Southampton to Heathrow

We are scheduled to dock at 5 a.m. in Southampton aboard the Caribbean Princess next May 24. I have booked a 1:05 p.m. flight returning to the States out of Heathrow later that day but now wonder if that is practical. Given disembarking procedures, etc., can one make it from Southampton to Heathrow without undue stress? If so, what's the best way to do it?

I think you are cutting it short. Ask your agent or Princess but you will have to get to the train station go toWaterloo then get to Heathrow unless you can get a Princess transfer. Good luck

trains from southampton start just after 5am. It only takes 2 hours to get to heathrow. cant see why you won't make it as long as you dock on time and make a quick exit. Did check National Rail timetable but only shows our winter timetable at mo. You do not need to go into Waterloo to get to Heathrow. You can probably change at Reading or Woking

Sorry for saying you had gto go through London. When I did it two years ago I was going to London. I was at the station just before 8 but in tiem to see the London train depart.. I think I was in London by before 10

I still say Good Luck.

Southampton to Heathrow isn't straight forward, see the link below for full details. Personally, I'd get the train to Waterloo, change and get another train from Waterloo to Staines (Windsor or Reading train usually) and a taxi to Heathrow (approx 5 miles).

http://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/heathrow_southampton.htm

We are scheduled to dock at 5 a.m. in Southampton aboard the Caribbean Princess next May 24. I have booked a 1:05 p.m. flight returning to the States out of Heathrow later that day but now wonder if that is practical. Given disembarking procedures, etc., can one make it from Southampton to Heathrow without undue stress? If so, what's the best way to do it?

I have made noon flights without a problem at all. And, that's using the cruise line's slow-moving bus. The only reason you wouldn't make it is if something unusual came up like a tire goes out on the bus, the train stops working, the ship is late into port, there's a really bad accident on the motorway, there's a last-minute strike, etc.

We are scheduled to dock at 5 a.m. in Southampton aboard the Caribbean Princess next May 24. I have booked a 1:05 p.m. flight returning to the States out of Heathrow later that day but now wonder if that is practical. Given disembarking procedures, etc., can one make it from Southampton to Heathrow without undue stress? If so, what's the best way to do it?

We have twice taken the Princess shuttle from Southampton to Heathrow and arrived before 11:00 AM both times.

The information in your personalizer will tell the earliest you should schedule flights. If it is not there, check with Princess what they say.

Offhand, I think you should be OK with a 1:05 PM flight. (If it was us, we would take the Princess xfer.)

We are scheduled to dock at 5 a.m. in Southampton aboard the Caribbean Princess next May 24. I have booked a 1:05 p.m. flight returning to the States out of Heathrow later that day but now wonder if that is practical. Given disembarking procedures, etc., can one make it from Southampton to Heathrow without undue stress? If so, what's the best way to do it?

I think Pam used Woodford chauffer?

Maybe she will see this and chime in.

http://www.woodfordchauffeurcars.co.uk/

We used a Princess transfer from Southampton to Heathrow after our May 14, 2012 cruise. We didn't leave the ship until after 9 a.m. [lots of time for a leisurely breakfast] and by that time many transfers had been delivered to Heathrow. We were at the airport by 10:30 a.m. -- so early, in fact, that we couldn't check in for our 3:15 p.m. flight because we were more than 4 hours before flight time. Based on our experience, I would think that a Princess transfer would get you to the airport in lots of time -- and no worrying.

We used http://www.nationalexpress.com/home.aspx to get from Heathrow to Southampton this past August. It is cheap .. I believe about 35 pounds for two to get to Southampton and 19 pounds to return. Time is 2 and a half hours I believe. You have to get to the Coach station to take a bus.

Disembarkation was very quick and no immigration procedures (it was not Transatlantic for us. Closed circle from SH). We signed for self walk off and were outside around 7:45 am. We didn't travel back with National express though.

Princess will likely sell their Heathrow (and Gatwick) bus transfers on board at the activities desk. Can be purchased at anytime during the cruise. I used Princess transfer bus to Heathrow in May, 2012. As I recall fare was $49US. No traffic that day. Ride to Heathrow took only 1 hour 25 mins. Departed around 0900, arrived 1025. Less expensive is the public bus called National Coach. Take a taxi to Southampton bus terminal. Then National Coach non-stop Heathrow. Buy ticket at bus station. Check National Coach website. If I recall correctly, an advance ticket online purchase is around 17 pounds.

P.S. I suspect this is the same transatlantic cruise I took on Caribbean Princess in May, 2012. If ship stops at another EU country (my cruise stopped in Ireland and Scotland), there is no customs/immigration inspection at Southampton. Passports will be collected and stamped on board by first EU country visited. Just walk off the ship at Southampton and leave. That was my experience.

We are scheduled to dock at 5 a.m. in Southampton aboard the Caribbean Princess next May 24. I have booked a 1:05 p.m. flight returning to the States out of Heathrow later that day but now wonder if that is practical. Given disembarking procedures, etc., can one make it from Southampton to Heathrow without undue stress? If so, what's the best way to do it?

You could get a train and coach combination. Like Alison12 said you cannot check times/prices for May13 as the timetable is not available at the moment. Looking at current times/prices they do run regulary depending on which Terminal at Heathrow you are flying from. Prices range from £29 to £58 Standard Class, £47 to £91 First Class. This is a combination of Trains to Reading and Coach to Heathrow. www.trainline.com

Another option would be taxi, prices range from £74 to £114 depending on the size of vehicle that you require. www.british-airports-transfers.co.uk overseas telephone no: +442088662426.

I have checked the National Express which do run to Heathrow, but I could not get any times/prices. http://www.nationalexpress.com

I am sure that Princess would have transfers as well.

Hope this helps.

Regards Andy

Check with Princess on what they recommend for the earliest flight.

When we do TA and arrive in Southampton, we take Smithstotheairport.com (private car service). Can be booked on line. Very professional.

We returned from Southampton October 13, and we were on a wine cruise also. We used the Smithsforairport transfer and had absolutely no problems at all. We walked off the Constellation at 7:30 with our own luggage, and had arranged to meet our driver at 8:00- we were early! We arrived at Heathrow by 9:20 and our flight was at 12:20 to Chicago. I even had some time to wander in the dutyfree shops! You really should not have any difficulties, and I prefer using a private transfer over the trains- more peace of mind!

We took the bus and we were at Heathrow by 8:30. We carried out our own luggage, grabbed a cab to the bus station and actually made the 6AM bus. I would not plan on this! Everything just worked out and we were the first off the ship. We were told they usually don't get clearance that fast. The next bus was at 7:45 and arrives about 10:15. Once you get to Heathrow you quite often have to transfer to terminal 4 which takes about 30 minutes.

We took the bus and we were at Heathrow by 8:30. We carried out our own luggage, grabbed a cab to the bus station and actually made the 6AM bus. I would not plan on this! Everything just worked out and we were the first off the ship. We were told they usually don't get clearance that fast. The next bus was at 7:45 and arrives about 10:15. Once you get to Heathrow you quite often have to transfer to terminal 4 which takes about 30 minutes.

The Princess xfer will drop you off at the correct terminal for your flight.

If Princess can offer a "door to door" transfer for around $50 then take it. Now is not the time to be messing about dragging your bags around on complicated and only marginally cheaper public transport options. If your flight departs at 1pm you'll need to check in by 11am latest anyway so factor in a 2 +\- hour drive from Southampton and you'll be fine. Another benefit of using the Princess transfer is that responsibility falls on them to get to the airport on time.

Was on the Caribbean Princess last June. Our traveling companions had an 11:30 departure from Heathrow. They used the Princess Shuttle, left at 6am and made it to the airport in plenty of time. We had a 3pm flight, left on the 11am shuttle and were in the airport before 12:30. Should be no problem.

In late September we used the Princess transfer from Southampton to LHR which was operated by Eavesway Transport. The trip took 1.5 hrs and we were at LHR by 1030. It was an extremely easy process and the coach was probably the most comfortable coach we have ever traveled on. In our case there were different coaches going to the various terminals art LHR and our coach was less than half full. The cost was $49 pp.

We used the Princess transfer in July; $49/pp. Your flight time is fine.

Last year, since we were staying in London post cruise, we used National Express coach to Victoria Station.

Last August we had a 12:50 pm flight , we left Southampton at 8:45 am and made it just fine, with time to spare. We shared a private van with another couple from our roll call group for 40 GBP each couple from Smiths. Was extremely comfortable.

Southampton to Heathrow isn't straight forward' date=' see the link below for full details. Personally, I'd get the train to Waterloo, change and get another train from Waterloo to Staines (Windsor or Reading train usually) and a taxi to Heathrow (approx 5 miles).

 

http://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/heathrow_southampton.htm[/quote']

 

It's a faster (and fewer change) system to take a train to either Woking (2x/hr) or Reading (1x/hr), and take the RailAir coach from there to Heathrow. Total travel time is just under 2 hours. Certainly an improvement vs going all the way into London.

 

The other option is National Express Coach from the Southampton Coach station direct to Heathrow.

24th May is a friday.

Cheapest transfer is by taking a scheduled coach (bus) operated by

http://www.nationalexpress.com/home.aspx from Southampton coach station (ignore the cruise terminal option, it doesn't apply to your ship) direct to Heathrow at about £17 per person. They're infrequent, you need to pre-book because they do book-out. Posaune's experience of making the 6am coach is exceptionally unusual, and the 9.45am coach is too late to allow you a decent margin for delays, quite common on weekday mornings.

So the only coach that makes sense for you is the 7.45am, which arrives Heathrow around 10am. To make that 7.45am coach you'll need unassisted disembarkation, which usually starts around 7am. This also means you'll avoid the lines to disembark & there'll be plenty of cabs for the £5 - £8 / 5-10 minute ride to the coach station.

Nat Express have a luggage limit of two 44lb cases plus handluggage per person - not strictly enforced, but don't choose the coach if your luggage is vway in excess of this.

You will need to quote your airport terminal when you book. You're currently a couple of weeks too far out to book, but timetables are unlikely to change.

The train http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search is more expensive, from about £30 per person plus a £5 to £8 taxi ride to Southampton central rail station. But trains are frequent, no need to pre-book, total journey time under 2hrs, & no luggage limitations that would concern you. As posts by Scotbee & others, avoid options which take you into central London (Waterloo or Paddington stations) & out again :eek:. Take a train which calls at either Woking or Reading (depending on the train, Southampton station staff will tell you which), where you alight & board a shuttlebus (included in the fare) to Heathrow. The need to switch to a shuttlebus, esp with luggage, makes the train an unpopular option but some prefer it, and it's a useful Plan B if other travel arrangements foul-up.

No senior rates on coach or train, and no "funfares" or cheap megatrain tickets on this route.

The cruiseline transfer by coach from ship to airport terminal may be your best compromise between cost, simplicity & comfort. $49 per person quoted by others is a little over £30 per person. No luggage restrictions. The first coaches leave the pier around 8am to 8.15 and, as posted by Putterdude, each coach is normally allocated to just one airport terminal, arriving around 10am. Your 1pm flight allows a perfectly reasonable margin for delays.

A private transfer from ship to airport terminal currently costs about £90 with either www.westquaycars.com or www.smithsforairports.com both frequently recommended by Cruise Critic members, journey time a minimum of 1hr 15 but at that time on a friday morning up to 2 hrs. This gives you a good margin for delays if you ask for an early assisted disembarkation slot, around 8am.

Woodford Chauffeur Cars has been quoted on this thread. They do have an excellent reputation but their price may make your eyes water.

JB :)