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Need a bit of help from our colonial cousins!! Next year (2024), my wife and I are flying into Houston. We'll drive north that afternoon and probably stop at College Station for the night. Next day (Monday) we'll drive a bit north of Waco to see the solar eclipse on 8th April. Thats at about 1.45pm local time. We will then drive south to stop somewhere around Bastrop, Brenham or Columbus (don't really want to go to Austin unless someone has a really good reason). This is the bit we need help with. Can anyone recommend anywhere to stop for the nght in that general area, preferably with somewhere like a park to go for a walk in the evening? Then we'll drive down to Freeport and along the coast road to Galveston, stop there for the night and then drive up to Houston Space Centre (somewhere I've always wanted to visit being a child of the space race!), stop in a hotel around there that night and then next day drive up to IAH to catch a flight to Miami and a cruise! Any help or advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks Simon

Yep, agree with JB. Do self disembark and book the later ferry...and hope the French fishermen don't blockade Calais and Dunkerque!! Stick with the car park by the ship, as thats walking distance. I can't see any advantage to leaving the car at a hotel. Simon

Personally, I've never had a problem getting out of the car parks. However, I echo the other comments about time to get to Dover. It would take an absolute minimum of 3 hours for the trip, which means you must allow at least 4 hours plus check in at Dover. Assume you are not going to leave Southampton until after rush hour (say 9am), that means the absolute earliest ferry I would go for is 2pm and preferably a bit later. I don't see that using a hotel to park the car would make much difference. You are still going to struggle to get an 11am ferry. I am a truck driver, so I know what our roads are like. Please re book your ferry time. Simon

With both options, whether you do self disembark (earliest possible) or not, the car will be there waiting for you. What time is your ferry check in and where from? Simon

'Best' depends on what you want. ABP - Sometimes included in your cruise fare. Park in a car park beside or near the ship. Put your luggage in a van to be delivered to ship. Walk to check in with your carry ons. You keep your keys. Coming back, collect luggage, walk to car, load up and drive away. P4C - Drive to terminal and give your luggage to porters. Drive to short stay car park by terminal (normally no more than 100yds). Give your car to P4C staff, who will take loads of photos and take your car to secure store approx 3 miles away. You walk back to terminal. Coming back, collect luggage, walk to short stay car park, load up and drive away. We have use both and have no problems with either. Main difference is P4C is usually 10-20% cheaper, but if you get APB included in your cruise, that makes more sense. Simon

Yep, checked National Express coach...thats not going to work! National Rail website is playing up (again!), so can't check that. As to car services, try https://westquaycars.com/ for a quote, but I'd guess it will be the thick end of £200. Simon

Train is probably the way to go, but at the moment we are in the midst of regular strikes by train drivers and it doesn't look like this situation is going to end any time soon, so suggest you look into car services or even National Express coach. However, the big question we need to know to help is, what day of the week is this? It really makes a difference! Simon

A couple of years ago, we more or less did #1. Went straight to the cable car though to beat the ships tours (which we did...just!), then south to the caves, north to the tunnels and down the hill to the square and back to the ship. Though it was a longish day, we felt OK. Next morning we could hardly move!! Our legs were so stiff and aching, we just about managed to get out of bed! My wife stayed in bed all day, but I managed to get out and walk round the next port (which did actually ease the pain a bit), so just be warned!! If it makes any odds, we are both mid 60's. Simon

Last summer we did an e bike tour with https://ebikemalaga.es/ Only a 20-30 minute walk from the ship and a really good tour and I think only about €30 each! Simon

Hi Elaine I wouldn't hold your breath! I looked at reviews of all the other ships Xmas cruises and it seened the low standard of food is a common theme. Hope you have a better experience than us! Simon PS Say hello to Lysle

Someone we were talking to on Ventura said how good the new Saga ships were. Said she had done a Greenland cruise from Dover and couldn't fault it. We are in our mid 60's and thought we might be too young(!), but she reckoned the demographic was similar to Ventura (where average age was 74). We might try Saga soon. Simon

Just my opinion, but heres our review of the 35 night Xmas and New Year cruise...it doesn't make good reading I'm afraid! If you have any questions, feel free to ask. https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=694463 Simon

Just been on mine...no problem. Simon

We've been talking about this on our roll call Neil. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2844551-n233-1-dec-22-5-jan-23-xmas-and-new-year/page/3/#comment-64354898 Simon

Definately the cheapest way is National Express coach. https://www.nationalexpress.com/en The coach station is about a 30 min walk from the Mayflower cruise terminal, so probably worth getting a cab (about £7 and loads at the terminal). When you look for a booking, you are travelling from SOUTHAMPTON COACH STATION, HARBOUR PARADE and going to HEATHROW AIRPORT...remember to select the correct terminal. Terminals 4 and 5 have their own drop off outside the terminal. T2 & 3 use the Heathrow Central Bus station which is about a 10-15 easy covered walk from the terminals. Should be around £20 - £25 each. Simon

Just to add to Eagle's info, go to this link https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAQQw7AJahcKEwjA6a6i2bD7AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.heathrow.com%2Fcontent%2Fdam%2Fheathrow%2Fweb%2Fcommon%2Fdocuments%2Fat-the-airport%2Fairport-maps%2FHeathrow_T5_Map.pdf&psig=AOvVaw1gfTftAIT4OdRUsCIoY-LA&ust=1668619056973203 and scroll down to the last map. You will be coming out of 18 (in green) International arrivals and 'walking' down the map to the 'Entrance' in the centre.Walk to your left (which is right on the map!) and you will come to bus stops 11-15. On the map, grey is pavement (thats a sidewalk to you) and white is the roadway. All as clear as mud!! Simon

Based on that, we'll risk it! Thanks!

I'm sure this has been asked before, so apologies! How strict are P&O on check in time? We are in a Southampton hotel night before, so will probably be booted out about 11am and check in is 2:30pm, so we'd have 3 and a half hours to kill. Do we risk going a bit early? Simon

You never know with the North Atlantic. We did a cruise (2011 I think) on Celebrity Eclipse to Iceland (2 stops), Faroe Islands and Norway (3 or 4 stops) in July and it was like a millpond the whole way...just a bit rainy on some days. You just never know what you are going to get! Simon

As far as I can tell, you go on a zoom call (prenetics/Azova have sent me a link) and they watch you stick the cotton bud up your nose and do the test. You show them the line at C and hopefully not at T and they send you a certificate. Thats the theory🤞 Simon

Phone them on 01234 676684 and they send you an e mail with links to re book with AZOVA. Simon

Well I've just rung them and they say they have stopped doing them themselves, but I have been given links to another site that is doing them on their behalf called AZOVA, so have re-booked appointments there. I hope to god this all works!! Simon

I've just got our tests this weekend for 28th Nov....they were all available when I booked. Think I'll have to make a phone call!! This is a pain in the ar$e!! Simon

It was on the Anthem in August. Simon

Great, thanks. Simon