First-timer to Southampton (and England)

[craig01020]

Good afternoon. My wife and I are cruising from Southampton on Oct. 14. I've done a lot of online research, but I'm beginning to get paralysis by analysis.

 

Here are our current plans:

• Flying into Heathrow on the morning of the 12th.
• Booked National Express bus from LHR to Southampton (3 hours after scheduled arrival).
• Staying at the Leonardo Hotel (formerly Jurys Inn) for 2 nights.

 

I'm assuming we'll need a taxi from the bus station to the hotel, is that correct? Is the Leonardo in a decent area?

Thanks all!

[gumshoe958]

Assuming you’re staying in the hotel I think you’re staying in, it’s a half mile 10-15 minute walk from the coach station so up to you whether you choose to walk or take a cab.

 

Leonardo have two hotels in Southampton. The former Jurys Inn is on the northern edge of the city centre, by a park in quite a studenty area (there’s a university next door). But it’s easily walkable from the centre and its many shops and restaurants. You’ll need a cab to get to the cruise terminal.
 

The other one, the Leonardo Royal, is in the south of the city centre, the same distance from the coach station but nearer the shops and much closer to the cruise terminals, therefore very popular with cruisers.

 

 

[victory2020]

What is the closest hotel to the NCL cruise terminal? I have a cancellable reservation at Ibis Budget & am wondering if I can walk with carryon. If here is a closer hotel I will cancel. I will be using National Express & know the router to walk to the hotel. 

[mskaufman]

We stayed at Leonardo Royal and it was a good choice for the cruise.  Took a taxi in the morning to the port.

[gumshoe958]

9 hours ago, victory2020 said:

What is the closest hotel to the NCL cruise terminal? I have a cancellable reservation at Ibis Budget & am wondering if I can walk with carryon. If here is a closer hotel I will cancel. I will be using National Express & know the router to walk to the hotel. 

The Ibis Budget, together with the Ibis and Novotel on the same site, are the closest hotels to the Horizon terminal that NCL uses. Easily walkable in less than 10 minutes.

[victory2020]

6 hours ago, gumshoe958 said:

The Ibis Budget, together with the Ibis and Novotel on the same site, are the closest hotels to the Horizon terminal that NCL uses. Easily walkable in less than 10 minutes.

It appears that the NCL Getaway will be using Ocean Terminal. How close would that be?

[blueexpedition29]

[Twickenham]

On 8/26/2023 at 4:49 PM, craig01020 said:

Here are our current plans:

• Flying into Heathrow on the morning of the 12th.
• Booked National Express bus from LHR to Southampton (3 hours after scheduled arrival).
• Staying at the Leonardo Hotel (formerly Jurys Inn) for 2 nights.

 

If, as your thread title states, this is your first time in the UK, why not spend those 2 nights in London? Much more interesting for a tourist, and It's quite easy to get to Southampton the morning of your cruise. 

[gumshoe958]

31 minutes ago, victory2020 said:

It appears that the NCL Getaway will be using Ocean Terminal. How close would that be?

Further - just over a mile so a 20-25 minute walk.

[victory2020]

2 hours ago, blueexpedition29 said:

This is brilliant! Thank you!

[blueexpedition29]

1 hour ago, victory2020 said:

This is brilliant! Thank you!

You're Welcomed.  Wish i could take credit for it; but, i came across it somewhere on the LHR transportation website and thought others would benefit from it since I've seen so many questions that it answers!  

[John Bull]

8 hours ago, victory2020 said:

It appears that the NCL Getaway will be using Ocean Terminal. How close would that be?

 

7 hours ago, gumshoe958 said:

Further - just over a mile so a 20-25 minute walk.

 

 

Yes,  that's a strange one - Ocean terminal (berth 46 on my linked port schedule) was built with Carnival Corporation investment, and is normally scheduled only for P&O, Princess, Cunard, Aida and any other Carnival Corp. brands.

 

Most Norwegian sailings are from Horizon terminal (berth 102) or City terminal (berth 101)

But on 12th and 22nd October Getaway is scheduled from Ocean terminal.

This is the first time that I'm aware of any non-Carnival ship being scheduled to berth there.

 

https://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/Live_Information/Shipping_Movements_and_Cruise_Ship_Schedule/Cruise_Ship_Schedule/

 

Room 2 and Ennio's are the closest hotels to Ocean terminal, or the clutch of hotels around Leonardo Royal are a 10 - 15 minute walk 

 

JB 🙂

 

[victory2020]

16 hours ago, John Bull said:

 

 

 

Yes,  that's a strange one - Ocean terminal (berth 46 on my linked port schedule) was built with Carnival Corporation investment, and is normally scheduled only for P&O, Princess, Cunard, Aida and any other Carnival Corp. brands.

 

Most Norwegian sailings are from Horizon terminal (berth 102) or City terminal (berth 101)

But on 12th and 22nd October Getaway is scheduled from Ocean terminal.

This is the first time that I'm aware of any non-Carnival ship being scheduled to berth there.

 

https://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/Live_Information/Shipping_Movements_and_Cruise_Ship_Schedule/Cruise_Ship_Schedule/

 

Room 2 and Ennio's are the closest hotels to Ocean terminal, or the clutch of hotels around Leonardo Royal are a 10 - 15 minute walk 

 

JB 🙂

 

I also saw that Starboard stays may be close?

[John Bull]

3 hours ago, victory2020 said:

I also saw that Starboard stays may be close?

 

I googled it and immediately recognised the photo.

Yes, 10 - 15 minute walk to Ocean terminal, and just two minutes from the bars & restaurants of Oxford Street

Was a pub (the Court Jester) for many years, in recent years it's been used for a number of ventures - Flying Dutchman, Taberna 13, Roost, & now Starboard, so you might find it difficult to find many reviews.

It's on a corner of a busy road junction.

 

By comparison, Room 2 is also close to Oxford Street but in a blind road opposite a park - the dock gate is a short walk directly across the park.

 

JB 🙂

[Crown Vic]

On 8/30/2023 at 7:43 PM, John Bull said:

…or the clutch of hotels around Leonardo Royal are a 10 - 15 minute walk 

JB 🙂

 

Took a taxi from the Royal Leonardo to Berth 46 a fortnight ago. Too lazy to walk with two suitcases. Taxi fare was £10. Cheers…

[John Bull]

46 minutes ago, Crown Vic said:

Took a taxi from the Royal Leonardo to Berth 46 a fortnight ago. Too lazy to walk with two suitcases. Taxi fare was £10. Cheers…

 

Hi again, Colin

 

As Rickey Gervais would say

- "Layzeee" 🤪

 

JB 🙂

[Crown Vic]

3 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

Hi again, Colin

 

As Rickey Gervais would say

- "Layzeee" 🤪

 

JB 🙂

JB, good to see you are continuing to provide top notch information.

Carry on! Vic…

[matamanoa]

Hello to both John Bull and Colin,

 

Adding my two cents worth to the discussion.  A couple of weeks ago we had trouble getting a cab due to the number of cruise ships that were in port that day.  We phoned the morning of the cruise to secure a cab and was told it would be a two hour wait so we decided to walk from the Premier Inn all the way to the Queen Elizabeth Terminal.  It was quite the hike with our luggage.   For our last cruise just over two weeks ago we phoned for a taxi the night before and it arrived on schedule and we were at the Ocean Terminal in no time.  So I would suggest prebooking a cab to ensure that you get to the terminal in time to board and with less stress.  We also took the opportunity while in Southampton to visit the small but nicely done Maritime Museum.

 

Smooth sailing,

 

Barb

[Mrs f.]

We took the National Express Coach for our recent cruise. Please take the 5 pound option to change bus time if needed.  Also note when watching for your bus that the sign on front of bus lists last stop.  Southampton is NOT the last stop.  Started with an S.  Swansea maybe????   Wr almost let our bus go by Not knowing this.

[John Bull]

3 hours ago, Mrs f. said:

We took the National Express Coach for our recent cruise. Please take the 5 pound option to change bus time if needed.  Also note when watching for your bus that the sign on front of bus lists last stop.  Southampton is NOT the last stop.  Started with an S.  Swansea maybe????   Wr almost let our bus go by Not knowing this.

 

 

Yes, destination boards on Nat. Express coaches display the service number and the last stop.

From LHR buses to Southampton continue to their last stop at either Bournemouth or Poole.

Service number is 203

 

But from London Victoria coach station Southampton is the last stop - buses to Bournemouth or Poole do not go via Southampton.

Service number is 032 

 

And yes, when booking a bus from any airport it makes a great deal of sense to pay the small premium for flexibility. due to the timing vagaries of flight and airport formalities.  

 

JB 🙂

[Mrs f.]

10 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

 

Yes, destination boards on Nat. Express coaches display the service number and the last stop.

From LHR buses to Southampton continue to their last stop at either Bournemouth or Poole.

Service number is 203

 

But from London Victoria coach station Southampton is the last stop - buses to Bournemouth or Poole do not go via Southampton.

Service number is 032 

 

And yes, when booking a bus from any airport it makes a great deal of sense to pay the small premium for flexibility. due to the timing vagaries of flight and airport formalities.  

 

10 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

JB 🙂

Yes ..302 is the one we took.  Also you can change bus times but not bus terminal. So when our Tuesday BA  flight got cancelled the Saturday before, we rescheduled flight and wound up landing in a different terminal. Had to collect luggage and take it on a subway between terminals to new terminal. 

John Bull....I know I can always count on you for the correct answer. Thanks 

Edited September 11, 2023 by Mrs f.

[Cotswold Eagle]

4 hours ago, Mrs f. said:

Also you can change bus times but not bus terminal. So when our Tuesday BA  flight got cancelled the Saturday before, we rescheduled flight and wound up landing in a different terminal.

Wow, that's harsh! I could understand not being able to change (e.g.) from Victoria to Heathrow, but from one terminal to another at Heathrow seems a bit different. Particularly if it's actually the same bus calling at the different terminals. But I guess "the computer says no"...

[Mrs f.]

22 hours ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

Wow, that's harsh! I could understand not being able to change (e.g.) from Victoria to Heathrow, but from one terminal to another at Heathrow seems a bit different. Particularly if it's actually the same bus calling at the different terminals. But I guess "the computer says no"...

Hubby actually called the London office and a human said nope. The bus does not go from one terminal to another.  Worked out fine.