Killing time in SOU before boarding

[acadian_dad]

Arriving in Southampton around 11:15hrs via Megatrain from Waterloo Stn Aug16 for the Crown Princess cruise. Boarding begins at 1300hrs but they recommend avoid the crush and checkin/board after 1400hrs -sounds good to me. :D We are 1st time Princess cruisers so no front of the line for us !

 

So looking for some recommendations for things to see downtown Southampton (Maritime Museum ?) and maybe a nice place for lunch to kill a few hours ? 2 adults and 2 teens. Any bright ideas on where we could stash the luggage at same time (is there a luggage check at the Central Train Station ?). Is the cruise terminal (Ocean Terminal) walking distance from the downtown area / any museums, etc ?

 

If we decide to just hang out at the terminal, does it have a decent waiting area, any dining options ?

 

Thanks in advance for any ideas ...

[sddsddean]

All the cruises I've ever been on start boarding around 1130, so I'd just go straight to the ship and get on board! Ocean terminal is more than a walk, so grab a cab...should be around £7.

 

Simon

[MRSBITS]

I agree with Simon...the ship should be ready for boarding by 11:30 a.m. despite what Princess recommends. We boarded the Eclipse on 5/21/2011 in Southampton at 11:45 a.m. with no lines!

We also took the Megatrain from Waterloo and the taxi fare was 7 pounds for the two of us. Enjoy. Carolyn

[John Bull]

I agree with the others. Get a cab from the rail station to the ship (about £7). It is very unlikely you'll be turned away, if you are you'll probably be ok to drop your luggage (guessing the cabin number is on the labels?).

Otherwise you can drop your cases at the De Vere Grand Harbour hotel but it'll cost you £5 per item and more taxi fares - useful for all-day, but a nonsense for a couple of hours.

 

On the way from the station, ask the taxi driver to point out the maritime museum, at the junction with Bugle St & opposite Town Quay/Isle of Wight ferries. And a few hundred yards further up Bugle St is the freshly-re-opened Tudor Merchant's House. http://www.visit-southampton.co.uk/site/historic-old-town

You can walk back there from the ship in about ten minutes.

Or to Solent Sky air museum http://www.spitfireonline.co.uk/ about the same distance in the opposite direction.

 

That's if a jobsworth won't let you board the ship.

Or if you fancy a look-see at a couple of Southampton's little gems.

 

Me? I'd board & head for the bar. :)

 

JB :)

[acadian_dad]

I agree with Simon...the ship should be ready for boarding by 11:30 a.m. despite what Princess recommends. We boarded the Eclipse on 5/21/2011 in Southampton at 11:45 a.m. with no lines!

We also took the Megatrain from Waterloo and the taxi fare was 7 pounds for the two of us. Enjoy. Carolyn

 

Thanks everyone - that's good intel ! Glad to hear Megatrain worked for someone else as well ... GBP7.5 was too good a price to pass up for 4 of us.

 

... if you fancy a look-see at a couple of Southampton's little gems.

 

Me? I'd board & head for the bar. :)

 

JB :)

 

LOL - may just do that ! The Solent Sky Museum looks very intriguing though. Wonder if Princess would let us on to get settled then off the ship to see some things ?

[John Bull]

 

The Solent Sky Museum looks very intriguing though. Wonder if Princess would let us on to get settled then off the ship to see some things ?

 

Doubt you'll have time to "get settled" before heading off, & in any case it'll be an hour or two or more before your bags are delivered to your cabin.

But certainly time to drop your bags, register & collect your boarding card/seapass before heading to Solent Sky - about 1/2ml from the ship. Good sidewalks in this part of the docks, turn right out of the port gate, walk along to the 4-way lights (Ocean Village on the right), turn left at those lights (Royal Crescent Road) & first right into Albert Road South. About 10 min walk.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Cunard+Rd&daddr=50.8975781,-1.3931351+to:Albert+Rd+S&hl=en&ll=50.895779,-1.396744&spn=0.005441,0.012488&sll=50.897275,-1.392528&sspn=0.00272,0.006244&geocode=Ff-UCAMdxaLq_w%3BFaqiCAMdEb7q_ykt-x_bNXF0SDHhb5utLa4OEw%3BFbaiCAMdKL7q_w&mra=dme&mrsp=2&sz=17&via=1&dirflg=w&z=16

 

(google-earth picture before Ocean terminal was built. It's a terminal, not waste-land. Honest :) )

 

Run by friendly & chatty volunteers, including a couple of pals of mine, Includes a Spitfire & a walk-on flying-boat, & well worth an hour or more.

 

JB :)

[acadian_dad]

But certainly time to drop your bags, register & collect your boarding card/seapass before heading to Solent Sky - about 1/2ml from the ship.

 

JB :)

 

Thanks JB ! "I love it when a plan comes together !"

[sddsddean]

I agree with the others.

 

First time for everything JB!:D

 

[quote=John Bull;30015153Me? I'd board & head for the bar. :)

 

JB :)

 

If you're in the chair, mine's a pint!!;)

 

Simon

[John Bull]

First time for everything JB!:D

 

 

 

If you're in the chair, mine's a pint!!;)

 

Simon

 

Careful, Simon, or you and I might get deleted.

Again !! :rolleyes::D

 

Acadian Dad - yep, great when a plan comes together.

Until there's a flight delay, a lost suitcase, a rail strike, a traffic jam, a ...... :D

 

JB :)

[acadian_dad]

Acadian Dad - yep, great when a plan comes together.

Until there's a flight delay, a lost suitcase, a rail strike, a traffic jam, a ...... :D

 

JB :)

 

Oh ... I know ... the only think sure about a plan is that its out of date the moment its decided on ... That's why we arrive in London 5 days in advance - do some touristing and have some margin for error. Was a little nervous about the train down to SOU same AM as cruise but figured I should be resourceful enough to get us there by 4PM in a pinch :eek:

 

Another option - My wife is keen to find a pub in Southampton near the docks - something about playing poker with our boarding cards with a guy named Sven ... ;) I think nothing good can come from that however.

[cinnamon]

We boarded the Crown last month at 11.30. The staff were keen to push people to the buffet for lunch but the Da Vinci dining room on deck 6 was open till 1.30 pm. We had a lovely peaceful lunch, waitress served, no crowds and a great start to the cruise.

[Pjran]

I would also opt to go to the ship if only to drop off the luggage. If your ship is near the city dock gates you could walk into town.