Disembarking in Southampton

We will be on our first Azamara cruise next month and will disembark in Southampton. I have a reservation with the National Express bus to Heathrow Terminal 5 at 8:05 A.M. We arrive in Southampton at 6:00 A.M. I am beginning to worry whether we will have time to disembark, go through customs and catch a taxi to the Coach Station by 8:05. The next coach leaves at 9:45 which would get us to Heathrow in time for our flight as long as we did not hit any major traffic delays. We will be arriving on a Saturday morning. Does anyone have any thoughts on this or experience with disembarking in Southampton? If so, I would appreciate your help.

Disembarkation is very simple in Southampton, there are plenty taxis and it is a very quick drive to the coach station. As long as you can get a 7am disembark all will be well - you should probably contact Customer Service so they can check what they expect to happen for your specific cruise

Thank you Uktog. That eases my mind about the situation. I have tried to get information on the Azamara website about their transfers to Heathrow but all I see is a transfer that includes sightseeing for those who have later flights. Am I not looking in the right place?

I live in Southampton and have cruised with Azamara back into the port,if you get an early disembarkation slot you will be fine ,in over thirty five cruises back to Southampton customs are not always there on early mornings but I can't help with immigration.

It is as the previous poster said a short taxi ride to the coach station and traffic should be light that time of the morning there are usually plenty available.Don't be surprised the coach station is small beside a supermarket.!

We are on Azamara from Nice back to Southampton in June only one short flight as we don't like long flights,enjoy your cruise.

We had a 7:00 docking aboard the Carribean Princess and easily caught the same bus. We did self disembarkation so we were off first thing. We walked to the station, I think it was just under one mile. Our original tickets were for a later bus but they had room so the driver let us onboard.

I live in Southampton and have cruised with Azamara back into the port,if you get an early disembarkation slot you will be fine ,in over thirty five cruises back to Southampton customs are not always there on early mornings but I can't help with immigration.

It is as the previous poster said a short taxi ride to the coach station and traffic should be light that time of the morning there are usually plenty available.Don't be surprised the coach station is small beside a supermarket.!

We are on Azamara from Nice back to Southampton in June only one short flight as we don't like long flights,enjoy your cruise.

I believe we must be on the same cruise as we leave Nice on May 30th and arrive Southampton June 11th (on the Quest). Thank you for the helpful information. Maybe we will see you onboard.

We had a 7:00 docking aboard the Carribean Princess and easily caught the same bus. We did self disembarkation so we were off first thing. We walked to the station, I think it was just under one mile. Our original tickets were for a later bus but they had room so the driver let us onboard.

Thank you. This makes me feel much better about the situation. We looked at the later bus (9:45 I think) but it would have gotten us to Heathrow just 3 hours before our flight (under perfect circumstances) and I was worried about traffic or delays making us late. Would rather be too early than have the stress of running late.

When we arrived in Southampton on Celebrity Eclipse, last August, we just walked off the ship. No one even looked at our passports, which I couldn't believe, considering the illegal immigrants who were entering Europe at the time. However, we also boarded in Southampton, so I assume as they had already seen our passports, so there was no reason to check them again.

There is a thread over on the Celebrity boards, where people are complaining that their last day at sea was ruined by having to queue to see UK immigration officers. That was from the Shilloutte TA.

Posts 173-176

http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2341178&page=9

We have also done a repositioning cruise on Celebrity Constellation, Amsterdam- Southampton (2012) where our passports were looked at by UK immigration on the ship.

Customs were not present in Southampton last August. I know, as I had bought an iPad ( although I had not exceeded the personal limit) so wondered if I would be questioned.

When we arrived in Southampton on Celebrity Eclipse, last August, we just walked off the ship. No one even looked at our passports, which I couldn't believe, considering the illegal immigrants who were entering Europe at the time. However, we also boarded in Southampton, so I assume as they had already seen our passports, so there was no reason to check them again.

 

There is a thread over on the Celebrity boards, where people are complaining that their last day at sea was ruined by having to queue to see UK immigration officers. That was from the Shilloutte TA.

 

Posts 173-176

http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2341178&page=9

 

We have also done a repositioning cruise on Celebrity Constellation, Amsterdam- Southampton (2012) where our passports were looked at by UK immigration on the ship.

 

 

 

Customs were not present in Southampton last August. I know, as I had bought an iPad ( although I had not exceeded the personal limit) so wondered if I would be questioned.

Thank you for posting that link Jackie. I can certainly understand how passengers would be upset at having to stand in line for 1 to 2 hours for immigration on their last sea day. However in this case, since we are on a tight schedule for disembarkation, I would welcome the opportunity to get that process out of the way the day before and would doubt that the lines would be that long with a ship the size of the Quest (just hoping).