Return travel from Southampton

we,ve been looking at Azura,s return cruise from the Caribbean in March.

How do we get home to West LANCASHIRE from Southampton?

Do people use Eavesway or train?

The coach would be a longish journey but easy I guess, depending on the drop off point and its proximity to your home.

Train is fairly straightforward from Southampton to Central London then direct to Manchester, but then you may need a third train to your West Lancs destination?

Finally you could always take my preferred option of flying to Manchester from Southampton, again might be a good idea if you are the right side of Lancashire for the airport.

Booking this far in advance for either the train or the plane should get you some cheap advance purchase fares.

If you are flying from Manchester, then there is a FREE P&O coach back to Manchester airport and you could get a train from there.

Brian

I thought that if you did a cruise with a outbound OR inbound flight that a coach was provided to or from Southampton to the airport that you used for your flight so that in sanmarco's case a flight out from Manchester to the Caribbean then on return to Southampton a provided coach up to Manchester...or have things changed?

We are on the return cruise in March on board Ventura. We fly from Mcr which is near for us, and return on the free coach from Southampton to Mcr airport. You should really book the coach when you make your original booking but of course nobody tells you that!

The only cost involved is parking at the airport.

There is still time to book the coach. You need to do it through whoever you booked with - if that is what you want to do.

Brian

Edit. Just realised you have not booked yet.

how long is the coach journey from Southampton to Manchester - does it stop on the way to drop off or is it a straight run?

how long is the coach journey from Southampton to Manchester - does it stop on the way to drop off or is it a straight run?

Think about 6 hours. The coach does stop en route at the services.

We did it once (never again!) and the service station stop was an hour, I think we stopped twice, people were saying 20 mins would have done, I can only presume it was a requirement of the driver to have such a lengthy break to comply with legislation.

We are on the return cruise in March on board Ventura. We fly from Mcr which is near for us, and return on the free coach from Southampton to Mcr airport. You should really book the coach when you make your original booking but of course nobody tells you that!

The only cost involved is parking at the airport.

How come its one way flight and one way coach? Just curious?

Coach back to Manchester is around 3 hours not 6 !! We live 50 miles north of Manchester and the journey is around 5 hours including drop offs.

How come its one way flight and one way coach? Just curious?

It's a repositioning cruise. Fly to Barbados and sail back to Southampton then coach back to your departure airport.

Brian

Coach back to Manchester is around 3 hours not 6 !! We live 50 miles north of Manchester and the journey is around 5 hours including drop offs.

I think its 4 hours and 220 miles according to tomtom and that would be a clear drive at 70 mph, add the rest stops, traffic, the fact that some coaches are limited to 60mph and you are getting towards 5 or 6.

It's a repositioning cruise. Fly to Barbados and sail back to Southampton then coach back to your departure airport.

Brian

Ahhh ok - I thought the OP was flying MAN-SOU to pick up the cruise.

We have traveled down by coach...Eavesway and Intercruise... picked up from Preston and the journey including stops is about 6 hours in total which considering its during peak hours...coping with the numerous roadworks...possible accidents...traffic jams etc is not too bad going. We have also traveled down to Southampton in the car and to be honest we haven't saved that much time.

To say you can do it in 4 hours is a bit unrealistic unless you travel down in the middle of the night when hopefully no overnight roadworks are taking place...HGVs are parked up for the night....and no accidents.

We prefer to travel down by coach...much less stress.

We have traveled down by coach...Eavesway and Intercruise... picked up from Preston and the journey including stops is about 6 hours in total which considering its during peak hours...coping with the numerous roadworks...possible accidents...traffic jams etc is not too bad going. We have also traveled down to Southampton in the car and to be honest we haven't saved that much time.

To say you can do it in 4 hours is a bit unrealistic unless you travel down in the middle of the night when hopefully no overnight roadworks are taking place...HGVs are parked up for the night....and no accidents.

We prefer to travel down by coach...much less stress.

We too are in lancashire and always travel with Eavesway. It is great on the way down, to hand over luggage in Bolton, and next see it in the cabin. The return journey is a sedate relaxing drive back to end the cruise without the traffic hassle. Eavesway coaches are very comfortable and the drivers are very helpful and efficient.

We have done the run from Warrington to Soton a few times with Eavesway to join a ship but we have had to do a few detours, eg the NEC, to pick up other passengers and it can take six hours. Presumably in this case it is a direct run to Manchester Airport so should be quicker? Or does it go somewhere else on the way?

The repositioning coaches go direct to the airport and do not drop off any passengers anywhere else. For Manchester there will probably be a short toilet stop about halfway. I have only done the Birmingham one which went non stop.

If you want to go to any other destinations there is still the normal Cruise Connect or Eavesway but these are chargeable.

Brian

Think about 6 hours. The coach does stop en route at the services.

 

We did it once (never again!) and the service station stop was an hour, I think we stopped twice, people were saying 20 mins would have done, I can only presume it was a requirement of the driver to have such a lengthy break to comply with legislation.

How long would it be then, including check in, flight and journey from Southampton airport? There is also of course travel to Manchester Airport.

We don't mind the coach at all but flying might be an option.

I would then be worrying about fog and ice ;)

How long would it be then, including check in, flight and journey from Southampton airport? There is also of course travel to Manchester Airport.

We don't mind the coach at all but flying might be an option.

I would then be worrying about fog and ice ;)

A taxi is 10 mins from the port, minimum check in at SOU is an hour, the flight time is 50 mins.

Of course it depends if there is a flight that coincides with your ship disembarkation time.

We usually find there is a red eye flight that is too early, but then usually a mid morning flight that is just right.

Thanks- something to think about. :)

No probs, the fares start around £29 if you book early enough.

We did the same cruise and found the best value was to book in to the Raddison Blu Manchester Airport which included parking in the cost of the one night stay which at the time was £140. We then could do check in the night before. Because the hotel is in the terminal you don't have the stress of getting to the airport.

The trip back from Southampton was by coach and there were no drops offs, just a stop for the drivers break. We were back at the airport by 2pm and were dropped off at departures, because the car was a the Raddison Blu inside the terminal building it was only 5 mins and we were on our way.

It was a smooth transition both ways, I love the fact that you don't see your luggage again till your in your cabin. On MSC you have the hassle of having to claim your luggage in arrivals and take it to the coach, both ways.