Southampton-Stonehenge post-cruise excursion?

[Annie007]

Just a quick question for any recent cruisers who disembarked in Southampton -- The Princess website and brochures list a possible land excursion that goes Southampton-Stonehenge-Heathrow. Although the website says that you can book this excursion online, it's impossible to do so. And then when I called the 800 number for Princess, the person I spoke with said the main office has no information about that excursion, that you can book it only while on the ship; indeed, he wouldn't even verify that the excursion is even happening this summer. We're happy to wait and book the Stonehenge excursion onboard, except that we'd like to know in advance if it's actually being offered. Otherwise, we'll make other post-cruise plans.

 

Has anyone been on this post-cruise excursion this summer? Did you enjoy it? And even if you didn't take this excursion, did you notice whether it was actually being offered?

 

Many thanks.

[lovetosew]

Stonehenge is not to be missed even if you have to figure out an alternative way to do it. We took a separate Viator tour. in August 2002. The tour hit Stonhenge late afternoon and with the sun waiting to set it was breathtaking. The Brits have made certain that it has not become too commercialized and the site has a small field for parking, two restrooms, a ticket booth and a small souvenier kiosk. One can walk around the entire site with the stones only surrounded by a rope barrier. Walkers are kept at a distance of a short city block. Hope that you have a chance to see it. I would not wait for Princess to make your plans.

[SilentTraveller]

I just took this disembarkation tour on Friday when leaving the Grand. During the cruise they provide a booking form to purchase the tour. The cost is $129 and includes the transfer to either Heathrow or Gatwick at the end of the tour. If you have prebooked the normal post-cruise transfer to the airport they will charge you $129 and credit your onboard account for the $76 prebooked transfer. So the additional cost is $53 for the tour.

 

Note that if you prebooked the normal transfer you will still receive the colored luggage tags for your original transfer booking. Then the following day you will receive an envelope delivered to your stateroom with the new luggage tags, tour tickets, and tour stickers with additional instructions. Ignore your original luggage tags and use the ones for the tour.

 

We met at 6:45 am and were off the ship at 7:00 am. Most of the passengers were going to Heathrow and they were put on a large bus. There were 5 of us going to Gatwick and we were put on a small minibus. We arrived at Stonehenge just before 9:00 am and had to wait a few minutes for it to open. Also, since three of us were actually spending the night at an airport hotel and the other two had a 7:00 pm flight, neither the tour guide nor the driver were rushed to complete the tour. So we also enjoyed a lot of side trips on the way. Our timing for everything was perfect. One of the passengers asked about Salisbury Cathedral and so they detoured us and took us for a drive through town. Royal Ascot was also taking place and so we intended to drive by the track. We got caught up in the traffic and circled the place a few times and had wonderful opportunities to view all the people in their fancy clothes, enjoying their picnics, and even the horses. Trying to eventually get out of the traffic diversions sent us through some wonderful countryside. Then we went off to Windsor and got caught behind the Royal Guard (?) procession. I don't know if this was due to anything special. But it might have been since the Queen was at Ascot the day before and was still in residence at Windsor.

 

All in all it was a definite plus for us (most likely due to our special circumstance of being a small group that was in no rush to get to the airport for flights). Even with all the sidetrips we were still at the airport around 12:30 pm. Maybe someone who took the tour to Heathrow can provide you with more information if there were any extras besides Stonehenge when part of a large group.

[Annie007]

Thanks for the info about Stonehenge. It sounds as if we should make sure not to miss it.

 

We're heading to Heathrow after our disembarkation, but we don't catch a plane until the next morning, so we don't really need to be at the airport by 1 p.m. Since the Princess tour headed to Heathrow was on a big bus, and the arrival at the airport is hours earlier than we need to be there, it sounds as if maybe we should try and make our own arrangements.

 

It's good to know, though, that Princess is actually offering this trip. This is the advantage of these boards --- you can get information that the cruise line doesn't give out.

 

Again, thanks for responding!

[Tina G]

We took a train to Bath after our cruise a few years ago, and spent the night in a lovely B&B. This was much cheaper than the Princess excursions, and Bath was fabulous! The next day, you take a train directly to Victoria station, where you can check your bags in for Heathrow. Then do a little more sightseeing, before taking the tube out to the airport.