The Big Three: ex-UK cruises from Tilbury and Tower Bridge

Cruises from London are always going to grab people’s attention. The capital may not be the force it once was in the maritime world but by boasting both Tilbury and Tower Bridge as potential starting points for a cruise – and with a third, at Greenwich, on its way – chances are that it will be commanding more and more departures in the future. A typical rule of thumb is that Tower Bridge (in central London) is the playground of luxury ships, however in 2016 ultra-luxury cruise line Crystal has bucked that trend by opting to use Tilbury for all of its ex-UK departures.

Following on from the publication of Cruise Adviser’s Ex-UK guide 2016, each week we will be running our Big Three feature, which gives you a trio of cruise options to choose from based on regional ports. This week it’s cruises that leave from London.

To request a copy of Cruise Adviser’s Ex-UK guide email: info@cruise-adviser.com or read it online here.

Line: Crystal Cruises
Departure port: London Tilbury
Departure date: July 23, 2016
Destination: Round Britain
Duration: 14 days
Ship: Crystal Symphony
Single price from: £5,624
Double price from: £4,207 (oceanview, per person)

Line: Silversea Cruises
Departure port: Tower Bridge
Departure date: May 31, 2016
Destination: Lisbon
Duration: 12 days
Ship: Silver Wind
Single price from: £9,500
Double price from: £4,750 (per person)

Line: Cruise & Maritime Voyages
Departure port: London Tilbury
Departure date: October 16, 2016
Destination: Australia
Duration: 54 nights
Ship: Astor
Single price from: £4,379
Twin price from: £6,309 (inside, second person free)

Cruise Adviser top tip

For guests that need a little extra wow, having Tower Bridge open (and all of London come to a standstill) is something few are likely to forget