Southampton parking

[david63]

7 hours ago, Ardennais said:

Good to hear that! Did they actually text you first on the day of the cruise? 

P4C have always sent me a text at around 08:00 on the morning of the cruise with a request to text them when we are about 30 minutes from the terminal - not really sure if that is necessary but have always done it.

[smokey01]

1 minute ago, david63 said:

P4C have always sent me a text at around 08:00 on the morning of the cruise with a request to text them when we are about 30 minutes from the terminal - not really sure if that is necessary but have always done it.

After using P4C multiple times I never text them now. I just arrive and there is always someone waiting in a van. In the past on disembarkation I used to follow the instructions and phone them to give them an idea of when we would be collecting the car but I think that has now changed to them texting when the car is sitting in the port car park. I’ve always received this text early and way before I disembark.

[F-s Islander]

They texted on the day of departure and asked us to text them when we were 30 minutes away which we did. The whole process was really fast, we just dropped off our bags at the terminal, drove the very short distance to the Short Stay car park where they were waiting for us. They were meticulous in taking photos, agreeing mileage etc so we felt really confident. On our return they texted us to say our car was ready before the ship had even docked. And all very friendly, couldn't fault them. This was all for at least £100 less than CPS and we took the slightly more expensive flexible option.

[Thedonkeycentrehalf]

On 6/19/2024 at 4:54 AM, Harryjacobs said:

I have been in a 40 minute queue for CPS dropoff.  You get put in a funny holding pattern that loops around the road.

Same here, Mayflower terminal last year was queue in a long way along the road.  More frustrating was that the queue management was poor so we saw cars that came along much later being directed into the drop off lanes while many who had been for around 30 minutes were still waiting.

 

However, I would say that I have never had any delay in picking up the car on return with CPS.

 

Nowadays it is the price that would stop me using them rather than the service.

[Selbourne]

On 6/18/2024 at 6:08 PM, 9265359 said:

 

Never seen a queue to drop off whenever I have used CPS, and never seen a queue to pick up the keys either.

 

I suppose they might happen, but they never have been at the times I have been there.

You are lucky if you’ve never been caught up in a holding queue for CPS. There’s no pattern to it though. Sometimes we have pulled up and been able to check the car in almost immediately. This even happened on Iona in August school holidays, which amazed us. On several other cruises, even on much smaller ships, we have been held in slow moving holding queues - or static holding queues.
 

Two that stick in my mind were Britannia and Aurora. The latter (Jan this year) was the worst. We were marshalled in to one of three holding lanes and sat there for half an hour whilst all the cars that arrived after us were ushered through first, as the holding lanes were full. The reason for the long delays became apparent when we were eventually called forward. There were only a handful of staff checking in vehicles. 
 

As a result of this experience, I cancelled CPS for our recent Cunard cruise and used Parking4Cruises. When we pulled up at Mayflower terminal there were the same 3 holding lanes full of cars waiting to be checked in by CPS, so it gave me some satisfaction to drop off my wife and suitcases, drive over to the short stay car park where P4C checked in my car immediately and I was back with my wife within 10 minutes whilst all the cars in the CPS holding lanes were still sat there.
 

I’ve never experienced a queue to collect the keys after a cruise with CPS, but I’ve had enough frustrating delays at the start of the cruise to make me only use them now if they are significantly cheaper than P4C. If I can trade in the ‘free’ parking for OBC that is more than the cost of parking with P4C then I consider that a win. 

[Mad4WDW]

On 6/22/2024 at 11:40 PM, Selbourne said:

You are lucky if you’ve never been caught up in a holding queue for CPS. There’s no pattern to it though. Sometimes we have pulled up and been able to check the car in almost immediately. This even happened on Iona in August school holidays, which amazed us. On several other cruises, even on much smaller ships, we have been held in slow moving holding queues - or static holding queues.
 

Two that stick in my mind were Britannia and Aurora. The latter (Jan this year) was the worst. We were marshalled in to one of three holding lanes and sat there for half an hour whilst all the cars that arrived after us were ushered through first, as the holding lanes were full. The reason for the long delays became apparent when we were eventually called forward. There were only a handful of staff checking in vehicles. 
 

As a result of this experience, I cancelled CPS for our recent Cunard cruise and used Parking4Cruises. When we pulled up at Mayflower terminal there were the same 3 holding lanes full of cars waiting to be checked in by CPS, so it gave me some satisfaction to drop off my wife and suitcases, drive over to the short stay car park where P4C checked in my car immediately and I was back with my wife within 10 minutes whilst all the cars in the CPS holding lanes were still sat there.
 

I’ve never experienced a queue to collect the keys after a cruise with CPS, but I’ve had enough frustrating delays at the start of the cruise to make me only use them now if they are significantly cheaper than P4C. If I can trade in the ‘free’ parking for OBC that is more than the cost of parking with P4C then I consider that a win. 

 

This is our experience also, multiple times we've waited over 30 mins for CPS to take the car. Our next cruise parking is booked with P4C if its OK I will doing it this way going forward

[LA30]

Parking 4 Cruises every time.  Great service and the price is always way less than any of the others.

[TigerB]

For us...

 

If on a saver rate:   P4C or Triangle, whichever is cheapest, but most likely the former.

 

If on a select rate with inside cabin:   CPS; you only give up £90 OBC for a fortnight.

 

In on a select rate in another cabin:    P4C or Triangle, if cheaper than the OBC to give up

[cruise saint]

On 6/18/2024 at 9:04 AM, LittleTinker said:

Parking 4 cruises hands down the best.

Whist everyone is queuing for CPS, we;re in our car and away

I always use CPS. I've never had to queue on return. 

[Palaceman]

I always use CPS too and have never had to queue for either arrival or return. I have always found their personnel to be efficient and professional.

[Ardennais]

4 hours ago, Palaceman said:

I always use CPS too and have never had to queue for either arrival or return. I have always found their personnel to be efficient and professional.

Same here! 

[Snoozy15]

On 6/12/2024 at 10:29 AM, alallallan said:

Travelling with P&O in July, 2 weeks cruise, any tips or deals does anyone know of for parking my car, just 2 of us travelling 

 

On 6/12/2024 at 10:29 AM, alallallan said:

Travelling with P&O in July, 2 weeks cruise, any tips or deals does anyone know of for parking my car, just 2 of us travelling 

 

[F-s Islander]

5 hours ago, Snoozy15 said:

 

 

It makes no difference how many travelling, but we've used both CPS and Parking 4 Cruises. The latter was about £100 less than we were quoted for CPS (which was full in any case several weeks before departure) even though we paid slightly more for the flexible option. You can leave your bags on arrival and drive to the Short Stay which is hardly any further away. The car was waiting for us on our return too - no hanging around, picking up keys etc.

[Boku]

Please stop recommending P4C. Before you know it they will be as busy as CPS with service to match!

[zap99]

On 6/26/2024 at 9:41 PM, Ardennais said:

Same here! 

We always use CPS. Never a problem dropping of car, or collecting keys. Can't really be bothered to save a few quid.

[Ardennais]

1 hour ago, zap99 said:

We always use CPS. Never a problem dropping of car, or collecting keys. Can't really be bothered to save a few quid.

We’ve always had fantastic service from CPS, but used P4C last time as we sailed with Princess and it was quite a bit cheaper. It was very efficient. However I would still use CPS if sailing with P&O as there is less walking involved. 

[tring]

17 hours ago, F-s Islander said:

It makes no difference how many travelling, but we've used both CPS and Parking 4 Cruises. The latter was about £100 less than we were quoted for CPS (which was full in any case several weeks before departure) even though we paid slightly more for the flexible option. You can leave your bags on arrival and drive to the Short Stay which is hardly any further away. The car was waiting for us on our return too - no hanging around, picking up keys etc.

 

The difference in price varies.  For a short cruise CPS could be better priced, whilst for the longer ones, we have found P4C better.  There are also other companies though, so worth checking all options imo.  Also the complimentary parking through P&O can be a good deal, especially if you have booked a lower grade cabin (an inside, or perhaps an outside).  P&O seem to offer more extra OBC if you have booked a balcony cabin, so you have more to loose.  For cruises when a lot of OBC is available, we often find we are just buying things we do not really want, so prefer to forgo the extra OBC in that situation.  

 

All depends what is best for you, but parking in Southampton is not cheap, no matter who it is with.

 

[F-s Islander]

We always go for the Select price, never take the free parking, as we prefer to pick our cabin and have always been offered OBC well above the parking price. Plus you don't have to pay for shuttle buses in port which would have come to quite a bit on our most recent cruise

If price is an issue we had a really good deal with Partkonmydrive a few years ago. The guy even gave us a lift to the terminal

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, Boku said:

Please stop recommending P4C. Before you know it they will be as busy as CPS with service to match!

There are 2 or 3 other regular parking companies that offer a similar experience, but I have no idea of their prices or reliability.

[F-s Islander]

We have found CPS to be completely booked out several weeks before departure on 2 cruises now so it wasn't an option whatever the price.. And the extra walking distance from the P4C drop off was negligible

[F-s Islander]

4 hours ago, zap99 said:

We always use CPS. Never a problem dropping of car, or collecting keys. Can't really be bothered to save a few quid.

It was more like one hundred quid actually, if that means nothing, fair enough

[Vampiress88]

Well I’m glad everyone is saying parking 4 cruises at that’s who we have booked for with princess in two weeks 

[majortom10]

8 hours ago, zap99 said:

We always use CPS. Never a problem dropping of car, or collecting keys. Can't really be bothered to save a few quid.

"A few quid" for our cruise on QA which ended last Sunday for 14nts CPS were over £120 more expensive. Think that's more than"a few quid".

[zap99]

2 hours ago, majortom10 said:

"A few quid" for our cruise on QA which ended last Sunday for 14nts CPS were over £120 more expensive. Think that's more than"a few quid".

We always book select as we don't want leftover cabins, so we use CPS and get to pick when we eat. We get some OBC as well. Folk will do what fits their budget.

[zap99]

2 hours ago, majortom10 said:

"A few quid" for our cruise on QA which ended last Sunday for 14nts CPS were over £120 more expensive. Think that's more than"a few quid".

On our next cruise we could pick parking with CPS, or an extra £80 OBC. Parking 4 cruises price for the same cruise is £98, so actually a few quid in our favour. 🤣