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Treat yourself to a luxury cruise through the very heart of London on board the impeccable MV Spirit of Chartwell, the most luxurious cruise ship on the River Thames. Enjoy an evening dinner cruise past the illuminated highlights of central London, and spoil yourself with four evenings of delectable fine-dining aboard the same ship used by the Queen in the 2012 Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
- Luxury accommodation on the MV Spirit of Chartwell
- Fine dining throughout the journey
- Passepartout excursion to the upper reaches of the Thames
- The sights of London
Our holiday begins at Canary Wharf, where our luxury cruise ship, the Spirit of Chartwell, is moored. After check in at 4pm, your afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the sights of Canary Wharf. This evening we enjoy the Captain's Welcome Reception, followed by dinner on board. The ship remains moored at Canary Wharf for the night. (D)
We wake up this morning to enjoy a sumptuous English breakfast
on board. Following breakfast we set sail from Canary Wharf,
travelling through the historic West India Docks and past the
iconic O2 Arena (formerly the Millennium Dome) as our voyage on the
Spirit of Chartwell begins. Our journey downstream takes us to
Gravesend, burial place of Pocahontas, via the Thames Estuary,
before we turn and pass the docks of Tilbury.
Heading back up river we pass Woolwich and the impressive Thames
Barrier. We enjoy lunch on board during the journey, served in the
George Bradshaw Restaurant. We reach Greenwich shortly after lunch.
The Spirit of Chartwell moors up here to allow us free time,
perhaps to visit the fascinating National Maritime Museum. The
museum charts 500 years of Britain at sea and includes the uniform
worn by Nelson when he was fatally shot at the Battle of Trafalgar.
You can also visit the Royal Observatory, home of Greenwich Mean
Time and the location of London's only planetarium. There is also
the opportunity to visit the famous Cutty Sark, which reopens to
the public in 2012.
We continue our journey on the Thames, travelling back upstream
past the Prospect of Whitby - London's oldest riverside tavern -
and on past Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. We pass
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre to the south and then St Paul's
Cathedral to the north. We continue past the London Eye and the
Palace of Westminster. We moor at Millbank, from where you could
visit to the superb Tate Britain (50m away), Westminster Abbey
(800m away), or make the short walk to the London Eye for a ride on
the iconic giant Ferris wheel. We return to the Spirit of Chartwell
for dinner on board. We remain moored at Millbank overnight - the
location is ideal for those wishing to enjoy a show in one of
London's West End theatres. (B,L,D)
This morning we travel by coach to Windsor, where there is time for you to explore at leisure. Your options include a visit to the magnificent Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world and the official residence of Her Majesty the Queen. After our time in Windsor we board the river boat MV Passepartout. As the name would suggest, the MV Passepartout which can sail almost anywhere, including the navigable section of the non-tidal Thames - a section of river where low bridges and shallow water prohibits the passage of larger boats and ships. MV Passepartout is designed in the same style as the Spirit of Chartwell and has curved panoramic windows and an exterior viewing deck, ideal for looking out across Windsor and the surrounding countryside. Our journey on board the MV Passepartout takes us along the serenely beautiful upper reaches of the Thames. We enjoy views of Windsor Castle, Eton (location of the world's most famous public school) and Windsor Racecourse before sailing past Dorney Reach, Maidenhead, Taplow and Cliveden Reaches before returning to the Spirit of Chartwell in time for dinner. (B,L,D)
We wake up in Kew today, with a free morning to explore the
fantastic gardens and hot houses (payable locally) for which this
small town is famous. Later we sail downstream towards central
London, passing Putney and Chelsea as we make our way to vibrant St
Katherine's Docks. From here we have time to visit the attractions
at the Tower of London, including the Crown Jewels, the Yeoman and
the world's most famous ravens.
We return to the Spirit of Chartwell for our journey,
continuing downstream to the West India Dock and to Canary Wharf.
For our final evening on board we enjoy a Captain's Farewell
Reception and Gala Dinner. (B,L,D)
After a delicious breakfast on board, the tour concludes as we disembark the Spirit of Chartwell. You are free to return home at your leisure. (B)
E = Eurostar meal, B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D =
Dinner
These meals, where shown, are included in the price of your
holiday
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