StLucia

If you missed this and want to watch it's available on YouTube. Just search for mighty ships solstice. We are hoping to do this cruise in 2016 so it was interesting to watch.

We are on Britannia in October flying back into Birmingham airport. We are taking the complimentary coach from the airport to Southampton. I am going to book an overnight hotel at the airport and would like to know from anyone who has done this before, where do the coaches pick up from? Hope someone can help.

Thanks.

Thanks everyone for your various Points of view. We always do private tours, as others have said a much better experience. We do not have any other option than the 4pm tour as that is the last of the day and we don't arrive intil 3pm. We are on this tour with 3 others from our roll call so we will get together with them for our tender tickets. I agree with the comment that the tour people will have more knowledge of the tender problems than us and as the boat only carries 6 I doibt they will go without us. We will queue early and go with the flow.

Having done the tender process in ISP this summer and not rushing to get a ticket, I can tell you that you'll want to have someone stand in line. I think we were assigned tender #25 or so and a crew member was carefully checking tickets before letting anyone down the stairs to the tendering deck. We were stopped on the stairs as our ticket had not yet been called, so be sure to follow procedure as you will (likely) be stopped. The tender ride is only minutes long, but everyone from the ship will be doing it at the same time so there's potential for it to be rather chaotic.

 

 

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Thank you for this. Did you arrive early to get a ticket, how long did it take you to get off with #25?

If you arrive in ISP in the morning and your tour is at 7:30 AM you will have no problem just getting on the tender as there is nothing to do in port at that hour. If you arrive later in the day then you would need to get a tender ticket. Information on the process will be in the daily.

 

Mary Lou

Thanks but we arrive at 3pm, that's why I am concerned. Is there anything we can do to get an early tender? I would interested to hear advice from anyone who has recently been in this position.

We have a private tour booked in ISP and would like some advice on getting on an early tender. On our past celebrity cruises we have just walked onto a tender when ready. Do we have to go somewhere to collect a ticket, we are not quite elite or in a suite. The tour meet is an hour after arrival, is this doable? We are on Inifinity.

Thanks for your help.

When we have done this cruise in the past and stayed in a hotel at or around Birmingham Airport, we have gone in to Birmingham city center by train only take 10 minutes on virgin trains then the next morning gone in to the airport around 0630 for breakfast either at Wetherspoons or Spar for a hot/warm bacon roll.

We regularly fly out of Birmingham and always have a night at a hotel before our flight and a good breakfast either at the hotel or wetherspoons, but I do wish they used proper cutlery. We had a flight out of Manchester recently and had breakfast in the terminal at a Frankie and Bennies with proper metal cutlery. Not sure why Manchester should be different to Birmingham.

Pick up is normally at the bus stops outside terminal 1 you leave Birmingham around 0800 getting to Southampton around 1130, the first coaches at Southampton for the cruise, onboard in the buffet for 1200

Thank you that's helpful. Not as early as I thought.

The only reliable information should be on your cruise personaliser direct from P&O. If not ask your travel agent to find out.

Brian

Thanks Brian, the cruise personaliser says booked on first coach out. I was just wanting to know where the meet/pick up point is from those who are doing it this year. It will help with us planning our parking and pre cruise hotel at the airport.

We are going on the TA flying back into Birmingham next year and have booked the complimentary coach from the airport to Southampton. We would like to know where the meeting place/pick up point is at the airport and what time the first bus leaves.

Hope you can help.

Thanks.

Is that Stoutes ?

Yes it is, such a shame, they closed the office Decenber 2013.

We would like a car when we visit next as we want to look at come rental properties. If anyone knows of a reliable company that will deliver to the port please post the details.

We went on one a couple of times last year, okay but not worth all the hype. Didn't like the 3 seats each side by the windows, much prefer the 2's particularly on a long flight. But better than the standard Thomsons plans if you aren't travelling scheduled.

I just wanted to thank both of you for the detailed replies, it has certainly provided me with further information to consider, it seems Dominica is problematic and that is the island I am most excited about visiting.

 

Ian

There is little to do in the town where you dock so you should try and get out and about in Dominica, either a ship's tour or even better a private one. We have done both and the last time we visited did not know what to do. In the end we went on a ship's whale watch and it was brilliant, better than Hawaii. Afterwards we explored the botanical gardens, good if you like walking. We had good weather on this last visit but every other time we have been it has rained so pack a brolly or waterproof.

Hope you enjoy your cruise.

Unfortunately the company that used to be based in the terminal at Barbados is not longer there. We tried hard last year to find a company who would deliver for our one day visit without success, though that was in February when the high season. You may have better luck in November. We booked a jeep in Tortola and broke down so I would suggest you avoid Courtesy Car Rental. We used taxis in St Martin and did a ship's tour in Dominica. I would suggest a private tour would be a better bet than car hire in Dominica, a big island and not good signage.

I have stayed at the PP and then embarked on a cruise. The transfer of luggage works quite well. You just call the bell desk to tell them that the luggage is ready. You need to be in the room with the luggage when the bellman arrives. He'll staple the luggage tags to the bags (if required), and ask you a few questions (to make sure that you have your passport, boarding pass, valuables, etc. with you). Then he'll take your luggage. The next time you'll see it is in your cabin, on the ship.

 

I have been twice this year at Canada Place with three ships turning around. It is a gong show with that many people embarking/disembarking. If you can arrange for late check out, do so. You will be much more comfortable waiting in your hotel room than at the terminal. The PP has an Alaska Cruise package that allows for a 2 pm checkout.

 

It can go a little easier, but still long waits, if someone in your party requires assistance to board, like a wheelchair. The first time, we arrived at the terminal around 1 pm and were checked in within half an hour. The second time, we arrived early and waited upstairs (they had seating in the convention centre foyer for the people requiring assistance) for over an hour and a half, and then downstairs for another hour before being picked up and whisked through immigration, security and check-in.

 

If there is only one or two ships turning around the day you're there, count your blessings! It should be much easier.

Thank you for your advice. We normally like to board early but will see if we can check out a bit later this time. Maybe spend some more time enjoying the city. There are only due to be 2 ships in so hopefully not to bad..

Thanks again.

We are staying at the Pan Pacific the night before and have heard that they will transfer your luggage from the room to you cabin. Has anyone had experience of this and does it work okay?

Southampton UK is a great port to cruise from very relaxed check in plenty of seating and full segregation. The closest we have had to the scrum you describe is San Deigo but eve that was not to bad, just a lot of people.

Thank you for the link to your brilliant videos. We are doing almost the reverse of this trip next June.

Just pay the deposit of at least £100 by credit card and you are protected through that. An agent we booked a land based holiday went bust a couple of weeks before we were due to depart. Just rung the card company, completed a claim form and booked a new holiday the same day. Would have taken weeks if claimed through a ta.

Last visit we did a whale watch with P&O and it was really good. Time before we went with Bumping Tours, highly recommended, really enjoyed it, booked via our roll cal.

I have now contacted two companies in Hoonah and both have come back promptly offering us places. I will probably leave it until the 2014 season is over before booking.

Thanks everyone again for your help.

Thank you all for your help. I think we will choose Hoonah as there are so few things to do there and so many in Juneau. I will check out the companies you have recommended.

Thanks again.

We are visiting next June and are not sure where to do whale watching. Would you recommend icy straight or Juneau? Also which tour vendor would you suggest? We do not arrive in icy straight until 3pm so maybe that will be a problem.

Thanks for your help.

Thanks for your help. We are on 855 out and 850 back.

We have a flight booked through a TA our paperwork says Air Canada and givea an AC flight number. How would we know if it is actually Air Canada Rouge, is the flight number prefix different. I would rather not ring my TA at this stage.

Thank you, we have now booked a starboard rear facing hump.