evesway coaches

[asda]

we are travelling from bolton down to southampton on evesway coaches. has any one any information regarding stops on the way down, toilets on the coach. tea/coffee machine.

 

plus in the booklet it says maximum suitcase weight 20kg

[Merlin7]

We have used Eavesway many times, although not from Bolton but quite a long journey, nevertheless.

 

They will stop for passengers en route and, whilst they load the luggage, there is the opportunity for a comfort break as well as there being a toilet on board which you are usually asked to use just for emergencies!

 

There will be at least one longer stop of around 45 minutes to allow people to have something to eat at a motorway services. We have never had tea/coffee facilities available on board but I suppose this might differ on other routes. I suggest you contact Eavesway and ask them.

 

The weight limit is for health and safety reasons, as it is at Southampton for the porters, but if it is a to and from Southampton cruise then you can take as many suitcases as you wish.

[Thejuggler]

From the north Warwick services is a usual stop. If there is more than one cruise departing on the same day it is here you may swap coaches to ensure all passengers for each cruise are on the same group of buses.

[tartanexile81]

We do it for every cruise except we go from Leeds, so about the same distance. We've always been lucky enough to get coach travel as a freebie from P&O so worth about £170. It's pretty relaxing for us because once we get on the coach, we just read the papers, listen to music etc. Takes about 4 hours total and as Merlin7 says there is a long-ish break for a meal at a motorway service station. There's a toilet on the coach. We usually take 3 suitcases and make sure none of them is too heavy, certainly within the 20kg limit.

[BrianI]

The breaks are for the drivers benefit as they are not allowed to drive longer than 4.5hrs without a 45min break under EU rules.

Brian

[LibraLass41]

Its a shame you have to pay for your lunch at a motorway service station instead of getting a free one onboard, but I suppose it also staggers the amount of cruisers checking in, by having the Eavesway coaches arriving during the afternoon . :)

[Thejuggler]

"Takes about 4 hours total and as Merlin7 says there is a long-ish break for a meal at a motorway service station."

 

I suspect your 4 hours is wishful thinking or time really does fly.;)

 

It's 250 miles Leeds to Southampton - 4 hours in a car with no stop may just be possible.

[tom_uk]

Its a shame you have to pay for your lunch at a motorway service station instead of getting a free one onboard, but I suppose it also staggers the amount of cruisers checking in, by having the Eavesway coaches arriving during the afternoon . :)

 

I'm actually beginning to wonder if getting onto the ship at noon or shortly thereafter is such a good idea. I know that when we embarked onto Arcadia earlier this month we had a very stressful 45 minutes or so while we explored the Belvedere for the first time, then searched for a table to sit at - not a pleasant time at all. (We never saw the Belvedere as full after that.) I also remember getting on Ventura in May at about 1 o'clock; we headed for the buffet like everybody else, but because we knew Ventura we raced straight through the Waterside and into the Beach House at the far end, where we found a number of empty tables. Within a few minutes they were all occupied, however, and we then saw other people, including families, having a torrid time - tired, hungry, trying to manage the children and find somewhere to sit down.

 

That first hour on board can be so stressful, especially at that time. I can see the advantages of embarking at, say, 2:30 and not needing to find food straight away.

[u2cruiser]

From the north Warwick services is a usual stop. If there is more than one cruise departing on the same day it is here you may swap coaches to ensure all passengers for each cruise are on the same group of buses.

 

Is this a regular occurrence, swapping coaches? Not sure I like this idea :(

 

Also, are the coaches promp for departure? Ours is 7am departure, and we'll be there in plenty of time, I'm just wondering how prompt they are at setting off. :)

[Brayman]

I'm actually beginning to wonder if getting onto the ship at noon or shortly thereafter is such a good idea. . . .

 

That first hour on board can be so stressful, especially at that time. I can see the advantages of embarking at, say, 2:30 and not needing to find food straight away.

 

There are some nice restaurants (Brown's at least)in Oxford Road (or Street) about midway between Ocean Village and the Terminal, car parking at Ocean Village and cross the road.

[LibraLass41]

I agree Tom, a few times we have also sat in the ss restaurant on embarkation lunchtime and felt stressed by the amount of people there, and children very wired-up and sometimes miserable after the travelling down and check-in, and thinking what are we doing here lol. But once unpacked and sailaway has happened have started to unwind.

[lanarkshire lad]

Is this a regular occurrence, swapping coaches? Not sure I like this idea :(

 

Also, are the coaches promp for departure? Ours is 7am departure, and we'll be there in plenty of time, I'm just wondering how prompt they are at setting off. :)

Hi we left from Glasgow .The driver had a list of all the clients he was expecting and as soon as all clients were on board he was able to leave . We highly recomend the coach trip .

[snow flake]

We have travelled with Eavesway from Bolton may times and would not use any other form of transport to get down to Southampton. Cases go on coach in Bolton and you do not see them again until you are in your cabin, the 20kg limit is for the drivers health and safety you can take up to 23kg but have to assist the driver on loading. The coaches are very comfortable, sometimes you get one of the football team coaches, but all have reclining seats and a toilet. In all the times we have been going down to Southampton we have only had to change coaches once, again you do not have to touch your luggage. There is normally a short comfort break if you have to pick up other passengers or if the traffic is not too bad. A stop is made for lunch, depending if you go on the toll road it is at the services there otherwise Warwick or Cherwell, the stop is normally 1 hr, getting to Southampton about 2pm (again depending on traffic could be earlier or later). At Southampton off the coach into the check in lounge.

 

On the return journey after picking up your cases and going through customs you are directed to the appropriate coach, again cases on and then sit back and relax until you arrive in Bolton. Again a stop is made for lunch. We have arrived back in Bolton as early as 2.30pm and as late as 5.15pm depemding on the traffic, the driver gives you an estimated time of arrival in Bolton usually after the lunch stop.

 

The coaches are in contact with one another to report any hold ups and have a sat nav to avoid these, also if there is a problem they are in contact with P & O.

 

Hope this helps.

[u2cruiser]

Thanks snow flake and lanarkshire lad. I had visions of having to cart the luggage on and off coaches if we had to swap.

 

Thanks also for clearing up the 20kg mystery. I was a bit worried about that. :)

[robanddiane]

We have used the coach twice from the North East and found it very enjoyable. Really nice coaches with loads of leg room. Always found the drivers so professional and helpful. We normally take a packed lunch as some of the services are really busy and all are vastly overpriced. We normally make up a packed lunch on the ship using the cold meat from the buffet and making sandwiches for the return journey keeping it in the cabin fridge till we are ready to leave.

[swissmiss2010]

We used Eavesway for the first time this year - we normally travel down by train and stay overnight in Southampton. The trip itself was pleasant enough as there were only 2 of us on the coach! However, the problem is getting to and from the coach pick up point, which was not a convenient location. We had to take a taxi there, which is a 50 mile trip, and it's awkward arranging pick up on the return journey as you can only estimate your arrival time - so we had to make our way to the train station and get a train, bus and taxi home. I think we may well go back to the train/overnight stay option.

[C at Sea]

I think from Bolton you will stop at Hilton Park services in Staffordshire, north of Birmingham. Thats where we usually get on and they are usually on a proper break there as opposed to a pick up.

You will find Eavesway very good. We always used to travel down night before and stay at Holiday Inn Eastleigh. They parked car there for duration of cruise and provided transport to docks. It was very good but over the years the price crept up a lot so we decided to try the coach. We have done a few now and are very satisfied. Very easy and comfortable and you can sleep all the way back!! Actually interesting point, I went on Cunard in May and their coaches to Southampton cost quite a bit more than Eavesway do.

[asda]

We have travelled with Eavesway from Bolton may times and would not use any other form of transport to get down to Southampton. Cases go on coach in Bolton and you do not see them again until you are in your cabin, the 20kg limit is for the drivers health and safety you can take up to 23kg but have to assist the driver on loading. The coaches are very comfortable, sometimes you get one of the football team coaches, but all have reclining seats and a toilet. In all the times we have been going down to Southampton we have only had to change coaches once, again you do not have to touch your luggage. There is normally a short comfort break if you have to pick up other passengers or if the traffic is not too bad. A stop is made for lunch, depending if you go on the toll road it is at the services there otherwise Warwick or Cherwell, the stop is normally 1 hr, getting to Southampton about 2pm (again depending on traffic could be earlier or later). At Southampton off the coach into the check in lounge.

 

On the return journey after picking up your cases and going through customs you are directed to the appropriate coach, again cases on and then sit back and relax until you arrive in Bolton. Again a stop is made for lunch. We have arrived back in Bolton as early as 2.30pm and as late as 5.15pm depemding on the traffic, the driver gives you an estimated time of arrival in Bolton usually after the lunch stop.

 

The coaches are in contact with one another to report any hold ups and have a sat nav to avoid these, also if there is a problem they are in contact with P & O.

 

Hope this helps.

thanks for this reply, i did not realise that once you have put your luggage on the coach you wont have to handle it again until its in your cabin. once you got to southampton did you go on the ship striaght away or did you have to waut in the terminal lounge for a long time?

[BrianI]

once you got to southampton did you go on the ship striaght away or did you have to waut in the terminal lounge for a long time?

It depends how many others arrive at the same time. If its busy you will be given a lettered card and asked to wait until called to checkin. People are called in order of arrival. Usually its not too long.

Brian

[snow flake]

thanks for this reply, i did not realise that once you have put your luggage on the coach you wont have to handle it again until its in your cabin. once you got to southampton did you go on the ship striaght away or did you have to waut in the terminal lounge for a long time?

 

Sometimes we have had to wait and other times after checking in and doing security we have boarded straight away. At Ocean Terminal you are given a card with a letter and told to take a seat then when your letter is called you go to the checking desk (like airport) then have to go through security before boarding.

[dmm30]

This thread is really helpful. We got the free coach offer with our Princess Cruise in July '11 and will be travelling from Glasgow (leaving at 4am!). I am just panicking that something may happen on the way down and we will miss the boat (yes I know glass half empty kinda girl :D). Just wondered if this has ever happened or do you always arrive in good time? Also, is it OK to take more than one suitcase as long as they're under 20kg? Please put my mind at rest - thanks!

[old git]

Take as many cases as you like we take 3-4 as a rule

 

If you miss the boat as long as your on coach(as happened before with aurora i think) they were flown out to next port i think,i'm sure some-one else will confirm that.

 

be happy

[tom_uk]

.... However, the problem is getting to and from the coach pick up point, which was not a convenient location. We had to take a taxi there, which is a 50 mile trip, and it's awkward arranging pick up on the return journey as you can only estimate your arrival time - so we had to make our way to the train station and get a train, bus and taxi home. I think we may well go back to the train/overnight stay option.

 

That's the fly in the ointment for us as well. The pick-up point for Sheffield is Woodall services on the M1, which isn't anywhere near us at all (17 miles, in fact). Nor is there any public transport to Woodall, which is out in the country.

 

I wonder why they don't use the Meadowhall interchange? - it's only just off the motorway, and more importantly there are good links from there into Sheffield. But maybe going anywhere near MeadowHell on a weekend wouldn't be a good idea.

[SeaSickGill]

When are you going Asda, I'm booked on from Bolton on the 8th April, to pick up the Azura:)

[SeaSickGill]

When are you going Asda, I'm booked on from Bolton on the 8th April, to pick up the Azura:)

 

Sorry. just read your report on your October sailing!