Advice please, coach to Southampton!

Trying the coach for the first time to join ship (Ventura) on the 18th January. Using Cruise Connect from the West Midlands, any advice really welcome and also, what time do the coaches generally arrive at the port.

Thanks

Vicky

Hi...we have done the coach connect a few times both with Eavesway and Cruise Connect but from Lancashire. We prefer doing the coach connect rather than driving downb= and parking and is always our first choice if available. You are allowed 2 suitcases each which we find is more than adequate. Cases are loaded on the coach at pick up point and you don't see them again until they are delivered to your cabin.

Arrival at cruise terminal is usually about 14:00ish...sometimes a little earlier with Cruise connect as that is an earlier pick up time. You usually have a couple of short breaks and a longer break for lunch.

Trying the coach for the first time to join ship (Ventura) on the 18th January. Using Cruise Connect from the West Midlands, any advice really welcome and also, what time do the coaches generally arrive at the port.

 

 

 

Thanks

 

Vicky

Let us know how you get on, we live about 3 miles from the NEC and I've wondered about the coach in September, thanks and have a great trip :)

If you are catching the coach at Keele Services, note that the coaches arrive in the centre of the parking area where there is no shelter for waiting passengers.

Enjoy your holiday.

We have got the coach from near Sheffield twice with Cruise Connect. Absolutely no problem. You arrive relaxed. We had one 40 min stop on the way. We took 3 cases between us both times. I would recommend it.

If you are catching the coach at Keele Services, note that the coaches arrive in the centre of the parking area where there is no shelter for waiting passengers.

Enjoy your holiday.

We usually sit in Starbucks near to the window so that we can see the coach when it arrives. At the beginning of this month the coach was a Leons coaching out and Ellisons coming back, we left Keele at 10am and got to the docks at 3:30pm and the coach was in a queue of coaches all arriving at the same time which meant that we were boarding as the muster was being sounded and so had to rush to drop the hand luggage and grab the life vests.

We didn't get our luggage until after dinner because of our late arrival so we are now planning to drive down regardless of the time of year, in the past we have always taken the coach in December and January.

Ummmm so arrival times could be quite late! We haven't got the pick up time yet, or coach company. We are being picked up from the Hilton Park services near Junction on the M6, about 160 miles from the port. Oh! well it's going to be an experience, hopefully a good one.

Vicky

Ummmm so arrival times could be quite late! We haven't got the pick up time yet, or coach company. We are being picked up from the Hilton Park services near Junction on the M6, about 160 miles from the port. Oh! well it's going to be an experience, hopefully a good one.

Vicky

I am sure you will be OK, even if the coach journey isn't perfect it is such a small part of the holiday you will soon forget it with a great cruise. The coach that we were on this month started at Keele then picked up at Hilton Park and finally at the Crowne Plaza hotel near to the NEC. This was the first time for us that the coach had started at Keele or picked up at the NEC. We have noticed that the Hilton Park passengers are usually waiting outside or sitting in cars if they are being dropped off by friends / relatives so I don't know if the coaches can be seen from inside the building.

Unfortunately Intercruises do not tell you which coach company they are using so you need to look for the destination on the front of the coach, depending on the coach it may be a paper sign or on other coaches it can be a bus type electronic destination board.

Enjoy your cruise.

Hi all thinking about using the free coach service from Darlington in the north east of England. But that's a long was to Southampton. So I'm curious to know how many breaks en route and if anyone been collected from this area what time would pick up be? Thanks! Claire

Hi all thinking about using the free coach service from Darlington in the north east of England. But that's a long was to Southampton. So I'm curious to know how many breaks en route and if anyone been collected from this area what time would pick up be? Thanks! Claire

We've been from Newcastle. I think we were picked up at 5.45am. As P&O have now changed the boarding times this will probably be later now. I can't remember how many stops because our ship had been delayed so we had to make extra ones so we didn't arrive too early. The coach company have a website with faq and I think you can find the number of stops on there.

We've travelled Newcastle to Southampton a few times. Fly with Flybe 50 minutes ! We normally fly the day before,stay overnight. This way you can have a nice meal and a few drinks the night before the cruise. Wake up at a reasonable time 8:00ish or whatver,have leisurely breakfast,read of the papers than be at the ship in 10 mins for your allotted boarding time. :)