Time from Ship to Heathrow

[sissy2000]

We have had a flight change and will now be leaving from Heathrow at 11:15 when we arrive in London at the end of our cruise.  The ship is set to dock at 6:00 a.m.  If we are able to walk off, should that be enough time?

[clarky213]

1 hour ago, sissy2000 said:

We have had a flight change and will now be leaving from Heathrow at 11:15 when we arrive in London at the end of our cruise.  The ship is set to dock at 6:00 a.m.  If we are able to walk off, should that be enough time?

 

That would be very risky. You need to Check in at 8:15 presuming it is an International flight.

 

Heathrow is approx 65 Miles away. Depending upon what day it is, travel time by Car can be anything between 1.5 Hrs to 3 Hours. If you get to wak off at 7am, this only gives you 1hr 15 to get to the airport.

 

I would change to a later flight if possible, or next day.

[ohnonotmeagain]

Last cruise we were delayed  nearly 2 hours getting into Southampton due to foggy conditions [October ] but has happened to us in April as well![only one hour]  but that would really scupper your plans. 

[Lady Arwen]

Our upcoming cruise also disembarks in Southampton and we chose a 2:15 pm flight home to Canada.  I’d rather have a leisurely breakfast and window shop at LHR for a couple of hours pre-flight, than to stress out about getting there on time.  We took a noon flight out of LHR pre-Covid and it was a nightmare!  We were the last ones to board after going through a very chaotic security line.  Never again!

[rocklinmom]

If you book a Princess transfer to LHR you would probably be put on their first bus based on that early flight time. They probably won't let you book though with that tight of a window to get there. You would be actually disembarking at around 7am so you could wait at the doors to walk off first, and try to grab the first taxi at Southampton and ask him to haul A$# to LHR (with a big tip). 

[Tedferg]

We have the same dilemma and decided to stay over at the Hilton Garden Inn - you can walk to the terminal from there.

[Rick&Jeannie]

Our last cruise (October, this year) disembarking in Southampton with a Heathrow flight out we decided to stay over one night to avoid all the stress of trying to make a flight with such a time crunch.  We took in a West End theater show that night and then had a car service pick us up for the (relatively short) jump to Heathrow.  It's somewhat amusing to hear British actors trying to do a Jersey Boys accent!  But it was a great show.

[nini]

We took Blackberry Cabs and it was about an hour and a half to the airport. It was a Sunday and very easy.

[Blondilu]

On the Princess website it states you should not have a flight sooner than 7 hours after debarkation in Southhampton.  In your case that would be 1:00pm.

 

The thing is you never know what could happen until it happens.   Personally, I wouldn't chance it.  The drive there is only a part of the plan.  After that you have to get throught the airport.

 

I was not impressed by Heathrow.  Crazy, convoluted, too noisy on the concourse to hear departure info.  The check-in did not go well.  The security line had it's own problems.  We had all kinds of trouble.  To me it's a hot mess of an airport.  LOL, most of them are but Heathrow takes the prize, IMO.

 

 

 

[Arizona Wildcat]

15 hours ago, sissy2000 said:

We have had a flight change and will now be leaving from Heathrow at 11:15 when we arrive in London at the end of our cruise.  The ship is set to dock at 6:00 a.m.  If we are able to walk off, should that be enough time?

What do of the week?  Sunday is probably.   Weekdays not likely.  Saturday maybe.

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, Blondilu said:

On the Princess website it states you should not have a flight sooner than 7 hours after debarkation in Southhampton.  In your case that would be 1:00pm.

 

The thing is you never know what could happen until it happens.   Personally, I wouldn't chance it.  The drive there is only a part of the plan.  After that you have to get throught the airport.

 

I was not impressed by Heathrow.  Crazy, convoluted, too noisy on the concourse to hear departure info.  The check-in did not go well.  The security line had it's own problems.  We had all kinds of trouble.  To me it's a hot mess of an airport.  LOL, most of them are but Heathrow takes the prize, IMO.

 

 

 

Agree.  LHR is a mess when it comes to security.  I couldn't believe the mess we went through to clear security for a CONNECTION.  It appears as though they mix up originating and connecting pax in T5 for international departures.  It was a nightmare, compounded by the fact there was a computer glitch for my wife's BP and the auto-gates wouldn't let her through.  Had to wait for a guy to clear a record and do an override.  We were flying BA and thankfully, there were a couple of BA agents there who could intervene.  After that, we had NO IDEA what we were going to face with the security lines.  What a zoo!!  Had I known, I would have asked BA agent for some sort of priority pass.  There was no priority for FF's or Business Class passengers.  Many different queues and hard to figure out which one fast or slow.  It was probably better pre-pandemic.

 

We barely made our flight and we had better than 1.5 hrs to connect.

 

[Lady Arwen]

10 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Agree.  LHR is a mess when it comes to security.  I couldn't believe the mess we went through to clear security for a CONNECTION.  It appears as though they mix up originating and connecting pax in T5 for international departures.  It was a nightmare, compounded by the fact there was a computer glitch for my wife's BP and the auto-gates wouldn't let her through.  Had to wait for a guy to clear a record and do an override.  We were flying BA and thankfully, there were a couple of BA agents there who could intervene.  After that, we had NO IDEA what we were going to face with the security lines.  What a zoo!!  Had I known, I would have asked BA agent for some sort of priority pass.  There was no priority for FF's or Business Class passengers.  Many different queues and hard to figure out which one fast or slow.  It was probably better pre-pandemic.

 

We barely made our flight and we had better than 1.5 hrs to connect.

 

Our experience, exactly!  I was in tears when we finally made it onto the aircraft and vowed to never do a repeat.

[nini]

AGREED!!! We are absolutely NOT fans of LHR. However, I think when we return in June, we will be a bit more acquainted with the place.

[ldubs]

We are pretty adventuresome and will take some risks as long as there are acceptable alternatives.  The 11:15 flight is very tight IMO. I wouldn't do it unless I really needed to.   And if I really needed to I would make sure I had plan B lined up in case I miss the flight.  

 

We were at LHR in October.  It was OK getting through security in T3.   Thing I dislike about LHR is the long hikes from security to your gate.  

[VibeGuy]

I am a fly-in-the-morning-of cruiser with enough miles and status to make the airlines be nice to me when the stuff hits the fan, and I would absolutely not try to do this.   Here is a list of things I would sooner do:

 

1) Eat marked-down gas station sushi

2) Skritch  a grizzly bear cub between the ears while Mama Bear watches

3) Get involved in a land war in Asia

4) Wear white shoes after Labour Day outside the gym

5) Serve Merlot with Dover sole.