Known as the gateway to England, Dover is the second largest cruise port in the UK, welcoming approximately 190,000 cruise passengers annually. The region features castles, historic inns, the Channel Tunnel between England and France, and the well-photographed White Cliffs of Dover. Find out how to get to Dover cruise terminal and which cruise lines use it as an embarkation port.
Cruises Departing from Dover, UK
A number of cruise ships will use Dover, England as an embarkation port for cruises to Europe or Mediterranean cruises. Cruise lines that use the cruise port of Dover are Disney Cruise Line, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and a few others.
Cruise terminals in Dover are located at the Western Docks whereas the ferry port is at the Eastern Docks. The town of Dover is located between the two. There are two cruise terminals with the larger ships using Terminal 2. Both terminals offer a departure lounge, cafe, bar and public restrooms. It is about a 30-minute walk from the cruise terminal into town.
Getting to and from the Dover Cruise Terminal
Dover is located about 75 miles east of Central London. Passengers cruising from Dover, England can choose from many options of getting to and from the cruise port. Heathrow Airport (LHR) is approximately 100 miles from Dover and Gatwick Airport (LGW) is located the closest to Dover at 80 miles. Note that all public transportation options must transfer through Central London.
Private Shuttles from London to Dover, England – Private cars and taxis are available at around 185 GBP per car regardless of departing from Central London, Heathrow Airport, or Gatwick Airport. It will take around two hours, but a bit quicker to go from Gatwick Airport.
Buses / Coaches from Central London to Dover – National Express Coach offers a bus service to Dover Eastern Docks (Ferry Port) from London Victoria Coach Station. The cost is about 14 GBP and takes under three hours. Taxi between Dover bus station and cruise terminal is about 7 GBP.
Train / Rail from Central London – Direct trains (South East Trains) run from London Charing Cross or London Victoria to Dover Priory Station. The cost is about 30 GBP and takes under two hours. The Gatwick Express is a rail shuttle that takes 30 minutes from the airport to Victoria Station.
An alternate embarkation port in the UK is Southampton cruise terminal, located in the south of England. Southampton is a departure port for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Princess Cruises, just to name a few. For passengers extending their cruise vacation in the UK, choose to stay at one of many Dover Hotels or use London as a base, instead.
Renee Ruggero - Renee is a published travel writer and cruise industry insider with more than 1,000 days on cruise ships, visiting over 50 countries.
