Winchester stay pre-cruise?

We've stayed in Southampton pre-cruise several times, and we've never been to Winchester so we're thinking about staying in Winchester for a couple of days this time. Is that a viable option? I know it's not far from Southampton, but would inbound traffic on sailing day be a problem?

Winchester is fine and transport links to Southampton by bus or rail are good. Given the choice, my preference would be Salisbury, but it's your holiday not mine.

We are staying in Winchester pre-cruise this year and are using Smiths for Airports for transportation from LHR and again to the cruise terminal. Will be happy to share details with you.

Yes, a day or two in Winchester makes very good sense. :)

Hotels are more expensive than Southampton, and without a car it makes sense to stay in one that's in or close to the centre. Somewhere like the Mercure Wessex (right by the cathedral), though the Winchester Hotel in Worthy Lane is better value and only a ten to fifteen minute walk. Both have parking.

If you have a car, Lainston House is about 4 miles out of town & excellent, and the Holiday Inn is reasonably-priced and well-reviewed - but there are no independent restaurants or other facilities near either, and parking in Winchester can be difficult.

If the prices of the hotels in Winchester are heavier than you'd like you can book one in Southampton again, ideally handy to central station. There are about 3 trains per hour to Winchester, journey time about 20 minutes, return fares under £10.

Not sure why you think traffic might be bad heading to Southampton to join your ship. It's a simple 25 - 30 minute drive from Winchester, though when 4 or 5 ships are in there can be congestion near the port, especially on a Saturday.

JB :)

We are staying at the Winchester Hotel and Spa using their Heritage package -- includes dinner in their well reviewed restaurant the first night, full breakfast each day, and admission to the Cathedral. We are meeting family for early dinner at the Chesil Rectory on the second night. Lots of lovely walks and historical places to wander around.

Thanks for the information. We're not sailing until September so we've got some time to decide.

My question was about traffic was concerning just what John mentioned--a long line of traffic going to the port. We were driving into Southampton a few years ago on a day when a ship was sailing, and we sat in traffic for a long time. If we choose Winchester we'll just leave early enough to allow for traffic.

Thanks for the information. We're not sailing until September so we've got some time to decide.

 

I'll try to keep detailed notes and write a review as soon as we get back.

There's a very good, fast train service from Winchester to Southampton Central (15- 20 mins approx) and from there it's a short taxi ride to the terminal - cost about £5-£8.

Thanks for the information. We're not sailing until September so we've got some time to decide.

 

My question was about traffic was concerning just what John mentioned--a long line of traffic going to the port. We were driving into Southampton a few years ago on a day when a ship was sailing, and we sat in traffic for a long time. If we choose Winchester we'll just leave early enough to allow for traffic.

If that traffic was on the motorway from Winchester to Southampton I'll bet it was a summer Saturday - Londoners heading for the coast. Not normally a problem on other days.

If it was in the city near the docks, again that could have been a Saturday - several ships in & passengers sharing the road with folk heading to West Quay Mall and Retail Park. Or it could have been during road works re-vamping access to Dock Gate 4. That's the gate for Ocean and QE11 terminals, but the log-jammed traffic sometimes backed-up past the other cruise terminals.

If your cruise is on a Saturday in early September, that motorway traffic may again be bad. Otherwise no worries :cool:.

Here's the cruise ship schedule

http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/live_information/shipping_movements_and_cruise_ship_schedule/cruise_ship_schedule/

If it's a Saturday, & several other ships are sailing, that city traffic may be bad. But otherwise, again no worries. :cool:

As per posts by Bob and the Exile, the train service between Winchester and Southampton is frequent, quick, and inexpensive.

JB :)

There's a new wrinkle--I wondered why the hotel rates in Southampton were so much higher than we've paid in the past. Then it hit me that the Southampton Boat Show is in September, and we're sailing on Friday, 9/22. Sure enough, that's the last weekend of the boat show.

On one hand, that's encouraging me to stay in Winchester, but on the other hand, is that going to increase the traffic on Friday morning coming to the show?

I believe it's also the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen so this year Winchester will be busy with events

There's a new wrinkle--I wondered why the hotel rates in Southampton were so much higher than we've paid in the past. Then it hit me that the Southampton Boat Show is in September, and we're sailing on Friday, 9/22. Sure enough, that's the last weekend of the boat show.

 

On one hand, that's encouraging me to stay in Winchester, but on the other hand, is that going to increase the traffic on Friday morning coming to the show?

Yes, it probably will.

Depending on the time.

The later in the morning the better. Arriving at say around 11.30 ?

Assuming you're on Caribbean Princess or Seven Seas Explorer, your dock gate (number 4) isn't close to the Boat Show which is around West Quay Road / Dock Gate 8.

If you're using a taxi / private transfer ask the driver to use the A33 spur at the end of the M3 - The Avenue / Kingsway / Terminus Terrace - which avoids the Boat Show area, rather than the M27 / M271 / Millbrook route which ploughs right through it along West Quay Road.

Boat Show traffic will be signed via that M27 / M271 / Millbrook route, traffic on the route down The Avenue will be quite light.

But then any taxi driver worth his salt will know that anyway.

If you're in a rented car, of course you'll have to return it.

Most of the car rental depots (Hertz, Alamo, Europcar, etc) are slap in the middle of the boat show area.

If so, still use my suggested route :

Put Terminus Terrace into your GPS. At the end of the M3, you can fork left for Bournemouth or right for Portsmouth - it makes no odds which - onto the M27. Just a few hundred yards further on, both of those options have a ramp left signed Southampton A33. Take that A33 ramp, ignoring your GPS if it wants you to stay on the M27 - it will very quickly re-calculate and direct you along that The Avenue / Kingsway / Terminus Terrace route.

When you reach Terminus Terrace, put the rental depot's address into your GPS. you will then approach it from the opposite direction to the worst of the Boat Show traffic.

Not as complicated as I've made it seem :rolleyes:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/50.9752586,-1.3729812/Terminus+Terrace,+Southampton+SO14/@50.9364806,-1.4273988,13z/data=!4m9!4m8!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x4874714aa081ad1d:0xc9dd64b641103b78!2m2!1d-1.3964133!2d50.8987254!3e0

My route in blue, the Boat Show motorway route in grey.

JB :)

There's a new wrinkle--I wondered why the hotel rates in Southampton were so much higher than we've paid in the past. Then it hit me that the Southampton Boat Show is in September, and we're sailing on Friday, 9/22. Sure enough, that's the last weekend of the boat show.

 

On one hand, that's encouraging me to stay in Winchester, but on the other hand, is that going to increase the traffic on Friday morning coming to the show?

I think we were on a cruise together Fritz - Ruby Princess TA 2014..?? We were trying to book an hotel room in Southampton for 20th September and even 5 months ago we struggled to get anything that didn't cost £zillion . We were also travelling to Southampton in September last year around 10:00 a.m. when the boat show was on and we found the traffic very heavy. I like Winchester - so much more character than Southampton and like I said frequent train service.

I think we were on a cruise together Fritz - Ruby Princess TA 2014..?? We were trying to book an hotel room in Southampton for 20th September and even 5 months ago we struggled to get anything that didn't cost £zillion . We were also travelling to Southampton in September last year around 10:00 a.m. when the boat show was on and we found the traffic very heavy. I like Winchester - so much more character than Southampton and like I said frequent train service.

Yes, that was us! We still think of you every time we're in Southampton and enjoy a meal at the Platform Tavern! Right now we're leaning toward a stay in Winchester because we've never been there, and we've been to Southampton three times.

We really like the Grand Harbour, but the rates for a flexible reservation were twice the price that we're paying for a very nice hotel in London.

Here is the Winchester part of my cruise review:

Winchester was a lovely choice for a pre-cruise visit. Smiths for Airports was right on time at our meeting place in Heathrow and whisked us off to the fairly modern Winchester Hotel. After a nap in our US-size king bed we walked into town to attend Choral Evensong at the Cathedral. http://www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk/ The Manchester attack had occurred the previous evening so it was good to pray in that glorious place. The first night’s dinner was part of the hotel’s Heritage package and we chose freshly prepared Shepherd’s Pie to start our British adventure; a breakfast buffet was also included and had a wide range of foods. The next morning we took the bus into town to find the old city mill which operates at 11:00 am. We then walked along the river-side to the cathedral. When we arrived a tour of the crypt was about to begin so we quickly got tickets and followed the guide down under the cathedral. Afterwards we wandered around the main area to find Jane Austen’s grave stone which is in the cathedral floor and then ate lunch in the refectory. We still had places to explore and headed uphill to visit the Great Hall and then back to our hotel. That evening we met cousins for an excellent dinner using locally sourced foods at Chesil Rectory. Thankfully they picked us up as I don’t think my legs could have gone much further. The next morning we packed, picked up the wine for our cabin from the nearby Co-Op store, and were promptly picked up by Smiths for our ride to Southampton.