Cross the Pond to London

As you either begin or end your Trans-Atlantic Crossing Cruise ( you will be doing this aboard Cunard's Queen Mary 2, correct?!), you will fly in or out of London.

London is a fun and exciting city filled with history and culture and should be on every traveler's bucket list. With so much to see and do, planning your pre or post cruise visit to London can seem daunting. To help you plan, I've outlined some of the best tips and tricks for visiting the city.

Stay In Central London – Central London is the heart and soul of the city. You're only a few minutes walking to major sites, bars, and restaurants and can easily hop on London’s underground, or the tube, to zip around the city. Staying in central London will ultimately save you a lot of time and money!
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Avoid Bank Holidays and School Breaks – As a significant city and popular travel destination, London is regularly filled with visitors. However, during bank holidays and school breaks, the number of tourists nearly doubles in size. People from other parts of the UK and Europe travel into London for a quick weekend holiday, meaning even more crowds.

Set Aside Enough Time – London is a massive city, and the last thing you want to do is rush through Buckingham Palace or skip the Tower of London because you ran out of time. For your first time in London, plan to stay at least a week. This should give you enough time to see the historic landmarks and get to know some of the local neighborhoods.

Book in Advance – This one is crucial! You can spend countless hours of your trip standing in lines if you don't plan. From theaters to the London Eye, you'd be amazed at how many attractions you can purchase tickets for in advance. Often you can even get a discounted price if you are buying at the door. When you book with a travel advisor, they will often have the best deals in town and help you plan your trip and determine if you should purchase the London Pass.

​Visit Free Attractions – London can get expensive quickly, but that doesn't mean you have to pay top dollar (or pound) to see all the sights. Many of the museums in London have free admission, and the parks and gardens are also a must-see and cost nothing to stroll around and picnic. Seeing classic London sights like the Changing of the Guard and walking through the famous Harrods is also completely free of charge!
There's so much to know before visiting a city for the first time, but this list is a great place to start planning a trip to London! London is a perfect beginning or ending to your perfect ocean voyage too!