Southampton Hotel please

[amypete]

What beautiful photos! I also wondered about London. We are coming in early in September for a Princess cruise - so do not need to stay in the cruise ship port area but have NO idea where is good place to stay. I have quite a few Hilton Honors points so would prefer to use those. Any suggestions? Something in an interesting area with reasonable transportation to port when needed. Thanks! 

[John Bull]

The "port area" is the city of Southampton, about 80 miles from London.

 

Waterloo is best-placed for trains to Southampton, and also easily walkable to the London Eye, Thames cruises & waterside walks & restaurants, etc, Westminster Bridge & Abbey,  Big Ben, Churchill's war rooms, Horse Guards Parade. Accommodation is mainly in large chain hotels eg Hampton by Hilton Waterloo

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

London Waterloo to Southampton central. 

Walk-up fare around £40, but advance tickets as low as about £15. Those advance tickets not available until about 8 weeks out.

 

Victoria is best-placed for National Express buses (coaches) to Southampton, and also walkable to Buckingham Palace and a marginally longer walk to those other places. Wide range of accommodations from family hotels to major chains. eg Doubletree by Hilton Victoria

https://www.nationalexpress.com/en

London Victoria coach station to Southampton coach station

Fare as low as £5 in advance, and because the coaches often sell-out advance booking is strongly recommended anyway.

 

You also need to consider travel to hotel from your London airport.

Direct train service from Gatwick airport (LGW) to both Victoria train station and Waterloo East rail station (adjacent the main Waterloo station). Direct coach service from Heathrow airport (LHR) to Victoria coach station, Waterloo area is less-convenient from LHR.

 

JB 

[amypete]

26 minutes ago, John Bull said:

The "port area" is the city of Southampton, about 80 miles from London.

 

Waterloo is best-placed for trains to Southampton, and also easily walkable to the London Eye, Thames cruises & waterside walks & restaurants, etc, Westminster Bridge & Abbey,  Big Ben, Churchill's war rooms, Horse Guards Parade. Accommodation is mainly in large chain hotels eg Hampton by Hilton Waterloo

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

London Waterloo to Southampton central. 

Walk-up fare around £40, but advance tickets as low as about £15. Those advance tickets not available until about 8 weeks out.

 

Victoria is best-placed for National Express buses (coaches) to Southampton, and also walkable to Buckingham Palace and a marginally longer walk to those other places. Wide range of accommodations from family hotels to major chains. eg Doubletree by Hilton Victoria

https://www.nationalexpress.com/en

London Victoria coach station to Southampton coach station

Fare as low as £5 in advance, and because the coaches often sell-out advance booking is strongly recommended anyway.

 

You also need to consider travel to hotel from your London airport.

Direct train service from Gatwick airport (LGW) to both Victoria train station and Waterloo East rail station (adjacent the main Waterloo station). Direct coach service from Heathrow airport (LHR) to Victoria coach station, Waterloo area is less-convenient from LHR.

 

JB 

THANK you for all the detail! That will be very helpful! 

[amypete]

JB - another quick question - how long would it take to get to the port from those locations on a Monday morning? Thank you for your help 🙂

[scottbee]

46 minutes ago, amypete said:

JB - another quick question - how long would it take to get to the port from those locations on a Monday morning? Thank you for your help 🙂

 

TRAIN:

London Waterloo -> Southampton Central takes between 1h15m and 1h40m depending on which train.  3 trains/hr

London Victoria -> Southampton Central takes 2h15m and runs once/hr

London Paddington -> Southampton Central (change at Reading) takes 1h50m.  1 train/hr

COACH

London Victoria Coach Stn -> Southampton Coach Stn takes about 2h10m

 

Depending on where you stay in London, really decides which central station in London you choose.

 

From Southampton Central or the coach station it's about 1km to the City Cruise terminal, but check which dock your cruise line uses (it may not be the 'city' one).  20m walk or 5m by taxi.

 

[John Bull]

42 minutes ago, scottbee said:

 

TRAIN:

London Waterloo -> Southampton Central takes between 1h15m and 1h40m depending on which train.  3 trains/hr

London Victoria -> Southampton Central takes 2h15m and runs once/hr

London Paddington -> Southampton Central (change at Reading) takes 1h50m.  1 train/hr

COACH

London Victoria Coach Stn -> Southampton Coach Stn takes about 2h10m

 

Depending on where you stay in London, really decides which central station in London you choose.

 

From Southampton Central or the coach station it's about 1km to the City Cruise terminal, but check which dock your cruise line uses (it may not be the 'city' one).  20m walk or 5m by taxi.

 

 

Can't add anything to that.

Thank you, Scottbee, for saving my typing finger 

 

JB 

[scottbee]

34 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

Can't add anything to that.

Thank you, Scottbee, for saving my typing finger 

 

 

Now if only we can do something to save the football team from themselves this season.

 

Edited November 15, 2019 by scottbee

[John Bull]

3 hours ago, scottbee said:

 

Now if only we can do something to save the football team from themselves this season.

 

 

 

I've been working on that......................... 

 

"Our Father which art  in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give our team this day ............." 

 

(still working on the rest of it) 

 

JB 

[dani negreanu]

18 hours ago, amypete said:

JB - another quick question - how long would it take to get to the port from those locations on a Monday morning? Thank you for your help 🙂

 

Sorry to hijack ...

I've already booked the National Express for travelling to LHR post cruise, but this time (instead of staying the night before in Southampton), I've decided to travel with Smiths the morning of the cruise from Victoria's Premier Inn to the pier.

I'd like to get there at 11AM.

Also a "working day" morning (Wednesday).

What time should I book the transfer with Smiths, please?

[John Bull]

2 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

 

Sorry to hijack ...

I've already booked the National Express for travelling to LHR post cruise, but this time (instead of staying the night before in Southampton), I've decided to travel with Smiths the morning of the cruise from Victoria's Premier Inn to the pier.

I'd like to get there at 11AM.

Also a "working day" morning (Wednesday).

What time should I book the transfer with Smiths, please?

 

 

Smiths are best-placed to tell you - at that time of day I'm sometimes going to the big bad city, but never coming from it.

So tell Smiths what time you want to be in Southampton and ask them to quote a pick-up time. Tell 'em it's not a deadllne like it is for, say, a morning sailing, or they might be a bit too cautious.

I'm guessing mebbe 8.30 / 8.45, but they're the ones with experience.

 

BUT - are you sure you want to arrive by 11am ? 

You might have to hang around at the cruise terminal til noon.

Which means leaving the big bad city long after 9am, when most of the lemmings are sat behind their desks, knocking as much as 30 (?) minutes off your journey time.

 

JB  

[dani negreanu]

46 minutes ago, John Bull said:

BUT - are you sure you want to arrive by 11am ? 

You might have to hang around at the cruise terminal til noon.

 

Thank you, John, for the quick reply. I always appreciate you taking the time to answer quite similar questions again and again.

I'd like to make the most of the "taster" cruise with Apex. We're going only for "the ship"', and not for the itinerary.

Actually, it'll be only a 3 full days, with 2 ports, and a very new and interesting ship.

Last times when boarding at Southampton, we've been able to board before 11AM.

Thanks again,