Southampton to Heathrow Transportation

[QueenofEverything]

What is the best way to get from Southampton to Heathrow post cruise?  Does Cunard offer transportation?  I did a search on this forum but it did not show any information.  Thanks

[Pushpit]

Easiest: Cunard's own coach transfer, details will be circulated a couple of days before arrival. Reserve on board. 

 

Fastest: Taxi / Uber. Best reserve in advance.

 

Cheapest (usually): National Express coach (if T5 then it's not necessarily much slower than a taxi)

 

Most comfortable (subjectively) and safest: Train from Southampton to Woking then taxi or coach to Heathrow. 

[bluemarble]

I can answer the second part of your question. Cunard do offer post-cruise transfers from Southampton to Heathrow. Their coach transfer to Heathrow is priced at $90 per person. You can add this transfer to your existing booking by calling Cunard customer service or your travel agent. Or you can wait and book the transfer on board via a form from the Tour Office.

[QueenofEverything]

Thanks for your responses.  Do you know what time the Cunard transfer arrives at Heathrow?

[WantedOnVoyage]

My experience is that it arrives around 10:45 a.m.-11:00 a.m.  Last time we had some traffic inspired diversion and arrived 11:11 a.m.

 

You usually get an 8:15 a.m. disembarkation and the coach leaves around 9:00 a.m. 

[TouchstoneFeste]

10 hours ago, QueenofEverything said:

What is the best way to get from Southampton to Heathrow post cruise?  Does Cunard offer transportation?  I did a search on this forum but it did not show any information.  Thanks

If you want to get into the nitty-gritty, you might want to check the British Isles/Western Europe Ports forum:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/148-british-isleswestern-europe/

There's a Southampton sticky at the top and many individual threads. But the answers above seem concise and accurate.

[QueenofEverything]

Thank you so much.  I knew I had seen it somewhere, I was just searching the wrong forum.

[QueenofEverything]

1 hour ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

If you want to get into the nitty-gritty, you might want to check the British Isles/Western Europe Ports forum:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/148-british-isleswestern-europe/

There's a Southampton sticky at the top and many individual threads. But the answers above seem concise and accurate.

Thank you so much.  I knew I had seen it somewhere, I was just searching the wrong forum.

[alc13]

13 hours ago, bluemarble said:

I can answer the second part of your question. Cunard do offer post-cruise transfers from Southampton to Heathrow. Their coach transfer to Heathrow is priced at $90 per person. You can add this transfer to your existing booking by calling Cunard customer service or your travel agent. Or you can wait and book the transfer on board via a form from the Tour Office.

Very helpful.  Not inexpensive, considering it's a bus.  Can you use OBC if you book on board?

[Pushpit]

5 minutes ago, alc13 said:

Very helpful.  Not inexpensive, considering it's a bus.  Can you use OBC if you book on board?

Yes, in fact I don't think you have  a choice there, it comes off your onboard account and if you have OBC unspent, then it is drawn off this first. If OBC has run out then it gets billed either overnight or close to disembarkation, depending on the state of your onboard account.

 

[alc13]

Thanks, Pushpit - couldn't be easier!

 

[MCC retired]

$90 p/p transfer is a great use of your OBC . Book at the Tours Desk onboard.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Don't wait until the last minute. Because booking the coach transfer affects your assigned disembarkation time, you need to fill out the form a few days before the end of the cruise. I travel solo, and for me it's the best combination of price and convenience.

 

Last week there was an accident on the ramp we needed for fastest access to the tunnel to Terminal 2, and traffic was snarled. My flight was at 4:00, so I was in no danger of missing that, but some people on the bus were worried. I think I have an option for a 1:00 flight, but that's too close for comfort for me, so I stick with the 4:00.

 

I think 1:00 is the earliest flight time they will accept for the transfer. Anything earlier and you need to get off asap and have a car service waiting. 

[bluemarble]

15 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

Don't wait until the last minute. Because booking the coach transfer affects your assigned disembarkation time, you need to fill out the form a few days before the end of the cruise. I travel solo, and for me it's the best combination of price and convenience.

 

Last week there was an accident on the ramp we needed for fastest access to the tunnel to Terminal 2, and traffic was snarled. My flight was at 4:00, so I was in no danger of missing that, but some people on the bus were worried. I think I have an option for a 1:00 flight, but that's too close for comfort for me, so I stick with the 4:00.

 

I think 1:00 is the earliest flight time they will accept for the transfer. Anything earlier and you need to get off asap and have a car service waiting. 

 

The "Southampton Transfer Booking Form" I have from this past September is more cautious about the earliest flight time for the coach transfers. That form states "All Heathrow motorcoach transfers - For flights 2:00pm or later only."

[3rdGenCunarder]

9 minutes ago, bluemarble said:

 

The "Southampton Transfer Booking Form" I have from this past September is more cautious about the earliest flight time for the coach transfers. That form states "All Heathrow motorcoach transfers - For flights 2:00pm or later only."

 

That's sensible. A woman at my table had a 1:00 flight. She was on the first coach out, so I was hoping that she got through before the accident backed up traffic so badly. 

[alc13]

The Cunard transfer is tempting, but the Southampton Coach station is only a mile from the cruise terminal and National Express buses seem to run to Heathrow frequently.  I suppose the Cunard option avoids a taxi ride.

[WantedOnVoyage]

But is it nonstop?  I recall taking National Express from Heathrow to Southampton and it stopped en route at Winchester. Not sure if it does the other way. Worse, they have some idiotic "one suitcase" per person limit... I haven't constrained myself to one suitcase for an ocean liner trip since I was in my twenties!!  Plus the transfer drops you off at Terminal 5 direct or 3... National Express you are dropped at the "central" coach terminal which is surely not if you are leaving from Terminal 5. 

 

Of all the things Cunard does, transfers they excel at.. Intercruise contracts this and I have been "rescued" by their superb staff at least once due to late flights and lost luggage.  

Edited June 11 by WantedOnVoyage

[Pushpit]

The stop in Winchester is for just a minute or two, and it's at a parkway location just off the motorway. It doesn't materially change the journey time. The coach also stops at Heathrow Terminal 5, before going to the Central Terminal for T2 and T3.

 

You can buy extra suitcases at £10 a bag after the included first suitcase per person. I don't think many people pay this, it's not enforced that much, but you can take as many bags as you like.

[alc13]

And they also stop at T4.  Transit time or from Southampton is about 2 hours.

[Bestbubba]

 

7 hours ago, alc13 said:

And they also stop at T4.  Transit time or from Southampton is about 2 hours.

And the cost is approximately £30pp.