Better to fly to Southampton or Heathrow?

We are taking the Explorer from Southampton next year and Im wondering if its better to fly into Heathrow, or Southampton. Does RCL offer a shuttle transfer from either one of those airports to the port? I haven't really found a definitive answer on a message board search.

Heathrow is cheaper, but Southampton is where the ship is...

We are taking the Explorer from Southampton next year and Im wondering if its better to fly into Heathrow, or Southampton. Does RCL offer a shuttle transfer from either one of those airports to the port? I haven't really found a definitive answer on a message board search.

Heathrow is cheaper, but Southampton is where the ship is...

Assume that you are flying in from the USA so it would be Heathrow then transfer down to the port. Southampton only fly UK and Europe.

It doesn't have to be Heathrow - they could fly via a regional airport and connect to Southampton if they want to fly straight there

It doesn't have to be Heathrow - they could fly via a regional airport and connect to Southampton if they want to fly straight there

Since it involves a connecting flight, it might not be so advantageous to follow your suggestion and depending on their departure airport in the US, it is likely that there will be more flights available to Heathrow than to Southampton regardless of what regional airport is involved.

Go early and explore London. Trains are extremely cheap from London to Southampton. We booked the Megatrain several years ago for like 3GBP per person from London to Southampton. They had a train leaving Waterloo (I think) at 9:30 and 11am. Took less than 2 hours. You can see the port from the train station. The cab that probably is less than a mile costs more than the train....

That said Heathrow is about an hour ride on the tube to London, with an Oyster card the tube is cheap. There is a fast express train as well, but I like the tube.

Cabs from Heathrow to the city are very expensive and probably not faster than the tube. Depending on when you arrive.

jc

Since it involves a connecting flight, it might not be so advantageous to follow your suggestion and depending on their departure airport in the US, it is likely that there will be more flights available to Heathrow than to Southampton regardless of what regional airport is involved.

I didn't say it would advantageous I just said its obviously an option rather than the previous poster only giving the option being Heathrow

I just did a booking enquiry on the megatrain from Waterloo to Southampton Central for July 5 ( I think you can book up to 45 days out) and got fares from 1GBP to 6 GBP for travel in the morning. You can't get a starbucks for that...:D

jc

I didn't say it would advantageous I just said its obviously an option rather than the previous poster only giving the option being Heathrow

I think Gatwick has flights to and from the USA. We flew thru there in 2005 on our way to the Canary Islands (Tenerife). Nice airport too.

jc

Yes, I should've said I'm flying from the US. I'm not sure which airport yet. Baltimore, Philly, or Newark are my current choices. Heathrow has many more flights, and they are cheaper. Southampton is a connecting flight, but I can get there.

Is there a RCL transfer from Heathrow, or do I have to take the train? Seems kind of far for there to be one..

We will be going a day early to explore, so my options are pretty much open. I just like to plan ;)

Go look at the British Isles port of call message board on CC. All your questions will be answered.

We just got off the Adventure of the Seas in Southampton on May 8. RCCI does provide a bus to the port from Heathrow for about $100 each. But we also used RCCI air to get to Heathrow. It takes about 1 1/2 hours to there.

Yes, I should've said I'm flying from the US. I'm not sure which airport yet. Baltimore, Philly, or Newark are my current choices. Heathrow has many more flights, and they are cheaper. Southampton is a connecting flight, but I can get there.

 

Is there a RCL transfer from Heathrow, or do I have to take the train? Seems kind of far for there to be one..

 

We will be going a day early to explore, so my options are pretty much open. I just like to plan ;)

Yes RCL has transfers from Heathrow to the ship and vice versa,just used them last Sunday,

RCI charging $101pp for a transfer to LHR or LGW!!!! :eek:

You can get a private transfer for much less. Try http://www.checkercars.com/ they seem to charge £110 for the whole car!!

I didn't say it would advantageous I just said its obviously an option rather than the previous poster only giving the option being Heathrow

Maybe I should have made it clear in my post that you can not fly direct from the US to Southampton, unless you have a private jet with long range tanks. LOL

I agree with JC: go into Heathrow, then get your own transportation to Southampton. We stayed in the Victoria Station area of London twice, then went to the National Express bus station right across from the Victoria Metro, and took the bus to Souhampton. Very inexpensive.

You can also catch National Express buses directly from Heathrow. There is a bus station right at the airport, and easy to get to.

Megatrain, Megabus, and National Express all offer really inexpensive and convenient transportation to Southampton. Google them; they all have trip planners.

I just did a booking enquiry on the megatrain from Waterloo to Southampton Central for July 5 ( I think you can book up to 45 days out) and got fares from 1GBP to 6 GBP for travel in the morning. You can't get a starbucks for that...:D

 

jc

Are you sure you are doing that right??? I have never known a train fare to be as low as £6!!

EDIT

I just did a quote for this and found you to be correct, I'm shocked!!!! Wow, something I didn't know existed in my own country.

I usually do LHR and then the National Express to Southampton.

Fly to Heathrow , spend a few days looking round London then get a bus or train to the port. 2 hour drive or 1hour on a train. Soooo easy, with sooooo many choices. May as we'll make the most of your trip. :)

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When we did our cruise from Southampton 2 years ago we used a car service. I believe it was World Transfer or something like that. I looked into the train as our hotel was about 2 blocks from the tube in Kensington. But did not relish the thought of dragging our luggage two blocks. This fall while we are staying in Southampton this time we will most likely use them again as they provide vans and we have others coming with us. On a 12 day cruise we don't pack light.

Are you sure you are doing that right??? I have never known a train fare to be as low as £6!!

 

 

EDIT

I just did a quote for this and found you to be correct, I'm shocked!!!! Wow, something I didn't know existed in my own country.

I have friends in Chelmsford who told me I was crazy that there is no way such a fare exists. Until they checked. The crazy thing is the Megatrain car is just like the other cars (er carriages) on the South West Trains, except for a placard of about 4 x 6 in a window that said something about MegaTrain.

I was treated exactly like the other passengers on the train.

jc

Fly to Heathrow , spend a few days looking round London then get a bus or train to the port. 2 hour drive or 1hour on a train. Soooo easy, with sooooo many choices. May as we'll make the most of your trip. :)

 

 

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Absolutely agree. London is an amazing city. Plus who wants the stress of worrying about missing your ship because you had plane delays? That is reason even if London were a pathetic shamble.:D

jc

PS Hi Barb. We do pack lighter these days. The key to anyone using the tube is to make sure you can manage your luggage in a single go by yourself. There are some stations that don't have elevators or even complete escalators. You can figure this all out by going to the London Journey Planning web page.

That said for people like Barb who still take way too much luggage, take a cab to Waterloo and use your pre purchased mega train tickets to save about 100 GBP. The train stations still have porters you can tip to lug your luggage, and the taxi stand is right outside Southampton Central Station.

Barb, I am not saying to not stay in Southampton, but have you considered Salisbury? Beautiful Cathedral and Stone Henge HOHO tour.

RCI charging $101pp for a transfer to LHR or LGW!!!! :eek:

You can get a private transfer for much less. Try http://www.checkercars.com/ they seem to charge £110 for the whole car!!

I'll second that. We have a private car reserved next month for 4 and the cost per person is less than the national express bus.

I agree with staying over in London for a night or more, but London, while amazing, is an expensive city. Even a decent hotel room will cost around $200.

I've departed from Southampton 3 times on the Cunard Queens for a TA, and we always flew into Heathrow from Newark, NJ the night before, arriving on the day of the cruise. Never an issue.

One time we took Cunard's bus transfer to Southampton, and the two other times we splurged and took their optional Orient Express train, with gourmet lunch to the port. It arrives adjacent to the terminal. That won't be an option for you unless RCI offers it, and the cost will make you pass out!

I guess, without checking flights, that you could fly into Heathrow then take a connecting flight to Southampton, but I would just fly into to LHR and use whatever connection RCI provides; bus or train. Obviously you could also arrange for private transport to the port if it is lower priced.

BTW, trains to Southampton will ultimately depart from Waterloo station, which is an easy 30-40 minutes from LHR by car. Now, can you take a train from LHR to Waterloo? That's for someone else to determine.

I agree with staying over in London for a night or more, but London, while amazing, is an expensive city. Even a decent hotel room will cost around $200.

 

I've departed from Southampton 3 times on the Cunard Queens for a TA, and we always flew into Heathrow from Newark, NJ the night before, arriving on the day of the cruise. Never an issue.

 

One time we took Cunard's bus transfer to Southampton, and the two other times we splurged and took their optional Orient Express train, with gourmet lunch to the port. It arrives adjacent to the terminal. That won't be an option for you unless RCI offers it, and the cost will make you pass out!

 

I guess, without checking flights, that you could fly into Heathrow then take a connecting flight to Southampton, but I would just fly into to LHR and use whatever connection RCI provides; bus or train. Obviously you could also arrange for private transport to the port if it is lower priced.

 

BTW, trains to Southampton will ultimately depart from Waterloo station, which is an easy 30-40 minutes from LHR by car. Now, can you take a train from LHR to Waterloo? That's for someone else to determine.

I don't live anywhere near London... in fact a giant ocean and half a country separate me. :D That said, there is no train from LHR to Waterloo. Going from LHR to Waterloo to get to Southampton without a visit to London is pretty crazy. However, if you are reasonably fit. It is cheap and about an hours worth of tube rides from LHR to London proper. The tube in not expensive buy an Oyster card. London like all big cities is very expensive, but I try to make sure I have frequent miles with Marriott or Hilton that I use regularly to pay for a night or two in the big town. Plus considering the expense of a TA flight spending money for hotel and food to see the National Museum, the Tower of London to stroll Oxford Street shopping, to visit Harrod's, and a million other great sites seems to me to be missing out on something important. If you have never done London, I am just suggesting you should.

jc

We are using choice air for our Explorer cruise in May 2015 and they fly into Heathrow. Transfers from Heathrow to the port in Southampton are approximately $102 per person.