London's Cruise Ship Options

London - as cruise destinations go, it's hard to beat! Cruise ships can head up the Thames and straight into the heart of the capital, offering their passengers an unforgettable experience, with unrivalled views of historic buildings and modern icons alike.

In recent years, London has welcomed a series of prestigious cruise callers, including The World and has become firmly established on regular cruise schedules. Last year London welcomed over 50 cruise ships as the 2012 Olympics put the spotlight firmly on the global city.

The Port of London Authority provides two moorings for cruise ships, one at Greenwich, the other at just upriver of Tower Bridge. Greenwich Ship Tier can accommodate vessels up to 208 metres in length and provides a stunning location close by the Naval College and in sight of the Cutty Sark. Vessels moored here are serviced through the world's first floating cruise terminal, PLA’s Welcome.

Tower Bridge Upper mooring caters for smaller, specialist vessels up to 158 metres in length, which enjoy sailing through Tower Bridge and tying up alongside HMS Belfast, directly opposite the Tower of London.

The PLA also offers moorings suited for super yachts at George’s Stairs Tier (just below Tower Bridge) for vessels up to 110m and Mill Stairs Upper Tier (just above Cherry Garden Pier) for vessels up to 35m.

Bookings for all PLA moorings are taken directly by the Harbour Master Upper’s team, who can be reached on 0207 743 7966. They can provide advice on all aspects of passage planning, mooring configuration and who to contact about provision of services.

The upriver cruise activities are complemented by those at the Port of Tilbury, where cruise ships call at the listed 1930s-built London International Cruise Terminal.

Tilbury is an established port of call for cruise ships, both for day calls and turnround calls (the start and finish of a cruise).

London International Cruise Terminal at Tilbury saw 35 home port calls in 2011/2012, from C&MV, Holland America and Noble Caledonia; and three tourist calls welcoming passengers from the UK, Spain, US, South America, Russia and Japan. The port also saw ten days of C&MV promotional events, including a number of overnight ‘cruise’ experiences. This activity has led to a footfall of close to 50,000 guests through the London International Cruise Terminal.

West India Dock, sitting in the shadow of the Canary Wharf towers, is increasingly establishing itself as a destination for super yachts and smaller cruise vessels. Run by Canal & River Trust the facility offers simple access to water and scope to ‘walk off’ onto the Dock and straight into nearby shops and restaurants.