national express - southampton question

Thanks so much Simon and Lyn. We dock on Sunday, June 14, so I guess the bus is the easiest way to go. Our flight isn't until Monday, so we're staying at Gatwick Sun night. I don't want to chance getting slowed down on the way to Gatwick on Monday. I'll probably go for the 11:55 bus, as the 9:20 bus might be cutting debarking too close. We'll have our last breakfast onboard leisurely, and then head out. Thanks again for keeping an eye on the date in June...

Regards, Mark

They usually kick you off the ship by 9 am

I am not sure if the bus station have lockers maybe John or Simon can comment

if so you may want to stash your bags & go to the mall to kill some time

Good plan on going the night before

We are planning the same thing only staying at LHR

Lyn

Many thanks.We will actually need the bus on 6/14, which apparently is not up yet. I'll keep looking! Would you have any idea how often they extend booking dates?

June dates are now posted

I might wait until Jan to book as they may add other times

Good luck

Lyn

They usually kick you off the ship by 9 am

I am not sure if the bus station have lockers maybe John or Simon can comment

if so you may want to stash your bags & go to the mall to kill some time

Good plan on going the night before

We are planning the same thing only staying at LHR

 

Lyn

Missed this bit of the thread this first-time round.

Yes, even if Mark drags his heels he's likely to be shore-side by 9.30 to 10am. So by booking the 11.55am he'll be kicking his heels in the coach station for a couple of hours.

Trouble with the earlier coach is that unless he organises something to fill his day at Gatwick (eg taxi 16 miles / 30 minutes to Ann Boleyn's Hever Castle), he'll be kicking his heels at his Gatwick hotel instead.

No luggage lockers at Southampton coach station, or at the rail station.

The Grand Harbour hotel holds luggage for non-residents (about £5 per bag, I think). It's not far from the coach station or City cruise terminal, and easy walking to Southampton's mall, shopping centre, old town, etc,

Hardly worthwhile for a couple of hours, but perhaps book a later coach (14.30, 16.50 or even 19.50), stash luggage at the Grand Harbour, and spend the day exploring Southampton.

Just a thought.

JB :)

Or as a left-field alternative, head up to London off the ship instead, stash bags at a left luggage facility and spend the day in town before heading down to Gatwick in the evening :)

Or as a left-field alternative, head up to London off the ship instead, stash bags at a left luggage facility and spend the day in town before heading down to Gatwick in the evening :)

Good thinkin', my feathered friend.:)

There are no left luggage facilities at provincial stations, but there are at London main stations, including

Victoria rail station http://www.left-baggage.co.uk/locations.php

Victoria coach station https://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/coaches/victoria-coach-station-facilities?intcmp=2435

Frequent direct trains to Gatwick from Victoria, direct coaches too though very limited frequency.

JB :)

Lyn, JB, Simon etc.

Thanks so much for the info. re. National Express now booking for June. Just read your info., as we just got off the Silhouette from a beautiful Caribbean cruise! I'll get my group to book this week!

darthwolf - not sure if this has been mentioned as I have only skimmed through replies but if you can cope with self disembarkation you could certainly do it. We have self disembarked a few years ago and were able to get the 8.30 coach. We had two cruises in 2014 disembarking in Southampton one with Cunard and one with P&O. On both occasions before the coloured labels were issued for disembarkation we requested an early slot. Neither cruiseline was very helpful which seemed different to earlier cruises. We caught our train by the skin of our teeth on the last occasion with the taxi driver doing his bit. There was a queue for the taxis and they were very slow in coming. We have never had to wait more than a few minutes for a taxi before.