Princess Transfer to Heathrow from Southamton

[fdpevey]

It's been a while since we've cruised on Princess, and I don't remember the disembarkation transfer process or selecting a shuttle time.

 

Our flight isn't until 4 PM so we are in no hurry to get to the airport. Unfortunately that is BEFORE the 5 PM time to enjoy one of the disembarkation excursions. (Advice is to arrive at least 3 hours in advance and excursions don't get you to Heathrow until 2 PM.) 

 

Can someone with a recent memory remind me how this works - and what would be the latest you think we could stay on the ship and still be on a Princess transfer shuttle? 

 

We would prefer to enjoy a leisurely breakfast relaxing on board and avoiding the disembarkation crowds then take the last possible shuttle. What time do you think the last shuttle would be?

 

Thanks!

[Lady Arwen]

You will need to disembark by 9:00 am, or earlier, since the crew needs time to get ready for another load of passengers anxiously awaiting to get onboard.  We are also disembarking in Southampton to LHR in two weeks and using the Princess transfer.  We expect to be on our bus sometime after 9:00 am, which would most likely be the last shuttle.  You can have a long leisurely breakfast if you eat by 6-7 am.  Be forewarned, the buffet will be packed by 6 am!

[Rick&Jeannie]

We have done the Princess transfer from Southampton several times now.  Your exit time will not be your choice.  You will be given a time to exit the ship.  As best I can recall...it is usually about 10:00-10:30 when we actually roll out on the bus.

[fdpevey]

10 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

We have done the Princess transfer from Southampton several times now.  Your exit time will not be your choice.  You will be given a time to exit the ship.  As best I can recall...it is usually about 10:00-10:30 when we actually roll out on the bus.

That is actually good to hear. I was afraid they'd try to move us out very early - this is reasonable.

[Rick&Jeannie]

1 hour ago, fdpevey said:

That is actually good to hear. I was afraid they'd try to move us out very early - this is reasonable.

Well, let me clarify. That's *generally* when the bus actually leaves. You'll (sometimes) spend a lot of time just waiting around for the bus to fill...or for the passengers that they know are taking the transfer.  Some passengers will not do early walk-off. They will do the "timed" departure...and that can be as late as 9:00 as mentioned above. 

[JimmyVWine]

2 hours ago, fdpevey said:

We would prefer to enjoy a leisurely breakfast relaxing on board and avoiding the disembarkation crowds

Why not pre-arrange for a taxi/car service?  If there are 2 or more in your group, the rate for a car (Southampton Taxi) is comparable to paying per person for a Princess transfer. You can indicate on your departure form that you get on board that you have made your own arrangements and request the latest possible departure group. And if you have your own arrangements, your departure group and time really doesn’t matter other than knowing where to go in the terminal to collect any luggage that you put out the night before. 

[azbirdmom]

According to the Disembarkation sheet we received for our cruise that ended on July 7th the latest times listed for transfers to Heathrow are as follows:

 

• 9 AM for terminal 2
• 9:30 AM for terminal 3
• 8 AM for terminal 4

 

Guessing that this may vary a bit depending on how many guests they have going to each terminal but that's what it was as of a little more than a month ago.

[Lady Arwen]

22 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

According to the Disembarkation sheet we received for our cruise that ended on July 7th the latest times listed for transfers to Heathrow are as follows:

 

• 9 AM for terminal 2
• 9:30 AM for terminal 3
• 8 AM for terminal 4

 

Guessing that this may vary a bit depending on how many guests they have going to each terminal but that's what it was as of a little more than a month ago.

Exactly what I thought, too.  The OP should prepare for an 8-9 am transfer.  After 10.00 is almost impossible.

[Lady Arwen]

2 hours ago, fdpevey said:

That is actually good to hear. I was afraid they'd try to move us out very early - this is reasonable.

Please count on an 8-9:00 am transfer, unless something holds them up.  You will not get a 10.00 am transfer under normal circumstances.  We just want you to be prepared and not get your hopes up.

[Senga]

In May Sky Princess was 2 hours late docking and our 9:35 departure changed to 10.  No issue getting luggage although carts were hard to come by since we were a later departure. Bus transfer left at 10:30 and, due to lots of traffic on a long weekend, we were a LHR at 12:45. 

 

I don't recall the name but there is a company that offers transport from Southampton to LHR with a tour to either Stonehenge or Windsor Castle. It operates only on cruise days.  I did an internet search without success but maybe if you check the Ports of Call board you'll find the information there.  

[Senga]

@fdpevey  I found the company!

 

https://www.internationalfriends.co.uk/london-heathrow-to-southampton-via-stonehenge.html

[Rick&Jeannie]

25 minutes ago, Senga said:

@fdpevey  I found the company!

 

https://www.internationalfriends.co.uk/london-heathrow-to-southampton-via-stonehenge.html

We have done the tour to Stonehenge with International Friends.  Good tour, no issues (this was pre-pandemic...)

[skents]

1 hour ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

We have done the tour to Stonehenge with International Friends.  Good tour, no issues (this was pre-pandemic...)

 

[skents]

We used International Friends in July transferring from Heathrow to Southampton with the Stonehenge stop on the way.  After the cruise we used them to transfer from Southampton to our hotel in London.

 

There were four of us and the price comparison worked well for us.  The service was outstanding and I highly recommend  them.

[fdpevey]

Thanks, all. Your experienced responses help. 

[Waynetor]

We disembarked Jy 26 - there were luggage tags with codes being called between 8 and 820 for early flights and 9 to 920 for later flights.  Other times were self disembarking or tours.  They ended up being ahead of schedule and everyone was called by around 9am 

 

It was about an hour and half to the airport

[caribill]

12 hours ago, azbirdmom said:

According to the Disembarkation sheet we received for our cruise that ended on July 7th the latest times listed for transfers to Heathrow are as follows:

 

• 9 AM for terminal 2
• 9:30 AM for terminal 3
• 8 AM for terminal 4

 

Guessing that this may vary a bit depending on how many guests they have going to each terminal but that's what it was as of a little more than a month ago.

 

Our cruise ended June 28:

6:50 and 6:55 AM for terminal 2

7:00 and 7:05 AM for terminal 3

7:10 and 7:15 AM for terminals 4 &5

 

Quite different from what you had

 

[Familycruzer11]

I am looking to book a 2:20 pm flight from LHR and use Princess Transfer. Does this look feasible?  Would rather avoid a later return flight if possible. 

[ambiepoo]

1.5 hours to Heathrow. From your flight time you should be looking at getting there by mid day

[Cessna140]

Just got off the Regal last week. We had flights at 4:30 and were given 9:30 tags. Went to Horizon Court for breakfast and then waited in the dining room till they called our color....the good thing about this is that it is not that difficult to find your luggage since most people disembarked earlier. We went right to our bus and were at Heathrow by 11:15am. Then  we sat in the incredibly crowded airport for five hours :(:(

Edited August 18, 2023 by Cessna140

[SCX22]

Guest Services actually reads the Disembarkation Questionnaire and times the Princess Transfer groups based on how they are able to group passengers based flight times, and in cases like Heathrow, terminal.  Not a perfect science, but it works.  Times won't be the same for all cruises.  There's a disembarkation schedule that will be printed on the back of the disembarkation instructions paper.  If there's a more suitable transfer time for you, you can always go to Guest Services and see if there's room on that time's bus.  

[fdpevey]

5 hours ago, Cessna140 said:

Just got off the Regal last week. We had flights at 4:30 and were given 9:30 tags. Went to Horizon Court for breakfast and then waited in the dining room till they called our color....the good thing about this is that it is not that difficult to find your luggage since most people disembarked earlier. We went right to our bus and were at Heathrow by 11:15am. Then  we sat in the incredibly crowded airport for five hours :(:(

Yep - if it was after 5 PM you could do something. I try to just accept this is the way. Too bad Princess can't plan a shorter excursion for folks who really don't need to be at the airport until noon - 1 PM.

[luvtravel]

We finished a Princess Cruise Aug. 3rd and purchased the transport from South Hampton to Heathrow. We had a 4:15 pm flight on United and Princess assigned us the 9:15am bus.      It’s good to have a little extra time in Heathrow - never know how busy it will be.