Which Parking would you guys choose...

Have now booked to leave Southampton on 3rd September and was wondering if anyone else has been from Southampton beforon Ventura.I was wondering if the C&PS Parking is much of a diffrence than the 20 minute shuttle bus parking , any general opinions would help ? Just dont know if its worth the extra £40 notes to be that much nearer when we go on the holiday.

£92 Shuttle from Marchwood?

£130 from at the Terminal...

Thanks Again

Danny.

Hi Danny,

Parking is equally safe with both options, I've not heard of any grief with either. Its just a matter of personal choice - convenience vs cost.

Bear in mind that Marchwood involves a transfer at both ends of your cruise & also involves waiting for the minibus so you're looking at up to mebbe 45 mins e/w, But there's generally no traffic problems at your times of day. Marchwood is very little further for you to drive.

For a short cruise the price difference is smaller, most go for the convenience.

For a longer cruise the price difference is greater, more go for the savings.

Is time so important?

Is forty notes so important?

Only you can decide.

JB :)

Thanks JB , To be honest as its my first cruise and to be fair the £40 is a good saving , but i would rather treat myself and drive straight there really near the ship , but i dont know how close you get ?

Is the CPS really close so that its straaaight out my car onto ship or do they still have to use a little shuttle as well?

Also we looked at night before Hotel etc , but that means changing clothes sorting out cases etc but we would rather pack everything have documents at hand drive to ship and go on...

Its just i would want CPS to be really close to the ship to try that option and it sounds as if it is can you clarify that for me , it would be appreciated.

Dano

Yes, as far as I know all parking is adjacent the berth.

I was there (Ocean Terminal, which is Ventura's usual berth) about 12.30 today, dropping off my o/h & her sis. going to the Med on Oriana. Very easy, no traffic grief (not always the case), no waiting.

BTW, she phoned later, no hold-up, boarded straightaway, all very efficient. Had access to her cabin 2pm.

Certainly there's a lot of long-term parking right there - drop your bags & passenger/s at the terminal, park-up & re-join them 5 mins later. Or all walk across the carpark together. But it may be that not all the Ocean Terminal parking is there, and for some sailings (Cunard?) it's valet-parking.

Being local, I usually get a lift or a taxi. The only time I parked in the docks was a freebie at City cruise terminal, carpark right opposite the terminal, I was parked less than 100 yards from terminal entrance.

So yes, port parking is very handy.:)

But so are 40 notes :D

JB :)

Your right mate 40 notes in a few swallies onboard but...

Its my first time , I want to take an easy drive down Sat Morning get there early and start straight away, you can get a better deal with a hotel thrown in but i just want to get to the ship when I leave home on that morning bang get in there...

Thanks again JB

Appreciated

Your right mate 40 notes in a few swallies onboard but...

Its my first time , I want to take an easy drive down Sat Morning get there early and start straight away, you can get a better deal with a hotel thrown in but i just want to get to the ship when I leave home on that morning bang get in there...

 

Thanks again JB

 

Appreciated

Aha. Its a Saturday morning. :eek:

Your sat-nav may want to take you M3 / M27 west-bound / M271 & into Southampton from the west along West Quay Road. West Quay Road has a big retail park and West Quay Mall & dock gates to City & Mayflower cruise terminals, and it gets clogged on a saturday. On 3rd Sept IOTS is at City, & Oceana at Mayflower, so it'll get seriously clogged.

Instead, follow google's route at the bottom of the M3 by taking either side of the M27 split and in 1/4 mile take the A33 direct into Southampton from the north. Stay on A33 past the Common, then follow docks signs or your sat-nav which by then will have come round to my way of thinking :)

Your destination is SO14 3QN.

Although this will keep you away from the West Quay grief, Grand Princess is at QE2 terminal, which shares dock gate 4 with Ocean Terminal.

So it will not be as easy as I had this-morning.

http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/cruise_ship.asp

(for map, click on the "port maps" header)

Have a good one

JB :)