Southampton to London Heathrow on Disembarkation Day

We're disembarking our cruise in Southampton and flying out of Heathrow on a Saturday (9/1). We've booked the motor coach transfer through Celebrity but wondering if it would be worth it to pay the extra and reserve Smiths for Airports or a similar private transfer service. We need to arrive at Heathrow by about 10:30am.

Thanks for any info.

Since it's a Saturday you'll have no problem getting to Heathrow by 10.30 :)

What time is your flight?

The cost of a private transfer with www.smithsforairports.com (or several other car services) is likely to be about the same as two seats on Celebrity's coach, and significantly cheaper for 3 or more pax.

But I've seen a number of posts from folk unable to book with Smiths because they left it too late - if a transfer with Smiths is your preference, best to book soonest.

Or for just £12 per person + 50pence booking fee you can book a regular service coach with https://www.nationalexpress.com/en

Nat Express coaches are similar vehicles to ships' transfer coaches but with the guarantee of a bathroom and at-seat wifi on all coaches.

But the only suitable coach for you is at 8am (arrives Heathrow 10.15am - or earlier, depending which airport terminal) and you'll need a £6 / 3 minute taxi hop to Southampton coach station. So to be sure of making it you'd need to disembark unassisted (from about 7am).

JB :)

We're disembarking our cruise in Southampton and flying out of Heathrow on a Saturday (9/1). We've booked the motor coach transfer through Celebrity but wondering if it would be worth it to pay the extra and reserve Smiths for Airports or a similar private transfer service. We need to arrive at Heathrow by about 10:30am.

 

Thanks for any info.

How much is the transfer with Celebrity? Thanks

How much is the transfer with Celebrity? Thanks

The Celebrity transfer from Southampton to London Heathrow is $101 per passenger.

Since it's a Saturday you'll have no problem getting to Heathrow by 10.30 :)

What time is your flight?

 

The cost of a private transfer with www.smithsforairports.com (or several other car services) is likely to be about the same as two seats on Celebrity's coach, and significantly cheaper for 3 or more pax.

But I've seen a number of posts from folk unable to book with Smiths because they left it too late - if a transfer with Smiths is your preference, best to book soonest.

 

Or for just £12 per person + 50pence booking fee you can book a regular service coach with https://www.nationalexpress.com/en

Nat Express coaches are similar vehicles to ships' transfer coaches but with the guarantee of a bathroom and at-seat wifi on all coaches.

But the only suitable coach for you is at 8am (arrives Heathrow 10.15am - or earlier, depending which airport terminal) and you'll need a £6 / 3 minute taxi hop to Southampton coach station. So to be sure of making it you'd need to disembark unassisted (from about 7am).

 

JB :)

Great info, thank you JB

The Celebrity transfer from Southampton to London Heathrow is $101 per passenger.

That's not far off what Smiths would charge for a car.

That's not far off what Smiths would charge for a car.

It's about £10 less than Smiths charge, Bob.

Except that's Smiths price for the car, not per passenger :eek:

JB :)

Smiths or similar is actually less expensive and superb service.

We're disembarking our cruise in Southampton and flying out of Heathrow on a Saturday (9/1). We've booked the motor coach transfer through Celebrity but wondering if it would be worth it to pay the extra and reserve Smiths for Airports or a similar private transfer service. We need to arrive at Heathrow by about 10:30am.

 

Thanks for any info.

If you wish to be the airport by 10:30 AM. IMHO it is best to use a private transfer service (walk off with you bags). The cost would be about the same with a current exchange rate.

On 5/13 we used Princess transfer which was $59 PP, it was very confused and the trip took a good 90 minutes.

If you wish to be the airport by 10:30 AM. IMHO it is best to use a private transfer service (walk off with you bags). The cost would be about the same with a current exchange rate.

 

On 5/13 we used Princess transfer which was $59 PP, it was very confused and the trip took a good 90 minutes.

I've heard over $100 quoted by RCI.

And I've heard $59 quoted by other Princess cruisers too.

Which makes it difficult to advise on cost vs private transfer.

Yes, a Princess transfer for two would work out to about the same as a private transfer.

Compared to RCI or Celebrity a private transfer is significantly cheaper.

Yes, by transfer coach it takes about 90 minutes plus.

By private transfer about 75 minutes plus.

But the krunch isn't whether by coach or by car - it's by day-of-the-week and time-of-day, because of the volume of traffic.

Since the OP's transfer is a Saturday (joy of joys :)) it'll be around those minimum times.

Ships' coaches leave the pier from about 8am, more than enough time to be at the airport by 10.30am, though I'd also advise a private transfer as far better value regardless of other factors.

But I'll respectfully disagree about using unassisted disembarkation - on a Saturday, time isn't a big factor.

BTW one advantage of ship's transfer over public transport is simplicity.

Was the "confusion" poor organisation by ship's port agents?

JB :)

We took the Princess transfer last summer. I thought it was very organized. They assigned buses according to the color of our luggage tags. Our cruise ended on a Tuesday. Traffic was heavy the closer we got to Heathrow, but not too bad. We had taken the train from London to Southampton the day before our cruise.

Traffic round Heathrow, with a junction of two major motorways as well as the airport, is frequently snarled up. I dread to think what it will be like when they start work on the third runway, which will go right over the M25.

I've heard over $100 quoted by RCI.

And I've heard $59 quoted by other Princess cruisers too.

Which makes it difficult to advise on cost vs private transfer.

 

Yes, a Princess transfer for two would work out to about the same as a private transfer.

Compared to RCI or Celebrity a private transfer is significantly cheaper.

 

Yes, by transfer coach it takes about 90 minutes plus.

By private transfer about 75 minutes plus.

But the krunch isn't whether by coach or by car - it's by day-of-the-week and time-of-day, because of the volume of traffic.

Since the OP's transfer is a Saturday (joy of joys :)) it'll be around those minimum times.

Ships' coaches leave the pier from about 8am, more than enough time to be at the airport by 10.30am, though I'd also advise a private transfer as far better value regardless of other factors.

But I'll respectfully disagree about using unassisted disembarkation - on a Saturday, time isn't a big factor.

 

BTW one advantage of ship's transfer over public transport is simplicity.

Was the "confusion" poor organisation by ship's port agents?

 

JB :)

Princess did not set aside enough buses for those with bags in the same color code. The agents told us to go to this bus or that bus the drivers informed that they could not take anymore people with bags (?) at that point the agents told (10 of us) to wait :confused:. After a few minutes later one driver re-worked the storage and had enough spaces for 2 of us with bags.

I believe a private car service would be much better (that what we used from London to Southampton).

JB & Bob - thank you very much for your many advises. We enjoyed to British Isles cruise very much, the countries we visited on this cruise are beautiful (even though we ran into the very cool / rain weather).

ChattTenn

It's a pleasure to help visitors who appreciate our beautiful countryside. It's easy to ignore what is on one's own doorstep.

I dread to think what it will be like when they start work on the third runway, which will go right over the M25.

You're being optimistic today! Do you think either of us will still be alive when that work starts?

We might be when it starts...its when it opens is the question!!

Simon (with 35 years experience of the construction industry...and it has only got worse!!)

Princess did not set aside enough buses for those with bags in the same color code. The agents told us to go to this bus or that bus the drivers informed that they could not take anymore people with bags (?) at that point the agents told (10 of us) to wait :confused:. After a few minutes later one driver re-worked the storage and had enough spaces for 2 of us with bags.

 

 

ChattTenn

Yes, room in the luggage lockers is always the limiting factor with cruisers.

And cruise passengers without luggage are as rare as rocking-horse manure. :rolleyes:

For that reason, altho coaches generally have 48+ seats the cruise lines work on about 35 pax per coach.

(Luggage isn't permitted inside the coach)

I guess Princess screwed-up their numbers, perhaps a new rep. Or some drivers unused to the demand for luggage space.

Not usually a problem, sadly you were unlucky.

Sounds like 8 others were more unlucky than you !!

JB :)

We used Princess transfer last week on Monday. The coach left at 7:15 AM took us to LHR terminal 5. We checked bags with British Airways and were thru security by 9:30. Plenty of time for a 12:40 pm flight, also booked thru Princess. The driver did comment that the traffic was less than he expected.

Used Smith's yesterday off of Navigator. Would highly recommend them. Very professional, efficient and reasonably priced. £120 for four of us, plus 6 bags (4 full sized, 2 carry ons). Met us at 7am (we self disembarked) and we were at LHR by 8:30, plenty of time for our noon flight.

We also used Smiths for our group of 7 and were very pleased.

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