britannia repositioning cruise

[joe grumble]

can anyone who is on the october 22nd cruise from southampton to barbados 14 night cruise please put my mind at rest.

we were told that the return flight is into birmingham airport but our travel agent hasnt stated wether the coaches will take you back to southampton

BEFORE or AFTER the cruise. we need to know so we can book the car into either the airport or southampton cruise port.

we will be staying in bristol just before the cruise so we need to know and quick. its not long til we go.

tried to contact the travel agent but q's on the phone are very long and P&O dont relly say anything on their site.

also we cannot print off our e-tickets even though an email from the travel agent says we can.

 

[Shipsareus]

Well that is a dilemma. We are not on this cruise ( we are on the 6th November) 

i wonder if you could go on the coach to Southampton, is it then feasible to get a coach/train/taxi back from the airport. 
it seems that P&O are very busy !

[BrianI]

The normal arrangement in the past is that you would park at Birmingham (or arrive by other means) and then take the free coach to Southampton. 
However we are not in normal times so you need to get definite information from P&O.

 

Brian

[joe grumble]

we will be in our car in bristol but we need to know, do we drive up to the airport for the coach to southampton, leave our car at the airport for the return flight then drive home to leeds OR do we have to drive to southampton and leave the car there. so when we get back the coach takes us back to southampton for the car to drive all the way back up to leeds. HELP.

[joe grumble]

thanks Brian, trying to get info from P&O but to no avail.

[joe grumble]

does anybody else booked on this cruise have the same dilemma. if so have you sorted it out.

the last email i got from the Travel agent said to meet the P&O reps by the baggage claim which sort of tells me we have got off a flight and to meet them for the coaches.

 

[PJ's]

The last transatlantic we did on Azura was back to Southampton from Barbados. We flew from Manchester to embark the cruise in Barbados and parked our car at Manchester airport. After our wonderful cruise around the Caribbean we sailed to Southampton and then boarded the coaches back to Manchester airport in order to collect our car and drive home. Good service.

[Guest ccpm]

52 minutes ago, PJ's said:

The last transatlantic we did on Azura was back to Southampton from Barbados. We flew from Manchester to embark the cruise in Barbados and parked our car at Manchester airport. After our wonderful cruise around the Caribbean we sailed to Southampton and then boarded the coaches back to Manchester airport in order to collect our car and drive home. Good service.

I've done a few of these and this is the way round it was every time. Park at airport and return to Southampton where you get a free coach back to your airport

[BrianI]

55 minutes ago, PJ's said:

The last transatlantic we did on Azura was back to Southampton from Barbados. We flew from Manchester to embark the cruise in Barbados and parked our car at Manchester airport. After our wonderful cruise around the Caribbean we sailed to Southampton and then boarded the coaches back to Manchester airport in order to collect our car and drive home. Good service.

Yes but the OP is doing it the opposite way round in the autumn. Sailing out and flying back. Yours is the springtime repositioning flying out and sailing back

Brian

[crimson moon]

We are booked on Arvia's maiden transatlantic in January 2023. We sail from Southampton and fly back into Birmingham. We are booked on a pre cruise coach transfer from Birmingham to Southampton. 

 

 

 

[joe grumble]

thanks crimson moon, it looks like its coach from birmingham airport to southampton. when we arrive back its straight in the car and home. hopefully.

[BrianI]

26 minutes ago, joe grumble said:

thanks crimson moon, it looks like its coach from birmingham airport to southampton. when we arrive back its straight in the car and home. hopefully.

Be aware that you will arrive back around 5-6am in the early hours. After an overnight flight you will be very tired and it is very easy to doze off when driving. Take regular breaks.

Brian

[Bazrat]

We are on that cruise but staying the extra night and our flights was changed from Birmingham to Manchester, what was your original airport choice and you cannot print anything off till 14 days before.

there is a special group set up on another site ( fxxxbxxx) with more information from people actually going on that cruise called Britannia transatlantic October 

[joe grumble]

hi Bazrat, when we booked the Travel agent said birmingham airport. they have sent us an email saying tickets are available to print. we will be in bristol for 3 days before the cruise. it would have been easier to drive straight to southampton than birmingham. we generally book flights and cruises etc seperate before covid started, now we felt it would be easier through an agent but its proving to be more stressful.

no proper information is given by either them or the cruise company.

[GOQ]

For me the simplest solution while flying out of Gatwick and sailing back to Southampton on a  transatlantic cruise I have booked  is to take the train to Gatwick and the train back from Southampton.

[GOQ]

I am fairly sure in the outbound direction the Rail "Cross Country service" goes from "up North - possibly Birmingham " directly to  Southampton and if instead of Birmingham you were flying into Gatwick, take a train from Gatwick then change at Reading  back in the Birmingham direction.

I just membered the route is Southampton to Manchester via Birmingham. 

Edited September 25, 2021 by GOQ

[Roger88]

1 hour ago, GOQ said:

For me the simplest solution while flying out of Gatwick and sailing back to Southampton on a  transatlantic cruise I have booked  is to take the train to Gatwick and the train back from Southampton.

i have always enjoed  taking various types of transport while traveling. I brings me peace in a way. And it doesnt really matter how far all these points of destination are as long as I fell being on the way 

[GOQ]

I do have thoughts about trying to squeeze another cruise in this autumn. One of the two cruises on my sort list are this repositioning cruise on Britannia in October. I have just done a search on the P&O web site and it seems as a solo traveller  the potential choice is:

 

(The base line is two sharing a double inside cabin per person is £999)

 

And the variances are:

Inside = £1599

Single Balcony = £2000

Standard Balcony = £1999

Fully obstructed = £1917

 

Arrgh so confusing. Still a very good bargain and I am very tempted. 

 

 

 

[Bazrat]

7 hours ago, joe grumble said:

hi Bazrat, when we booked the Travel agent said birmingham airport. they have sent us an email saying tickets are available to print. we will be in bristol for 3 days before the cruise. it would have been easier to drive straight to southampton than birmingham. we generally book flights and cruises etc seperate before covid started, now we felt it would be easier through an agent but its proving to be more stressful.

no proper information is given by either them or the cruise company.

Hi for the cruise we have not been informed we can print ours yet but that’s not to say you cannot, as for the flights ours is the 15 night cruise so don’t really know about the 14 nights flights

[Bazrat]

31 minutes ago, GOQ said:

I do have thoughts about trying to squeeze another cruise in this autumn. One of the two cruises on my sort list are this repositioning cruise on Britannia in October. I have just done a search on the P&O web site and it seems as a solo traveller  the potential choice is:

 

(The base line is two sharing a double inside cabin per person is £999)

 

And the variances are:

Inside = £1599

Single Balcony = £2000

Standard Balcony = £1999

Fully obstructed = £1917

 

Arrgh so confusing. Still a very good bargain and I am very tempted. 

 

 

 

I am surprised they are still selling so must be releasing more cabins than

[davecttr]

5 hours ago, GOQ said:

I do have thoughts about trying to squeeze another cruise in this autumn. One of the two cruises on my sort list are this repositioning cruise on Britannia in October. I have just done a search on the P&O web site and it seems as a solo traveller  the potential choice is:

 

(The base line is two sharing a double inside cabin per person is £999)

 

And the variances are:

Inside = £1599

Single Balcony = £2000

Standard Balcony = £1999

Fully obstructed = £1917

 

Arrgh so confusing. Still a very good bargain and I am very tempted. 

 

 

 

The single balconies are all on the Lido deck 16 forward Starboard side so you would know the cabin location. A normal balcony is bigger and only £1 more expensive so it might depend on where the cabin was located.

[wowzz]

6 minutes ago, davecttr said:

The single balconies are all on the Lido deck 16 forward Starboard side so you would know the cabin location. A normal balcony is bigger and only £1 more expensive so it might depend on where the cabin was located.

Starboard side balconies will not get any sun on the trip down to the Caribbean! 

[Son of Anarchy]

On 9/25/2021 at 11:37 PM, wowzz said:

Starboard side balconies will not get any sun on the trip down to the Caribbean! 

Save £400 and go for an inside.  Maximise the sun out on the open decks.

 

We've done 3 TAs in inside cabins, came home with a sun tan each time.

[davecttr]

1 hour ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Save £400 and go for an inside.  Maximise the sun out on the open decks.

 

We've done 3 TAs in inside cabins, came home with a sun tan each time.

I would prefer the non sunny side as about 15 mins is enough sun for me.. Not when i am walking about of course.

[PCM123]

We’re booked on this cruise and still in the same situation as yourself. It’s our first cruise and don’t really know what we need to do regarding parking, bus transfer, hotel before leaving Manchester and timing for everything.