Princess post cruise Stonehedge excursion from Southhampton and then to Heathrow

[Moxiefurball]

Was wondering if anyone out there would know.  Our flight leaves Heathrow at 4:55 Pm and the princess site lists the excursion after the cruise as being from 8 am to 2 :15 Pm.  It says for flights after 4 pm so my question is this. Is 2:15 pm the drop off time at Heathrow? 

[nini]

Our flight from LHR departs at 4:15 pm. We will be docking in Southampton as well. This is just too close for comfort for us, as much as we would like to visit Stonehenge someday.

[Thrak]

We did this in 2019 with a 4:35 flight. It was a great way to get from Southampton to Heathrow and they took care of the luggage. We visited Stonehenge on Halloween. We were in plenty of time for our flight. I don't think Princess would sell you this excursion if they weren't sure the flight would work.

[Rick&Jeannie]

26 minutes ago, Thrak said:

. I don't think Princess would sell you this excursion if they weren't sure the flight would work.

Agreed!  Also...if anyone is interested in doing this "non-Princess" check out International Friends website.  It's been a couple of years since we did this with them but they were great to deal with.

 

https://www.internationalfriends.co.uk/

[bjkTX]

We did Stonehenge on a regular tour in October as part of our British Isles cruise - and while I wasn't too excited about going I ended up really enjoying it - so I hope you get to go.  Timing at Heathrow scares me - and frankly after that last cruise I can't ever imagine going to Heathrow again.  I have looked at some other cruises I would like to do but they all involve Southampton - and unless I can find an alternate way to get there those cruises won't get booked.   It was terrible.  Lines in one area that led to more lines in another area so that you could get in another line.  Trying to get through passport control took 2 hours alone.  I'm sure it varies depending on the time of day and how many flights there are - but if you think you are cutting it close - it's probably too close!

[texasgirl29]

2 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Agreed!  Also...if anyone is interested in doing this "non-Princess" check out International Friends website.  It's been a couple of years since we did this with them but they were great to deal with.

 

https://www.internationalfriends.co.uk/

We used International Friends also and would recommend it, but with the chaos that is Heathrow these days, I wouldn't chance it. Frankly, IMHO, Stonehenge is a one and done site.

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, bjkTX said:

We did Stonehenge on a regular tour in October as part of our British Isles cruise - and while I wasn't too excited about going I ended up really enjoying it - so I hope you get to go.  Timing at Heathrow scares me - and frankly after that last cruise I can't ever imagine going to Heathrow again.  I have looked at some other cruises I would like to do but they all involve Southampton - and unless I can find an alternate way to get there those cruises won't get booked.   It was terrible.  Lines in one area that led to more lines in another area so that you could get in another line.  Trying to get through passport control took 2 hours alone.  I'm sure it varies depending on the time of day and how many flights there are - but if you think you are cutting it close - it's probably too close!

 

Our experiences haven't been as bad,  but LHR is still one of those airports where I like to leave extra time.  It is good to know that if you are an American citizen you can use the eGates which might save some time going through passport control.  But really, unless I'm totally missing something, that shouldn't be an issue for a flight home after the cruise.    

[BobAnne]

Does anyone know what Terminal at Heathrow you get dropped off at with this tour? Our airline has posted that they are departing from T2 but I’m worried that is not where we will be dropped.

[beg3yrs]

We took the Windsor Castle debark tour a couple of years ago. IIRC the bus drops you off right in front of your terminal. They load the bags on the bus according to terminal so it was quite efficient. Going from Windsor to LHR was quick as they're close to each other. I'd worry more about delays if I was coming from Stonehenge.

 

I too would be a bit worried about LHR as going through security was a nightmare last November. That said, we went through security as we were changing terminals from BA in terminal 5 to AA in terminal 3 and there was no facility for expedited screening there. Waited ninety minutes to get through. Good thing we had a three hour layover. It almost wasn't enough.

[msmoger]

20 minutes ago, BobAnne said:

Does anyone know what Terminal at Heathrow you get dropped off at with this tour? Our airline has posted that they are departing from T2 but I’m worried that is not where we will be dropped.

 

They will make stops at all of the terminals needed by the passengers on the bus.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, BobAnne said:

Does anyone know what Terminal at Heathrow you get dropped off at with this tour? Our airline has posted that they are departing from T2 but I’m worried that is not where we will be dropped.

We were going to do this in 2020, but of course the cruise was a no go.

 

We did something similar in 2014, Dover to Heathrow by way of Canterbury. They did drop off by every terminal that was needed by the passengers on the bus. We were about the last drop off, and I did worry a little as our flight time was just past Princess' deadline for being on the tour, but it turned out that I did not need to worry.

 

One thing I can say for sure is that this type of trip back to the airport makes it feel like you are still on your vacation, not the sad feeling of the cruise is over.

[shellbeachjim]

We did the Bombay Sapphire tour in August - very nice, and yes, with samples. Our flight wasn’t until the next morning, so we spent the night at the Hilton Garden Inn at Heathrow. The hotel is adjacent to Terminal 2, so the bus dropped us at the terminal, we grabbed a luggage cart, loaded it up, and walked through the parking garage to the hotel. We would do this again in the event we are flying through Heathrow again. 

[Moxiefurball]

So I guess my question would be if somehow Princess doesn’t get you to Heathrow in time after the Stonehedge tour , would they be liable to get you on a new flight ? 

[trinitygirl]

On 4/3/2023 at 5:58 AM, bjkTX said:

We did Stonehenge on a regular tour in October as part of our British Isles cruise - and while I wasn't too excited about going I ended up really enjoying it - so I hope you get to go.  Timing at Heathrow scares me - and frankly after that last cruise I can't ever imagine going to Heathrow again.  I have looked at some other cruises I would like to do but they all involve Southampton - and unless I can find an alternate way to get there those cruises won't get booked.   It was terrible.  Lines in one area that led to more lines in another area so that you could get in another line.  Trying to get through passport control took 2 hours alone.  I'm sure it varies depending on the time of day and how many flights there are - but if you think you are cutting it close - it's probably too close!

you are bringing back traumatic memories of my transit through Heathrow after a baltic cruise on the Regal Princess in 2019.  The Cruise was awesome; the flight out of Helsinki was delayed by an hour, and getting from the arrival terminal to terminal 5 (which from memory involved a bus, a train, and some really enormous escalators) and then through endless security queues staffed by some pretty unpleasant people to get to the BA flight was SO STRESSFUL.  I had allowed 3.5 hours and was counting on some shopping and a meal in the BA lounge but that was just laughably optimistic. I honestly thought I would miss the flight, but got to the gate as they were doing the last call.  It took hours after we took off for my blood pressure to normalise.  So stressful.  I am REALLY hoping that by October this year, things have settled back to just ordinarily busy.

[milolii]

@MoxiefurballDo your tickets include priority check in and security screening?  I didn’t recall a bag drop due to so many people, but there could be one. 

 

 We passed through last summer three times. The check in lines for passengers without priority was very long. 
 

I know LHR is installing new security scanners with regard to liquids, creams, paste, etc.  The outcome with these scanners is you don’t have to remove these items from your carryons.   I think currently this is at T3.  
 

The biggest hold up we saw was passengers who did not remove these products and place them in the clear  bags. One one occasion,  the agent removed these products and place them in a plastic bag and ran a test on them one by one.
 

The 2006 incident, uncovered by UK authorities, that led to the liquids rule involved plots (10 of them) to carry explosives in sodas from the UK to US airports. 
 

There was also a security staffing shortage, but we saw all lines open.  We used T2 for all our flights.  Passport control shouldn’t be an issue if you are flying out.  LHR doesn’t have US customs clearance for flights TO the US.  The previous posters’ remarks about numerous lines are correct. The impacts grow later in the day.  
 

Things could be better now.   Maybe ask on the port of call boards, numerous locals post there and can advise.  We plan to head straight to LHR after disembarking at Southampton in July.  

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/148-british-isleswestern-europe/

 

 

 

[SargassoPirate]

On 4/2/2023 at 1:12 PM, nini said:

Our flight from LHR departs at 4:15 pm. We will be docking in Southampton as well. This is just too close for comfort for us, as much as we would like to visit Stonehenge someday.

Take the stress out of it and stay overnight after the cruise at one of the Heathrow terminal hotels.  Then you can enjoy the post- cruise excursion to Stonehenge and get dropped off at Heathrow with no clock watching stress. Stay overnight and then you have a range of flight times the next day to choose from.

[LocoLoco1]

It will be a quite short peek with no time for anything else. Better than all day at the Airport

[ontheweb]

3 minutes ago, LocoLoco1 said:

It will be a quite short peek with no time for anything else. Better than all day at the Airport

I don't know how long one stays at Stonehenge on the excursion back to Heathrow as the one we were going to do never happened as the cruise was lost to Covid, but I can say when we did something similar walking around Dover and then spending time at Canterbury doing a Princess excursion from Dover to Heathrow, we had plenty of time before departing for the airport.

[LocoLoco1]

Be a shame to get home and say, I coulda visited STONEHENGE.. but didn’t. 

[nini]

5 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

Take the stress out of it and stay overnight after the cruise at one of the Heathrow terminal hotels.  Then you can enjoy the post- cruise excursion to Stonehenge and get dropped off at Heathrow with no clock watching stress. Stay overnight and then you have a range of flight times the next day to choose from.

 

I booked our flights basically on day one of availability, getting them at at least $2,000.00 less than they would have been now to re-book.

However, I appreciate your suggestion.

[nini]

3 hours ago, LocoLoco1 said:

Be a shame to get home and say, I coulda visited STONEHENGE.. but didn’t. 

 

This will be our second time to England and we plan on a another one in 2024, so that will present the opportunity again.

The reason for booking arrival at LHR just one day ahead of embarking and leaving the day of disembarking, was the nightmare we endured last May regarding covid testing. Never again.

[SargassoPirate]

13 minutes ago, nini said:

 

I booked our flights basically on day one of availability, getting them at at least $2,000.00 less than they would have been now to re-book.

However, I appreciate your suggestion.

I understand.  Since we retired, we tend to not get in a big hurry about most anything and have been scheduling extra time before and after cruises in the departing/arriving cities so that we don't feel rushed or stressed if there is a flight disruption.  We also started combining land tours with a cruise to get there or back.  

 

The gift of time sure helps and time is the most precious commodity. 

 

Safe travels.

[nini]

3 minutes ago, SargassoPirate said:

I understand.  Since we retired, we tend to not get in a big hurry about most anything and have been scheduling extra time before and after cruises in the departing/arriving cities so that we don't feel rushed or stressed if there is a flight disruption.  We also started combining land tours with a cruise to get there or back.  

 

The gift of time sure helps and time is the most precious commodity. 

 

Safe travels.

The reason for booking arrival at LHR just one day ahead of embarking and leaving the day of disembarking, was the nightmare we endured last May regarding covid testing. Never again.

 

[SargassoPirate]

48 minutes ago, nini said:

The reason for booking arrival at LHR just one day ahead of embarking and leaving the day of disembarking, was the nightmare we endured last May regarding covid testing. Never again.

 

Oh yeah.  I feel your pain there.  My only cruises since the restart have been from US ports and eventually I was able to get a test at the port, which helped travelers with the pre-cruise testing deadlines.

 

It's been an interesting three years and we can only hope some lessons have been learned.

[MJC]

We will have an excursion credit that can only be used on board. Does the Stonehenge/LHR excursion & transfer book up quickly? If we wait to book on board so we can use our credit, what is the likelihood it will be filled already? I know, we could book and pay for it to be sure, but I hate leaving money on the table. TYIA