Port parking query

[Ginb56]

We usually do a cruise hotel parking package with taxi to the port, but next year want to try cruise port parking. Just wondering which of the advertised companies for Southampton you find the most reliable - and flexible on disembark times and if a change of terminal  please? How far is it on foot from the drop off car park into the terminal? And last question (honest!), is there a decent company that simply takes your car from you at the port and has it there waiting for you outside on return? Thanks very much for sharing your experiences - good and bad welcome....😊

[terrierjohn]

We regularly used CPS for our Carnival group cruises, but never liked their queuing system and now use parking4cruises who are generally much cheaper and no further walking than CPS. You drop your luggage off at the taxi drop off, then drive to the short stay to book in and hand over your keys for them to valet park a short distance from the port, on return your car will be in the short stay park waiting for collection. and if your ship changes berth so will the collection car park.

[BrianI]

Although not the cheapest, with CPS you drive right up to the terminal.  Your luggage is taken from your car and you hand over your car for which you are given a receipt. You then simply walk into the terminal with your hand luggage. On your return you walk across the road to a small kiosk to collect your car keys. They tell you where your car is parked - usually just a short walk away.

If you return to a different terminal, your car will be moved there.

If you are offered free parking with P&O, then it will be with CPS.

Brian

[LondonLad60]

Will you be booking a select or saver fare? If it's a saver fare (i.e. you don't receive free parking or onboard credit) then parking4cruises will be cheaper than CPS. If it's a select fare, I find it works out better to take the onboard credit as the select fare option and to book my own parking with parking4cruises. After you have parked with them once you qualify for a 5% discount. I was put off CPS for the following reasons. The first time I used them they must have parked my car beneath a lamppost or a tree, because when I returned to it, it was smothered (and I do mean smothered) in bird droppings. CPS had cleared the windows, but it took a pressure washer to get the rest off when I got home. On subsequent occasions I've returned to my car to find it covered in a layer of fine brown/grey metallic dust, which suggests to me that it was parked near one of the scrap yards within the port boundaries. I've never had any problems at all with parking4cruises, and I would happily recommend them.

Whichever terminal you return to, the short stay car park is only a few minutes walk away, and as Brianl says above, whichever terminal you return to (even if this changes during the cruise) your car will be waiting for you.

 

Bob

[Stokie33]

We used cps last week for the 1st time and were impressed, our car was no different than if it had been sat outside our house for a week. We found them to be efficient and didn't have any problems at all. With price it pays to check as we are doing a 2 nighter in October and parking4cruises wanted double what cps wanted 

[jeanlyon]

Parking4cruises is usually way cheaper for us on a 17 night cruise.  I think last time it was £90 cheaper.  You drive to the terminal, drop your bags and/or wife, partner, husband, then drive to the short stay.  They photograph the car, and you walk back to the terminal. About 3 minutes.

 

When you get back, you again walk to the short stay, pick up your car, drive back to the terminal and pick up baggage and other people.

 

CPS are now not allowing drop off at the terminal for certain ships, so need to check there.  It is changing.

[Eglesbrech]

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

 

CPS are now not allowing drop off at the terminal for certain ships, so need to check there.  It is changing.

 

Jean, have never experienced that with CPS. I cant see anything on their website that indicates any changes. Could you point me in the direction of any info re which ships this affects, thanks.

[AndyMichelle]

31 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

 

Jean, have never experienced that with CPS. I cant see anything on their website that indicates any changes. Could you point me in the direction of any info re which ships this affects, thanks.

There is another thread about this titled 'where have all the porters gone' .

I have just bumped it for your reference.

Andy

[Selbourne]

33 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

 

Jean, have never experienced that with CPS. I cant see anything on their website that indicates any changes. Could you point me in the direction of any info re which ships this affects, thanks.

 

In short, the CPS drop off procedure is changing at Ocean Terminal, in anticipation of Iona. The new procedure is currently being trialled on some Britannia Cruises and will then become the norm for all CPS drop offs at that terminal, certainly for all Iona and Britannia Cruises. CPS has built a new covered drop off centre from where passengers will need to take their luggage to the terminal. Not a great distance (apparently) but it does eliminate the one ‘unique selling point’ that CPS has (and charges a premium for). No changes due at the other terminals. 

[Eglesbrech]

Thanks Selbourne and Andy.

 

I’ll have a look at the other thread. I have been away so must have missed the thread during that time.

Edited August 25, 2019 by Eglesbrech
Add note

[BrianI]

I have just come off Ventura and parked at Ocean terminal with CPS. The parking arrangement was the same as it has always been.

 

However, I did notice that a large covered structure has been erected which sits alongside the existing drop off areas. If this is going to be used for Iona, then the extra distance to walk is very minimal.

Brian

[Selbourne]

15 minutes ago, BrianI said:

I have just come off Ventura and parked at Ocean terminal with CPS. The parking arrangement was the same as it has always been.

 

However, I did notice that a large covered structure has been erected which sits alongside the existing drop off areas. If this is going to be used for Iona, then the extra distance to walk is very minimal.

Brian

 

Thanks Brian. That’s useful info. The issue for some of us, however, is that under this new arrangement customers are expected to take their own luggage from their car to the hole in the wall, unlike at present where the porters take luggage directly from CPS customers cars in the drop off lanes, which makes the service offered by CPS identical to their cheaper competitors. 

[sidekick180]

On 8/25/2019 at 3:49 PM, LondonLad60 said:

Will you be booking a select or saver fare? If it's a saver fare (i.e. you don't receive free parking or onboard credit) then parking4cruises will be cheaper than CPS. If it's a select fare, I find it works out better to take the onboard credit as the select fare option and to book my own parking with parking4cruises. After you have parked with them once you qualify for a 5% discount. I was put off CPS for the following reasons. The first time I used them they must have parked my car beneath a lamppost or a tree, because when I returned to it, it was smothered (and I do mean smothered) in bird droppings. CPS had cleared the windows, but it took a pressure washer to get the rest off when I got home. On subsequent occasions I've returned to my car to find it covered in a layer of fine brown/grey metallic dust, which suggests to me that it was parked near one of the scrap yards within the port boundaries. I've never had any problems at all with parking4cruises, and I would happily recommend them.

Whichever terminal you return to, the short stay car park is only a few minutes walk away, and as Brianl says above, whichever terminal you return to (even if this changes during the cruise) your car will be waiting for you.

 

Bob

 

On 8/25/2019 at 3:49 PM, LondonLad60 said:

Will you be booking a select or saver fare? If it's a saver fare (i.e. you don't receive free parking or onboard credit) then parking4cruises will be cheaper than CPS. If it's a select fare, I find it works out better to take the onboard credit as the select fare option and to book my own parking with parking4cruises. After you have parked with them once you qualify for a 5% discount. I was put off CPS for the following reasons. The first time I used them they must have parked my car beneath a lamppost or a tree, because when I returned to it, it was smothered (and I do mean smothered) in bird droppings. CPS had cleared the windows, but it took a pressure washer to get the rest off when I got home. On subsequent occasions I've returned to my car to find it covered in a layer of fine brown/grey metallic dust, which suggests to me that it was parked near one of the scrap yards within the port boundaries. I've never had any problems at all with parking4cruises, and I would happily recommend them.

Whichever terminal you return to, the short stay car park is only a few minutes walk away, and as Brianl says above, whichever terminal you return to (even if this changes during the cruise) your car will be waiting for you.

 

Bob

Funny that you mention the brown/grey metalic dust when using CPS, because I had exactly the same all over my car when I used parking4cruises in May this year. Although, I thought it was dried on mud. The car was immaculate when I left it with them. I had cleaned it the day before we went on our cruise, but when i collected the car after the cruise it was filthy. I think it's just pot luck whether you get your car back in the same condition as you left it.

[stocktonmackem]

On 8/25/2019 at 10:05 PM, Selbourne said:

 

Thanks Brian. That’s useful info. The issue for some of us, however, is that under this new arrangement customers are expected to take their own luggage from their car to the hole in the wall, unlike at present where the porters take luggage directly from CPS customers cars in the drop off lanes, which makes the service offered by CPS identical to their cheaper competitors. 

Selbourne, am I right in thinking you are disabled. I queried the accessible angle when I was on Ventura last week and I was told that blue badge holders would be sent to the existing drop off lanes where porters would be around to help. I was a bit concerned as I take mobility equipment with me but feel more reassured now. Too be honest the new parking arrangements mean that the drop off is closer than you would walk when going back to your car so shouldn't be a major problem for able bodied people. 

Apologies if I have the wrong person. 

[Selbourne]

5 hours ago, stocktonmackem said:

Selbourne, am I right in thinking you are disabled. I queried the accessible angle when I was on Ventura last week and I was told that blue badge holders would be sent to the existing drop off lanes where porters would be around to help. I was a bit concerned as I take mobility equipment with me but feel more reassured now. Too be honest the new parking arrangements mean that the drop off is closer than you would walk when going back to your car so shouldn't be a major problem for able bodied people. 

Apologies if I have the wrong person. 

 

No problem - It’s actually my wife who is disabled! She is a full time wheelchair user. What you have been told is indeed what I would do, but interestingly not what I was told by CPS and P&O! They said go to the new area and help for disabled passengers ‘should’ be available! I guess that there are two issues as far as I see them. Firstly, disabled passengers have to know to request to drop off before going to the car check in. Whilst we now know to do that, many won’t. Secondly, the CPS service being offered at Ocean Terminal going forward is going to be the same as that offered by the other (often much cheaper) car park operators. As a result, most people booking a 2 week cruise or longer would be far better to take additional on board credit and book their own parking, as we now do. As an added benefit, we often find that there is less of a walk to get your car after the cruise compared to CPS.