Dover: CruisingGrade.com Port Of The Day

Dover, England, the CruisingGrade.com port of the day, is a welcome alternative to Southampton, the home base of Cunard, crowded with cruise traffic and short on good hotels.

Dover is 80 miles from London or Gatwick Airport, 100 miles from Heathrow, about 1.5 to 2 hours by road with no traffic jams, not significantly different from Southampton.

Dover Castle

Dover offers several unique attractions. Foremost are the White Cliffs, visible from your cruise ship but worth a close approach by land. Above the town is Dover Castle, built to defend England against European invaders, site of hidden tunnels from both medieval times and World War II, home to a military museum and castle tours.

Canterbury

An hour away is Canterbury with picturesque St. Augustin's Abbey and shops and pubs that welcome tourists. Last time we were there, voices of the abbey choir rehearsal drifted throughout the grounds.

And when you're ready to embark, you'll find Dover's port arrangements much more convenient and far less hectic than Southampton.

Scandinavia & Russia, 11 Nights With St. Petersburg Overnight

July 29  Disney Magic, 2,700 passengers, built 1998, refurbished 2018. Few cabins remain, including Oceanview 214 sq. ft. from $11,100 for two passengers, veranda 268 sq. ft. from $15,000 for two, thankfully including taxes, fees, and port expenses.

St. Petersburg

Amsterdam and the Scandinavian ports all worth the trip, Berlin an unconformable distance from Warnemunde, we recommend visiting another time; Tallin, Estonia a favorite port of ours.

Itinerary: Dover, England; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Warnemünde (Berlin), Germany; Stockholm, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; St. Petersburg, Russia; St. Petersburg, Russia; Tallinn, Estonia; Copenhagen, Denmark.

Ireland, Scotland & Wales 8 Nights With Optional Military Tatoo

Edinburgh Tattoo

August 18 Princess Pacific Princess, built 1999, refurbished 2017. From $1,539 per person balcony 216 sq. ft. plus $195 fees. Extraordinary military tattoo ceremony available from $270 per person in front corner stands to $750 per person with private seating and reception.

Itinerary: London (Dover), England | Jersey (St. Helier) | Milford Haven, Wales | Dublin, Ireland | Edinburgh (Rosyth), Scotland overnight | London (Dover), England.

All Inclusive Crystal President's Cruise 14 Nights With Three Days Bordeaux, Two In Lisbon, Barcelona, And Monte Carlo

July 29 Crystal Serenity, 980 passengers, built 2003, just refurbished 2018. All inclusive from $5,135 per person.

Guernsey Castle Cornet

Itinerary: London (Dover); St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands; Bordeaux, France three nights; At Sea; Oporto (Leixoes), Portugal; Lisbon overnight; At Sea; Barcelona, Spain overnight; Cassis, France; Monte Carlo, Monaco overnight.