Airport to Southampton prior to cruise

[Catherine Janaway]

We will be on the transatlantic cruise (Azura) in October this year.

 

As our flight is coming back into Gatwick we have decided to take the option of a transfer from Gatwick to Southampton on the day of the cruise so we can just collect our car when we return.

 

We are eager to book some of the restuarants on the Azura but have read that they are very popular and should be booked ASAP.

 

Does anyone know (roughly) what time the coach collects us from Gatwick and how it all works (where will they collect us from)

 

Any information will be really appreciated.

[u2cruiser]

We will be on the transatlantic cruise (Azura) in October this year.

 

As our flight is coming back into Gatwick we have decided to take the option of a transfer from Gatwick to Southampton on the day of the cruise so we can just collect our car when we return.

 

We are eager to book some of the restuarants on the Azura but have read that they are very popular and should be booked ASAP.

 

Does anyone know (roughly) what time the coach collects us from Gatwick and how it all works (where will they collect us from)

 

Any information will be really appreciated.

 

Hi Catherine, we are on the same cruise and we are having transfers from Manchester as our flight arrives back there. We did the same last year.

 

You are given a coach time on your P&O personaliser. Ours was 7am last year; may be later from Gatwick. At Manchester coach terminal (next to the airport) you arrive and check in, then your coach number is called, a bit like a flight. I'm assuming the same will happen at Gatwick. The coaches are very comfortable. You should arrive in good time to the ship terminal, where you are given a check in colour card, which will be announced when it is your turn to board. All very easy and organised.

 

You'll be able to book the speciality restaurants as soon as you board as there is a booking desk in the Atrium.

 

Have you joined our roll call for this cruise? :)

[Catherine Janaway]

Hi Catherine, we are on the same cruise and we are having transfers from Manchester as our flight arrives back there. We did the same last year.

 

You are given a coach time on your P&O personaliser. Ours was 7am last year; may be later from Gatwick. At Manchester coach terminal (next to the airport) you arrive and check in, then your coach number is called, a bit like a flight. I'm assuming the same will happen at Gatwick. The coaches are very comfortable. You should arrive in good time to the ship terminal, where you are given a check in colour card, which will be announced when it is your turn to board. All very easy and organised.

 

You'll be able to book the speciality restaurants as soon as you board as there is a booking desk in the Atrium.

 

Have you joined our roll call for this cruise? :)

 

Thanks for the info it was very useful, we are thinking os spending the night before at one of the B & B's where we'll also leave our car.

 

How do I join the roll call? :confused:

[u2cruiser]

Thanks for the info it was very useful, we are thinking os spending the night before at one of the B & B's where we'll also leave our car.

 

How do I join the roll call? :confused:

 

We stay ovenight too. By the way, regardless of what time they give you for the coach, it was on a first come, first served basis last year so if you turned up earlier and checked in, that's when you got your coach number and you could get on an earlier coach. I think there were around 20 coaches, one left every 10 minutes from Manchester last year.

 

Here's a direct link to the roll call.

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1300251

 

If you subscribe to the thread it will save it in your User CP (top left of page) and you can go straight to it in future, without going to the roll call page every time.

 

It's very quiet just now, but it will get busier as the cruise gets nearer. Last year we had an informal meet and greet which was nice as we met some very nice people who we are still in contact with. :D

[Dorset Cruiser]

What happens if you use the coach for the inward journey. We are flying from Gatwick to Barbados on Friday and sailing back to Southampton on Ventura. We have booked the free Eavesway coach to take us back to Gatwick to pick up our car. We have no documentation about this and our TA said we just go outside the terminal in Southampton and give our name to the Eavesway rep. Is this correct? Don't want any hassle on our return journey and if we have been given the wrong info then we will have to train it back to Gatwick with all our luggage - nightmare journey:eek:

[FAB1]

Hi Dorset Cruiser

 

We are doing the transatlantic on Azura next week. If you check your cruise personaliser on the P & O website and look at your travel summary and scroll down to page 3 it should show you have booked the transfer back to the airport. Ours shows the following:-

 

SOU-MAN TRANSFER

Southampton to Manchester Airport transfer

[BrianI]

What happens if you use the coach for the inward journey. We are flying from Gatwick to Barbados on Friday and sailing back to Southampton on Ventura. We have booked the free Eavesway coach to take us back to Gatwick to pick up our car. We have no documentation about this and our TA said we just go outside the terminal in Southampton and give our name to the Eavesway rep. Is this correct? Don't want any hassle on our return journey and if we have been given the wrong info then we will have to train it back to Gatwick with all our luggage - nightmare journey:eek:

The airport transfer for repositioning cruises is not part of the Eavesway operation. The coaches are organised direct by P&O. There are plenty of P&O staff to direct you and they just fill up the coaches as people arrive.

Brian

[Catherine Janaway]

Does anyone know what terminal the coaches leave from?

 

We are hoping to book an hotel with car parking for the night before and there are some good deals with hotels at the airport.

[Aussie One]

Hi U2 Cruieser you said you would review your last Celebrity cruise re linen and hygiene compared with P&O Aussie

[Catherine Janaway]

Just to be sure I e-mailed P & O and asked about the coach between Gatwick and Southampton and also our request to be seated at a large table for evening meal.

 

I had a response this morning and it would appear that our TA had not made either request via when booking :rolleyes:

 

P & O have added this now so I feel a little better.

 

I had sent an e-mail about this to my TA a week ago (just after the last saga) but she hasn't replied.

 

If I have any other problems I'm going straight to P & O and will miss out the TA altogether from now on.

[u2cruiser]

Hi U2 Cruieser you said you would review your last Celebrity cruise re linen and hygiene compared with P&O Aussie

 

Hi Aussie One. Just seen this post. Yes, I did say that. Thanks for reminding me.

 

The bed linens on Equinox weren't any better or worse than on Ventura, but I think they were changed more frequently on Ventura. We had quite a lazy cabin attendant on Equinox and a brilliant one on Ventura so that may be the reason.

 

The towels on Equinox were small. I'm only small and they hardly fit round me. They were ok quality wise most of the time, but sometimes they were damaged and worn. I distinctly remember thinking they were all new on Ventura, though I can't recall the size. I don't think they were as small as Celebrity. We only had a normal balcony cabin and I do know they had enhanced linens in the aqua and concierge class cabins.

 

The bathrobes were new waffle ones on Equinox and none on Ventura.

 

Hygiene wise, Equinox was spotless in all public areas, especially the public toilets. The buffet area always had staff giving out hand gel and all the food areas were immaculate. Everything sparkled.

 

One thing on Equinox disappointed: we did the galley tour and were very surprised to see around 200 salad starters out uncovered in the afternoon, ready for the evening meal service, for us all to walk past. That surprised me.

 

Anything else in particular you are interested in?

[Thejuggler]

Does anyone know what terminal the coaches leave from?

 

We are hoping to book an hotel with car parking for the night before and there are some good deals with hotels at the airport.

 

If you know which airline you ware flying with simply check on Gatwick's website which terminal they use.

 

In essence the terminal doesn't really matter as you can get the shuttle train between the two. I'd go for the cheapest hotel and if it's the one at the wrong terminal just leave 15 minutes earlier - both hotels are of the same standard - Hilton or Sofitel.

[Aussie One]

Hi Aussie One. Just seen this post. Yes, I did say that. Thanks for reminding me.

 

The bed linens on Equinox weren't any better or worse than on Ventura, but I think they were changed more frequently on Ventura. We had quite a lazy cabin attendant on Equinox and a brilliant one on Ventura so that may be the reason.

 

The towels on Equinox were small. I'm only small and they hardly fit round me. They were ok quality wise most of the time, but sometimes they were damaged and worn. I distinctly remember thinking they were all new on Ventura, though I can't recall the size. I don't think they were as small as Celebrity. We only had a normal balcony cabin and I do know they had enhanced linens in the aqua and concierge class cabins.

 

The bathrobes were new waffle ones on Equinox and none on Ventura.

 

Hygiene wise, Equinox was spotless in all public areas, especially the public toilets. The buffet area always had staff giving out hand gel and all the food areas were immaculate. Everything sparkled.

 

One thing on Equinox disappointed: we did the galley tour and were very surprised to see around 200 salad starters out uncovered in the afternoon, ready for the evening meal service, for us all to walk past. That surprised me.

 

Anything else in particular you are interested in?

 

no that was a fair post we where in conierge class that was the possible differance

[NSWP]

Is there a National Express coach from Gatwick, like Heathrow to Southampton? We have travelled on the latter, great, reliable and very well priced.