Random questions about my upcoming April canary cruise

[Vampiress88]

Shall I aim for 12.30 parking my car? 
 

that’s going to be an early start. Took us a while getting down there last time from near Sheffield. 

[HappyGiraffe]

3 hours ago, Vampiress88 said:

Question as currently I’m a few sandwiches short

 

this means we need to be there at 1pm? Yes? Surprised as last time it was 3. And I don’t know what time I booked parking for. 
 

Depends on when you accessed/ printed it! P&O had a hiccup a couple of weeks back where everyone's tickets were issued with a 1pm boarding time, then an email went out a couple of weeks later advising everyone to check again as they'd made an error and arrival times were meant to be staggered so not everyone turned up at once. Our time shifted from 1pm to 2pm, but in the mean time we'd booked our train travel so will be arriving early and just have to sit and wait out the hour if they can't fit us in early! 

Edited March 5, 2020 by HappyGiraffe

[Vampiress88]

15 minutes ago, HappyGiraffe said:

Depends on when you accessed/ printed it! P&O had a hiccup a couple of weeks back where everyone's tickets were issued with a 1pm boarding time, then an email went out a couple of weeks later advising everyone to check again as they'd made an error and arrival times were meant to be staggered so not everyone turned up at once. Our time shifted from 1pm to 2pm, but in the mean time we'd booked our train travel so will be arriving early and just have to sit and wait out the hour if they can't fit us in early! 

I can’t print my tickets. I try to click on it and it doesn’t work on any of our devices so I contacted p&o on Monday and they delivered them to me today. I’m assuming they are correct. It’s not like I can check them anyway

[DamianG]

2 hours ago, Vampiress88 said:

Shall I aim for 12.30 parking my car? 
 

that’s going to be an early start. Took us a while getting down there last time from near Sheffield. 

Yes, definitely. With the roads being unpredictable better to be there too early than too late. The parking companies should be on site and if you end up in the terminal in advance of your boarding time it's just a question of waiting to be registered for embarkation.

Not trying to scare you but it only takes one accident on the motorway to set back your arrival time (worst for us on route to Southampton was being stationary over an hour on the M1 after a caravan overturned).

[Vampiress88]

21 minutes ago, DamianG said:

Yes, definitely. With the roads being unpredictable better to be there too early than too late. The parking companies should be on site and if you end up in the terminal in advance of your boarding time it's just a question of waiting to be registered for embarkation.

Not trying to scare you but it only takes one accident on the motorway to set back your arrival time (worst for us on route to Southampton was being stationary over an hour on the M1 after a caravan overturned).

That’s s what worries me. According to my notes last year we left at 9.30 and arrived at 2.30 as check in was at 3. So looks like we will be leaving at 7.30 this time I assume. There wasn’t even much traffic on way down last time. Just had to stop a few times. Least it’s not as early as airport I suppose. 
 

cant remember if I’ve asked but is it only buffet open that day? 

[DamianG]

16 hours ago, Vampiress88 said:

That’s s what worries me. According to my notes last year we left at 9.30 and arrived at 2.30 as check in was at 3. So looks like we will be leaving at 7.30 this time I assume. There wasn’t even much traffic on way down last time. Just had to stop a few times. Least it’s not as early as airport I suppose. 
 

cant remember if I’ve asked but is it only buffet open that day? 

 

Look at it this way, early morning roads might not be quite so busy (fingers crossed). Being that bit further North than you we try to leave super early in an attempt to get past Sheffield before 8am to avoid the worse of the rush hour there. We then usually stop at Donnington for breakfast then aim for a second stop at Chieveley on the M4 (though sometimes we have to fit in another toilet stop for son or Grandad!). It usually works for us bar that one time with the caravan crash.

Hopefully someone else can answer your other question regarding what's open (we're usually enjoying the upper tier embarkation lunch).

[Vampiress88]

1 hour ago, DamianG said:

 

Look at it this way, early morning roads might not be quite so busy (fingers crossed). Being that bit further North than you we try to leave super early in an attempt to get past Sheffield before 8am to avoid the worse of the rush hour there. We then usually stop at Donnington for breakfast then aim for a second stop at Chieveley on the M4 (though sometimes we have to fit in another toilet stop for son or Grandad!). It usually works for us bar that one time with the caravan crash.

Hopefully someone else can answer your other question regarding what's open (we're usually enjoying the upper tier embarkation lunch).

not been on enough cruises yet to get special lunch 😂 

 

I can’t remember where we actually stopped. We usually get on motorway near j31 or j32 so luckily miss everything through Sheffield and as it’s a Saturday not usually so bad but it’s 3hr45ish and like you we stopped twice last time which is probably about right for us. 
 

never been on the boat that early. Only cruises twice but both were 3pm and we were usually onboard for about 3.30-4. 
 

aww well that’s what comics and iPads are for I suppose. 

[wowzz]

50 minutes ago, Vampiress88 said:

not been on enough cruises yet to get special lunch 😂 

 

I can’t remember where we actually stopped. We usually get on motorway near j31 or j32 so luckily miss everything through Sheffield and as it’s a Saturday not usually so bad but it’s 3hr45ish and like you we stopped twice last time which is probably about right for us. 
 

never been on the boat that early. Only cruises twice but both were 3pm and we were usually onboard for about 3.30-4. 
 

aww well that’s what comics and iPads are for I suppose. 

I think I would be a nervous wreck if I arrived at Southampton at 3pm ! 

We live near Lincoln, so slightly closer,  but always drive down the day before. Just a much more relaxed start to the holiday,  and a Premier Inn is only £40 or so. 

[Vampiress88]

11 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I think I would be a nervous wreck if I arrived at Southampton at 3pm ! 

We live near Lincoln, so slightly closer,  but always drive down the day before. Just a much more relaxed start to the holiday,  and a Premier Inn is only £40 or so. 

last premier inn we had was before our flight to Orlando last year. Was awful. So bad I got a full refund! 
 

part of me wonders if to get a hotel or not for both the cruise and my May orlando flight but prior to last year we always drove  the same day. Plus kids have school and I have work so wouldn’t be able to leave till 4pm at latest in any case

[wowzz]

8 minutes ago, Vampiress88 said:

last premier inn we had was before our flight to Orlando last year. Was awful. So bad I got a full refund! 
 

part of me wonders if to get a hotel or not for both the cruise and my May orlando flight but prior to last year we always drove  the same day. Plus kids have school and I have work so wouldn’t be able to leave till 4pm at latest in any case

You must have been unlucky with your PI. We have stayed in many different ones over the years, and never have had a problem. We especially like the PI at Gatwick North, literally a one minute walk away from the terminal  

[indiana123]

I couldn't bear taking a chance on driving that far on the day.  It would be worse with kids in tow.

 

The Premier Inn at West Quay is absolutely perfect for cruisers, and you will find loads  of us there.  I'm not sure if they do larger family rooms though.  They are very reasonable.

 

Lots of other good reasonable hotels in the area too, ie I know there are two budget Ibis hotels just round the corner, and many more to choose from .

 

Well worth consideration in these days of pop up roadworks.

 

 

ps.  Yes Wowzz agree entirely about Gatwick.  It has a great atmosphere too.. everyone's in the "same boat". so to speak  ie off on a journey.

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by indiana123

[Vampiress88]

27 minutes ago, wowzz said:

You must have been unlucky with your PI. We have stayed in many different ones over the years, and never have had a problem. We especially like the PI at Gatwick North, literally a one minute walk away from the terminal  

was one near Manchester airport 

 

hubby seems to think we will be ok on both holidays just driving straight there. Saves on hotels but makes me feel uneasy 

 

never use to feel like that tho. Alway used to drive to Manchester airport before a flight same day and never worried. This was 10 years ago though and I do fret more than I used to. Have the frown lines to prove it 

[wowzz]

1 minute ago, Vampiress88 said:

was one near Manchester airport 

 

hubby seems to think we will be ok on both holidays just driving straight there. Saves on hotels but makes me feel uneasy 

 

never use to feel like that tho. Alway used to drive to Manchester airport before a flight same day and never worried. This was 10 years ago though and I do fret more than I used to. Have the frown lines to prove it 

Unless we fly from Doncaster, or have an afternoon flight, we now always stay the night before. At my age, I can do without the stress!

[wowzz]

28 minutes ago, indiana123 said:

Yes Wowzz agree entirely about Gatwick.  It has a great atmosphere too.. everyone's in the "same boat". so to speak  ie off on a journey.

And you can get the monorail to Wetherspoons in the south terminal! 

 

[Vampiress88]

2 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Unless we fly from Doncaster, or have an afternoon flight, we now always stay the night before. At my age, I can do without the stress!

donny too expensive to fly from. Think Manchester is about 1.5hours away. 
 

ive been just looking at hotels £68 for Southampton. Don’t even know what check out time is but not sure id want to hang about between that and boat. 
 

went ok last time for the boat. Definitely the airport one worries me but can’t alway make hubby see sense. Plus we would be driving in rush hour the night before if we did a hotel. 
 

Think we would be Goin from Gatwick next time and we definitely wouldn’t be driving down before that

[wowzz]

3 minutes ago, Vampiress88 said:

donny too expensive to fly from. Think Manchester is about 1.5hours away. 
 

ive been just looking at hotels £68 for Southampton. Don’t even know what check out time is but not sure id want to hang about between that and boat. 
 

went ok last time for the boat. Definitely the airport one worries me but can’t alway make hubby see sense. Plus we would be driving in rush hour the night before if we did a hotel. 
 

Think we would be Goin from Gatwick next time and we definitely wouldn’t be driving down before that

I was talking about flying from various airports for a holiday, rather than flying to Southampton. 

With regard to checking out, we normally take advantage of the PI buffet breakfast until 10 or so, read the newspapers in our room until 11:30, and then drive to the port. Regardless of the time we are given, we are normally on board  with a drink in our hands by 12:30.

[Son of Anarchy]

Most of hotels chuck you out at midday.  With a 13:00 check in it's a leisurely drive to your terminal. 

 

If they can you get you onboard before your check in time they will. 

 

Before they started "enforcing" check in times we used to arrive early.  Nice to get on board while its still relatively quiet, especially lunching in the buffet.  

 

A small downside is that your cabin may not be ready until 14:00.  Have some lunch, relax, go to cabin to drop your carry on bags off and enjoy the ship before your main luggage arrives.

[DamianG]

We've stopped overnight halfway down 3 times, twice in Daventry and last year just outside Coventry. Unless you can get a deal it's not cheap especially as we've specifically chosen hotels with a swimming pool to entertain our son.

This year that isn't looking likely as school finishes for the summer on Friday then we sail Saturday. I'm trying not to stress about the drive too much but it is already on my mind.