Cunard - Queen Victoria Voyage no. V423B departing Barcelona 30 September 2024 arriving Southampton 21 October 2024.

[Helouise]

Am I alone in booking this 3 week cruise. Having been on previous Cunard cruises I assumed, erroneously as it happens, that there would be coaches laid on from Southampton back to London. We are flying from London to Barcelona on the 30th September. I have written to Cunard and my agent (who has received the same responses as myself) on numerous occasions and Cunard have replied several times to the effect that I should use the coach company that they use. However, and I stress this, the coach company will only return passengers back to London if they have used their service to get to Southampton. Not sure how we can achieve this as we are embarking at Barcelona. It seems to me that Cunard are more than happy to take my booking and my money but do not wish to be involved in ensuring that their customers are satisfied with their service. Yes I can get a taxi or an uber or a National Bus or a train. However, I am nearly 81 and my husband is nearly 80. There is no way we can transport two cases and 2 carry on hand luggage cases by ourselves. Cunard have made no provision for the return journey Southampton to London and to not seem to care. Yet, that is their published itinerary!!! Every email has told me to use their coach company despite my telling them that this cannot happen. A different representative replies to me every time. I also wrote to Paul Ludlow at Carnival on 7 June and feel, unfairly perhaps, that I will not see any reaction from his office, although I hope that I'm wrong. I am a Cunard platinum member and to date have always felt that they were a great cruise line for me. Not so sure now. If any other passengers are having the identical experience for this particular cruise I would be glad to hear.

[Winifred 22]

Many post on here recommending private car transfers to London which sound like could be a good option for you given the difficulties you mentioned taking public transport. I think this may be a problem with these repositioning cruises that your drop off point is Southampton as advertised and not where you fly out from. Others may know better than me and give you more pertinent advice. 

[Clewgarnet]

Whereabouts in London are you trying to get to? Intercruises are giving me the option for a coach from the ship to Victoria Coach Station for your disembarkation date. (Confusingly, it is listed as Victoria coach st on the dropdown list, rather than London.)

[Clewgarnet]

Website is https://www.intercruises.com/cruiseconnect/index.php/home

[Pushpit]

Once on board you can also book coach transfers to London and Heathrow, via the Tours office. You will get a leaflet about that a few days before arrival. USD 90. If you can get yourself and bags to the exit of the Southampton Terminal, the taxi rank is just outside so can transport you to Southampton or London without a big effort, and UK taxi drivers will help elderly people with their luggage.

[tacticalbanjo]

I'm getting on for the last two weeks, embarking in Istanbul and sailing back to Southampton. I'll be taking a private car service home. 

 

Looking in My Cunard, they are pointing people towards Intercruises's Cruise Connect service. Intercruises is Cunard UK's coach service partner. You need to book directly with Intercruises for this service. They have a drop off point at Heathrow T5 arrivals and Victoria Coach Station. I don't have any problem pricing up a drop off only booking.

 

As Pushpit says, there will likely be the opportunity to book a coach via the Tour Office.

 

I'm not 100% because I've not taken the coach before but I strongly suspect that regardless of how you chose to make your way to London, you will have to collect your own bags in the arrivals hall and take them to your mode of transport. I can't imagine that baggage is allowed to go through the customs hall without its owner.

[Host Hattie]

Welcome to Cruise Critic, it looks you have already received good advice about the coach transfers.

If you want to chat with other cruisers on your sailing that's best done on a roll call. Your dates cover several different itineraries but this is the thread for the final section.