Southampton disembarkation and same day embarkation question

[ConnMom]

I am trying to figure out what options we have for our day in Southampton between disembarking the Queen Mary 2 and  then embarking the Celebrity Silhouette for a 4 pm sailing later that day.  This will be our first time in Southampton, so I have only seen maps of the port area and town and cannot find very much information about embarkation details.  I am trying to avoid being left with our pile of luggage for a long period of time between exiting the Queen Mary and dropping it at the Silhouette.  Ideally, we would want to stay on the QM2 until a short time before porters are available to take our luggage at the Silhouette.  Do any of you seasoned Southampton travelers know how late we might expect to be on Mary and how early we can drop off luggage for our next cruise.

     Once this is done, we would like a few hours to explore Southampton and exercise our land legs.  This forum has offered many great sightseeing ideas, but I am baffled by the logistics.  Thanks in advance for any help you might be able to give.

Cheryl

[CruiserBruce]

These are cruise line policy and procedure issues. Like most cruise lines,  Cunard is going to want you off no later that 10am, probably earlier. Celebrity is not going to allow you on board before 11:30 or maybe noon. Just the simple facts. They are port related...the cruise lines operate almost always the same way at the different ports.

 

You could ask on the Cunard board if they have any program to allow a later stay on board. Might get lucky, but that's a pretty rare situation. You probably will be able to check your bags with Celebrity shortly after you get off Cunard. 

[dpws]

As above cruise lines will probably dictate your disembarking  and embark times and I wouldn't think you would have much time to leave the celebrity ship and find your  land legs, have you thought about disembarking  early, hire a hotel dayroom for the day, leave your luggage in your room and explore southampton locally ie , shopping, tudor house, titanic museum then embarking later, www.dayuse.co.uk have rooms ms for around £50 a day in or near the high street, mecure dolphin, ibis etc, hope this can help

[Highpeaklad]

From what I’ve seen on the Celebrity boards you can get on quite early, about 10.30 so you’re probably best transferring straight across to the Silhouette and once you’ve dropped your bags off go and have a mooch around Southampton. Best keep hand luggage to a minimum. I’m not sure how far apart the berths are, but I know some are at least a mile apart - best check your details to see where you arrive/depart from. 

Edited July 20, 2019 by Highpeaklad

[John Bull]

As per the Derbyshire lad's post, QM2's usual cruise terminal (QE11 Cruise Terminal) is deep in the docks and not walkable - esp with luggage - to Celebrity's cruise terminal (City Cruise Terminal).

The krunch is your luggage - some cruise lines have an early luggage-drop in Southampton, but I don't know if that includes Celebrity (ask on the Celebrity forum?).

 

Failing that you can drop your bags at  http://www.oceanssouthampton.com/ for the day for £3-£5 per bag. It's a shop in the High Street, near the Bargate (entrance to the old walled city) and convenient to Southampton's few historic sights (Tudor Merchant's House, Medieval merchant's house, etc) and the shopping centre & malls.

https://visitsouthampton.co.uk/your-visi

Take a taxi to the shop - and there's a taxi rank right outside for onward travel to City cruise terminal. At a guess, each taxi ride will cost about £6 to £8.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186299-d10285830-Reviews-Oceans_Gift_Shop-Southampton_Hampshire_England.html

 

If you've managed to drop your bags early at City Cruise Terminal, you don't have to take a taxi from / to there - it's a 15 minute walk to the city centre & sights.

 

JB 

Edited July 20, 2019 by John Bull

[ConnMom]

Thank you for all the suggestions.  If we don't have to leave the Queen Mary until around 9 am, we should not have too much wasted time if we go directly to the Celebrity terminal with our luggage.  I won't make ambitious plans for the day, and will have a couple of ideas that can work with whatever time and weather constraints we run into.  We are looking forward to both cruises.

Cheryl

 

[princeton123211]

On 7/20/2019 at 7:44 AM, John Bull said:

As per the Derbyshire lad's post, QM2's usual cruise terminal (QE11 Cruise Terminal) is deep in the docks and not walkable - esp with luggage - to Celebrity's cruise terminal (City Cruise Terminal).

I was under the impression that QM2 primarily uses the Ocean Cruise Terminal these days and not QEII.

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, princeton123211 said:

I was under the impression that QM2 primarily uses the Ocean Cruise Terminal these days and not QEII.

 

Depends on the number of ships in port on the day - yes, QE11 is the oldest and least-used terminal, but Ocean is busy with Princess, P&O, other Cunarders and others under the Carnival umbrella. QM2 has been scheduled for both this year - and even one berthing at City cruise terminal.

 

JB 

[ConnMom]

According to the port schedules I have seen, QM2 will be at booth 46 at the Ocean Terminal, and we are planning to use a taxi to get to the Silhouette - too much luggage to walk even a short distance - so a terminal change should not make a huge difference to us.  I know we will enjoy walking around the city center,  maybe with a stop at the Maritime Museum if we have time.  Maybe on another trip we will be able to build in time to do some of the interesting things that I have been reading about during the past 6 months on this wonderful website. I have learned so much from so many participants who have generously shared their knowledge and time.

Cheryl

[John Bull]

30 minutes ago, ConnMom said:

  maybe with a stop at the Maritime Museum if we have time. 

 

 

The phrase suggests you might have picked that up from an out-of-date website.

The "Maritime Museum" was housed in the historic  13th century stone-built Wool House - opposite the waterfront & a 5 minute walk from Ocean terminal

But the Wool House is now an attractive pub / micro-brewery. 

Which some of us think is a much better use  

You'll pass it in your taxi. In fact you could hop out there and leave your pack-horse to dispose of the luggage & walk back to you 

There are a number of sights close by, such as the Tudor Merchant's House & Garden (in Bugle Street, the street which leads away from the waterfront alongside the Wool House).

 

The "Maritime Museum" vacated the Wool House when the big new "Sea City" museum opened a few years ago.

Sea City is attached to the Civic Centre at the top of the main shopping street ("Above Bar"), about a 20 - 25 minute walk. It majors on Titanic, nicely presented with tableaux and stories, but few artifacts.

 

https://www.dancingmanbrewery.co.uk/

https://tudorhouseandgarden.com/

https://seacitymuseum.co.uk/

 

JB 

Edited July 23, 2019 by John Bull

[ConnMom]

John Bull, Thank you for clearing up any confusion I may have encountered regarding the museum.  The Tudor House actually looks more interesting to me than the museum.  I am looking forward to our day in Southampton!

Cheryl