International Friends London pre-cruise tour - arrival time OK?

[erdoran]

Looking at the International Friends London pre-cruise tour.  The dates are perfect - we get in late afternoon Thursday, tour with them Friday, London on our own Sat, and to Southampton Sunday.   My worry is that we are sailing 4 pm, they say arrival is 1:15-1:30 pm, and I know we have to be aboard 2 hrs before sailing (this is NCL Star, June 14, 2020).  Any thoughts?  Risky or am I overly paranoid?  Anyone do this tour?  it also seems pricey, given that there is really only one day touring, but there are transfers as well....

[John Bull]

International Friends is a long-established & reputable coach operator, and they added cruise tour/transfers about 6 to 7 years ago. Must be popular, because the service is run for almost all ships departing Southampton.

I don't believe they've ever been late to a ship.
The timing of their tour/transfer coaches to Southampton is geared to the departure of the individual ship which they're serving. 

The slightly earlier departure of NCL ships is taken into account - they might start earlier, they might streamline their transfers (because of the number of hotels that they serve, they pick up in a number of vehicles and transfer passengers to the tour coach en-route) and/or they might foreshorten your time at Stonehenge.

 

I can't comment on the total of your two tours, but the tour/transfer is comparatively expensive because it's a door-to-door service and what can be achieved that day is limited by the need to arrive in Southampton in good time to check-in. Admission to Stonehenge is included. 

Their tour/transfer Southampton to London hotels is much more comprehensive and better value because  it's a very full day, ending around 6 pm.

 

If you are lodging near the coach station in Victoria,  or can make your own way there,  you can take a National Express bus to Southampton for about £10 each. plus a taxi fare of £10 or less to the cruise terminal.

Ditto, from about £20 pp, for the train from London Waterloo.

 

But if you want to take the opportunity of visiting Stonehenge en-route you need either a private transfer or that International Friends' coach.

 

JB 

 

Edited September 8, 2019 by John Bull