Eclipse disembarking Southampton

[veravin]

Not sure if this is the right thread or if I should go to the ports section but I am wondering if anyone might know what time one could reasonably expect to be off the ship in Southampton. We are supposed to arrive at 5:30 am. I am looking at flights from Bristol for the same day and wonder what the earliest I could reasonably make would be.

 

Thanks in advance...

Dee

[pkw]

Not sure if this is the right thread or if I should go to the ports section but I am wondering if anyone might know what time one could reasonably expect to be off the ship in Southampton. We are supposed to arrive at 5:30 am. I am looking at flights from Bristol for the same day and wonder what the earliest I could reasonably make would be.

 

Thanks in advance...

Dee

 

Hi Dee

 

I spoke to celebrity re using ship transfers to Gatwick or Heathrow and they told me not to book a flight any earlier than mid day - as we are going to be flying international we have left another couple of hours for checkin/security etc - hope this helps you in calculating the time needed to travel to Bristol.

 

Paula

[Adammara]

We are Elite and get priority disembarkation, and are usually off the ship by 7am to 7.30am, and then have to find our luggage and get to our transport, which can be up to another 1/2 hour. If you are travelling by road, Southampton can be quite busy at that time of morning, which may also delay you. When we did a B2B on Eclipse, by 9.30am, they were calling passengers by name to disembark the ship.

 

You do not say how you are travelling to Bristol, but I would allow 2-3 hours for the journey. Depending on how long you check in time is, I personally would not book a flight before 1pm.

 

We live 200 miles from Southampton, and travel by car, our best time was 4 hours (early Sunday morning), our worst was 7+ hours (delays around the M25!).

 

Richard

[excitedofharpenden]

We are Elite and get priority disembarkation, and are usually off the ship by 7am to 7.30am,

For the sake of clarification Elite status does not give you priority disembarkation. Only embarkation. The time allocated to you to get off the ship is totally dependent upon what you have put on your Disembarkation Questionnaire that you fill out part way through the cruise.

 

I have found Southampton to be one of the easier ports to exit the ship. Getting off at 7am shouldn't be too much of an issue. There are taxis right outside to take you to the train station. You don't say which airport you need to get to. I'm assuming it's not SOU to BRS?

 

Phil

[terrierjohn]

Most ships allow self embarcation with all your luggage as soon as the ship is cleared which it should be by 7:00am.

[Adammara]

Excited of Harpenden.

 

Proirity disembarkation may not be listed as a Elite perk, but we have always been given an early slot! We usually have the Elite breakfast and the host informs you when the ship has cleared and your cases are reay for collection.

 

Veravin has posted on another thread, I gather they are going on a Baltic cruise, then flying to Ireland on their return, and there has been some debate on the best way to achieve this.

 

Richard

[excitedofharpenden]

I've been Elite for a number of years and have never had priority disembarkation. Sometimes I have been off early. Sometimes I've been one of the last groups. It has all depended on what I put on the Disembarkation Questionnaire.

 

Phil

[6andy6]

I've been Elite for a number of years and have never had priority disembarkation. Sometimes I have been off early. Sometimes I've been one of the last groups. It has all depended on what I put on the Disembarkation Questionnaire.

 

Phil

 

Is it worth being picky.....or is this just a peacock showing off?

[excitedofharpenden]

Is it worth being picky.....or is this just a peacock showing off?

Actually it has nothing to do with a "peacock showing off" or indeed being picky. This board is about information and I wouldn't want anyone new to Celebrity to be left with the impression that they might not stand a good a chance of an early disembarkation time because they didn't have Elite status. The point is regardless of whether or not you have cruised with Celebrity before your disembarkation time is ruled by what you put on your questionnaire and ultimately how well the ship is able to get you off on the morning of arrival.

 

Phil

[Adammara]

I agree with Phil, just ask nicely at Guest Relations for an early slot when you hand your disembark form in, explaining the situation. But do not forget that ships can sometimes dock late, often due to strong headwinds, we have been late docking a couple of times.

 

Richard

[veravin]

There is a train leaving from Southampton at 8:10. It is the earliest and I could catch the 9:30 but it would be much tighter at the Bristol end. I could also book a private car but the train seems less likely to be affected by traffic. The 12:30 flight from Bristol works best for our trip but I don't want to have excessive stress just making it to the airport. The flight is to Cork and is short haul so we do not need to be there the full 2 hours before the flight.

[Denny01]

Phil and Richard are right. No, Elite do not get early or preferred disembarkation, only a nice queing location If we get an assigned time that is too late, or too early for that matter, we've gone to the Guest Desk and switched them quite easily for a time we wanted.

 

When we went to the disembarkation location they listed for us, have been told more than a few times our 'color/number' has already been announced to go. They do not make ship wide announcements, only at the disembarkation queuing locations.

 

And do Not pile up at the gangways prior. They do try to stick to the schedule and pushing through won't help you most of the time because your luggage probably won't be there until your time slot.

 

You'd be surprised how many elderly try to press through and end up sitting in some corner complaining.

 

Enjoy.

 

Den