Arrival time at terminal - Southampton

[Summergee]

I know that check in does not start until around 12.30,but what is the earliest anyone has been allowed in to the terminal building? We are thinking of spending the morning around Southampton.

[3rdGenCunarder]

If you arrive early, you'll be hanging around with nothing to do.

 

What terminal will you be at? QEII terminal has very little space to hang around in. There's a lounge with lots of seating after check-in, but I recall very few chairs in the check-in area. Ocean Terminal has some seating pre-checkin, but not a lot.

[KirkNC]

You should be able to drop off your luggage and than go back into Southampton.

[davecttr]

If you arrive early, you'll be hanging around with nothing to do.

 

What terminal will you be at? QEII terminal has very little space to hang around in. There's a lounge with lots of seating after check-in, but I recall very few chairs in the check-in area. Ocean Terminal has some seating pre-checkin, but not a lot.

All the seating in Ocean terminal is before check-in, several hundred seats, toilets and a cafe/snack bar. My experience of Ocean is that the terminal is open before 11am and the check-in desks open soon after 11.30 am and process passengers as they come, not according to their boarding times. This is on P&O cruises, things may differ with Cunard.

[Mysticalmother]

All the seating in Ocean terminal is before check-in, several hundred seats, toilets and a cafe/snack bar. My experience of Ocean is that the terminal is open before 11am and the check-in desks open soon after 11.30 am and process passengers as they come, not according to their boarding times. This is on P&O cruises, things may differ with Cunard.

 

It is (or at least was!) the same with Cunard. Ocean terminal is much much more civilised than Mayflower as there is lots of seating. You collect a coloured card with a letter on arrival, and then just wait for your card to be called. It seems to flow very well as there are never too many people queing at any one time. Mayflower terminal just seems to be one endless queue with no seating! (Unless thay have changed it recently)

[Keith1010]

I know we got there early and were in the building as soon as we dropped off our luggage. It was around 10:00 AM.

 

Keith

[jimmybean]

In May, we arrived at the Ocean terminal at 11:10 and walked aboard at 12:45---With priority boarding.

 

Except for the last 20 minutes, when we were moving forward in a queue, we were comfortably seated--waiting to be called.

 

Like a lot of people, the timing of our arrival had to do with factors outside our control… I believe people who arrive later in the afternoon may board more quickly. But, sometimes, you just arrive when you arrive (and when the bulk of other passengers also seem to have arrived)...

 

I find the staff in the terminals in Southampton to be very organized and pleasant. DH and I always have some reading material and enjoy chatting with others waiting to board. We have found boarding at Southampton to be without any difficulties.

[kayakbob]

This sailing boarded at the City Cruise Terminal. We arrived at 11:35 and quickly got our room cards. At just before 12 they started boarding Grills passengers. Platinum was called about 12:10 and we were in our room by 12:20. Our luggage was delivered at 12:30. This was quite amazing.

 

BTW, the requested boarding time was 3:30 PM but this didn't matter at all.

[Summergee]

Thanks for the help.

[thriftycrafter]

Very useful information, thank you all.