Southampton to Portsmouth to catch a ferry to Caen.

[Renmar]

We will be on our first Cunard cruise August 28 aboard the QM2 for the 7 day crossing New York to Southampton. Our plan is to take a taxi from the cruise port to the Portsmouth ferry terminal (or at least to a hotel close by the terminal). Should we arrange for a taxi before arrival or are there enough taxis at the port in Southampton?

Anybody on these boards have done that? Any help is much appreciated.

 

Theo

 

[John Bull]

Hi, Theo,

 

Yes, there'll be a line of taxis at the cruise terminal.

But these are metered taxis, fine for a hop of a few miles but expensive for the 20 miles to Portsmouth.

Because the destination is outside Southampton city limits you can barter a price if the driver agrees - or the driver can decline that journey, leaving you to lobby the line.

So far better & cheaper to pre-book a fixed-price private transfer, for example ....

https://westquaycars.com/

https://aquacars.co.uk/

http://www.southamptontaxis.net/

https://gunwharf-executive-travel.co.uk/

 

Or by train to Portsmouth Harbour.

Or by National Express bus to  Portsmouth International Port and then Portsmouth Harbour.

 

Is this for a cross-Channel ferry to France or the Channel Islands?

They all depart from Portsmouth International Port.

if you're looking for a hotel it means you'll be spending some time in Portsmouth - the only hotel at the International Port is a Premier Inn, and there are very  very few local facilities. So  unless perhaps you're booked on a ferry at daft o'clock in the morning, you'd do better to book a hotel close to amenities  - shops, restaurants, pubs, attractions, etc.

 

Two areas to consider ............

 

Near The Hard / Portsmouth Harbour, a 5-minute taxi ride from the International Port.

The Isle of Wight ferries sail from Portsmouth Harbour.

Portsmouth Harbour is handy for Portsmouth Historic Dockyard - a day's-worth of attractions, including Nelson's HMS Victory (still a commissioned warship), the ironclad Warrior and Henry V111's Mary Rose, and a variety of displays in the dockyard buildings.

And the Gunwharf Quays shopping / entertainment complex with its iconic Spinnaker Tower.

I'd recommend Holiday Inn Express in Gunwharf Quays, or for something a bit different the Royal Maritime Club - originally for sailors, now a very good quirky 3-star hotel with maritime connections and usually a sprinkling of Royal Navy clientele.

 

Or Southsea seafront, a ten-minute taxi ride from the International Port or a five-minute bus ride from Portsmouth Harbour.

Portsmouth & Southsea are conjoined cities- only locals know where the boundary is.

But whereas Portsmouth is a Navy city, Southsea is a vacation resort city.

Pebbled beach, waterfront promenade with views to the Isle of Wight, D-Day museum, Henry V111's diminutive Southsea Castle, ice-creams and candy-floss and kiss-me-quick hats.

Best-known hotel is The Queen's Hotel, but there's a very wide selection.

 

https://www.visitportsmouth.co.uk/

 

https://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/

 

https://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/exhiportsmouth

 

https://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/royal-maritime-club

 

JB 🙂

 

 

 

 

Edited July 12, 2022 by John Bull

[Renmar]

51 minutes ago, John Bull said:

Hi, Theo,

 

Yes, there'll be a line of taxis at the cruise terminal.

But these are metered taxis, fine for a hop of a few miles but expensive for the 20 miles to Portsmouth.

Because the destination is outside Southampton city limits you can barter a price if the driver agrees - or the driver can decline that journey, leaving you to lobby the line.

So far better & cheaper to pre-book a fixed-price private transfer, for example ....

https://westquaycars.com/

https://aquacars.co.uk/

http://www.southamptontaxis.net/

https://gunwharf-executive-travel.co.uk/

 

Or by train to Portsmouth Harbour.

Or by National Express bus to  Portsmouth International Port and then Portsmouth Harbour.

 

Is this for a cross-Channel ferry to France or the Channel Islands?

They all depart from Portsmouth International Port.

if you're looking for a hotel it means you'll be spending some time in Portsmouth - the only hotel at the International Port is a Premier Inn, and there are very  very few local facilities. So  unless perhaps you're booked on a ferry at daft o'clock in the morning, you'd do better to book a hotel close to amenities  - shops, restaurants, pubs, attractions, etc.

 

Two areas to consider ............

 

Near The Hard / Portsmouth Harbour, a 5-minute taxi ride from the International Port.

The Isle of Wight ferries sail from Portsmouth Harbour.

Portsmouth Harbour is handy for Portsmouth Historic Dockyard - a day's-worth of attractions, including Nelson's HMS Victory (still a commissioned warship), the ironclad Warrior and Henry V111's Mary Rose, and a variety of displays in the dockyard buildings.

And the Gunwharf Quays shopping / entertainment complex with its iconic Spinnaker Tower.

I'd recommend Holiday Inn Express in Gunwharf Quays, or for something a bit different the Royal Maritime Club - originally for sailors, now a very good quirky 3-star hotel with maritime connections and usually a sprinkling of Royal Navy clientele.

 

Or Southsea seafront, a ten-minute taxi ride from the International Port or a five-minute bus ride from Portsmouth Harbour.

Portsmouth & Southsea are conjoined cities- only locals know where the boundary is.

But whereas Portsmouth is a Navy city, Southsea is a vacation resort city.

Pebbled beach, waterfront promenade with views to the Isle of Wight, D-Day museum, Henry V111's diminutive Southsea Castle, ice-creams and candy-floss and kiss-me-quick hats.

Best-known hotel is The Queen's Hotel, but there's a very wide selection.

 

https://www.visitportsmouth.co.uk/

 

https://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/

 

https://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/exhiportsmouth

 

https://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/royal-maritime-club

 

JB 🙂

 

 

 

 

Thanks @John Bullfor the information.  Yes, the idea is to take the ferry to Caen the day after arrival in Southampton. We will be staying in a hotel in Portsmouth (probably Travelodge) for 1 night because we need to take the early ferry (our son picks us up in Caen).

I will try to book with one of the taxi companies as you suggested.

Again, thanks a lot.

 

Theo

[Renmar]

9 hours ago, John Bull said:

No wonder you know so much about the area, I looked up your location 😁.

Theo

9 hours ago, John Bull said:

 

JB 🙂