Cruises to Harwich

27 Reviews
Harwich (Photo:Martin Parratt/Shutterstock)

About Cruising to Harwich

Harwich, on London's east coast, is the quietest of the three main ports of embarkation that service London (and it's never featured as a daylong port-of-call stop). Only Holland America, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean base ships here -- and there's not a whole lot to see and do in the immediate area.

On the other hand, it's a pretty easy 70-mile trip from London, and so most travelers who embark here pass through the area.

Still, the nearby cities of Ipswich and Colchester do offer sights to see, so a trip out of Harwich can be a good excuse to get off England's well-trodden sightseeing path.

Find cruises to Harwich on our UK cruise itineraries.

  • More about Harwich

  • Why Cruise to Harwich?

  • Harwich Cruise Port Facilities?

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More about Harwich

Why Cruise to Harwich?

Pros:

Harwich is primarily an embarkation port, but there are a few off the beaten path sights to explore nearby

Cons:

There's not much to see or do in Harwich itself, though you'll likely only be there for a few hours anyway

Bottom Line:

Harwich is pretty bare, but if you have some extra time you can work in some sightseeing in surrounding cities

Harwich Cruise Port Facilities?

There is a Tourist Information Centre (Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday - Sunday until 6 p.m.; October - March, closed Sunday) not far from the port that sells stamps, phone cards and offers photocopying and fax services.

Getting Around?

Heathrow and Gatwick are each more than a two-hour drive to Harwich. This is one of those embarkation ports where it really is useful to purchase cruise lines' own transfers, whether you buy their air or not. Plan to pay about $100 each way.



The best way to get to London airports is by train via London. Options for traveling to/from London include frequent trains to/from Harwich International Station (it's adjacent to the cruise terminal) to/from Liverpool Street Station (13 one-way/33 return; up to 1 hour 17 minutes) via UK National Rail. You will then need to either take a taxi or the Tube (not advisable if you have a lot of luggage) to either Paddington Station to catch the Heathrow Express (15 minutes, every 15 minutes; ?20 one-way) to Heathrow; or to Victoria Station for the Gatwick Express (35 minutes every 20 minutes; ?19.90 single). Trains to Stansted Airport run from Liverpool Street on the Stansted Express (40 minutes every 20 minutes; ?23.40).



If you opt to go by taxi it will cost you at least $100 to London or airports and will take up to two hours depending on traffic. Try Harwich Taxis.



Cruise lines also offer transfers (again, not necessary to purchase their air) from various points in London.



Coach Hire Booking offers transfers to and from U.K. airports to ports around the country and passengers are given priority disembarkation and will be picked up and dropped off right at the gangway. Prices range from ?25 for a single transfer to ?40 for a return.



There is one car rental agency in Harwich: Europcar which is based within the port terminal (Tel. 0871 384 1065).

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 (ATM's and credit cards make them nearly obsolete). For the best exchange rate, use ATM's.



Note: Some ATM's 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 to memory or jot down the translation to numbers.

Language?

English is understood and spoken everywhere.

Where You're Docked?

At Harwich International Port. Services are pretty much limited to money exchange and a cafe. For (forgotten) essentials, there's a huge Morrisons Supermarket about a five-minute drive away. Taxis are readily available outside the terminal to take you there.


Harwich Cruise Reviews
We took the train from the port to Harwich where we met our friends and walked along the seaside beaches into town. Had lunch and enjoyed a stroll to the Pier and back to pick up the bus to port.Read More
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2 Grey nomads
This was our embarkation port. All went smooth with our trip from airport to our ship.Read More
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terrywfry
Getting to this port was not easy. It was a long train ride from London. I think RCI has moved to a new preferred port in England.Read More
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chloper
Embarkation was very smooth.Read More
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DCSandy

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