews
Cruises to Adelaide

Cruises to Adelaide

106 Reviews
Cruises to Lima

Cruises to Lima

110 Reviews
Cruises to Rangiroa

Cruises to Rangiroa

30 Reviews
Cruises to Positano (Amalfi)

Cruises to Positano (Amalfi)

87 Reviews
Cruises to Buzios

Cruises to Buzios

27 Reviews
Cruises to Hakodate

Cruises to Hakodate

26 Reviews
Cruises to Picton

Cruises to Picton

165 Reviews
Cruises to Speyer

Cruises to Speyer

48 Reviews
Cruises to Bernkastel-Kues

Cruises to Bernkastel-Kues

37 Reviews
Cruises to Kinderdijk

Cruises to Kinderdijk

8 Reviews
Cruises to Dawson City (Yukon)

Cruises to Dawson City (Yukon)


Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.