Where to wait in Southampton prior to boarding?

[OskiBear]

It's been a few years since the last time I boarded the QM2 in Southampton and I had a bit of a journey to get there from London. There was a problem with the train, we were disembarked at some intermediate stop with no directions as to how to continue our journey. I ended finding a taxi to drive us the rest of the way to Southampton. 

 

For our upcoming crossing in November, I'll plan on taking a train that'll get us to Southampton around 13:00 just to have a little extra time for contingencies. If we're too early for our assigned boarding time, is there some place we can hang out either near the station or the cruise terminal? 

[david63]

I would suggest that you have a back-up plan if travelling by train as there are ongoing strikes on the rail network and the trains may not be running on the day or could be delayed.

 

You are scheduled to be embarking from Mayflower Terminal which is within the port complex and there is nowhere there where you could wait - although if your train is due into Southampton around 13:00 I would go straight to the terminal.

[Pushpit]

Yes, the sky won't fall in if you are given say a 15:00 slot and you turn up at 13:00. It gets easier and quicker  if you go later on. I normally take the train to Southampton, including recently, and though I've had one bad experience I was in no danger of missing the sailing. Bad stuff can happen on the road system too, it's not as though anything is going to be totally risk free.

 

The recommendation I've made elsewhere is to go to the John Lewis store and go to The Place to Eat on the top floor, and grab a window seat - have some coffee and nibbles and admire your Queen from your rooftop viewpoint. There's also a mini Waitrose on the ground floor, if you need to stock up on anything, or the odd bottle of something. A taxi will take less than 10 minutes from John Lewis to the Mayflower.

[exlondoner]

5 hours ago, Pushpit said:

Yes, the sky won't fall in if you are given say a 15:00 slot and you turn up at 13:00. It gets easier and quicker  if you go later on. I normally take the train to Southampton, including recently, and though I've had one bad experience I was in no danger of missing the sailing. Bad stuff can happen on the road system too, it's not as though anything is going to be totally risk free.

 

The recommendation I've made elsewhere is to go to the John Lewis store and go to The Place to Eat on the top floor, and grab a window seat - have some coffee and nibbles and admire your Queen from your rooftop viewpoint. There's also a mini Waitrose on the ground floor, if you need to stock up on anything, or the odd bottle of something. A taxi will take less than 10 minutes from John Lewis to the Mayflower.

Yes, keep an eye on the strike schedule: they have to give two weeks notice. Usually, Southampton trains still run, but they didn’t last week on the Wednesday. What day of the week are you embarking? 

 

I would concur about the place to eat: it has splendid chocolate brownies, and obviously you are going to be starved by Cunard over the following week. 

[david63]

2 hours ago, exlondoner said:

What day of the week are you embarking? 

The OP said they are on a QM2 crossing in November so I would guess that it is 19th November which is a Sunday.

 

Whilst John Lewis is an option it may depend on how much luggage the OP has and the weather on the day as to whether it is a viable option. Personally I would get a taxi straight to the terminal and if necessary wait - there is plenty of seating at Mayflower Terminal

[exlondoner]

15 minutes ago, david63 said:

The OP said they are on a QM2 crossing in November so I would guess that it is 19th November which is a Sunday.

 

Whilst John Lewis is an option it may depend on how much luggage the OP has and the weather on the day as to whether it is a viable option. Personally I would get a taxi straight to the terminal and if necessary wait - there is plenty of seating at Mayflower Terminal

I think you could well be right. The luggage is an issue. I would also allow a lot of time for Sunday rail travel, not because of strikes, but because of possible engineering works.

[ace2542]

45 minutes ago, david63 said:

The OP said they are on a QM2 crossing in November so I would guess that it is 19th November which is a Sunday.

 

Whilst John Lewis is an option it may depend on how much luggage the OP has and the weather on the day as to whether it is a viable option. Personally I would get a taxi straight to the terminal and if necessary wait - there is plenty of seating at Mayflower Terminal

There is also that really big funny shaped hotel right across from the terminal isn't there? That will have a bar and resturant I imagine

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

There is also that really big funny shaped hotel right across from the terminal isn't there? That will have a bar and resturant I imagine

There is no hotel of any shape opposite the Mayflower Terminal. I think there is a Tesla car facility.

[ace2542]

4 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

There is no hotel of any shape opposite the Mayflower Terminal. I think there is a Tesla car facility.

The Leonardo Royal Hotel is a little bit close isn't it? I haven't sailed out of Southampton since before Covid.

[david63]

18 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

The Leonardo Royal Hotel is a little bit close isn't it? I haven't sailed out of Southampton since before Covid.

That is near to Ocean but even then there is the problem of getting from the hotel to Mayflower Terminal which is not an easy walk.

[geordiebing]

In the good old days when I was a working man and before the the build up of the Mayflower and surrounding area, there used to be a lovely little cafe where all the lorries used park before loading fruit from the terminals next to The Mayflower. The Marking are still on those terminals.It was also an easy walk to the dock gates and into the town as you didn't have to go via the main road.

Ah happy memories

[exlondoner]

52 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

The Leonardo Royal Hotel is a little bit close isn't it? I haven't sailed out of Southampton since before Covid.

I think it is near the dock gate, but not a walk I should care for with or without luggage. 

[geordiebing]

It's not too bad if The City Terminal gate (the one next to The Holiday Inn)  is open . Then just follow.No need to go right round the road way

[OskiBear]

Thanks for all the replies. I seem to recall that I had previously sat in the terminal for a bit while waiting to board but couldn't determine if that's still a possibility. I truly don't mind sitting and waiting until admitted. However, the thought of not having a space to sit and wait didn't seem appealing and that led me to consider alternatives. If, as a previous poster suggested, I could simply wait a bit in the terminal, that should be fine for arriving around 1300. I'd rather be early and wait than deal with the stress of a transportation hiccup and running out of time. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

3 hours ago, david63 said:

The OP said they are on a QM2 crossing in November so I would guess that it is 19th November which is a Sunday.

 

Whilst John Lewis is an option it may depend on how much luggage the OP has and the weather on the day as to whether it is a viable option. Personally I would get a taxi straight to the terminal and if necessary wait - there is plenty of seating at Mayflower Terminal

 

Is the seating before check-in or after? I don't mind sitting to wait, but I don't like standing around aimlessly.

 

I recall a crossing where Cunard moved up departure time and told everyone to arrive one hour earlier than their boarding, passes said. Everyone showed up early except the staff who were supposed to check us in! I think it was Mayflower. Definitely not QEII or the Princcess terminal (Ocean?) I recall a crowd of people standing around in a circular entry/atrium and staff randomly handing out numbered cards, with no attention paid to grills or WC priority, or even order of entering the building. There were lots of seats in the area after check-in, but the time we got through to there, gangways were open to the ship. 

[david63]

9 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

Is the seating before check-in or after?

At Mayflower it is befire

[exlondoner]

6 minutes ago, david63 said:

At Mayflower it is befire

When did that change?

[Pushpit]

There is some seating before check-in and another seating area after. There is a movable tensa line that can expand / contract these areas. There is perhaps some risk of standing before and during check-in but there are lots of staff on hand  to help where this would cause problems.

Edited October 13, 2023 by Pushpit

[david63]

3 hours ago, exlondoner said:

When did that change?

About 10 years ago when it was refurbished.

 

1 hour ago, Pushpit said:

There is some seating before check-in and another seating area after.

There was no seating area after check-in, or at least nothing of any significance, earlier this year - it was straight through to security and on to the ship once you had checked in.

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, david63 said:

About 10 years ago when it was refurbished.

 

There was no seating area after check-in, or at least nothing of any significance, earlier this year - it was straight through to security and on to the ship once you had checked in.

Well, in both May and August, there was a huge seating area after check in with hundreds of seats, making up most of the terminal.

[Pushpit]

51 minutes ago, david63 said:

About 10 years ago when it was refurbished.

 

There was no seating area after check-in, or at least nothing of any significance, earlier this year - it was straight through to security and on to the ship once you had checked in.

 

46 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Well, in both May and August, there was a huge seating area after check in with hundreds of seats, making up most of the terminal.

I suspect we all talking about the same thing. As you come into the main doors and swing leftwards up the steps or slope towards the check-in desks along the wall, there is a small seating area. Then a huge seating area at the top of the steps in front of the desks.  By deploying the Tensa barriers, the pre and post checkin seating areas can be adjusted, as the afternoon progresses. Those who arrive early will see a lot of seats before check-in. Those who turn up late will see lots of seats after check-in. In reality it's the same area, the barrier moved.

 

There is also a small seating area just before the security check area for assistance passengers and supporters.

 

The "designer" of this terminal (yes! someone paid good money for this) has put some photos online so you can see for yourself.

 

https://stridetreglown.com/projects/mayflower-cruise-terminal/

Edited October 13, 2023 by Pushpit

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, Pushpit said:

 

I suspect we all talking about the same thing. As you come into the main doors and swing left wards up the steps towards the check-in desks along the wall, there is a small seating area. Then a huge seating area at the top of the steps in front of the desks.  By deploying the Tensa barriers, the pre and post checkin seating areas can be adjusted, as the afternoon progresses. Those who arrive early will see a lot of seats before check-in. Those who turn up late will see lots of seats after check-in. In reality it's the same area, the barrier moved.

 

There is also a small seating area just before the security check area for assistance passengers and supporters.

 

The "designer" of this terminal (yes! someone paid good money for this) has put some photos online so you can see for yourself.

 

https://stridetreglown.com/projects/mayflower-cruise-terminal/

But I always arrive by 12.30, do priority check in, and then sit and wait in the large area if necessary. It wasn’t in August, but in May those who had checked in were so many, they were starting to make people wait outside.

[outlawuk]

What about Ikea. Have some meatballs and buy a fake plant for your cabin!

[outlawuk]

I meant to suggest also dropping off your main luggage then going to Ikea, or in fact John Lewis (they are close to each other) then checking-in with just your hand luggage.