Driving to Ocean Terminal - reassure me please!

We are leaving on Azura on Saturday, departing from Ocean Terminal. Previously I have always used the Holiday Inn in Winchester and they include parking and a taxi in their rates, the price now, however, is too steep as my eldest daughter is now 18 and classed as an adult.

I am not the most confident driver in cities and am now having serious cold feet about navigating to the terminal. Can someone please reassure me that it will be clearly signed and easy to find? My eldest will be using the sat nav thingy on her phone to assist me ("oh Mum, it was that turning that we just passed that you wanted" - helpful!). We will be staying the night before in the Premier Inn in Winchester and although I have a 3pm embarkation time I will be allowing plenty of time to get there, hoping to arrive between 1.30 and 2 (not in an attempt to board early but I would rather wait in the terminal with books and a packed lunch than kill time in the hotel or in Southampton)

Will the traffic be busy? Is the route clearly signed from the M3?

Many thanks

Hi catperson! Your satnav will find you to the gate, if you are really early there is a big (massive!) carpark at Mayflower park, (look on google maps) right next to the Red Funnel terminal, you will see Azura easily from there, and you will be about a minute's drive from the terminal gate. We always go there and have a coffee at the ferry terminal as we like to get to Southampton in plenty of time. If you have CPS parking, it is super efficient without being rushed. They will point you exactly where to go. You unload your car and put luggage on the trolley, and they take it for you. We were on board within 20 minutes. No hassle!

The road in Southampton where the terminals are, goes past all terminals and they are clearly signed. If you miss your turning, just go to the next roundabout and come back.

Hopefully this will reassure you, enjoy your cruise!

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Basically you go down the M3 and then the M27 (remembering to follow Southampton signs or Docks signs if shown)

The last service area is called Rownhams Services (on M27) if you need to lose a bit of time etc.

Final Motorway needed is M271 You just follow signs for Southampton Docks then finally West Quay.

The main road goes along with the sea to your right and some cruise ships are usually visible. Local signs will have ships names on them in lights to help you lane up. Right hand lane will become preferable eventually normally a queue here. Keep going straight unless you see signs saying your ships name.

Regards John

You will pass IKEA, the Grand Harbour hotel both on you left. Straight on at the small roundabout. On you right will be the Isle of Wight ferry terminal. Go straight on and the road turns to the left. Dock gate 4 for the Ocean Terminal is on your right. But you have to turn left and drive round a park and approach the entrance from the opposite direction. The dock gate is then on your left and you are now facing the opposite way.

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A small update on Dai's post. You no longer go round the park, but get to some traffic lights just before the Terminal where you turn right. Been like that since last year. [emoji4] Don't worry, it's really easy to find. [emoji4]

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You will pass IKEA, the Grand Harbour hotel both on you left. Straight on at the small roundabout. On you right will be the Isle of Wight ferry terminal. Go straight on and the road turns to the left. Dock gate 4 for the Ocean Terminal is on your right. But you have to turn left and drive round a park and approach the entrance from the opposite direction. The dock gate is then on your left and you are now facing the opposite way.

 

 

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That's all changed now, no need to go around the park, its a filter right into Ocean terminal.

Many thanks. I am sure that I will be ok. Hopefully my 2 back seat drivers will be of some help. Well, I can but hope. At least once CPS have the car there will be no more driving for 2 weeks.

We are leaving on Azura on Saturday, departing from Ocean Terminal. Previously I have always used the Holiday Inn in Winchester and they include parking and a taxi in their rates, the price now, however, is too steep as my eldest daughter is now 18 and classed as an adult.

I am not the most confident driver in cities and am now having serious cold feet about navigating to the terminal. Can someone please reassure me that it will be clearly signed and easy to find? My eldest will be using the sat nav thingy on her phone to assist me ("oh Mum, it was that turning that we just passed that you wanted" - helpful!). We will be staying the night before in the Premier Inn in Winchester and although I have a 3pm embarkation time I will be allowing plenty of time to get there, hoping to arrive between 1.30 and 2 (not in an attempt to board early but I would rather wait in the terminal with books and a packed lunch than kill time in the hotel or in Southampton)

Will the traffic be busy? Is the route clearly signed from the M3?

Many thanks

You sound just like me in that you like to know EXACTLY what is what - I even follow the roads on Google maps although they may be out of date by the sound of some of these posts.

I will probably be making the journey later this year and my advice is drive safely (it goes without saying) but if you get in the wrong lane indicate and stop till someone lets you out, drive with determination but so what if you are in the wrong lane.

A lot of people know where they are going so I hope they have some patience for those who don't if not, shove them.

Once the car is parked the holiday can commence!!

Good luck.

One thing I've always found very useful when driving to strange places is Google Maps and the little man you can drop onto roads to get a view of what the road looks like. If there are turnings that you're worried about missing then you can look at them on the Google Maps street view and "drive up and down the road" on that to get a feel for how it looks in real life.

One thing I've always found very useful when driving to strange places is Google Maps and the little man you can drop onto roads to get a view of what the road looks like. If there are turnings that you're worried about missing then you can look at them on the Google Maps street view and "drive up and down the road" on that to get a feel for how it looks in real life.

That is extremely good advice. I also use 'street view' when going somewhere I don't know.

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One thing I've always found very useful when driving to strange places is Google Maps and the little man you can drop onto roads to get a view of what the road looks like. If there are turnings that you're worried about missing then you can look at them on the Google Maps street view and "drive up and down the road" on that to get a feel for how it looks in real life.

That was what I was referring to in my reply but by the sounds of some replies this won't be totally accurate anymore.

Yeah, apologies Catherine, you posted your reply while I was still typing mine so they crossed in the ether :)

Many thanks. I am sure that I will be ok. Hopefully my 2 back seat drivers will be of some help. Well, I can but hope. At least once CPS have the car there will be no more driving for 2 weeks.

For me the holiday really starts the moment I hand over the keys to the CPS rep, the sense of relief is enormous (call it one of life's simple pleasures).

Despite driving to various terminals 15+ times I missed a turn-off last year and we ended up driving past St Mary's football ground. It wasn't much of a detour to the terminal and I enjoyed seeing the stadium so all good!

You'll be fine, have a great cruise.

Damian

Yeah, apologies Catherine, you posted your reply while I was still typing mine so they crossed in the ether :)

I think he has a name but I have clue what it is!! :D

One thing I've always found very useful when driving to strange places is Google Maps and the little man you can drop onto roads to get a view of what the road looks like. If there are turnings that you're worried about missing then you can look at them on the Google Maps street view and "drive up and down the road" on that to get a feel for how it looks in real life.

I love google maps! I'm not even the driver, just the navigator!! My husband is always saying 'how do you know' when I say 'oh yes it's just by that red house' or whatever!

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Drove in to Mayflower terminal on the 22nd and out from Ocean Terminal on the 29th and both were fine. Well signposted and clear and easy to follow. It has improved since 2015. You have to expect some queuing though because the port is handling a lot of traffic on embarkation and dis-embarkation days.

Speed limits have been reduced and cameras installed on West Quay Road since our last visit. Still an easy enough trip.

I still prefer ABP "park up and leave the car where it is" system over CPS.

Speed limits have been reduced and cameras installed on West Quay Road since our last visit. Still an easy enough trip.

 

I still prefer ABP "park up and leave the car where it is" system over CPS.

Me too. ABP parking not an option for P&O which is a shame. Used ABP on three previous Southampton departures with RCI

We drove to Ocean Terminal for the first time last year. Found it very easy to find. If you have plenty of time and don't mind a walk you could always do what we did. Park up at West Quay and walk to the terminal to get your bearings on where you will be going. We had a few hours to spare and did this. Made the drive to the terminal much easier and killed about 45 minutes.

I made it!

It was actually very easy just like you all said. We left our hotel in Winchester at about 11.30 and called in at Tesco to pick up sandwiches and drinks (plus assorted items which my daughters had forgotten to pack despite being told and given a packing list grrr) We got to the terminal at about 1pm and, after a 15 minute wait in the queue for CPS, we went straight in.

I had fully expected to be given a card and sent to wait, hence the sandwiches and kindles etc but we were greeted with the sight of nobody waiting and several empty check in desks and we were sent straight to a desk and were on board before we knew it! It was all so quick that I managed to loose the ticket from CPS in my hurry to fill in the health declaration forms.

I will certainly have no worries about driving down next year for our cruise. Now just don't ask me about the journey down to the hotel he night before when he M25 was at a standstill and we were stuck for over 3 hours. So glad we came down the day before or I would have been really panicking.