Flight options and touring London/Southampton help

[styme123]

I'm looking at flights for my BI cruise in Aug but looking for recommendations/opinions on options: I'll be leaving on a Thursday night getting there early Friday, cruise leaves Saturday. Cruise gets back on a Thursday we fly back home Saturday night.

My options are:

JFK (NY) to Heathrow 7:00pm getting in 7:20am on Delta- cheapest about $577pp economy , but a bit more challenging getting to airport in rush hour. Would you head toward London hotels/sites or go to Southampton area? I looked into a few tours (International Friends) going to Stonehenge, Windsor, Salisbury etc. but most of them leave by 9:00am from London area. I don't think I would get out of the airport in time.   

or

JFK to Heathrow 11:00pm-11:20am on Delta -$250pp more right now, no worries about rush hour- Don't know if this kills so much of the day that we could tour?

or

JFK to Gatwick 7:30pm getting in 7:50am on Virgin- $100pp more right now - Airport might be less busy than Heathrow? I think I would try and go toward Southampton, but again most tours start at 9:00 and don't pick up from Gatway.

JFK to Heathrow 10:00pm-10:10am on Virgin-$100 pp more right now

Return

Heathrow to JFK 5:30pm-8:15pm Delta- Will we have enough time to take in some sites in London before the flight or is it just too much? 

Your thoughts and opinions are always so helpful TIA 😁

 

[John Bull]

IMHO arrive friday morning (either airport) & cruise saturday makes travel into central London pretty pointless for the time you'll have in the big bad city.

From the time your aircraft touches down, allow about 90 minutes to clear the Arrivals Hall, then 30 to 75 minutes travel to central London, then drop your bags at a central hotel. 

So even if you flew into LHR on the early Delta it'd be gone 10am before you hit the sights. And whichever way you travel to Southampton you really won't have time to sight-see on cruise morning, especially after an overnight flight followed by a full day. Hardly worthwhile if you take that early Delta flight, certainly not worthwhile if you take the late one. 

 

But if you ignore my advice (plenty folk do ) you can take the Int Friends' tour-transfer via Stonehenge from central London because that's on the saturday (cruise day), not the friday (fly-in day).

Alternatively  (LHR only)  you can book a hotel near the airport, leave your bags there and take the tube or train into London for the afternoon / evening. Then if you wish you can take that same Int Friends tour-transfer from your LHR hotel. I intensely dislike any airport-land hotel worldwide, but for one night it might be a good solution - as long as you choose a hotel on the Heathrow Hoppa bus route or handy to an airport terminal (for tube or train into London) and on Int Friends LHR hotel list (to avoid having to cross to a hotel on their pick-up list)

 

Can you not spare at least one more day (preferably 2 or 3) to do London justice?

That would make it so much more worthwhile.

 

Alternatively put the big bad city on the back-burner.

Head from airport to Southampton by National Express bus (Heathrow) or by train (Gatwick). Book a Southampton hotel close to the train or coach station. If you want, take the train to Salisbury (half-hourly service, 35 minute journey, about £10 return), then Stonehenge ho-ho from Salisbury station to Stonehenge (about 35 mins e/w, buy your Stonehenge entrance tickets from the driver). on your return to Salisbury explore this historic and laid-back city's centre and magnificent cathedral, then train back to Southampton.

If you're still full of beans next morning you can explore Southampton - not a tourist city but more than enough historic sights, shopping, pubs etc  to keep a visitor amused for a day or two.

 

Consider those options - more info & links for any that you narrow down.

 

Even though Southampton to LHR is no more than a couple of hours, a 5.30pm flight out of Heathrow on disembarkation day won't give you time for any sight-seeing. It's a couple of hours too early for the Int Friends tour-transfer (arrives LHR 4.30 - 5pm), and you'd need to stash or check-in your luggage before heading to London or Windsor or Hampton Court.

Better to take an earlier flight home - from about 1pm onwards.

 

JB 

Edited November 24, 2019 by John Bull

[styme123]

1 hour ago, John Bull said:

IMHO arrive friday morning (either airport) & cruise saturday makes travel into central London pretty pointless for the time you'll have in the big bad city.

From the time your aircraft touches down, allow about 90 minutes to clear the Arrivals Hall, then 30 to 75 minutes travel to central London, then drop your bags at a central hotel. 

So even if you flew into LHR on the early Delta it'd be gone 10am before you hit the sights. And whichever way you travel to Southampton you really won't have time to sight-see on cruise morning, especially after an overnight flight followed by a full day. Hardly worthwhile if you take that early Delta flight, certainly not worthwhile if you take the late one. 

Yeah I think I was leaning toward trying to make my way toward Salisbury/Southampton on the first day in. I wanted to try and go to the Salisbury Cathedral before the cruise. Stonehenge and Windsor Castle would be great too. I think I just want to see everything, LoL. As I look into all the different sites I want to see them all 😁

Do most people do the IF tour on the morning of the cruise? I guess since we leave a bit later it gives you the morning to work with.

But if you ignore my advice (plenty folk do ) you can take the Int Friends' tour-transfer via Stonehenge from central London because that's on the saturday (cruise day), not the friday (fly-in day).

Alternatively  (LHR only)  you can book a hotel near the airport, leave your bags there and take the tube or train into London for the afternoon / evening. Then if you wish you can take that same Int Friends tour-transfer from your LHR hotel. I intensely dislike any airport-land hotel worldwide, but for one night it might be a good solution - as long as you choose a hotel on the Heathrow Hoppa bus route or handy to an airport terminal (for tube or train into London) and on Int Friends LHR hotel list (to avoid having to cross to a hotel on their pick-up list)

 

Can you not spare at least one more day (preferably 2 or 3) to do London justice?

That would make it so much more worthwhile.

 

Unfortunately I can't stay any longer, DH has to go back to work on Sunday.

 

Alternatively put the big bad city on the back-burner.

Head from airport to Southampton by National Express bus (Heathrow) or by train (Gatwick). Book a Southampton hotel close to the train or coach station. If you want, take the train to Salisbury (half-hourly service, 35 minute journey, about £10 return), then Stonehenge ho-ho from Salisbury station to Stonehenge (about 35 mins e/w, buy your Stonehenge entrance tickets from the driver). on your return to Salisbury explore this historic and laid-back city's centre and magnificent cathedral, then train back to Southampton. Should we look for a tour out of Southampton or just do the train ho ho option. I get a little nervous about getting lost or paying for things. Any hotel recommendations? I'm not to fussy or need anything high end, charming, cheap and clean are always a winner.

If you're still full of beans next morning you can explore Southampton - not a tourist city but more than enough historic sights, shopping, pubs etc  to keep a visitor amused for a day or two.

 

Consider those options - more info & links for any that you narrow down.

 

Even though Southampton to LHR is no more than a couple of hours, a 5.30pm flight out of Heathrow on disembarkation day won't give you time for any sight-seeing. It's a couple of hours too early for the Int Friends tour-transfer (arrives LHR 4.30 - 5pm), and you'd need to stash or check-in your luggage before heading to London or Windsor or Hampton Court.

Better to take an earlier flight home - from about 1pm onwards. There is 1 later flight at 8:15pm from LHR but the plane layout isn't great. 3-3-3 across vs 2-3-2. So someone would have to sit next to a stranger. I know it's a small detail but I don't like flying as it is and with how small the seats are in economy it makes me awkward. The upgraded seats are out of my budget. 

Thank you so much for your responses, they are appreciated.😁

 

1 hour ago, John Bull said:

 

JB 

 

[Bob++]

6 hours ago, styme123 said:

Should we look for a tour out of Southampton or just do the train ho ho option. I get a little nervous about getting lost or paying for things. Any hotel recommendations? I'm not to fussy or need anything high end, charming, cheap and clean are always a winner.

Taking a train from Southampton to Salisbury is pretty simple (we do [mostly] speak the same language) and if you are not sure, ask anyone. The hoho bus from Salisbury to Stonehenge starts and ends at Salisbury (train) Station; you can easily walk to the Cathedral in 15 minutes from there.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/pTU1AY1kG2W3ADG6A

Edited November 24, 2019 by Bob++

[John Bull]

 

Unfortunately I can't stay any longer, DH has to go back to work on Sunday.

Take his employer to court for breaching his human rights to have a lie-in on sundays 

 

 Should we look for a tour out of Southampton or just do the train ho ho option. I get a little nervous about getting lost or paying for things. Any hotel recommendations? I'm not to fussy or need anything high end, charming, cheap and clean are always a winner.

The Int Friends' tour-transfer London / LHR to Southampton includes only Stonehenge,, because of the need to be at the cruise terminal around  1pm.

Because there's not the same time constraint, their tour-transfer Southampton to LHR /London includes a brief visit to Salisbury cathedral plus Stonehenge plus Windsor, so altho it's a little more expensive it's better value. But can only be done if you take that 8.15pm flight.

If you took an early flight to LHR, skipped London & went straight to Southampton, you'd be able to take the Southampton to Salisbury train plus ho-ho to Stonehenge, and a decent amount of time in Salisbury before the train back to Southampton.

It's very simple.

 

Hotels closest to the station are Ibis Budget, Ibis Plus and Novotel. All are clean, all are sensibly priced (Ibis Budget is cheap), none are "charming" - they're all international chain hotels. 

Plenty other hotels in Southampton, but will cost time walking from coach station and to rail station.

Precis of hotels, with map also showing coach station, rail station & cruise terminals at 

https://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/southampton_accommodation.htm

 

https://www.nationalexpress.com/en 

bus from LHR to Southampton). Do pre-book, allow minimum 90 minutes for airport formalities

 

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ 

train Southampton to Salisbury, buy return tickets at the station.

 

http://www.thestonehengetour.info/

Ho-ho on the station forecourt. Buy your Stonehenge tickets from the driver - they allow you Stonehenge admission anytime, no need for "timed" tickets.

Stonehenge is worth about 90 minutes.

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge

 

On the return to Salisbury get off the ho-ho in Salisbury city centre, short walk to the cathedral.

When you're done in Salisbury, local bus or taxi or 15 minute walk (or ho-ho if the timing's right), to Salisbury station for the train back to Southampton.

 

International Friends' cruise ship tour/transfers at 

https://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/southampton-from-london-via-stonehenge.html

and

https://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/southampton_to_london_shared_bus.html

 

JB 

 

 

 

Edited November 24, 2019 by John Bull

[styme123]

3 hours ago, John Bull said:

The Int Friends' tour-transfer London / LHR to Southampton includes only Stonehenge,, because of the need to be at the cruise terminal around  1pm.

Because there's not the same time constraint, their tour-transfer Southampton to LHR /London includes a brief visit to Salisbury cathedral plus Stonehenge plus Windsor, so altho it's a little more expensive it's better value. But can only be done if you take that 8.15pm flight.

On the way back from the cruise we would have the time as we get into port on Thursday and are flying out Saturday. Do you think it's better to try and go to Salisbury, Stonehenge etc on the Friday we fly in so we can save the post-cruise days all for London instead of taking the IF tour on the way back to London post cruise? We are also only taking carry-on luggage, so I'm not sure if that saves a lot of time or not when we arrive.

[styme123]

4 hours ago, Bob++ said:

Taking a train from Southampton to Salisbury is pretty simple (we do [mostly] speak the same language) and if you are not sure, ask anyone. The hoho bus from Salisbury to Stonehenge starts and ends at Salisbury (train) Station; you can easily walk to the Cathedral in 15 minutes from there.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/pTU1AY1kG2W3ADG6A

Thank you so much for the response. Do you think I should use a Southampton hotel as a base the day before the cruise or a hotel right near the cruise terminal? Not sure if we did one right near the cruise port if it would be just as easy to get to Salisbury.

[Bob++]

Choose a hotel near the cruise port like the Holiday Inn or the Grand Harbour, which are a 20 minute walk to the station and close to the dock gate. 

 

https://goo.gl/maps/UNpfHwKTiLx76WWi9

 

Edit - You don't have to walk all the way round the loop as shown on the map - you can cut through a car park and cross West Quay Rd at the traffic lights.

 

Edited November 24, 2019 by Bob++

[John Bull]

40 minutes ago, styme123 said:

On the way back from the cruise we would have the time as we get into port on Thursday and are flying out Saturday. Do you think it's better to try and go to Salisbury, Stonehenge etc on the Friday we fly in so we can save the post-cruise days all for London instead of taking the IF tour on the way back to London post cruise? We are also only taking carry-on luggage, so I'm not sure if that saves a lot of time or not when we arrive.

 

Aha, that makes a big difference 

Post-cruise use the Int Friends tour/transfer from ship to Salisbury (only a brief stop, at the cathedral), Stonehenge (about 90 minutes), Windsor (up to 2 hours) to central London hotel. IMHO it achieves a lot and is good value.

Buy your admissions to Stonehenge with your tour/transfer tickets (same advantage as the Stonehenge ho-ho, no delay in admission)

You then have what's left of that evening plus the full day & evening on friday in London, mebbe even a big chunk of the saturday if you take the evening flight (hotel will hold your bags for you after check-out).

 

It also frees-up your pre-cruise time - you could either lodge at LHR & take the tube into London for a quick recce, or stay at a hotel in London Victoria and take the Nat Express coach to Southampton from there.

Or (my advice) skip London pre-cruise & take the Nat Express coach from LHR to Southampton & spend the rest of the day there. Any hotel on the map linked on my last post is fine for the coach & rail stations, the city centre, the old-town sights, & the cruise terminals.  Some are walkable, and anywhere on that map  to anywhere else on that map is less than a £10 taxi ride.

 

Finally there's still the option of taking the Int Friends Stonehenge-only tour/transfer to join the ship on the Saturday from LHR or central London. Not such good value & you miss Salisbury & Windsor, but it means that post-cruise you could go straight from ship to central London (Nat Express at £5+ pp or train at £44 pp or private transfer about £120 the car or even ship's over-priced transfer) giving you that extra half-day or more in London.

 

Various options.

Even more if you skipped Stonehenge.

All have their pros & cons.

So brew a big pot of coffee, sharpen a pencil, open up a huge spreadsheet and a box of headache pills and figure which is best for you.

And don't open the whiskey until after you've decided. 

 

BTW hand-luggage only won't make a big difference except much easier for using the tube from LHR into London.

Unlikely to save you time at the airport - luggage is usually on the carousel by the time you've cleared immigration.

 

JB 

 

 

[styme123]

5 hours ago, John Bull said:

 

Aha, that makes a big difference 

Post-cruise use the Int Friends tour/transfer from ship to Salisbury (only a brief stop, at the cathedral), Stonehenge (about 90 minutes), Windsor (up to 2 hours) to central London hotel. IMHO it achieves a lot and is good value.

Buy your admissions to Stonehenge with your tour/transfer tickets (same advantage as the Stonehenge ho-ho, no delay in admission)

You then have what's left of that evening plus the full day & evening on friday in London, mebbe even a big chunk of the saturday if you take the evening flight (hotel will hold your bags for you after check-out).

 

It also frees-up your pre-cruise time - you could either lodge at LHR & take the tube into London for a quick recce, or stay at a hotel in London Victoria and take the Nat Express coach to Southampton from there.

Or (my advice) skip London pre-cruise & take the Nat Express coach from LHR to Southampton & spend the rest of the day there. Any hotel on the map linked on my last post is fine for the coach & rail stations, the city centre, the old-town sights, & the cruise terminals.  Some are walkable, and anywhere on that map  to anywhere else on that map is less than a £10 taxi ride.

 

Finally there's still the option of taking the Int Friends Stonehenge-only tour/transfer to join the ship on the Saturday from LHR or central London. Not such good value & you miss Salisbury & Windsor, but it means that post-cruise you could go straight from ship to central London (Nat Express at £5+ pp or train at £44 pp or private transfer about £120 the car or even ship's over-priced transfer) giving you that extra half-day or more in London.

 

Various options.

Even more if you skipped Stonehenge.

All have their pros & cons.

So brew a big pot of coffee, sharpen a pencil, open up a huge spreadsheet and a box of headache pills and figure which is best for you.

And don't open the whiskey until after you've decided. 

 

BTW hand-luggage only won't make a big difference except much easier for using the tube from LHR into London.

Unlikely to save you time at the airport - luggage is usually on the carousel by the time you've cleared immigration.

 

JB 

 

 

What do you think about flying out of Gatwick vs LHR and doing the different options? Is LHR more centrally located for getting in and out of London than Gatwick? Some said the Gatwick airport was less busy so not as much time in lines etc.

[styme123]

6 hours ago, Bob++ said:

Choose a hotel near the cruise port like the Holiday Inn or the Grand Harbour, which are a 20 minute walk to the station and close to the dock gate. 

 

https://goo.gl/maps/UNpfHwKTiLx76WWi9

 

Edit - You don't have to walk all the way round the loop as shown on the map - you can cut through a car park and cross West Quay Rd at the traffic lights.

 

Thank you for your reply😊

[John Bull]

2 hours ago, styme123 said:

What do you think about flying out of Gatwick vs LHR and doing the different options? Is LHR more centrally located for getting in and out of London than Gatwick? Some said the Gatwick airport was less busy so not as much time in lines etc.

 

 

Gatwick is smaller and quieter than LHR, but like all major airports it's still a bit of a zoo.

Public transport to Southampton from Heathrow is only by direct bus (by train is complicated) whereas from Gatwick it's by direct train (except sundays) or direct bus, but Gatwick is a little further & takes about 30 minutes longer.

Transportation from both airports into London is good. 

 

But the pros & cons of the two airports are quite trivial - best to choose by airfare, most convenient departure airport, preferred airline and preferred flight timings. And you'll end up at whichever airport that means.

 

JB 

Edited November 25, 2019 by John Bull

[styme123]

1 hour ago, John Bull said:

But the pros & cons of the two airports are quite trivial - best to choose by airfare, most convenient departure airport, preferred airline and preferred flight timings. And you'll end up at whichever airport that means.

Good point. Flight times and price are similar so that's why I was thinking to ask if one was better than the other.

[John Bull]

9 hours ago, styme123 said:

Good point. Flight times and price are similar so that's why I was thinking to ask if one was better than the other.

 

A matter of opinion, but IMHO in your circumstances Heathrow is marginally better.

A little quicker & cheaper from Southampton, and (encumbered with only hand luggage) cheaper into central London by tube.

And with the option of the Int Friends' tour/transfers from or to the airport - you can put off that decision until after you've booked air..

But to repeat, the differences are marginal - and airfares to Gatwick are usually cheaper.

 

JB 

[styme123]

13 hours ago, John Bull said:

 

A matter of opinion, but IMHO in your circumstances Heathrow is marginally better.

A little quicker & cheaper from Southampton, and (encumbered with only hand luggage) cheaper into central London by tube.

And with the option of the Int Friends' tour/transfers from or to the airport - you can put off that decision until after you've booked air..

But to repeat, the differences are marginal - and airfares to Gatwick are usually cheaper.

 

JB 

Thank you for your feedback. 😊

[scottbee]

On 11/25/2019 at 4:08 AM, John Bull said:

 

A matter of opinion, but IMHO in your circumstances Heathrow is marginally better.

A little quicker & cheaper from Southampton, and (encumbered with only hand luggage) cheaper into central London by tube.

And with the option of the Int Friends' tour/transfers from or to the airport - you can put off that decision until after you've booked air..

But to repeat, the differences are marginal - and airfares to Gatwick are usually cheaper.

 

 

I'm not sure I'd give the nod to Heathrow here.  The train to Gatwick takes 2hrs, the same as the coach to Heathrow, and I've bought tickets on multiple occasions for 10GBP (or less).

 

As for London, Gatwick has pretty decent connections into London.  while it's 6GBP by tube from Heathrow to zone 1 (Central London) cheap but slow;  it's only 12 IIRC from Gatwick to Zone 1 using ThamesLink or Southern (no need for the expensive Gatwick Express), and the Thameslink trains are frequent and fast (35m)

 

From Southampton, there's also the oft-overlooked BHX/Birmingham airport, which is much further away, but only 15m further than LGW or LHR as there's pretty fast direct rail on the CrossCountry route.

 

Lastly, you can avoid the 2h transfer to a London Airport, and simply fly home from Southampton/SOU via AMS,CDG or DUB