Get London Transfer Ltd is a TfL licensed private hire operator - London private hire operator licence number 11588. getlondontransfer.co.uk and rushxo.co.uk are trading names of Get London Transfer Ltd. Every booking made on these websites is operated by Get London Transfer Ltd.
The single most common cruise-day mistake is planning around the sailing time printed on the ticket. Ships board in staggered windows, check-in closes 60–90 minutes before departure, and the gangway comes up before the ropes do. This guide works the sums backwards — from your boarding window to your front door — for every major UK port.
The Times That Actually Matter
Time on your paperwork
What it really means
Sailing time
When the ship leaves — NOT when you can arrive
Boarding window
Your assigned slot to check in, often staggered by deck or loyalty tier (typically 12:00–15:30)
Check-in closes
Usually 60–90 minutes before sailing — after this, the desk shuts
Gangway up
Before the sailing time; late arrivals watch from the quay
Plan around the start of your boarding window, not the sailing time. Arriving early in the window also means the calmest luggage drop — the crush is 13:00–14:00.
A20/M20 shares the road with cross-Channel ferry & freight traffic; Operation Brock adds delays when active
Tilbury (London Intl)
~50 min
The Dartford Crossing — brilliant when clear, a car park when not; buffer is non-negotiable
Harwich
~2 hr 20
The A12 through Essex — roadworks and summer weekend flows
Portsmouth
~2 hr 15
A3/M275 into the city at peak times
Drive times are free-flowing estimates; we add route-specific buffer on the days that need it.
The Days That Need Extra Buffer
Summer Saturdays — peak turnaround at Southampton; multiple ships can mean 10,000+ passengers moving through one morning
Bank holidays — leisure traffic on every port approach
School-holiday Fridays — the M25 at its worst
Dover on any busy Channel day — ferry queues can spill onto the approach roads
Rule of thumb: on these days add 45–60 minutes over a quiet-day plan — an hour early at the terminal costs nothing; an hour late costs the cruise
What If You're Genuinely Late?
The ship will not wait. If a genuine emergency puts you behind, ring the cruise line’s port agent (the number is on your e-ticket) — in rare cases they can advise on boarding at the next port, at your own cost. This is exactly why a pre-planned pickup with buffer beats optimistic DIY timing: the entire risk sits in the journey, and the journey is the part you can fix in advance. A fixed-fare transfer is planned backwards from your window by people who do port runs weekly.
Questions
What time should I arrive at the cruise terminal?
At the start of your assigned boarding window — typically between 12:00 and 15:30, stated on your e-ticket. Check-in usually closes 60–90 minutes before sailing, and arriving early in the window means the calmest luggage drop.
When should I leave London for a Southampton cruise?
For a typical afternoon sailing, leave central London around 10:30 — the drive is about 2 hours 25 plus buffer. On summer Saturdays or with children, leave by 10:00. A pre-booked transfer plans this backwards for you.
Does the ship wait for late passengers?
No — the gangway comes up before sailing time regardless. If an emergency makes you late, call the cruise line's port agent from your e-ticket; in rare cases you can join at the next port at your own cost.
Which UK port has the worst traffic risk?
Dover's A20/M20 approach shares the road with Channel ferry and freight traffic and can queue badly; Tilbury depends on the Dartford Crossing. Both need firm buffer — which we build in automatically.
Fixed-Fare Cruise Transfers, Timed to Your Sailing
Ship name, sailing time, pickup postcode — we handle the arithmetic, the luggage and the motorway. One fixed fare, agreed before you travel.
Rushxo runs fixed-price transfers to events and venues, every major airport and cruise terminal, and towns and cities right across London and the South East. Your When to Leave for Your Cruise fare, like every Rushxo journey, is fixed before you book.
When to Leave For Your Cruise: how this direction works
Picked up in When at your door. The price to Leave For Your Cruise was agreed when you booked, so a slow road on the day changes nothing.
Sailing from Leave For Your Cruise: pickup in When with room for cruise luggage, arriving with time in hand before boarding closes, at a fixed price.
Compared with an app booking through Uber, Bolt or FreeNow, the fare from When to Leave For Your Cruise is agreed before you travel rather than quoted when you need the car, so there is no surge pricing and no meter.
The small print, in one line: cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup; child seats are fitted free when you give ages at booking; and Christmas and New Year supplements are shown in your quote before you book (seasonal fares).
Getting around When: parking, car hire, public transport & accessibility
Parking & car hire:car parks near When and car hire in When on Google Maps. Hiring just to reach the airport? Count the fuel, the airport car-park fee and the return of the car before comparing with a one-way fixed fare.
Check step-free access and lifts for your local station on its National Rail station page and book Passenger Assist (ideally 2 hours ahead). Assistance dogs travel free on all UK trains and buses; other dogs are carried free on most operators.
Travelling with us: assistance dogs always travel free in every car, no notice needed (Equality Act 2010). Other dogs and pets are welcome by prior arrangement – tell us when you book so we send a suitable car and a driver who is happy to carry them. Folding wheelchairs, walkers and mobility scooters that fold go in the boot at no extra charge; if you need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle or extra time at pick-up, say so when booking and we will confirm availability before you pay. Rail step-free status changes when lifts are out of service – check the station page or book Passenger Assist (ideally 2 hours ahead); on TfL you can turn up and go.
