Southampton hotels with cruise parking?

[fantasy51]

Some friends and I have just booked a cruise on QM2, departing Southampton for the Canaries on 30 November. One of my friends would like to drive to Southampton the day before and leave her car at a hotel.

 

Have any of you done that? Do you know a good hotel that offers cruise parking? We would want an easy procedure as my friend is over 90 years old.

[Josie8]

The Grand Harbour is a nice hotel and well positioned :) http://www.grandharbourhotel.co.uk/cruise-offers

[north east girl]

We've stayed in The Holiday Inn, not a bad price. It's over the road from The Grand Harbour Hotel.

 

Catherine

Edited September 9, 2014 by north east girl

[capnpugwash]

I usually stay at the Mercure Dolphin on the High Street, it's a nice hotel and they have a good package for cruisers.

[fantasy51]

Thank you so much. This is a good starting point. The Grand Harbour Hotel is showing no availability on the internet, though I've suggested that my friend could try by phone if she's interested. The other two look good as well.

[fantasy51]

Now that my friend has seen the hotel costs, she thinks she might be better off getting a taxi or hire car. She can do it for £250 return, which is almost what the Grand Harbour would cost, and it would save a lot of worrying from the driving.

[doug84ang]

Hi there're Iv booked the holiday inn in December going on QM2 for Xmas it cost me £150.00 for 1 night BB including 15 nights car parking

 

 

 

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[Mr&MrsHendricks]

Evening!

 

fantasy51, have you and your chum considered getting the train?

 

There's a direct Oxford to Southampton Central service will cost you £27 Second class, or £40 First for a Return ticket (less any deductions with any railcards you may have...) and normally takes 90 mins max in each direction.

 

There may though be engineering works on your day of sailing (a Sunday) so it may take a bit longer, but if you're thinking of travelling down the day before then this won't affect you.

 

Plenty of cabbies outside the station and the ride to the dock is less that a tenner in fare.

 

More details here http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

 

Regards,

 

Mr. H

[fantasy51]

Thank you so much for the train suggestion. I normally travel by train from the Oxford area (seeing I only live 5 minutes walk from a station) but my friend is coming from past Eastbourne and I gather it means changing trains a few times - not easy when you are over 90 and have 2 large suitcases! She has to find alternative means of travel. We meet up on board.

[Mid-Atlantic Ridge]

Another two suggestions not mentioned yet, neither of which involve an overnight stay;

 

1. Cruise and Passenger Services parking at the dock. Door to door and your friend would have all morning to drive over. It is expensive though, the cost of fuel plus £135 for 12 nights. The Sunday departure may make one leg of the drive more palatable.

 

2. Book a car and driver from Smiths for Airports each way. They are spot-on in my opinion, I use them to get down to Soton from London and back, no lifting cases and once more a door to door service. The driver and the stevedores at Southampton will assist with luggage.

 

I would favour option 2 given the convenience even if it is a few Pounds more and within your friend's budget. It would take the worry out the whole thing.

 

M-AR

[fantasy51]

I don't know if my friend is going with Smiths or with a firm she knows, but your number 2 option is basically what she has decided.

 

Thank you.

[Chunky2219]

I use one of two places just outside Southampton, they both do parking for about £5 a day and can arrange transport to the terminal. One is a former dairy farm, the other is a completely refurbished country house beside the river with only 4 rooms but it is very, very nice.

 

The advantage of the latter is that they will cook a meal the night before sailing, pretty much to your taste. Last time, we had their own lamb. Take your own wine. Breakfast included eggs of various colours which had come straight from under the chickens an hour earlier.

 

The latter is maybe a bit better for families - there is a separate wing with a pool table , plus hot tub, etc. and they will cook something special if staying two nights. Plenty of pubs in nearby villages with excellent food. One of the owners is former Cunard manager and now runs a cruise travel agency - if you book through them parking and accommodation used to be free.

 

Prices are under £100 B&B. I can email you the details if you wish.

 

.

Edited September 13, 2014 by Chunky2219
typo

[fantasy51]

Thanks Chunky. That's very useful to know and perhaps others will want to contact you to get that information, as it sounds good. However, my friend has decided to get a company to drive her - and I think that is wise at her age.