Southampton Docks WARNING

[shoreham01]

We have just returned from a marvelous cruise on the Grand (review to follow) however, our journeys to and from Southampton were dreadful. I strongly recommend that anyone taking a cruise out of Southampton allows for at least double the time suggested to arrive at the docks. The signs at Southampton are very unclear and there are no signs for dock 10. I shall be writing to Princess to suggest that they put far better travel details on their web site. Anyone flying into Gatwick or Heathrow should fly in the day before if possible and stay in a hotel in Southampton overnight. The roads from the airport are frequently busy and there are very often hold ups due to accidents and road works. On our cruise the traffic was horrendous because of the boat show and another show at Goodwood. There was also a large accident on the road from London. We understand at least 40 people missed the ship as they were delayed so much. Please allow plenty of time to get to these docks.

[Colo Cruiser]

We have just returned from a marvelous cruise on the Grand (review to follow) however, our journeys to and from Southampton were dreadful. I strongly recommend that anyone taking a cruise out of Southampton allows for at least double the time suggested to arrive at the docks. The signs at Southampton are very unclear and there are no signs for dock 10. I shall be writing to Princess to suggest that they put far better travel details on their web site. Anyone flying into Gatwick or Heathrow should fly in the day before if possible and stay in a hotel in Southampton overnight. The roads from the airport are frequently busy and there are very often hold ups due to accidents and road works. On our cruise the traffic was horrendous because of the boat show and another show at Goodwood. There was also a large accident on the road from London. We understand at least 40 people missed the ship as they were delayed so much. Please allow plenty of time to get to these docks.

 

 

Thanks for the info.

More reason to use a car/limo service.

I just sit back and enjoy the ride or stop. :D

[ssbeagle]

This is an excellent example of why you need to allow for lots of time to get to the ship. If you are on Princess transfers or use a private service they know the best ways to get around if there is an accident or other hold-up. We've been out of Southampton twice and the first time we used a transfer and there was a wreck on the motorway. The driver ended up taking an earlier exit and we had a much more scenic ride to the pier. It is quite a long drive from the airport to Southampton. It took us two hours from London to get there last time and we had left around 9:00 in the morning.

[Woobstr112G]

Yikes:eek: I totally agree with Colo. A car service is definitely the way to go.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Pam in CA]

Thanks for the info.

More reason to use a car/limo service.

I just sit back and enjoy the ride or stop. :D

Me too. Our driver knew that the ship was leaving from the Cunard terminal, not the Princess terminal. Plus, it's easy to see the ship from a distance, which is cool. Most passengers from the US arrive at least a day or two ahead of time and arrange for a transfer or driver. Those who arrive the same day as sailing, and a surprising number do, take their chances.

[Bob Winters]

Thanks for the info.

More reason to use a car/limo service.

I just sit back and enjoy the ride or stop. :D

 

I will second this. This past July we arrived the day before, stayed overnight at the Holiday Inn (not the express). The morning we were to get on the ship, we had the hotel call a taxi for us. It did not appear that most of the people milling around were doing that. The Taxi arrived in about 10 minutes. The driver came in and paged us. He then helped us with our luggage and we proceded to drive through these back alleys without going on a street and we were at the docks in less than 10 minutes. We did not realize we were so close. The funny thing was he dropped us off right at the conveyer belt that brought our luggage up to the ship. I was so amazed that I even tipped the dock worker who was standing next to the belt for just standing there. We put the luggage on ourselves. I guess I was just amazed and confused by how easy it all was.

Bob

[june1]

We took the 1GBP megatrain from Waterloo to Southampton and then got a 5GBP taxi to the dock. Very easy but we travel with a medium/small roll on and a carry bag.

 

Afterward cruise took taxi to Southampton train station and then train to delightful days in Bath.

 

We like to go early and then stay after the cruise rather than rushing to get back to the airport to fly home. We spent the nights before and after our flights at Heathrow.

[shoreham01]

Sorry, I should have said that we did take a taxi from our home in Sussex and the driver had been to the docks before. He still got lost. Yes you can see the ship from the road but the signage is extremely unclear as to how you actually get to it. Next time we will definately take the train and stay in a cheap hotel the night before we sail.

[DocM4]

ShorehamO1- My cousin has driven us to the dock in Southampton several times and each time we have been lucky and had no problems - however, my reason to post is to tell you that he is a Shoreham boy born there,married there- not living there now - lives in Steyning. His name is James Dunn.

[englishbird]

Maybe it depends on which way you come into Southampton. I have always found dock gate 10 really easy to find.

 

:)

[ArthurIhde]

ok,i have gotten your warning,thanks!

[ocean42]

Sorry, I should have said that we did take a taxi from our home in Sussex and the driver had been to the docks before. He still got lost. Yes you can see the ship from the road but the signage is extremely unclear as to how you actually get to it. Next time we will definately take the train and stay in a cheap hotel the night before we sail.

 

Have cruised from Southampton 5 times and always gone straight to the ship without any problems and on various drifferent days. I think you got to the point when you said your driver got lost. Hardly Princess's or Southamptons fault. Always found details and post codes goiven by Princess to be spot on.

 

5050

[Morgans]

Have cruised from Southampton 5 times and always gone straight to the ship without any problems and on various drifferent days. I think you got to the point when you said your driver got lost. Hardly Princess's or Southamptons fault. Always found details and post codes goiven by Princess to be spot on.

 

5050

Dock Gate 10 is signposted. It's extremely easy to find. I agree the roads to Southampton can be congested so coming down the day before can be a good idea. It has become particularly bad in the last few years as more and more of the bigger ships have taken up berths. There are often several ships in at Southampton so you can imagine that there can be 1000's of passengers trying to get to (and from) the ships. Most of the British travellers actually drive and park at the port which has added to the crowds.

[Hal 500]

I was on the same cruise as the OP and the traffic last Saturday was exceptional partly because of the boat show and also the serious accident on the M4. I have cruised from Southampton many times and I know the way to Gate 10. We left Swansea at 8-40 am and the trip took us almost 6 hours, twice as long as usual. The fact that so many missed the ship proves how bad the traffic was. For a time we thought we were going to arrive too late.

 

I second the comments about the cruise which was superb even though we missed our final stop at St Peter Port and were caught up in a port strike at La Rochelle.

[shoreham01]

Firstly DocM4, sorry I don't know your cousin, we only moved to Shoreham from Hove 6 years ago.

With regard to the signs, goodness knows where we came in from then as there were four of us in the car and we were all looking for the sign to say Gate 10. We eventually turned round and went for the sign that said Gate 20 I think and that took us to 10 even though there was nothing to tell us we were on our way to Gate 10, we could see the ship and hoped for the best. The four of us could not have missed these signs. We must have just come off the A27 and into Southampton the wrong way.

Ocean 42, I was not saying it was Princess or Southampton fault - I was saying it could be made a lot easier for people to find. With possibly between 6 to 8 thousand people driving to the docks on any one day it would have been very helpful to have signs on all roads.

[billie5]

It is curious that the first five responders all felt that the OP's story showed you need to hire a car. I read just the opposite; the OP's message to me is that, for goodness sake, take the train. There is no concern then about accidents or congestion.

 

Bill

[Coral]

It is curious that the first five responders all felt that the OP's story showed you need to hire a car. I read just the opposite; the OP's message to me is that, for goodness sake, take the train. There is no concern then about accidents or congestion.

 

Bill

 

The OP is British. They probably had fairly realistic expectations and still struggled. We probably wouldn't tell some one in FL to not drive to the port.

 

If anything, it reminds those of us who do not know the area to hire experts and give us plenty of time to reach the ship as delays happen. Someone posted last week that their flight was getting into the airport at 3:30 and thought they would make the ship. After reading about the OP, I hope they (whoever posted last week) changed their flights!

[Coral]

 

If anything, it reminds those of us who do not know the area to hire experts and give us plenty of time to reach the ship as delays happen. Someone posted last week that their flight was getting into the airport at 3:30 and thought they would make the ship. After reading about the OP, I hope they (whoever posted last week) changed their flights!

 

I take this back, their flight was getting in at 11:45 and Princess says it must get in by 11:30 and were wondering if they could make their flight.

 

Regardless, fly or drive in a day ahead of time if you can!

[Kiwi Kruzer]

When we flew over to Southampton for a cruise we arrived at Heathrow and then used the excellent bus service of National Express. We had not booked ahead of time and found the staff extra helpful in getting us down there.

I should also add we flew in early, on a Friday for a Monday cruise ,and enjoyed a wonderful weekend there.

We had 2 full days in Southampton .Took the local bus to Winchester to soak up all the history on the Saturday , and on Sunday took the ferry over to the Isle of Wight.

On check out on Monday, the Hotel simply ordered a taxi for us which took us directly to the ship.

[caribill]

The OP is British. They probably had fairly realistic expectations and still struggled. We probably wouldn't tell some one in FL to not drive to the port.

 

If anything, it reminds those of us who do not know the area to hire experts and give us plenty of time to reach the ship as delays happen. Someone posted last week that their flight was getting into the airport at 11:30 and thought they would make the ship. After reading about the OP, I hope they (whoever posted last week) changed their flights!

 

They posted on another thread that they made the ship with no problem.

 

First and foremost we are safely ensconced aboard the Grand Princess having completed, as promised, a pit stop at the Wheelhouse. I should explain that, once at Heathrow, our original intent was to secure passage on the Princess Transfer bus to the dock. However, we then received the warning (in red) that our flight was arriving too late to make the sailing. Realizing that our arrival was 11:45 am, but 15 minutes beyond the cut off point, we hired a car to take us to the pier believing that this mode would make up any time difference. That prompted our original posting and subsequent follow-up advising our various plans. Plan A, we’re happy to report, was successfully completed.

 

However, unbeknownst to us, and as advised by a fellow passenger, Princess had changed the time that they considered “too late”, moving it from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. Had we been so advised we could have simply cancelled our car and arranged for the Princess Transfer, as doing so would have all but guaranteed meeting the sailing. But no such notice was given us. Meanwhile, our flight plans were still earmarked as being too late for embarkation.

[hansi]

Sorry, I should have said that we did take a taxi from our home in Sussex and the driver had been to the docks before. He still got lost. Yes you can see the ship from the road but the signage is extremely unclear as to how you actually get to it. Next time we will definately take the train and stay in a cheap hotel the night before we sail.

 

We always do that anyway. May I suggest the ETAP £32 per room. Dock gate 10 is clearly signposted. Don't know how you missed it!

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

Southampton has good rail and bus connections,

 

for us we fly into Southampton and take a taxi so quick and easy.

 

For you folks in the states why not fly in Edinburgh spend a night there

 

and hope down to Southampton the next day.

 

yours Shogun

[JPRLHR]

Hi All

 

Southampton has good rail and bus connections,

 

for us we fly into Southampton and take a taxi so quick and easy.

 

For you folks in the states why not fly in Edinburgh spend a night there

 

and hope down to Southampton the next day.

 

yours Shogun

 

Probably down to $'s & £'s Shogun.. Prices into EDI ex the US will be higher than those into LHR & LGW plus you'd then have to pay for another flight from EDI and juggle with the baggage restrictions on the no frills airlines... Those from across the pond do like a bit of baggage ..!!

[Stevesan]

It is curious that the first five responders all felt that the OP's story showed you need to hire a car. I read just the opposite; the OP's message to me is that, for goodness sake, take the train. There is no concern then about accidents or congestion.

 

Bill

 

Ditto! There are frequent trains, two or three per hour, from Victoria station to Southampton. The trip's @ 1 1/2 hours, with no traffic worries. A taxi from the Southampton train station to the pier is a short hop. Finding a cruise ship is hardly like looking for a needle in a hay stack. :p

 

BTW, a R/T costs kess than a one way. you can price it and check schedules here:

 

http://www.nationalexpress.com/home.aspx

[Colo Cruiser]

Hi All

 

 

For you folks in the states why not fly in Edinburgh spend a night there

 

and hope down to Southampton the next day.

 

yours Shogun

 

Because it costs a small fortune. :eek: