Best Large Group Transportation Option

[LeDemonBlond]

Hi,

 

Very good information on these boards for best ways to travel from Heathrow to London and then Southhampton for our cruise and then finally back to Heathrow for our flight home.

 

However, I haven't found an optimum solution to my situation. We are a large group (8 people) and I've been giving my marching orders that it be direct transportation only. The people in my party do not want to transfer from taxi to bus or taxi to train, etc. That really only leaves 1 or 2 options which is hiring a private vehicle with driver or perhaps using a bus that may make a few stops on the way. I realize to that this will be the most expensive option.

 

It seems that some companies have 8 passenger vans but one company I e-mailed suggested that it would require 2 "slim" people to ride up front. Wonder what your experience has been in these type of vans and would they be comfortable for 8 people especially the London to Southhampton trek. We have 6 medium sized adults and 2 10 year old boys.

 

Who do you think would be the best company to use based on our situation?

 

1. Transportation from Heathrow to London (arriving at 2 pm ). Staying at the Mint Hotel in Westminster.

 

2. On Cruise Day, we need transportation from the hotel to Southhamption Cruise Port ( Independence of the Seas ). Would leaving London at 9 am would be sufficient to get us there and have some extra time in case of vehicle/hi-way issues?

 

3. When we arrive back in Southhampton, we need transportation to take us from the port to Heathrow airport. Our flight leaves at 4:15 pm (terminal 3).

 

Regards :)

[LHT28]

How much are people willing to pay for direct transfer ?

You can hire a private transfer from 300-400 pounds from London to Southhampton with a stop at Stonehenge

Other options available

 

Use a larger vehicle than required, seats are small usually ;)

 

I like "london tool kit" for options in London & area

 

Lyn

[LeDemonBlond]

How much are people willing to pay for direct transfer ?

I like "london tool kit" for options in London & area

 

Lyn

 

Its a good question. From what I have seen, Heathrow to our Hotel is about $150 U.S. London to Southampton about $350 U.S. and Southhampton to Heathrow $250 U.S. I haven't finished looking at all sites but that is a rough quesstimate. If that is the cost, then we have to go with it. I checked with RCL about the Southhampton to Heathrow bus and they wanted to charge $100 U.S. per person which I think is unreasonable.

 

As far as London toolkit, It certainly is a good site. I have to admit that it took me awhile to figure out that its First Choice Minibus Service (FCMBS) that must run the site. I could not find much info on them as they don't appear to be the choice among cruisecritc bloggers. Have you used them before?

[LHT28]

Its a good question. From what I have seen, Heathrow to our Hotel is about $150 U.S. London to Southampton about $350 U.S. and Southhampton to Heathrow $250 U.S.

 

Sorry I have not used them

If you can get the transfer for $350 USD compared to 350 GBP that is a better bargin

There are other companies that do the transfers from London to Southampton for groups seem to be in the same price range

So I guess just shop around

 

good luck with the search

[5ofusnow]

I'm traveling with a party of seven with similar situation. One of the companies I contacted for the transfer by private van from our hotel to the Southampton cruise terminal was 315 pounds. It was from Silver Fleet Transfers and they said it would take a little over 2 hours. They also gave us the option of adding sight seeing along the way that seemed reasonable. I found there name on another board on CC but I've never used them. It would be nice to know if this is a fair deal, but I haven't come across other private options yet.

 

For the transfers from the airport, in our case Gatwick, I have checked online with a few sights and it could be as low as 81 pounds or as much as 160 pounds but I haven't found out if one company is better than another. With seven people in our party it actually works out cheaper all the way around to use a private transfer.

 

I can't wait to see the kind of advise you get. Good luck.

[LeDemonBlond]

I found one company: airport-pickups-london.com that could do all 3 trips for 8 people.

 

The estimated cost seems reasonable:

 

Heathrow - London : 81 pounds

 

London - Southhampton : 170 pounds

 

Southhampton - Heathrow : 134 pounds

 

Has anyone used them? How were their 8 passenger vans? Have found very little on this company.

[5ofusnow]

Thanks for sharing the information you found. I checked the prices for our needs and so far the company you found has the best prices.

Sherry

[lillabella]

We will be using First Choice Mini Bus for our transportation needs this summer. I have gotten some feedback from users on CC and so far it has been positive, including feedback from at least one local.

 

There are 7 of us we were quoted the following:

 

GBP£105 one way for our 8 seater high loader from Heathrow – London & £230 from London – Southampton & £195 from Southampton – Heathrow.

[LeDemonBlond]

Thanks Lillabella.

 

If pictures are a 1000 words, it certainly looks like the First Choice buses they have would be able to handle 7 or 8 people and lots of luggage handidly.

 

It looks like a company who specialize in larger groups so its something to consider for sure.

[DorneyBoy]

FCMBS are a local company to me and you see their buses all the time around Windsor and Heathrow. From what I have heard they seem to be the benchmark around our area when you need small group transport

Their 8 seat buses are mostly Fiats and are really larger buses with some of the seats taken out at the back so a large luggage cage can be installed. I would guess you'd get 15-20 large cases on board.

[LeDemonBlond]

I'm most likely going First Choice Bus as well. Not because they are the least expensive ( they aren't ) but I think thier vehicles would be more comfortable. Just have the picture of the fiat vehicle they use as my only basis for that. In our group are 2 seniors and especially want the trip to Sourthhampton from London to be comfortable for them. I get the sense from other company's where 7 or 8 is the limit, it could work but it would be a tight fit.

 

Dismayed that so little information ( i.e. reviews ) on companies that provide transporation sevices to/from London is avilable.

[5ofusnow]

I'm most likely going First Choice Bus as well. Not because they are the least expensive ( they aren't ) but I think thier vehicles would be more comfortable. Just have the picture of the fiat vehicle they use as my only basis for that. In our group are 2 seniors and especially want the trip to Sourthhampton from London to be comfortable for them. I get the sense from other company's where 7 or 8 is the limit, it could work but it would be a tight fit.

 

Dismayed that so little information ( i.e. reviews ) on companies that provide transporation sevices to/from London is avilable.

 

BoobyOrr - What lead you to believe the other companies vans would not be as comfortable? I can find very little info about this except at the First Choice Bus site. I take it that there vans are different in some way?:confused:

[LeDemonBlond]

BoobyOrr - What lead you to believe the other companies vans would not be as comfortable? :confused:

 

It looks like FCB use 12 seater Fiat vans but take out the last row of seats. They also seem to be able to handle twice the amount of luggage as the other carriers. Thats my thinking on why I think it might be a more comfortable ride.

[John Bull]

BoobyOrr - What lead you to believe the other companies vans would not be as comfortable? I can find very little info about this except at the First Choice Bus site. I take it that there vans are different in some way?:confused:

 

Two "slim" people up-front with the driver. :rolleyes:

This is a polite way of saying no over-size passengers there - two average-build folk would be fine. :)

 

Luggage is the big bugbear with minibuses. Most minibuses are based on panel vans, and for each model of panel van there are two, sometimes three, sizes - short wheelbase, long wheelbase & extra-long. Fiat Ducato, Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, VW, Renault, Peugeot, LDV, etc, the routine is all the same.

The smaller ones are fine just for 8 pax, but 8 plus luggage is a desperate squeeze. Other than space, all are perfectly comfortable.

 

First Choice's pictures, and Dorney Boy's post, seem to show a larger vehicle for 8 plus luggage, which is much more sensible.

But although there will be operators who try to get a quart in a pint-pot, there will be others which acknowledge that a larger vehicle is neccessary with luggage. Your safest bet is to enquire precisely which model of vehicle they use.

 

John Bull

[DorneyBoy]

Most people offering 8 seat vehicles are MPV style vehicles, about the most suitable vehicle being the Mercedes Vito Traveliner (see link below). Many use Peugot vehicles which are little more than station wagons. In essence this is like travelling in a car where you are stuck together with little room to move or stand up in. These vehicles are not designed to take significant luggage so with cruise lugage you couldm't take a full complement of passengers with luggage.

http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content/unitedkingdom/mpc/mpc_unitedkingdom_website/en/home_mpc/van/home/new_vans/models/vito_639/vito.flash.html

 

The Fiat vehicles that FCMBS use, you can stand up inside and there is a gangway down the middle inside the vehicle with seats either side, parcel shelves above you like a proper bus. In other words much more space.

 

In the UK, if you operate passenger vehicles carrying more than 8 passengers its a whole different ball game in terms of levels of regulation to car derived taxi operators. Vehicles have to have tachometers, drivers have to have a special bus driving licence, pass medicals and such like and operators have to put up substantial sums in bond to get/retain their operating licence with frequent vehicle inspections.

There are lots and lots of taxi /cab companies which come and go with a high turnover of drivers, partly because of the relatively low barriers to entry and low wages. There are some very good professional taxi companies often quoted on this board that are substantial and professionally run, but there are many others that are fly by night operators where price is their main/only attraction which don't seem to last long.

There are few operators that operate both cars and buses. 7 or 8 people travelling fall between the overlap of the two types vehicle/company.

[5ofusnow]

Thanks for such great info, I guess that First Choice Bus will be my best way to go!

[LeDemonBlond]

Just wanted to say that we just returned from our trip and our experience with first choice was excellent. Comfortable vehicles. On time and very personable staff. Would recommend them and use them if we ever get across to England again.

[5ofusnow]

I'm glad to hear that because we are about to leave for our cruise and we will be using First Choice Bus to get us to our ship. That just gives me one less thing to worry about!:D

[5ofusnow]

Just wanted to let you know that we ended up using First Choice for our transfer from our London hotel to our ship in Southampton and Smiths for airport on our trips to and from the airports.

 

We were very satisfied with both companies! I can't complain about a thing. In all cases the drivers were prompt and informative and generally just nice people to spend an hour or two with!:D

 

There were 7 of us and we did not have any problems fitting in either van, luggage included. There was a fairly significant difference in price so in my opinion that difference went towards the size/comfort of the van. The First Choice van was larger, more along the lines of a small commercial touring van with an isle down the middle (one seat, an isle then 2 seats, etc). The space was very nice if traveling with 8 or more or even for a longer distance or simply have the extra money. But for us, the domestic 8 seater van served the purpose perfectly fine. In the Smiths for Airport van, the 8th passenger would have been sitting up front with another passenger and admittedly it would have been tight.

[lillabella]

Just popping in to say we (7) also used FCMB for all of our London transportation (from airport to hotel, from hotel to Southampton, from Southampton to airport). Three different drivers, three different experiences - all were acceptable. First two legs of the journey the drivers were early and waiting for us when we were ready to go. Final leg of the journey (leaving the port for airport) the driver was 15 minutes late with no apology or excuse. First driver wasn't very interactive, and that's okay. The second driver was very friendly and informative. Third driver was also friendly and informative.

All the vans had plenty of room and were easy to get in and out of.

 

Overall, we had a great experience with FCMB and would both recommend them and use them again if needed.