John Bull - help - Transfer - Southampton - LHR

[GreenValleyDogWalker]

So sorry if this has been asked and answered - I have found LOTS of recommendations for car services (Smith's seems to top the list) but am trying to book air travel home at end of cruise.

I sent an email to Smiths' - they responded that they can't answer anything outside of the 6 moth time-frame   

 

ANYWAY - we are scheduled to arrive into the Southampton Cruise Port on the NCL Star next May 3 (Sunday) at 5:00 AM  

 

Using air-miles - so need to need to book flights asap

 

Question : Can we comfortably  make a flight that departs LHR at 12:15 PM - (no stress - will make it in plenty of time) or do we need to hang out - and book the 2:25 PM flight home ?

[Alaskanb]

What does your cruise line recommend? 

[scottbee]

1 hour ago, GreenValleyDogWalker said:

So sorry if this has been asked and answered - I have found LOTS of recommendations for car services (Smith's seems to top the list) but am trying to book air travel home at end of cruise.

I sent an email to Smiths' - they responded that they can't answer anything outside of the 6 moth time-frame   

 

ANYWAY - we are scheduled to arrive into the Southampton Cruise Port on the NCL Star next May 3 (Sunday) at 5:00 AM  

 

Using air-miles - so need to need to book flights asap

 

Question : Can we comfortably  make a flight that departs LHR at 12:15 PM - (no stress - will make it in plenty of time) or do we need to hang out - and book the 2:25 PM flight home ?

 

Just because the ship says it will dock @ 5am it doesn't mean you'll be able to get off at 5a. 

Personally if there's a 14:25  option, I would take that, which leaves plenty of wiggle room if something does go slightly sideways.

 

As for local companies to look for, West Quay Cars are a good company, based in Southampton.

 

Lastly, there is direct coach service to Heathrow as well operated by "National Express".  You'll need to get from ship to the coach station (about 1½km) but it's very inexpensive vs a private car service.

 

 

 

[John Bull]

As Scottbee's post, 5 am is a red herring. 

That's the scheduled berthing time, but it'll be around 7 am before the first un-assisted passengers (schlep your own bags from your cabin) disembark, with the first tranche of regular disembarkation around 7.30 am.

 

A 12.15 pm flight is usually just a little bit tight, but the saving grace is that - joy of joys - this is a sunday 

If you want to take that 12.15 flight  I'd recommend unassisted disembarkation and a car booked for 7.30 am

Being a sunday morning, the route to Heathrow will be virtually empty and you should be at Heathrow by about  9am, giving you up to a couple of hours to spare,.

I suggest un-assisted because that avoids lines off the ship, which can build as the morning progresses. It also gives you that wide window to take an alternate route if the motorway route is closed due to a serious accident. Alternate routes get clogged when that happens - but not on sunday mornings. 

Expect a car to cost something south of £100.

 

You have the alternative of a flight at 2.25pm.

Which means you could book seats on a coach for £21.50 each.

 https://www.nationalexpress.com/en

Add about £6 for a taxi from ship to Southampton coach station.

Same recommendation for early un-assisted disembarkation, which means no line for a taxi at the cruise terminal.

Book the 8 am coach, which gets to Heathrow at 10.15am (or earlier depending which airport terminal)

 

So which to go for is a matter of choice - and that might boil down to cost (mainly any difference in airfare)

 

BTW most years that would be a 3-day holiday weekend - but in 2020 the holiday has been put back a week to coincide with the commemoration of VE Day (Victory in Europe Day)

 

JB 

Edited October 30, 2019 by John Bull

[GreenValleyDogWalker]

THANK YOU !!!

Appreciate your feedback 

[cruisegal415]

Jumping on this as I have a similar question--we will be on a Princess cruise returning to Southampton Tuesday June 9th, the ship says it docks at 5:00 am, don't know when pax will actually be getting off.  This is our first Princess cruise so we aren't familiar with how that works. Other cruises we've taken, the line asks what time you want to get off, or what time your flight is, and assigns you a debarkation time.  

 

Our flight is at 12:50pm from Heathrow.  Our questions are:

1)  How does debarkation work? Anyone can get off at any time? Pax are assigned a time?

2)  For a 12:50 pm flight, do we need to do the early/walk off/no assist debarkation or can we do the "regular" one?

3)  Does Princess offer transfer from port to Heathrow? If so, is it at certain times?

4) We would prefer to book a private car with other pax that we may know from the Roll Call, what time would you suggest we book the transfer? I understand it's usually a 90 minute ride, but since it's a weekday, might there be traffic that time of morning?

 

TIA.

[Coral]

Princess suggests 7 hours after the ship docks for LHR. I would check with NCL and see what they recommend.

Edited January 30, 2020 by Coral

[John Bull]

4 hours ago, cruisegal415 said:

Jumping on this as I have a similar question--we will be on a Princess cruise returning to Southampton Tuesday June 9th, the ship says it docks at 5:00 am, don't know when pax will actually be getting off.  This is our first Princess cruise so we aren't familiar with how that works. Other cruises we've taken, the line asks what time you want to get off, or what time your flight is, and assigns you a debarkation time.  

 

Our flight is at 12:50pm from Heathrow.  Our questions are:

1)  How does debarkation work? Anyone can get off at any time? Pax are assigned a time?

2)  For a 12:50 pm flight, do we need to do the early/walk off/no assist debarkation or can we do the "regular" one?

3)  Does Princess offer transfer from port to Heathrow? If so, is it at certain times?

4) We would prefer to book a private car with other pax that we may know from the Roll Call, what time would you suggest we book the transfer? I understand it's usually a 90 minute ride, but since it's a weekday, might there be traffic that time of morning?

 

TIA.

 

Do try to get confirmation from Princess, but ......

 

Unassisted disembarkation is usually 7am or a little earlier.

The first tranche of passengers for assisted disembarkation is normally 7.30am - yes, you're assigned a disembarkation time, but normally no problem asking at Guest Relations for  your time-slot  to be brought forward, citing your onward transport arrangements. 

 

For a 12.50 flight out of LHR on a weekday I'd be inclined to disembark unassisted, with a car booked for 7.15am. This gives you a wider window for delays, and puts you ahead of both the herd disembarking and the worst of the traffic heading for Winchester. 

Journey time as little as 90 minutes, but on a weekday morning can be up to 2hrs 30mins if the traffic's bad 

You'll probably find yourselves kicking your heels at the airport, but you just might be relieved that you gave yourselves that extra time in hand.

 

That said, yes Princess offer coach transfers to LHR and they recommend that they not be used for LHR flights before 12.30 (?) or 1pm (?).

Those coaches leave the pier from about 8am,  No grand tour of LHR's terminals, each coach is usually allocated to a single airport terminal (except the last one, which mops up the stragglers) 

Princess transfer fares at around $60 pp are more reasonable than most - for a twosome that might be just a shade cheaper than a private transfer, but for 3 or more a private transfer should be cheaper as well as more flexible & a little more comfortable.

Several operators frequently recommended by Cruise Critic dotted around the sticky at the top of this forum.

 

JB 

 

[cruisegal415]

Thanks John Bull!