1 Night Pre-Cruise Hotel in London w/Transport to Southampton

Having trouble getting information from Celebrity (!) - I see that they offer a 3-day pre-cruise hotel package - but wonder if anyone can tell me if Celebrity offers a one day pre-cruise hotel stay - that also includes transportation the next day to the cruiseport in Southampton

Thanks !

If you dont see one, there probably isn’t one for your cruise

Welcome to cruise critic fellow dog walker/petsitter! It sounds to me like you're flying into Heathrow and have been to London before (otherwise you'd want to stay in London for a few days) so....IMHO take a taxi from Heathrow to Southampton on the day you arrive...it's about a 90 minute ride depending on traffic....there's a Holiday Inn across the street from the pier and Southampton is a VERY interesting place. The hotel has a restaurant, pretty grounds and is only a couple of blocks from the pier. Southampton is one of the few European cities whose medieval wall is virtually intact. There is a restored Tudor house with an unrestored bomb shelter in the basement and they have a delightful cafe with delicious food for lunch....a little further walk through the old part of the city and you're in the new modern city where you'll find all kinds of shops, including a super market for anything you may have forgotten. If you're not interested in historical things, there's a beautiful park along the embarcadero with benches to relax on that is also almost across the street from the hotel. The hotel provides transportation to the pier or depending on where your ship is berthed, you could even walk it.

PS: we have friends in Green Valley!!!

I've not seen a 1 night package.

What is the taxi fare from Heaththrow to London & london to SouthHampton??

george35

Welcome to cruise critic fellow dog walker/petsitter! It sounds to me like you're flying into Heathrow and have been to London before (otherwise you'd want to stay in London for a few days) so....IMHO take a taxi from Heathrow to Southampton on the day you arrive...it's about a 90 minute ride depending on traffic....there's a Holiday Inn across the street from the pier and Southampton is a VERY interesting place. The hotel has a restaurant, pretty grounds and is only a couple of blocks from the pier. Southampton is one of the few European cities whose medieval wall is virtually intact. There is a restored Tudor house with an unrestored bomb shelter in the basement and they have a delightful cafe with delicious food for lunch....a little further walk through the old part of the city and you're in the new modern city where you'll find all kinds of shops, including a super market for anything you may have forgotten. If you're not interested in historical things, there's a beautiful park along the embarcadero with benches to relax on that is also almost across the street from the hotel. The hotel provides transportation to the pier or depending on where your ship is berthed, you could even walk it.

 

 

PS: we have friends in Green Valley!!!

Wow - small world - We live in a Golf Community in Green Valley called Quail Creek Country Club --

Anyway - yes - been to London before - took (very small !) taxi from Heathrow right after we got off plane to Southampton - can't remember name - but stayed in a "quaint" little B & B - -

Any idea which taxi co you would recommend - us senior citizens need something easy to get into and out of - plus hubby is "plus size" so needs a little bit roomer vehicle

Thanks for you suggestion for Hotel - will check it out !

Wow - small world - We live in a Golf Community in Green Valley called Quail Creek Country Club --

 

Anyway - yes - been to London before - took (very small !) taxi from Heathrow right after we got off plane to Southampton - can't remember name - but stayed in a "quaint" little B & B - -

 

Any idea which taxi co you would recommend - us senior citizens need something easy to get into and out of - plus hubby is "plus size" so needs a little bit roomer vehicle

 

Thanks for you suggestion for Hotel - will check it out !

Last time we cruised from Southampton we flew into London, and took car to Southampton, stayed at the Holiday Inn (used our annual free night) and used http://www.smithsairportcars.co.uk/ for the trip...they are highly recommended from many users on this site and we would also say they were great...We had a mini van type vehicle and had plenty of room.

Have a great trip!

DO NOT TAKE A TAXI!!!!!!!!

It will cost both arms and legs! If you want a car service, contact http://westquaycars.com/ or http://www.smithsairportcars.co.uk/

Alternatively, if you want to go direct to Southampton from LHR, I recommend National Express coaches. They pick up from every terminal in LHR and its about a 2 1/2 hr drive to Southampton for about £15...sometimes lower. https://www.nationalexpress.com/en

Simon

Private car will run around 100 pounds. If you google LHR to Southampton transport you'll get many options, including Uber (which I don't personally use but many people swear by them), private car will usually include flight tracking and meet and greet after you go through passport control. It's about 75 miles and took us about 90 minutes on the bus. You can do it for a lot less but from your post you seem more like DH and I and we either take X transport or private car. With all the money we're spending on the trip what's another $100 for guaranteed service in a comfortable private car! :)

We are staying at Heathrow for 2nights prior to our Silhouette Transatlantic.We have beeped a bus that picks you at your Heathrow hotel...stops at Stonehenge and takes you directly to your ship. Price is £89 pp

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We are on this same cruise and staying in London for 2 nights, even though we have been there many times. We love London. We will get the National Express bus to Southampton from Victoria station for £5 each. You can't beat that. We have done this 3 times before and it is a very comfortable ride. Driver loads your luggage for you. Then we get a taxi to the Novotel in Southampton from the bus station for about £3.

We last stayed at the Doubletree Westminster and booked the Celebrity shuttle. We don't mind paying extra for the convenience. Great hotel with a terrific breakfast buffet. We've taken the Celebrity shuttle from various hotels numerous times. No complaints.

We last stayed at the Doubletree Westminster and booked the Celebrity shuttle. We don't mind paying extra for the convenience. Great hotel with a terrific breakfast buffet. We've taken the Celebrity shuttle from various hotels numerous times. No complaints.

Just curious by what you mean "for the convenience"?

We had a private transfer from LHR to Southampton (I don't remember exact cost, but I think it was 100 pounds including a tip)...I don't know how you could get more convenient than that.

We last stayed at the Doubletree Westminster and booked the Celebrity shuttle. We don't mind paying extra for the convenience. Great hotel with a terrific breakfast buffet. We've taken the Celebrity shuttle from various hotels numerous times. No complaints.

Thank you - so - how do you go about booking the Celebrity Shuttle ?

(we don't use a traditional TA - but a discount broker - which requires us to do the research)

We can recommend Smithsforairports for a transport to Southampton and a stay at the Ibis Southampton.

Nothing fancy, just efficient, clean and inexpensive for a night before the cruise.

For more info click on our Iceland review in my signature.

We use

https://www.airport-pickups-london.com/

all the time. They have been very reliable and reasonable. If you want more room in a vehicle, order one size up. My husband hates to be squished and we frequently do that.

We are staying at Heathrow for 2nights prior to our Silhouette Transatlantic.We have beeped a bus that picks you at your Heathrow hotel...stops at Stonehenge and takes you directly to your ship. Price is £89 pp

You can get a private car and driver from Smith's for less than that - including the stop at Stonehenge. Much more comfortable than a big group bus.

Mike

Check out Cruise Critic - Port of Call - Britain, very helpful information.

The cheapest way to Southampton is the National Express Coach http://www.nationalexpress.com from LHR to Southampton Coach Station (this is the stop you need) or London Victoria Coach station to Southampton Coach station if staying in London. The National Express has easy signs at LHR to follow. The driver will put your luggage under the Coach and bring it out at Southampton. A short taxi from the Coach station to a hotel or to the cruise dock.

Many take a car service from LHR to Southampton, check out Port of Call -Britain for names.

I have stayed at the Holiday Inn Herbert Walker near the dock. I have also stayed at Premier Inn West Quay (very popular with cruisers) a short walk to the West Quay Shopping Center.

When you book a hotel room through the cruise it is PER PERSON, it is better to book your own room yourself.

If you have booked through an agent, the cruise line won’t talk to you unless it is a general question as the agent is the one getting the commission. Your agent would have add any extra (cruise line transfers, cruise line hotel) to reservation, you can book your cruise line excursions, drink packages, specialty dinning yourself online or by calling.

Thank you - so - how do you go about booking the Celebrity Shuttle ?

(we don't use a traditional TA - but a discount broker - which requires us to do the research)

Also, I don't believe that Celebrity offers single night City Stays, only 3 nights. You might want to ask Captain's Club about that as well.

Just curious by what you mean "for the convenience"?

 

We had a private transfer from LHR to Southampton (I don't remember exact cost, but I think it was 100 pounds including a tip)...I don't know how you could get more convenient than that.

It's our preference to book Celebrity shuttles when we book our cruise, flight and hotels. I'm not exactly sure why you care. The OP asked about Celebrity shuttles and I answered the question.

We do the same and it is convenient not to have to worry about another thing to take care of pre-trip.

When sailing from a European port we always use Choice Air because of the savings in business class. When I book our air I book airport transfer to the ship if we're not flying in early and I'll check out trip planner excursions to see what is offered for return airport transfer.....sometimes they'll have an interesting excursion on the way to the airport and sometimes it's just a straight bus to the airport...no worry about luggage or lateness....that's convenience.

Having trouble getting information from Celebrity (!) - I see that they offer a 3-day pre-cruise hotel package - but wonder if anyone can tell me if Celebrity offers a one day pre-cruise hotel stay - that also includes transportation the next day to the cruiseport in Southampton

Thanks !

It's our preference to book Celebrity shuttles when we book our cruise, flight and hotels. I'm not exactly sure why you care. The OP asked about Celebrity shuttles and I answered the question.

I "care" because of why we use these boards. You stated something, and I had no idea what you meant. I asked to obtain knowledge about something that I potentially didn't know. You said "you paid extra for the convenience"...I didn't know if I was missing something or not, because before I asked the question I thought to myself, "what convenience would it be to book with the cruise line, pay more for it, and not have a private transfer"...and I couldn't think of any. So I asked the question.

From you flippant response, I guess the real answer is you actually get nothing more convenient than booking a better/private transfer, with exception of not actually having to make a separate reservation, and that is fine.

For me, saving money, getting a better product is worth the inconvenience of making a separate reservation. For others they can make their own decisions.