Southhampton to Heathrow Airport

[pamsneighbour]

Thoughts on being able to catch a 12:00 noon flight after disembarking the Caribbean Princess?

[nukesubsailor]

Thoughts on being able to catch a 12:00 noon flight after disembarking the Caribbean Princess?

 

Very doubtful. If your flight is an international flight arriving at the airport 3 hours before the flight is recommended. That means getting there by 9:00 a.m. You need to plan on it taking 2 hours to get from the ship to the airport. That means leaving the ship at 7:00 a.m. If you have a Princess transfer from the ship to the airport, the bus won't leave until it is full.

[pamsneighbour]

Thank you!

[crows nest club]

I think you would be pushing it. Even if you do a self disembarkation, you have to rely on the ship clearing customs by 7 a.m. Also the traffic from Southampton can be very unpredictable - British motorways are noted for delays and you will be using the M3 and the notorious M25 (known as the 'largest car park in Europe'). With all things in your favour, it would be tight. Personally, I wouldn't risk it.

 

If there is a later flight then I would take that.

[2pbears]

I wouldn't be comfortable with a flight that early. We had a delay in clearing customs and were not able to disembark in time to make our 8:00 train to Heathrow, which resulted in a very expensive ship transfer as an alternative (in addition to the train tickets which we had already purchased). :eek:

[Colo Cruiser]

Thoughts on being able to catch a 12:00 noon flight after disembarking the Caribbean Princess?

 

 

We have had family make an 11:00 flight. They did the first self walk off with their luggage and took this company for the transportation.

 

http://www.woodfordchauffeurcars.co.uk/

[easyboy]

Thoughts on being able to catch a 12:00 noon flight after disembarking the Caribbean Princess?

Last May, we took the Princess transfer. Did the normal disembarkation. We arrived Heathrow a little past 11am with no heavy traffic. We were not in a rush having a 6pm UA flight.

Even with self-disembarkation, I guess your noon flight is a bit tight with no allowances for any eventualities.

[paintchip8]

Now I'm getting worried. We have Princess Air and our flight leaves at 12:30. Princess recommended their transfer to the airport. Hopefully we are the first bus.

[kelleherdl]

Very doubtful. If your flight is an international flight arriving at the airport 3 hours before the flight is recommended. That means getting there by 9:00 a.m. You need to plan on it taking 2 hours to get from the ship to the airport. That means leaving the ship at 7:00 a.m. If you have a Princess transfer from the ship to the airport, the bus won't leave until it is full.

 

Our September BI cruise is our first Princess cruise. Purely for convenience and a pretty competitive business lass ticket we are using EZAir and Princess transfers. Our LHR departing flight is 12:35. Would it be normal for Princess to book a flight and transfer that would be a challenge to meet?

 

Dennis

[Colo Cruiser]

Now I'm getting worried. We have Princess Air and our flight leaves at 12:30. Princess recommended their transfer to the airport. Hopefully we are the first bus.

 

 

 

If it's ok by Princess why the worry?

[DrivesLikeMario]

I've made 12:30pm flights from Southampton a few times. There wasn't much time to spare. The bus left by 8am both times. Traffic was considered "bad" by the bus driver (laughable - clearly he hadn't seen "bad" So. Cal. traffic). The good news is that the buses fill up pretty quickly since there's so many people using them unless you happen to be going to an odd terminal. If you're flying out of Terminal 3 or 5, then you should be fine barring any odd situations like a car accident, bus leaving late, etc. http://www.heathrow.com/airport-guide/which-terminal.

[fishywood]

Big question is what time your ship is scheduled to arrive in Southampton:

 

Disembarking Passengers

For voyages arriving in Southampton at 5:00 am, the earliest flight departure from Heathrow is 12:00 pm, the earliest flight departure from Gatwick is 12:30 pm, and the earliest train departure from Victora Coach Station is 11:30 am.

For voyages arriving in Southampton at 7:00 am, the earliest flight departure from Heathrow is 2:00 pm, the earliest flight departure from Gatwick is 2:30 pm and the earliest train departure from Victoria Coach Station is 1:00 pm.

 

from the Flight Guidelines for Non-Princess Flight Guests http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/travel.jsp