Post cruise tour from Southampton to either Stonehenge or Windsor : are any possible without doing self assist?

[Kat in CA]

I am a solo senior woman who will be disembarking Anthem of the Seas in July of 2024. I want to do a group tour of either Stonehenge or Windsor with Heathrow drop off. I am not worried about what time we arrive at Heathrow because my flight is the next morning and I am staying at the in terminal Premier Inn.

 I have looked at options with both International Friends and the RCCL excursions and they are acceptable.

My hesitation: International Friends wants travelers to self disembark and walk own luggage off the ship. I am not sure how the RCCL excursions work. How difficult is self assist debarkation? Can one get an elevator? Is it crazy busy self assist in Southampton?

 I am also wondering about long lines at Windsor castle .. are the Stonehenge bus lines shorter?

[John Bull]

I'm a local so I've never used International Friends, but  couldn't see anything on 'their website about having to disembark unassisted. Were you perhaps mis-reading "Service also available to passengers on other ships not listed when dates and arrival times coincide with ships listed. Please note you will need to make your own way to the ship we are servicing on that date"

Plenty of Cruise Critic members have used International Friends - r perhaps one or two can advise. 

 

Certainly they don't want anyone to hold-up the coach.

If you have to use it, self-assist is available from about 30 minutes before any assisted passengers are called to disembark, so there's no crowding.

Yes, most certainly you can use the ship's elevators, and that's no problem - as long as you're not late, because you'd be mixing it with a lot of unencumbered cruisers.

I don't think City Cruise Terminal has elevators, but the walkway has a gentle slope down from the disembarkation point to the terminal - if you've got rolling luggage that's absolutely ideal.

 

There should be no line as such to enter Stonehenge - to avoid long lines by spreading the arrivals, those who make their own way there have to pre-book an arrival slot. Those who buy their tickets thro coach tours - including both International Friends and cruise lines - do not have that restriction, their tickets are "anytime".

There may be a line for the transport from the visitor centre to the stones, more especially saturdays & sundays. 

 

We've been to Windsor castle a couple of times, no line but I don't recall the time of day or the time of year, so no promises..

 

JB 🙂

[CruiserBruce]

The RCI excursions will not require you to carry your luggage off. They will have a set departure time, and your personal disembarking group will be tied to the ability to find your bags, go through whatever Immigration or Customs requirements, and meet your tour.

[karatemom2]

We have disembarked in Southampton the last two years. First year we did a transfer to Heathrow through the cruise ship. Even though we were on a tour and not disembarking with our luggage, we still had to collect our bags from the designated zone before proceeding to the bus. This last year we had a private transfer with a tour to Hampton Court Palace. We walked off with our luggage and in doing so had to proceed right past the zones where people were collecting their luggage that had been offloaded by the ship. 
 

So really, you end up picking your luggage up before departing the terminal no matter what. There are porters and carts to help if needed. The only difference with walk off is that you have to be able to maneuver your luggage off the ship. We just had one rolling bag each with a carryon so it wasn’t that difficult and it allows you to leave the ship quite early which provides more time for a tour. 

[Kat in CA]

Thank you for that information!  If your information is correct, the post cruise Southampton tours to Stonehenge or Windsor that are booked through the cruise line do NOT involve self assist debarkation. Luggage must still be claimed from the terminal and rolled to the bus. I am not concerned about that. My concern is that it would be too hard to get an elevator to self walk-off.

[phabric]

11 hours ago, Kat in CA said:

Thank you for that information!  If your information is correct, the post cruise Southampton tours to Stonehenge or Windsor that are booked through the cruise line do NOT involve self assist debarkation. Luggage must still be claimed from the terminal and rolled to the bus. I am not concerned about that. My concern is that it would be too hard to get an elevator to self walk-off.

You will get disembarkment information letter in your cabin a few days before disembarkment day.  You tick off at the bottom of page, “ Transfer with Princess excursion”.  The day before disembarkment day, you will receive luggage tags and it will tell you where meet..  Put your tags on your luggage and put outside your door the last night.  On disembarkment day, have breakfast, meet at your tags location.  Leave with the group when they call your colour tag.  Swipe your medallion to exit, find your luggage in the your coloured section. There will be porters if needed.  Leave the luggage area with your luggage and find the excursion bus.

[Kat in CA]

Thank you. I hope the Royal Caribbean procedure is similar to Princess. I am on Anthem of the Seas. I was wondering if those on ship excursions are issued a different luggage tag. 
Putting out luggage the night before? No problem.

Early start? No problem.

Claiming bag in terminal and getting it to bus? No problem.

 Navigating bags for self assist? I had a negative experience with crowds and no available elevators. Sound like the ship excursion might avoid this.

[phabric]

5 hours ago, Kat in CA said:

Thank you. I hope the Royal Caribbean procedure is similar to Princess. I am on Anthem of the Seas. I was wondering if those on ship excursions are issued a different luggage tag. 
Putting out luggage the night before? No problem.

Early start? No problem.

Claiming bag in terminal and getting it to bus? No problem.

 Navigating bags for self assist? I had a negative experience with crowds and no available elevators. Sound like the ship excursion might avoid this.

I have no knowledge of RC post excursion procedure. I have only done Princess post excursions.   I am sure RC post excursions are the same as Princess.  Self disembarkment (carry your own luggage off the ship) is for people wanting to get off early.  

I would book the post excursion in advance.  Once you are on board go to Shore Excursion desk and ask what their post excursion procedure is.  If you like what they tell you, keep the excursion or cancel it.

Edited February 27 by phabric

[Kat in CA]

Good idea.