Advice - transportation Southampton to London after cruise

[phabric]

1 hour ago, Dohmacc said:

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you! Good to know regular taxis are readily available at the cruise terminals. And thank you for the info for International Friends. They do service our ship (Disney), but looking at their packages, I notice that two of their tours have the same cost:

 

A) Southampton to London via Stonehenge (112.5 Best Rate Adult)

B) Salisbury, Stonehenge, Windsor to London (112.5 Best Rate Adult)

 

From what I can tell, the B tour does NOT include admission price to Stonehenge, but the A does... So I guess that explains why A and B cost the same, despite B going to 2 more sites?

 

It seems like A stops longer in Stonehenge also (2 hours vs. 90 minutes)... 

 

Just from a value perspective, I'd lean toward B... but do you think the longer Stonehenge time is worth it and/or the additional stops in Salisbury and Windsor would be to short/rushed, not to be worth it?

 

 

 

I purchased tickets for Stonehenge and Windsor through them.

 

I took International Friends from Southampton to my London hotel.

 

- Pickup was at our Princess dock, around 8-8:30am, not sure of the actual time.

 

- Salibury - we were let out outside the gates and were given a time to return to the bus.   I had enough time to see what I wanted to see.  Guide said, you can pick up something to eat as we were not stopping anywhere for lunch.

 

- Stonehenge - we were given our ticket and told a time to return to the bus.  Bathrooms were near bus parking lot.  Took the shuttle bus to the stones. At the shuttle bus drop off, there is a Visitor Center,gift store, bathrooms, small food cafe with seats.  I bought a sausage roll and a drink there.

 

- Windsor - we parked at the train station.  There is an elevator to the upper floor.  The guide walked us pasted a few stores, across the street to the group entrance and was given our ticket and time to return to the bus.  You go through security screening like at an airport screening - belt off, conveyer belt for other items.  Near entrance, can pick up free audio set.

 

When we return to the bus, guide said they had moved the passengers for the London hotels drop off, my luggage had been moved over to a small van as the large coaches are not allowed in London.

 

They dropped us off at the door of my London hotel (Premier Inn Waterloo).  We arrived around 5-5:30pm, I can’t remember the actual time.

 

I think this is great way to see another part of Britain and then being dropped off at the door of my London hotel.

 

I have taken them after cruise out of Dover to my London hotel.

 

www.internationalfriends.co.uk

 

Edited Monday at 04:23 PM by phabric

[WyzCruiser]

Hey y'all.

We are arriving in Southampton (next year) and wanting to take a day tour to Stonehenge and then to Highclere Castle.  We can return to Southampton or go on to London.  I'm not seeing anywhere that this is offered.  The only other cost-effective option I see is to rent a car starting in and returning to Southampton the same day.  We are nervous about driving on the opposite side than what we are used to and maneuvering a manual transmission.  I am hoping to find someone that will drive us, but that may not be too pricey.  Any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated!

[Dohmacc]

On 6/24/2024 at 9:17 AM, phabric said:

I purchased tickets for Stonehenge and Windsor through them.

 

I took International Friends from Southampton to my London hotel.

 

- Pickup was at our Princess dock, around 8-8:30am, not sure of the actual time.

 

- Salibury - we were let out outside the gates and were given a time to return to the bus.   I had enough time to see what I wanted to see.  Guide said, you can pick up something to eat as we were not stopping anywhere for lunch.

 

- Stonehenge - we were given our ticket and told a time to return to the bus.  Bathrooms were near bus parking lot.  Took the shuttle bus to the stones. At the shuttle bus drop off, there is a Visitor Center,gift store, bathrooms, small food cafe with seats.  I bought a sausage roll and a drink there.

 

- Windsor - we parked at the train station.  There is an elevator to the upper floor.  The guide walked us pasted a few stores, across the street to the group entrance and was given our ticket and time to return to the bus.  You go through security screening like at an airport screening - belt off, conveyer belt for other items.  Near entrance, can pick up free audio set.

 

When we return to the bus, guide said they had moved the passengers for the London hotels drop off, my luggage had been moved over to a small van as the large coaches are not allowed in London.

 

They dropped us off at the door of my London hotel (Premier Inn Waterloo).  We arrived around 5-5:30pm, I can’t remember the actual time.

 

I think this is great way to see another part of Britain and then being dropped off at the door of my London hotel.

 

I have taken them after cruise out of Dover to my London hotel.

 

www.internationalfriends.co.uk

 

 

Thank you for the detailed report of your experience with International Friends! It sounds like for the 3 sites, once you arrive, you're on your own (ie audio walking tour, not live guided tour), and just told to meet back at the bus at a designated time?

 

[Dohmacc]

On 6/24/2024 at 8:54 AM, John Bull said:

 

 

 

 

But don't buy Windsor Castle tickets. 

You can choose to buy at the gate or instead DIY wandering around this interesting town.

And if there's a delay in arriving at Windsor the time lost is knocked off the free time in Windsor - which may mean that paying to go into the castle might be a lot less worth-while.

 

 

JB 🙂

 

Great advice about the Windsor tickets! It seems like these are readily accessible to purchase walk-up at the Castle (ie no timed entries or limited tickets per day)?

 

[phabric]

40 minutes ago, Dohmacc said:

 

Thank you for the detailed report of your experience with International Friends! It sounds like for the 3 sites, once you arrive, you're on your own (ie audio walking tour, not live guided tour), and just told to meet back at the bus at a designated time?

 

Yes, we were on our own at each site to see at our own pace and were given a time to return to the bus.  The guide talked all the time about what we were to see on the bus between each of the different stops.  The only time he didn’t talk was from Windsor when the London hotel people were switch to the small van and there was not much to see/talk about going on the highway.  Once we were in the London area, he did point out some places of interest.

 

I took International Friends after a cruise from Dover, that guide mentioned that they were not allowed to be a guide inside the different attractions but he talked about what we were going to see.  I took a Princess, Rome post cruise excursion and the guide was not allowed in the attraction, she talked about the attraction before we entered on our own and met up with her at a certain time.

 

On your other thread, about not purchasing Windsor tickets through them. When I was at Windsor (one time with International Friends and Princess post cruise tour), there was a line to purchase non group tour tickets.  We went through the group entrance and only waited a few minutes mainly waiting to go through the security screening.  The guide adjusted our return time once our people started to go through.  I was able to see what I wanted to see, have an ice cream cone and get back to the bus on time.

 

 

Edited Tuesday at 08:51 PM by phabric

[John Bull]

4 hours ago, Dohmacc said:

 

Great advice about the Windsor tickets! It seems like these are readily accessible to purchase walk-up at the Castle (ie no timed entries or limited tickets per day)?

 

 

We had no problems buying on the day, but that was a long time ago. 

But word is that on busy days the line for tickets can be long & slow, so you just might want to buy in advance.

Price is £30 whether you buy on the day, or in advance on the official Royal Collection website, or with your tour tickets.

Timing isn't significant unless you want to pay extra (£20?) to climb the tower - and you're unlikely to have time to do that.

 

JB 🙂

[Dohmacc]

On 6/25/2024 at 1:47 PM, phabric said:

Yes, we were on our own at each site to see at our own pace and were given a time to return to the bus.  The guide talked all the time about what we were to see on the bus between each of the different stops.  The only time he didn’t talk was from Windsor when the London hotel people were switch to the small van and there was not much to see/talk about going on the highway.  Once we were in the London area, he did point out some places of interest.

 

I took International Friends after a cruise from Dover, that guide mentioned that they were not allowed to be a guide inside the different attractions but he talked about what we were going to see.  I took a Princess, Rome post cruise excursion and the guide was not allowed in the attraction, she talked about the attraction before we entered on our own and met up with her at a certain time.

 

On your other thread, about not purchasing Windsor tickets through them. When I was at Windsor (one time with International Friends and Princess post cruise tour), there was a line to purchase non group tour tickets.  We went through the group entrance and only waited a few minutes mainly waiting to go through the security screening.  The guide adjusted our return time once our people started to go through.  I was able to see what I wanted to see, have an ice cream cone and get back to the bus on time.

 

 

 

Thanks!

[Dohmacc]

21 hours ago, John Bull said:

 

We had no problems buying on the day, but that was a long time ago. 

But word is that on busy days the line for tickets can be long & slow, so you just might want to buy in advance.

Price is £30 whether you buy on the day, or in advance on the official Royal Collection website, or with your tour tickets.

Timing isn't significant unless you want to pay extra (£20?) to climb the tower - and you're unlikely to have time to do that.

 

JB 🙂

 

Thanks!