Portsmouth instead of Southampton?

[jonthomas]

A cruise I am interested in, has changed arrival ports from Southampton to Portsmouth. Has anyone done the transfer from Heathrow to Portsmouth?

 

Would not want to do a private car. Train or Bus? 

 

It is further than to get to Southampton. Too bad they did the switch. If it is too complicated I may lose interest in the cruise.

[pinotlover]

They aren’t far apart at all, with Portsmouth being a bit further out.

 

My larger question would be the reason of the switch. Berthing rights are normally established on seniority basis with the lines. Oceania is still a relatively young cruise line, and I’ve been on cruises where this has happened before.

 

The question becomes then, which and more importantly what size ships are you being bounced for? If a few behemoths are coming in with 000s each, you had better work out transportation early. A check of the Southampton port schedule should give you the information.

[oskidunker]

Its been Portsmouth for months. 

[LHT28]

Train or bus  but will have a connection or 2  depending on the time you choose

National Express bus

 

[navelgunner]

I used to go to Portsmouth frequently on business, flying from Canada to Heathrow, and then making my way by train.

First, there is no direct train from Heathrow to Portsmouth.  My option when travelling was to take the Heathrow Express to Paddington, then take the tube to Waterloo Station and the Southern Railways train to Portsmouth.  Not optimal when dragging luggage after a trans-Atlantic overnight flight.

There may be more modern options - i saw one routing which suggested the bus to Woking, and then catch the train to Portsmouth.  If you’re not familiar with the area this could  cause a little bit of arrival time anxiety.

 

I finally gave in and did the mini-cab experience with a car and driver to meet me.  Overall, it was not that much more expensive and removed the worry factor.



 

[marieps]

National Express is listing several departures but they take well over three hours, as there are changes involved.  Only 13 quid each.  You could also cab to Southampton and take the bus direct from there.

[LHT28]

Bus  from LHR to Southampton  & train to Portsmouth or the bus

 

 I would opt for  a private car service  I know  I will be jet lagged

[jonthomas]

and would stay in hotel one night in Portsmouth...so taxi to ship from hotel...

 

ah...we really loved southampton, would walk to the ship from the hotel...very easy....

 

now complicated, like everything else...

 

thank  you everyone....

[jonthomas]

I also did not notice that it ends in Barcelona but O cant get the ship in there so they have substituted Tarragona ...200 miles south....unless O will provide transportation ...this itinerary has become too complex. Too bad, its a good one. 

 

in case anyone wants to see the itin it is Sept 17,  to Sept 29, 2023, London to Bar, 12 days on the Marina....

[LHT28]

32 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

 Tarragona ...200 miles south...

maybe less  more like 95 KM or 60 miles

[jonthomas]

in any case, just too complex an undertaking for us...

 

seems this itinerary may go on sale if others find it also problematic....

[1985rz1]

2 hours ago, jonthomas said:

I also did not notice that it ends in Barcelona but O cant get the ship in there so they have substituted Tarragona ...200 miles south....unless O will provide transportation ...this itinerary has become too complex. Too bad, its a good one. 

 

in case anyone wants to see the itin it is Sept 17,  to Sept 29, 2023, London to Bar, 12 days on the Marina....

Looking at last year's 2023 Collection of Voyages catalogue (the big book), it was listed as "Barcelona (Tarragona), Spain."  So it's not new.  Did you just miss it?

[jonthomas]

yes I must have missed it...many others may do the same...the stuff in brackets has become very important to me now...will not make that mistake again....

 

unless O provides transportation to Barcelona, many may feel like we do and opt to skip this itinerary...too bad really, it goes to some wonderful places, places we have not been to...

[1985rz1]

1 hour ago, jonthomas said:

yes I must have missed it...many others may do the same...the stuff in brackets has become very important to me now...will not make that mistake again....

 

unless O provides transportation to Barcelona, many may feel like we do and opt to skip this itinerary...too bad really, it goes to some wonderful places, places we have not been to...

Have you looked at the September 26 to October 10, 2023 Riviera Amsterdam to Barcelona cruise?  It's a bit later and 2 days longer but has a similar itinerary which overlaps several of the ports on the Marina cruise?  That one has no brackets for Barcelona 😉.

Edited August 23, 2022 by 1985rz1

[ToxM]

Portsmouth is not that far from Southampton, if arriving at Heathrow, I would be taking a prebooked car if I were you anyway, you are going to be tired and lugging bags on public transport is never fun. 

 

 

[oskidunker]

2 hours ago, ToxM said:

Portsmouth is not that far from Southampton, if arriving at Heathrow, I would be taking a prebooked car if I were you anyway, you are going to be tired and lugging bags on public transport is never fun. 

 

 

Roman Bath private hire is the best price. $162.00 each way. I would think if you are booking Oceania you could afford it. Not trying to tell you what to do. As a Princess Cruiser used to,paying about 40% less for the cruise I just thought people here have a lot of disposable income. MaybeI am out of line. If so, sorry.

[ToxM]

47 minutes ago, oskidunker said:

Roman Bath private hire is the best price. $162.00 each way. I would think if you are booking Oceania you could afford it. Not trying to tell you what to do. As a Princess Cruiser used to,paying about 40% less for the cruise I just thought people here have a lot of disposable income. MaybeI am out of line. If so, sorry.

I don’t even think it is down to disposable income…if I was lucky enough to be embarking from Portsmouth or Southamptn, I’d have a relative drive me or get a car parking space as I am just an hour or so from the port. When I travel to a different country I’d absolutely not be using public transport with bags etc. I just don’t need that hassle after a flight and to make sure I get a good start on my trip. 

 

Be comfortable, unstressed and safe, it’s worth it 🙂

[ORV]

3 hours ago, oskidunker said:

Roman Bath private hire is the best price. $162.00 each way. I would think if you are booking Oceania you could afford it. Not trying to tell you what to do. As a Princess Cruiser used to,paying about 40% less for the cruise I just thought people here have a lot of disposable income. MaybeI am out of line. If so, sorry.

It's more a matter of choosing where to be frugal, and where to not worry about how much you're spending. Just because a person might have a bit of disposable income doesn't mean they don't like getting a good deal. That being said, I'll not be taking the bus from LHR to the cruise port. I do take trains, buses, subways etc on our travels, usually not on embarkation day, but during the port days. I've been to some great places that way. 

[hawkesbaynz]

There is not much distance between Southampton & Portsmouth. I have never taken a cruise from Portsmouth but sail yachts occasionally from there. It is about 30 minutes East from here. Southampton cruise port is 20 minutes West from here. Likely an extra 15 minutes in a taxi coming down the M3 as Portsmouth closer off the M27. I would take a taxi. Public transport is not well served from Heathrow but is from London if sojourning there.

 

Portsmouth could be an okay 2 nighter. Stay in hotel at Gunwharf Quay (shopping centre with restaurants). Visit the  Victory and naval docks. Walk on Southsea Common and try some old pubs. Perhaps even a hovercraft/ferry to Isle of Wight. 
 

If I had a couple of days pre-Southampton cruise I would stay in Winchester. Fabulous medieval city with amazing pubs. Impressive cathedral too. Only 20 minutes by train or 30 minutes taxi to port. 

[jonthomas]

On 8/23/2022 at 9:45 AM, oskidunker said:

Roman Bath private hire is the best price. $162.00 each way. I would think if you are booking Oceania you could afford it. Not trying to tell you what to do. As a Princess Cruiser used to,paying about 40% less for the cruise I just thought people here have a lot of disposable income. MaybeI am out of line. If so, sorry.

 

left this one to respond to others at the time but here it is now...

 

being able to afford in my case is about making what I spend more important than what I earn...in fact that is how the average person becomes a person of means...the spending is what gets many in a very debt like situation...very difficult to climb out of...

 

the other point is that , sailing with O is less expensive than sailing in a suite on Celeb....but you dont have to put up with kids or with all the activities that we do not value...a suite on Celeb segregates you from those in "steerage". I dont value that segregation. In fact when they started to build a wall in the dining room, I knew that was the end of cruising with Celeb.

[BklynBorn47]

On 8/23/2022 at 6:17 PM, hawkesbaynz said:

Portsmouth could be an okay 2 nighter. Stay in hotel at Gunwharf Quay (shopping centre with restaurants). Visit the  Victory and naval docks. Walk on Southsea Common and try some old pubs. Perhaps even a hovercraft/ferry to Isle of Wight. 

Thank you for this info.  We visited Southampton (Star Hotel) before boarding the NCL Star in May.  We will be overnight in Portsmouth on Oceania in 2023.  I’m following my Dad’s WWII diary and his ship was there in July 1945 carrying President Truman to meet with King George after the Potsdam Conference.

RE transportation from Heathrow.  Our taxi was 125 pounds and took about an hour.  Can’t imagine the time involved in public transit, but we are over 75 so that makes a difference.

Edited August 28, 2022 by BklynBorn47