London International Cruise Terminal · Tilbury Docks · Essex RM18 7NG
Tilbury: the crossing decides it
Tilbury sits directly across the Thames from Gravesend, close enough to see. Getting there means the Dartford Crossing, and on a cruise morning that single stretch of road is the difference between a twenty-five minute journey and something considerably longer.
The Dartford Crossing is the only practical route from Kent, and it is one of the least predictable pieces of road in the country. For a sailing with a fixed check-in window, that is the whole planning problem and we build real margin into it.
Close in miles, variable in time
Tilbury is the second-nearest cruise port to Kent, and the least predictable to reach.
From Gravesend
You can see it from the Kent bank. Getting to it is another matter.
The only route
Tunnels northbound, bridge southbound, and both can back up badly.
Which is the problem
A sailing does not wait. We leave earlier than the map suggests.
Unlike Southampton
One terminal, so no confusion about which building.
Kent to Tilbury
Times assume a reasonable crossing. We plan the pick-up on the pessimistic end.
| Pick-up area | Distance | Journey |
|---|---|---|
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 12 miles | 25–50 min |
| Dartford & Bluewater | 13 miles | 25–50 min |
| Bexleyheath & Welling | 18 miles | 35–60 min |
| Rochester & Chatham | 22 miles | 35–60 min |
| Bromley & Orpington | 24 miles | 40–70 min |
| Maidstone & Aylesford | 30 miles | 45–75 min |
| Sevenoaks & Tonbridge | 31 miles | 45–75 min |
| Ashford & Tenterden | 50 miles | 65–95 min |
| Canterbury & Whitstable | 53 miles | 70–100 min |
How we handle it
Nothing complicated, and it is the reason people book rather than drive themselves.
| Step | Detail |
|---|---|
| Give us the check-in window | Not the sailing time. They are different |
| We plan backwards with margin | On the assumption the crossing is slow, not fast |
| The charge is confirmed at booking | So you know whether it sits inside the quote |
| Arriving early is fine | There is somewhere to wait. Arriving late is not |
| The return works the same way | Booked with the outbound, at an agreed time |
Sailing from Tilbury
The margin is the service
On a normal day Tilbury is twenty-five minutes from Gravesend and the whole thing is trivial. On a bad morning at the crossing it is not, and there is no alternative route worth having. We plan every Tilbury pick-up as though the crossing will be slow, which occasionally means arriving with an hour in hand and never means missing a ship.
Give us check-in, not departure
These are different times and the difference matters. A ship's check-in window closes well before it sails, and it is the time we actually work to. Read it off your cruise documents and give us that, and we will set the pick-up backwards from it.
The crossing charge is settled at booking
It applies in both directions and we confirm at the quote stage whether it sits inside your fare. Nothing is added afterwards, which is our standard position across the site and it matters more here because the crossing is unavoidable.
One terminal, which keeps it simple
Unlike Southampton with its four terminals, Tilbury has one, so there is no question about which building. Once we have the check-in window and the date, a Tilbury booking is among the more straightforward cruise transfers we do.
Tilbury questions
The crossing, and the margin.
How far is Tilbury from Kent?
Around twelve to fifty miles, which is twenty-five minutes from Gravesend on a good day. The variable is the Dartford Crossing rather than the distance.
Why does the crossing matter so much?
Because it is the only practical route from Kent and it is unpredictable. A sailing has a fixed check-in that does not wait, so we plan for a slow crossing rather than a fast one.
What time should we tell you?
The check-in window from your cruise documents, not the sailing time. They are different and check-in is the one we work to.
Is the crossing charge included?
We confirm at the quote stage whether it sits inside your fare. It applies in both directions and nothing is added afterwards.
Which terminal do we need?
There is only one at Tilbury, the London International Cruise Terminal, so unlike Southampton there is no question about which building.
What if we arrive very early?
That is fine and there is somewhere to wait. Arriving late is the problem, which is why we build in margin.
Should we book the return too?
Yes, with the outbound. Our cruise guide covers how we handle ships docking late.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes, agreed at booking for both legs.
Ports and terminals
The Thames and the south coast.