Feeling overwhelmed and need advice - Port - To/From

I've booked a 9 day cruise from Southampton

for 2017. Planned to spend 3/4 days in London prior to boarding but

looking at the distance from Heathrow to the port is making me rethink that plan.

Would it make more sense to save one of those days for the end of the cruise?

I always stress on returning flights so perhaps

a final day in London and leaving for the airport the following day makes more sense.

Would love some input. Thanks in advance.

It all depends on what time your flight would be. If in the evening you would have time to get to Heathrow without too much stress. I've done it myself, by train, if you book train tickets in advance, the tickets are not too expensive.

Or you can spend a final night in London and do a west end show😀 personally I prefer to arrive a day early and leave a day late, so there is no rushing to/from airport.

Depends to some extent on what you choose to do. Unless they're going to spend at least a few days post-cruise, most folk are keen to get home soonest.

You'll significantly increase your travel time & cost by flying out next day, & you'll get no better than half a day & the evening in central London on disembarkation day.

It's worth checking your return flight time before deciding.

If it's after 1.30pm, you can comfortably go direct from ship to airport on the day you disembark. Either by ship's transfer coach, or a private transfer (about £95). If it's later in the day you can also consider the National Express coach service, costing about £18 pp.

If it's significantly earlier in the day, you'll probably have to fly back next day anyway - in that case you'll have to choose between the economy of a hotel in soul-less Heathrow & the poor value of going to central London for a final look-see.

Come back with your flight times, and the day-of-the-week that your ship sails / returns, & we can all argue amongst ourselves about what's best ;)

BTW, there are a number of pretty cheap & stress-free ways to travel from central London to Southampton on the morning of your cruise.

JB :)

Depends to some extent on what you choose to do. Unless they're going to spend at least a few days post-cruise, most folk are keen to get home soonest.

You'll significantly increase your travel time & cost by flying out next day, & you'll get no better than half a day & the evening in central London on disembarkation day.

 

It's worth checking your return flight time before deciding.

If it's after 1.30pm, you can comfortably go direct from ship to airport on the day you disembark. Either by ship's transfer coach, or a private transfer (about £95). If it's later in the day you can also consider the National Express coach service, costing about £18 pp.

If it's significantly earlier in the day, you'll probably have to fly back next day anyway - in that case you'll have to choose between the economy of a hotel in soul-less Heathrow & the poor value of going to central London for a final look-see.

 

Come back with your flight times, and the day-of-the-week that your ship sails / returns, & we can all argue amongst ourselves about what's best ;)

 

BTW, there are a number of pretty cheap & stress-free ways to travel from central London to Southampton on the morning of your cruise.

 

JB :)

Sound advice. Thanks so much. After looking up hotels, I decided I will book a flight day of disembarkation. Wow! London is expensive and this is coming from a New Yorker. 😫

Sound advice. Thanks so much. After looking up hotels, I decided I will book a flight day of disembarkation. Wow! London is expensive and this is coming from a New Yorker. 😫

The exchange rate is against you just now. No way to know what will happen to it in the next 12 months.

To cut down on costs in London, don't eat in the hotel. Their meals are generally overpriced and you can do a lot better in a local restaurant. When you have booked the hotel - ask here for recommendations. If you are really cheap (like me) have lunch out and take a snack back to your room in the evening - you will get plenty of fine dining on your cruise.

There are also bargains to be had for travel and entrance fees. Many people overplan the sightseeing - my advice is to find three or four of your 'must see' sites/sights and have some second line alts if you still have the time and the energy. Try to book a West End show at least one evening.

Left field thinking - enjoy a few days pre or post cruise but NOT in London.

Winchester for example.

Annie

The exchange rate is against you just now. No way to know what will happen to it in the next 12 months.

 

To cut down on costs in London, don't eat in the hotel. Their meals are generally overpriced and you can do a lot better in a local restaurant. When you have booked the hotel - ask here for recommendations. If you are really cheap (like me) have lunch out and take a snack back to your room in the evening - you will get plenty of fine dining on your cruise.

 

There are also bargains to be had for travel and entrance fees. Many people overplan the sightseeing - my advice is to find three or four of your 'must see' sites/sights and have some second line alts if you still have the time and the energy. Try to book a West End show at least one evening.

Thank you! My musts are Churchill War Rooms, Tower of London, Big Ben, Tower Bridge and Changing of the Guard.

Will skip the theatre as I'm

a New Yorker and have seen many Broadway shows.

Thank you! My musts are Churchill War Rooms, Tower of London, Big Ben, Tower Bridge and Changing of the Guard.

Will skip the theatre as I'm

a New Yorker and have seen many Broadway shows.

Sometimes missed by our visitors...if you have a 'free' evening, book the Ceremony of the Keys...Best part; its free! (though there is a £1 Admin fee). Book as early as you can though as there are limited places. http://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/whats-on/ceremony-of-the-keys/

Simon

wow....its booked til 1/17!!!

wow....its booked til 1/17!!!

And you cannot book more than 12 months ahead.

And you cannot book more than 12 months ahead.

Yes, but so worth the effort to book IMHO. :)

Thank you for the info

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Thank you! My musts are Churchill War Rooms, Tower of London, Big Ben, Tower Bridge and Changing of the Guard.

Will skip the theatre as I'm

a New Yorker and have seen many Broadway shows.

Sorry but there is nothing like London Theatre. Even the very fringe plays are worth a view. We don' t usually do big musicals so those may be equal....