Southampton- hotel or car park

[the english lady]

Hi we are going on an 18 day cruise later in the year. What have people found is the best option. We do not get free car parking with the cruise.

 

most expensive--parking at the terminal

next stay at a hotel overnight prior, and leave the car there..if that, does anyone have suggestions for a good hotel. Some of them do free parking, but only up to 15 nights..if we have 18 I assume we will be charged for those 3 days and by the time you add that cost onto the hotel it may be as costly as the first option.

I have also found 2 secure car parks that are a short journey (15mins) from the terminal. Has anyone use them , and could they say what they were like. thank you

[charabanc]

Hello,

 

Good point, although I can't answer you, I would like to add another question.

 

I would like to know how far the port is from southampton railway station, as we were thinking of going by train?

 

Hope someone knows the answer.

 

Thanks,

 

Ann.

[BrianI]

The cruise terminals are between 0.5 to1.5 miles from the train station depending which one you are sailing from.

See here for maps.

http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/cruise_ship.asp

The cruise ship schedule should appear later this month.

Another option to car parking or hotel car parking would be a one way car rental. Most major companies do this. Probable cost around £50 each way so worth while on a long stay. Try Enterprise.

Brian

[C at Sea]

We always stayed at the Holiday Inn at Eastleigh. There was parking in with the special rate and a courtesy coach to the port. Now though we go by coach as it works out cheaper and lets someone else do the driving! Also the ship will wait for a coach load of people if there are any traffic problems but not for two people!

Eavesway Coaches are quite comfortable and relatively painfree! Your cases are loaded on the coach at your pick up point and you see them again on the ship.

[swoggy]

Having to ask all these questions I think gives you the answer I came to for the same reason.

Use the car park at the side of the ship, its safely locked away and watched over. It'll cost less than £150 and when you disembark your in your car after a 5min walk, no worrying about meeting up with some courtesy coach or tracking down a national coach line. After all you've spent on your cruise is it worth all this hassle to maybe save £20.

 

Good Luck ;)

[jenny wren]

the Holiday Inn Herbert Walker Avenue is adjacent to Dock Gate 8 and Mayflower Park and overlooks the waterfront and City terminal....they do a cruise package which includes bed and breakfast (full english if you want it!) in spacious comfortable room, with free parking for up to three weeks in the hotel car park, with free taxi to the terminal when you want it..

 

We did this in November for our three weeks on Oriana and it worked very well and all cost less than the P and O parking.

[Johnthed0g]

Having to ask all these questions I think gives you the answer I came to for the same reason.

Use the car park at the side of the ship, its safely locked away and watched over. It'll cost less than £150 and when you disembark your in your car after a 5min walk, no worrying about meeting up with some courtesy coach or tracking down a national coach line. After all you've spent on your cruise is it worth all this hassle to maybe save £20.

 

Good Luck ;)

I must say that living in the area I don't have to use the parking etc. but I agree with "swoggy" the parking arranged with the cruise works like clockwork, drive up to ship, unload bags, bags disappear, man takes car ...you are on holiday!! works in reverse when you come back.

[C at Sea]

Never had to worry about tracking down our coach! Just walk out of disembarkation hall, someone right in front of you with clipboard to direct you straight to coach, driver takes your luggage and drives you back!! Pretty painless, suppose it depends on how far you have to drive to Southampton.

[charabanc]

We are only in Guildford, Surrey, so not too far.

I will have to weigh up pros and cons

 

Car park is £136

Train is £55 for both of us, plus taxi fare from station to port and back.

 

Big difference, I know the car park is a lot less hassle, but all that extra money could be an extra treat for us both, well cocktails for me anyway!!!

 

Thanks.

 

Ann.

[kazover40]

Hi we are going on an 18 day cruise later in the year. What have people found is the best option. We do not get free car parking with the cruise.

 

most expensive--parking at the terminal

next stay at a hotel overnight prior, and leave the car there..if that, does anyone have suggestions for a good hotel. Some of them do free parking, but only up to 15 nights..if we have 18 I assume we will be charged for those 3 days and by the time you add that cost onto the hotel it may be as costly as the first option.

I have also found 2 secure car parks that are a short journey (15mins) from the terminal. Has anyone use them , and could they say what they were like. thank you

 

Checkout www.Holidayinn.co.uk They do Up to 21 days parking for around £172.00 including full breakfast and taxi to cruise terminal for 2 with their Cruise Package.

 

We are booked here in April for our inaugural cruise on Azura.

[jenny wren]

Yes... as I mentioned above we did this last November (£163 then) and were very well pleased with the package.....especially as we could sit in our window and watch the various ships coming and going !!

[the english lady]

Thank you to all who have replied. When my husband has finished dithering we will make a decision as to what we are going to do..but the comments have helped.

[Saveapenny]

A little tip that I have found while looking for the same sort of thing

If you look on holiday extras site there are a couple of options , If you click the cruise and parking say for the Hilton it comes up at £219 :eek: with 15 days parking. Same site, same hotel but click airport parking and it drops down to £99 :rolleyes:. Both deals you park on the hotel. The only difference I can see is you dont get a taxi transfer with the £99 deal but I have been informed that it shoudlnt cost no more than about £3 each way. This works with several hotel on several different sites. I might be worth asking for quotes for airport parking deal along with hotel stay instead of cruise parking. They must think cruisers have money to waste

[ROSEBASKETS]

A little tip that I have found while looking for the same sort of thing

If you look on holiday extras site there are a couple of options , If you click the cruise and parking say for the Hilton it comes up at £219 :eek: with 15 days parking. Same site, same hotel but click airport parking and it drops down to £99 :rolleyes:. Both deals you park on the hotel. The only difference I can see is you dont get a taxi transfer with the £99 deal but I have been informed that it shoudlnt cost no more than about £3 each way. This works with several hotel on several different sites. I might be worth asking for quotes for airport parking deal along with hotel stay instead of cruise parking. They must think cruisers have money to waste

 

What a fantastic post, just one day too late for me, as I've booked in at the Novotel dinner, bed and breakfast and 14 days parking for £169. I trawled the internet for the best price for hours. Tried the Holiday extras website and the price was £219, did what you suggested and it dropped to £90!:eek: What an absolute con for cruise passengers - WELL DONE SAVAPENNY! any more?

[Saveapenny]

Im not called Saveapenny for no reason ;)

I'm a deal hunter anymore tips I come across I will be sure to post them

Check to see if your booking can be cancelled without any penalties...Its got to be worth a phone call

[Lady of the Nile]

Hi we are going on an 18 day cruise later in the year. What have people found is the best option. We do not get free car parking with the cruise.

 

most expensive--parking at the terminal

next stay at a hotel overnight prior, and leave the car there..if that, does anyone have suggestions for a good hotel. Some of them do free parking, but only up to 15 nights..if we have 18 I assume we will be charged for those 3 days and by the time you add that cost onto the hotel it may be as costly as the first option.

I have also found 2 secure car parks that are a short journey (15mins) from the terminal. Has anyone use them , and could they say what they were like. thank you

Hello, I am Lady of the Nile, we are going from Southampton on 24 night cruise with Arcadia. We are staying the night before at The De Vere Hotel with unlimited parking, they do a very lovely pre-cruise deal, call tham for a quote, its bed/breakfast,evening meal, tranfers to and from the ship, and full use of the "cruise lounge" before departure. Hope this helps.