Question - Southampton Airport & Customs Timing

So we are sailing on the IOS on Jly 7th returning July 15th.

Working on flights to Nuremberg. I have found Flight leaving form Southampton Airport, but it leaves at 10:20 am. IS it even possible to make that flight? Would we have to self disembark?

If we do self disembark do we have to go through Customs?

If so are their long lines for NON British citizens? Also is there lots of walking to get off or standing?

I know it depends on what level of the ship disembarking takes place on some of the ships you had to walk down a ramps from desk 4 and we had one it was deck 2 so a really easy walk.

Basically want to know if we could make the 10:20 am flight or figure out something else.

Hi Kristy,

A 10.20am flight from Southampton airport (SOU) should be no problem.

But I'm not aware of any airline that offers a direct flight to Nuremburg (NUE) - are you planning to go via Paris CDG? Or Dusseldorf? Or is there a flight I'm not aware of?

Indy normally arrives in Southampton at daft o'clock in the morning while the passengers are still in the land of nod, unassisted disembarkation starts from about 7am & the first of the staggered regular disembarkations about 7.30.

Certainly for the unassisted and the first few regular assisted disembarkation slots there's no lines, later it depends if there are any snags because they have a knock-on effect - but it's usually reasonably quick. Immigration is usually cursory (you've all sailed out of Southampton & they have the manifest), and you won't even know that you've been past customs unless your collar is felt. I'd be surprised if cabin to terminal entrance took more than 15 minutes for early starters.

Usually plenty of taxis to start with, sometimes a line for them later on but most journeys are short and taxis join the back of the line almost as fast as they leave the front. To Southampton airport is around £20 or you can save a few pounds & be assured of a car if you pre-book eg with www.westquaycars.com

Southampton airport is about 8 miles - 20 minutes, but allow for 30. There's only one terminal, and it's quite small and customer-friendly - it's not a major airport.

Latest check-in for most flights (but check your carrier's website) is around 45 minutes before the flight, no huge lines at security and no long walks to the departure gate.

All very civilised :cool:

So with unassisted disembarkation theoretically you could be at the airport with almost two hours in hand.

But I'm intrigued which air carrier? :confused:

JB :)

Hi Kristy,

Immigration is usually cursory (you've all sailed out of Southampton & they have the manifest),

 

JB :)

Oooops.:o

That's an assumption, because most sailings out of Southampton are round-trips.

But if for example you're on a trans-Atlantic re-positioning cruise I don't know how quick the immigration process - someone else may be able to help.

JB :)

Thanks for all the great info.

Yes the cruise starts and ends in Southampton.

So I guess that means it will be cursory look through Immigration. :p

Not total sure on airlines TA said Operated by British Midland Regional (it looks like a Lufthansa flight, when I check the website) and it goes Southampton to Munich and then Operated by LUFTHANSA CITYLINE GMBH from Munich to Nuremberg. we would arrive in Nuremberg at 3:50pm .

Our other choice is

Southampton to Amsterdam 0520P OPERATED BY /KLM CITYHOPPER

then Amsterdam to Nuremberg getting in at 1030P

Like the earlier flight because time to maybe see something and have a nice dinner.

Any recommendation? We are staying in the old city center at Hotel Victoria

Or open to better options to get to Nuremberg thought train, but did not see an easy way.

Husband has limited walking so thought plan would be easier. But we have done trains in Germany before and loved them

You could go all the way by train, but with several changes, including crossing London, I doubt Husband could cope - I certainly couldn't.

Munich to Nuremberg is straightforward and there is a fast train. You would have to taxi from Munich Airport to the station, but Munich Airport is quite a way from the City, so it's six of one...

Not total sure on airlines TA said Operated by British Midland Regional (it looks like a Lufthansa flight, when I check the website) and it goes Southampton to Munich and then Operated by LUFTHANSA CITYLINE GMBH from Munich to Nuremberg. we would arrive in Nuremberg at 3:50pm.

Munich to Nuremberg is also indeed operated by Cityline, but that is a subsidiary of Lufthansa.

Given the choice between flying to Nuremberg and getting the train from the airport to the city centre, or flying to Munich, transferring by train to the main station in Munich and then getting a train to Nuremberg, flying to Nuremberg is definitely easier. The train from Nuremberg airport to city centre is very quick and easy, and in fact you wouldn't have to go to the main station in Nuremberg if there is another metro station that's closer to your hotel (although it looks like your chosen hotel is almost directly across the main road from the Hauptbahnhof).

However, if your husband only has limited walking, then you probably ought to work out quite carefully what you're going to do, and how. As you probably know, Nuremberg is quite a hilly city, particularly north of the river going up towards the castle, and getting around inside the old city walls may pose some challenges.

Thanks for all the info. Yes we are planning Nuremberg with Husbands walking limits in mind.

You have been a big help.

There is also a direct flight from Stanstead @19.30, or Manchester @12.50.

Not sure how easy to get to those airports. Flight from Manchester is priced from £16.99

There is also a direct flight from Stanstead @19.30, or Manchester @12.50.

Not sure how easy to get to those airports. Flight from Manchester is priced from £16.99

Evil, truly evil. ;)

Manchester is an expensive 4.5 hr slog by train, and the OP wouldn't make that flight

I had wondered why the OP wasn't flying from a London airport, so I checked

- there are no flights from Heathrow or Gatwick.

- or even Luton.

Just Ryanair from Stansted, and that's way out the other side of London - 2 or 3 train changes via central London or a complicated mix of coach & trains. And a late arrival in Nuremburg.

To paraphrase what an Irish friend once said to me - the easiest way to get to Nuremburg is not to start at Southampton. ;)

JB :)

There is also a direct flight from Stanstead @19.30, or Manchester @12.50.

Not sure how easy to get to those airports.

If Southampton airport really doesn't work for the OP for some reason, there are plenty of connecting itineraries from Heathrow. That would be your next best bet. In comparison, an evening flight from Stansted is faintly ridiculous; and the idea of starting in Southampton and going to Manchester in order to fly to Nuremberg is simply ridiculous.

As the OP, we are looking at options to get to Nuremberg. I current like the option to fly out of Southampton because I thought it would be easy to a catch a flight. I know we will end up with a connecting flight and not direct even the London options are not direct and cost more plus the cost to get back to London. (got to pinch pennies where one can ;p)

2 options from Southampton are:

1) 10:20 am flight to Munich with a connection to Nuremberg and also not have to pay to get back to London at the end of the cruise.

2) 5:20p flight out of Southampton with a connection to Nuremberg via Amsterdam.

Both my TA and myself where researching if it was possible to catch the 10:20 flight, since Royal normally seems to say no flights before 12:30.

I think most question I originally asked have been answered except for if you self disembark are there a lot of ramps to have to walk down? Or what deck is disembarkation from on IOS at Southampton?

Or I guess we could get off the ship in LeHavre and fly out of Paris.

Any ides appreciated or opinions.

 

Both my TA and myself where researching if it was possible to catch the 10:20 flight, since Royal normally seems to say no flights before 12:30.

 

 

Or I guess we could get off the ship in LeHavre and fly out of Paris.

 

Any ides appreciated or opinions.

Trust JB on this ;) :

RCI is referring to their airport transfer buses to Heathrow and Gatwick. All cruise lines set the bar for their transfer buses at 12.30 or 1pm flights from LHR or LGW.

But that's for ship's transfer buses & a distance of about 60 miles / 90 minutes plus.

Southampton airport is under 8 miles, a 20 minute taxi ride from the ship.

Absolutely no problem making a 10.20 am flight :)

A good few folk do jump-ship in Le Havre. Usually to spend post-cruise time in Paris & fly home from there, but also worth considering in your circumstances.

You need permission from the cruise line, but I've never heard of it being refused for Le Havre, which has the immigration / customs requirements for disembarkation.

Paris' airports are 2 to 3 hours from Le Havre by bus, train or private transfer.

JB :)