Questions about Southampton and London

Hi all,

We'll be flying into London the day before our cruise departs from Southampton. Having never been to England, we don't know much about it.

Should we stay in London or Southampton? We aren't really big city people, but it might be nice to see some of the sites like Buckingham Palace. I think we would prefer a quitter, more charming feel though, and not sure if Southampton has that.

Also, how would you suggest getting from London to Southampton? The cruise overs a transfer for $75pp - worth it? Or are there better ways?

Thanks so much!

There are cruise transfers available. Just do a google search for them. The other option is the train...easily done from either Waterloo Station or Victoria Station. Use nationalrail.co.uk to explore your options. If you have never been to London, I would suggest spending one day there and explore the city. There are a lot of options to enjoy....we have used the hop-on-hop-off bus in the past and got a very nice overview of the city in one day.

Where are you flying into?

It really is a personal decision as to where you stay. There is a lot more to do in London obviously (you won't even scratch the surface in one day), but if you stay in Southampton then the embarkation day will be nicer. Hotels will also be a fraction of the price.

As for getting there, again it depends on what you want. Personally, I would take the train rather than the transfer you mention, but it isn't quite as easy.

One other factor is that both Heathrow and Gatwick are a little way outside London, so you would also have to factor in the cost of getting into Town if you do that. It will also take away some of the time that day.

The other option is the train...easily done from either Waterloo Station or Victoria Station.

So I would suggest going into London, staying somewhere from which it's easy to get to Waterloo in the morning, and spend a day poking round some bits of London. Remember that London would takes about three months to see properly, so (as KeithJenner says) you're only going to be sampling one or two things if you have only one day.

I would say that, if taking the train is a possibility for you then book a London in the area around Westminster Bridge/Waterloo.

There are quite a few hotels in that area (County Hall has a couple for example). You are then within an easy walk of the London Eye, Parliament, Buckingham Palace. Trafalgar Square and the West End and then the next morning it is easy to wander to Waterloo station for the train to Southampton.

That journey will be nicer than the trip into London from the airport.

I'd head for the countryside. London in the summer is so crowded that you will spend a lot if time getting there to see very little. Save London for another time. You can book a bus through National Express. Maybe go to Winchester and spend the night catching the train down to Southampton the next day.

I would not recommend the train from Victoria. You either have to change at Clapham Junction, which would be a pain with luggage; or if you take a direct train it will literally take twice as long as the fast train from Waterloo to Southampton.

 

So I would suggest going into London, staying somewhere from which it's easy to get to Waterloo in the morning, and spend a day poking round some bits of London. Remember that London would takes about three months to see properly, so (as KeithJenner says) you're only going to be sampling one or two things if you have only one day.

My only disagreement is that it would likely take 2 lifetimes to see London so 3 months might even be a little short

Sounds like for OP going to Southampton would be best. By the time they got into London on arrival day and then left early the next day for the port they really would not have much time to see anything. Also they would have to arrange 2 sets of local travel rather than one. The real way to make a London visit viable would be to extend either the pre or post cruise to multiple days.

Hi all,

 

We'll be flying into London the day before our cruise departs from Southampton. Having never been to England, we don't know much about it.

 

Should we stay in London or Southampton? We aren't really big city people, but it might be nice to see some of the sites like Buckingham Palace. I think we would prefer a quitter, more charming feel though, and not sure if Southampton has that.

 

Also, how would you suggest getting from London to Southampton? The cruise overs a transfer for $75pp - worth it? Or are there better ways?

 

Thanks so much!

You should ask on the UK/western Europe board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=233

We've booked the National Express Coach from London (Victoria Coach Station) to Southampton, mainly in case there was engineering works taking place at the week end. Spending a couple of days in London and getting an early (7am) coach down on the Sunday morning, rather arrive early with plenty of time to spare.

You should ask on the UK/western Europe board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=233

I would get a bus directly from the airport depending on which terminal you arrive at you might have to allow time to get to another terminal.

Nat Express leaves from terminal 4 defiantly the cheapest option and leave London for another time too much to se in one day.

http://coach.nationalexpress.com/nxbooking/journey-list

Flying into a London airport & then boarding your cruise ship next day doesn't really give you time for either London or the countryside.

At either Heathrow or Gatwick it's about 60 to 90 minutes from aircraft to arrivals hall, then about an hour (including everything) from there to a central London hotel.

So altho' t/A flights mainly arrive in the morning you're unlikely to get to central London, check into a hotel & head off to explore the sights until around noon.

If you choose this option...........

....... a hotel near Waterloo station (eg Marriott or Premier Inn or Park Plaza at County Hall, or Park Plaza Westminster Bridge or Premier Inn Waterloo) would be ideal. Handy to the main ho-ho routes & tube stations, London Eye and river trips, easy walk across Westminster Bridge to Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Churchill's War Rooms etc, and plenty of eateries & watering holes along the South Bank of the Thames. And a five-minute walk to Waterloo station for a direct train to Southampton next morning. Train journey about 1hr 40 minutes.

Walk-up train fare to Southampton about £40, but if you buy about 2 to 6 weeks in advance on the operator's bucket-price website

https://uk.megabus.com/megatrain.aspx

tickets cost £1 (not a typo ;)) to £15. Advance purchase only, you must travel on the train that you select, and although there are about 3 trains per hour Megatrain tickets are only available on a few trains per day - but there will be 2 or 3 trains that suit your sailing. If you miss your train you throw away your bucket-price tickets & buy full-price tickets for the next train, which will be no more than 30 minutes after you arrive at the station. Cheap Megatrain tickets aren't available for sundays.

............ or a hotel in Victoria, Again, on the main ho-ho route & handy to the tube station, easy walking to Buckingham Palace, walkable to Big Ben etc. And handy to the National Express coach (bus) station for a direct coach to Southampton - costs £15 or less and takes about 2.5 hours. But book in advance, they do book-out.

............ or a hotel in Paddington. This is the most convenient area from Heathrow, via the Heathrow Express train which takes only 15 minutes. Walk-up fare for the Heathrow Express is very poor value at over £20, but less than half that if you book way in advance. Handy to the tube station, a short walk to Marble Arch, the nearest stop on the ho-ho route. But inconvenient for travel to Waterloo train station or Victoria coach station next morning.

A further option is the cruise-tour bus from central London hotels to Southampton on the morning of your sailing, which includes a visit to Stonehenge en-route.

https://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/southampton_from_london_shared_bus.html

In your limited time in London (afternoon & evening) you'll get only an over-view of the city. But London does tend to be on folks' bucket-list and if this will be your only chance to visit even country-boy John Bull reckons you should do it.

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If you want to skip central London & stick to public transport to Southampton, book the direct National Express bus from Heathrow airport, or the direct train or direct Nat Express bus from Gatwick airport.

But the same time limitations apply - you'll not be in Southampton before noon, probably not til mid-afternoon.

I live near Southampton, and it's an OK city. It has a few sights but it's a working port city, not a tourist city.

Its main advantage to tourists is that it's a great base for exploring southern England's historic sights, towns & countryside by train or car, or even ferry. But in just an afternoon & evening and next morning, you really won't have time to get out of the city except to visit somewhere very local like Winchester, mebbe Salisbury. These are historic & laid-back cities, nonetheless they are cities.

If you rent a car from Heathrow, or even Gatwick, we can come up with some interesting country routes to Southampton. If that appeals, ask for suggestions.

For all options, bear in mind that you'll be jet-lagged and probably had little sleep on your flight.

JB :)

Windsor is near Heathrow and is well worth a visit. You can easily find a hotel in or near Windsor and spend a relaxing afternoon and evening there. In the morning, spend a few hours visiting Windsor Castle and then either catch a coach to Southampton or book a private hire car.

London is far too much effort for the little time you will have there.

Windsor is near Heathrow and is well worth a visit. You can easily find a hotel in or near Windsor and spend a relaxing afternoon and evening there. In the morning, spend a few hours visiting Windsor Castle and then either catch a coach to Southampton or book a private hire car.

 

London is far too much effort for the little time you will have there.

Good thinkin', Bob.

Though with luggage simpler to........

book an airport hotel, stow luggage at hotel, taxi to Windsor (6 - 8 miles, about £18 with http://www.royalwindsortaxis.co.uk/ or http://www.windsor-taxis.com/ ), taxi back to hotel, next morning Nat Express bus from airport to Southampton (about £18pp, about 2 hours).

Or similar routine to Hampton Court Palace.

JB :)

Good thinkin', Bob.

Though with luggage simpler to........

book an airport hotel, stow luggage at hotel, taxi to Windsor (6 - 8 miles, about £18 with http://www.royalwindsortaxis.co.uk/ or http://www.windsor-taxis.com/ ), taxi back to hotel, next morning Nat Express bus from airport to Southampton (about £18pp, about 2 hours).

 

Or similar routine to Hampton Court Palace.

 

JB :)

I was thinking of The Windsor Marriott - http://www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/lhrsl-heathrow-windsor-marriott-hotel/

Only 4 miles from LHR but often cheaper than the ones on Bath Rd etc.

I don't know, but I suspect that Smiths for Airports might well quote a lower price for a hotel pickup to Southampton than the regular LHR pickup, since there would be a lot less waiting time and no parking charges.

I was thinking of The Windsor Marriott - http://www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/lhrsl-heathrow-windsor-marriott-hotel/

 

Only 4 miles from LHR but often cheaper than the ones on Bath Rd etc.

 

I don't know, but I suspect that Smiths for Airports might well quote a lower price for a hotel pickup to Southampton than the regular LHR pickup, since there would be a lot less waiting time and no parking charges.

And I was thinkin' about Nat Express, which doesn't serve Windsor. ;)

But there are merits in both options.

And the Windsor Marriott is on the airport Hotel Hoppa route (hopefully Globaliser doesn't see this thread, we all know what G thinks of the Hotel Hoppa :D)

Yes, if my name were smithsforairports I'd certainly prefer a pick-up from a hotel rather than from a flight, because of the certainty of the timing and the avoidance of the excessive charge for airport short-term parking.

JB :)

I would not recommend the train from Victoria. You either have to change at Clapham Junction, which would be a pain with luggage; or if you take a direct train it will literally take twice as long as the fast train from Waterloo to Southampton.

 

So I would suggest going into London, staying somewhere from which it's easy to get to Waterloo in the morning, and spend a day poking round some bits of London. Remember that London would takes about three months to see properly, so (as KeithJenner says) you're only going to be sampling one or two things if you have only one day.

We're flying to Heathrow in August/ We booked a shared shuttle (through Viator) that will take us directly to our booked hotel (Hampton by Hilton London Waterloo) which is walk-able to many sites, bus stops nearby, and the Waterloo Station about a 5-8 min. We've booked through Megatrain our transportation (£8 total for the two of us) from the Waterloo Station to Southampton. From everything I've read, we can walk from the hotel to the Waterloo Station to get the train. This will be our first time in London and sailing from Southampton. I hope this helps.

We're flying to Heathrow in August/ We booked a shared shuttle (through Viator) that will take us directly to our booked hotel (Hampton by Hilton London Waterloo) which is walk-able to many sites, bus stops nearby, and the Waterloo Station about a 5-8 min. We've booked through Megatrain our transportation (£8 total for the two of us) from the Waterloo Station to Southampton. From everything I've read, we can walk from the hotel to the Waterloo Station to get the train. This will be our first time in London and sailing from Southampton. I hope this helps.

I know the Hampton chain (very acceptable), but I don't know this particular property.

Yes, perfect for the train to Southampton, and megatrain is the way to do it.

Do bear in mind that your tickets are only good for the train time that you selected - if you miss it you'll have to throw the tickets away & buy tickets for the next regular train (2 or 3 per hour) at the £40 walk-up price.

The hotel has quite a good location, about 8 mins on foot to the station, though pretty-well everything else is in that one direction - past the station for another 3 mins to the ho-ho stops, London Eye & river cruises, and another couple of minutes to Westminster Bridge. All on level ground.

You're equidistant between Waterloo & Lambeth North tube stations - use Waterloo, it's serviced by more tube routes than Lambeth North.

JB :)

We're flying to Heathrow in August/ We booked a shared shuttle (through Viator) that will take us directly to our booked hotel (Hampton by Hilton London Waterloo) which is walk-able to many sites, bus stops nearby, and the Waterloo Station about a 5-8 min. We've booked through Megatrain our transportation (£8 total for the two of us) from the Waterloo Station to Southampton. From everything I've read, we can walk from the hotel to the Waterloo Station to get the train. This will be our first time in London and sailing from Southampton. I hope this helps.

LMack. How bout bringing me some BBQ??😄 I will also be in Southampton in August.

LMack. How bout bringing me some BBQ??😄 I will also be in Southampton in August.

Are you familiar with our "Lexington BBQ"? If I could, I would!:)

Will you be sailing on the Caribbean Princess on Aug 24th?

Are you familiar with our "Lexington BBQ"? If I could, I would!:)

 

Will you be sailing on the Caribbean Princess on Aug 24th?

Oh yeah! I love Lex Bbq. Used to live at Lake Norman.

We sail a couple of weeks ahead of you.

I was thinking of The Windsor Marriott - http://www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/lhrsl-heathrow-windsor-marriott-hotel/

 

Only 4 miles from LHR but often cheaper than the ones on Bath Rd etc.

Strictly speaking, it's the Heathrow/Windsor Marriott, so called because it is in neither place. It's almost in Slough, though :)

Doesn't negate the plan, but just wanted to be clear to our readers!

I know the Hampton chain (very acceptable), but I don't know this particular property.

Yes, perfect for the train to Southampton, and megatrain is the way to do it.

Do bear in mind that your tickets are only good for the train time that you selected - if you miss it you'll have to throw the tickets away & buy tickets for the next regular train (2 or 3 per hour) at the £40 walk-up price.

 

The hotel has quite a good location, about 8 mins on foot to the station, though pretty-well everything else is in that one direction - past the station for another 3 mins to the ho-ho stops, London Eye & river cruises, and another couple of minutes to Westminster Bridge. All on level ground.

You're equidistant between Waterloo & Lambeth North tube stations - use Waterloo, it's serviced by more tube routes than Lambeth North.

 

JB :)

After the megatrain arrives in Southampton, how far is the cruiseport? Would a taxi be needed? Ty

After the megatrain arrives in Southampton, how far is the cruiseport? Would a taxi be needed? Ty

From Southampton central station it's about a 20 minute walk on level ground to City cruise terminal (berth 101). If walking's not your thing (if it is, the weather may change your mind ;)) it's a three minute £6 taxi ride.

Or for the other cruise terminals it's a 5 to 8 minute taxi ride, about £7 to £10.

Same for those arriving by Nat Express coach (bus). Taxi ranks at both the rail & coach stations.

http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/live_information/shipping_movements_and_cruise_ship_schedule/cruise_ship_schedule/

JB :)

After the megatrain arrives in Southampton, how far is the cruiseport? Would a taxi be needed? Ty

Just for clarity - "The Megatrain" is not a specific train, but a 'budget train ticket’ designed to fill up seats on specific services that would otherwise be empty.

There may be coaches labelled 'Megatrain' but no one really cares where you sit (so long as it's not First Class.)

You're equidistant between Waterloo & Lambeth North tube stations - use Waterloo, it's serviced by more tube routes than Lambeth North.

 

JB :)

JB, I missed this earlier. Lambeth North is closed for lift replacement until February 2017, in any case.