Southampton disembarkation

About to book Marella Discovery Oct 4-14 out of Southampton. Does anyone know: where exactly/what berth in Southampton? Will there be big taxi queue when getting off the ship? 1/2 hour to airport?

We will be returning to States and looking at 10:45 flight out of Southampton airport. Will they let us priority disembark at 7:00 (ship due to dock 6:00 with disembark 7:00-9:30 listed) so we could make this flight via taxi?

And while I'm asking questions, several of you are so great at answering, Is there any school holidays beginning of October? I'm expecting less kids with two week cruise in colder weather -- is that valid?

Due you know where/which side of promenade or elsewhere smoking is allowed? Don't want to book cabin above that. Is there room service and for an extra charge? Ship phone contact number be in cruise packet? Refrigerators in balcony cabins? Cost for wifi package?

So excited to find this cruise line (had never heard of it as they don't seem to advertise in States) and this cruise going exactly where and when we wanted to Norway.

Cruise On! This will be my 20th on assorted type ships. Thanks much for help. Sue in Vermont

Can only help with a couple of things.

Discovery is scheduled to depart and return to City Terminal 4th to 18th October.

There are no big school holidays around that time.

That cruise on discovery is 14 days, so returns on Oct 18th not the 14th. I hope you made a typing mistake!

I would be very worried about the connection, even if you get off at 7am, you need to clear UK immigration and get a taxi. It is not a school holiday but traffic would be busy at that time in the morning so at least 30 mins driving. You really need to be at the airport 2 hours before the flight, so not much margin for delays. For the flight at that time you are on FyBe to Manchester, then I assume Virgin to JFK.

I would suggest later flights, or maybe train to London and a non stop flight from Heathrow the next day (or much later in the day).

There are several cruise terminals in Southampton, Discovery is scheduled for the City Cruise Terminal (Berth 101) but it doesn't make much difference.

We disembarked from Discovery in May. We were independent passengers (not on a Marella package) and had to clear customs/immigration on board (in Venue Bar) and this could not be done until 7.30 on departure day.

About to book Marella Discovery Oct 4-14 out of Southampton. Does anyone know: where exactly/what berth in Southampton? Will there be big taxi queue when getting off the ship? 1/2 hour to airport?

 

 

We will be returning to States and looking at 10:45 flight out of Southampton airport. Will they let us priority disembark at 7:00 (ship due to dock 6:00 with disembark 7:00-9:30 listed) so we could make this flight via taxi?

 

 

And while I'm asking questions, several of you are so great at answering, Is there any school holidays beginning of October? I'm expecting less kids with two week cruise in colder weather -- is that valid?

Due you know where/which side of promenade or elsewhere smoking is allowed? Don't want to book cabin above that. Is there room service and for an extra charge? Ship phone contact number be in cruise packet? Refrigerators in balcony cabins? Cost for wifi package?

So excited to find this cruise line (had never heard of it as they don't seem to advertise in States) and this cruise going exactly where and when we wanted to Norway.

Cruise On! This will be my 20th on assorted type ships. Thanks much for help. Sue in Vermont

Hi sue

if you want early disembarkation, you must inform purser,s office, keep your case,s in your cabin over night and make your own way of ship, as you leave the terminal look in front of you follow yellow line and look for a lot of white Taxi in front of you, ask for airport, takes min,s 25, happy cruising have sailed twice on Discovery super ship enjoy.

All very helpful. 14th was a typo, flight on 18th is Flybe and Virgin Atlantic through Manchester to JFK. If we go early enough in day we can get continuing flight out of JFK and arrive home still on the 18th.

I HAD forgotten about clearing customs as US citizens and not easy peasy as on US soil. But sounds like if we roll our suitcases off we could still do it. I can't image Southampton airport is very big? and on a Thursday morning not super busy? Happy Seas, Sue

All very helpful. 14th was a typo, flight on 18th is Flybe and Virgin Atlantic through Manchester to JFK. If we go early enough in day we can get continuing flight out of JFK and arrive home still on the 18th.

I HAD forgotten about clearing customs as US citizens and not easy peasy as on US soil. But sounds like if we roll our suitcases off we could still do it. I can't image Southampton airport is very big? and on a Thursday morning not super busy? Happy Seas, Sue

As I said, we had to clear customs/immigration actually on the ship - the officials came on board at 7 a.m. but didn't start seeing passengers before 7.30 a.m. (you are given an appointment time and ours - with a lot of other people given the same time - at 7.30 were the first) which meant the earliest we could leave the ship was 7.45 a.m. You will need to see the purser as soon as you board and ask him to give you the first appointments.

And now I've run into the "payment only accepted with

UK credit/debit cards" issue. Campolady, how did you resolve this? Thanks, Sue

And now I've run into the "payment only accepted with

UK credit/debit cards" issue. Campolady, how did you resolve this? Thanks, Sue

Although we live in Spain we have a UK bank account - online booking accepts our Spanish address but not our phone number so we use the tel. no. of friends who live in the UK then send an email to pre-travel services asking them to change this to our Spanish number on our document details. Either use the bank details/address of someone you know in the UK or phone Marella direct to book (they can use theor own address and tel. no. to make the booking); Marella UK booking number is 0044 2034512688. Good luck