Cruise parking advice

[condie]

Hi after some advice, driving to Southampton for 12 night cruise next year and want to stay overnight the night before cruise in Southampton  and don’t know which is best - to park car on day of cruise at the port with one of the cruise port companies or to get hotel deal with parking included. Any advice appreciated thanks. 

[Harry Peterson]

There are some very good hotel+parking deals around and a lot of people here use them without problem.  I'm wary of leaving a car in an unsecured car park though, so I's be inclined to go either for the 'official' CPS (are we talking P&O?) or Parking4Cruises - both very good, very simple, but the latter often works out a lot cheaper so we tend to use that.

 

Add one night in a hotel at a relatively low cost, and you're done.

[condie]

Thanks for advice/ recommendations

[Harters]

Like Harry, I would be nervous about leaving my car in a hotel car park for a week or so.  When we did an Oceania cruise a couple of years back we used Parking4Cruises (which had been recommended on this forum and elsewhere). Very straight forward - their secure parking area was right opposite the ship. I'll be using them again on our next Oceania cruise in June.

 

FWIW, last time we stayed in a hotel away from Southampton last time and will do similar next time. Just prefer the idea of a nice country hotel to one in a city centre. Good dinner, nice leisurely breakfast and something like a 30 minute drive to the port.

[john watson]

I have parked at The Holiday Inn, Herbert Walker Avenue at least six times with no problems.  They do a cruise parking deal inclusive of taxi transfers to quayside start and end of cruise. I have also done various parking company systems. All seem to work well.

 

The big thing these days is the Covid Test arrangements, Princess arrangements were free of charge tests at beginning of cruise.  People who arrive in the formal Quayside Parking Company areas in their cars tend to have the Covid tests completed in car at the car park followed by usual procedures to the terminal.  People arriving in taxis had their Covid tests done in a marquee opposite the cruise terminal followed by walking back across the road to enter the cruise terminal. I suspect other lines have similar systems to some extent.

 

So selecting your parking arrangement has an affect on the next stage of the boarding/embarkation process.

 

Regards John

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

We love using CPS. It isn't cheap but it is easy and quick when you get back. From picking up suitcases to being on the road took us just 15 mins!