Southampton To Heathrow transportation

Any suggestions on transportation options when disembarking in Southampton cruise terminal to Heathrow airport? Cruise Date is May 26 to June 9, 2018.

We used Smiths for Airports. No regrets.

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Silver Fleet. Absolutely first class transfer used by many top London hotels.

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Any suggestions on transportation options when disembarking in Southampton cruise terminal to Heathrow airport? Cruise Date is May 26 to June 9, 2018.

Are you on the Jade?

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Silver Fleet. Absolutely first class transfer used by many top London hotels.

 

 

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It would make no sense to use a London taxi for Soton to LHR. If you want a car, then you should try these well-recommended local firms. The alternative; cheaper if there are only two traveling, is to take a coach.

http://www.smithsairportcars.co.uk/

http://www.aquacars.co.uk/

http://westquaycars.com/

https://beta.nationalexpress.com/

It would make no sense to use a London taxi for Soton to LHR. If you want a car, then you should try these well-recommended local firms. The alternative; cheaper if there are only two traveling, is to take a coach.

 

 

 

http://www.smithsairportcars.co.uk/

 

http://www.aquacars.co.uk/

 

http://westquaycars.com/

 

 

 

https://beta.nationalexpress.com/

Actually, Silver Fleet is a town car et al. service operating out of a location somewhere between Southampton and London and specializes in Heathrow transfers in all directions.

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We too have used Smiths for Airports which we did because of the recommendations on this board.

Keith

Actually, Silver Fleet is a town car et al. service operating out of a location somewhere between Southampton and London and specializes in Heathrow transfers in all directions.

I stand corrected. It looks as if they specialise in shared transport which can be a cost-effective option. I see that they are actually based on the exact opposite side of London to Southampton, between London and Cambridge. This might have an impact on price and reliability, especially for the Southampton Heathrow trip.

We used the tour/transport bus from International Friends post cruise. It included a visit to Stonehenge on the way.

Look them up on the London Toolkit website. If you would choose to use their service, booking thru the London Toolkit page offers a discount.

There's a wealth of information about everything London and options for getting to and from Southampton to the airports on London Toolkit.

Last week I disembarked Azura (P&O) and took the National Express to Heathrow. I took the 9.40 from Southampton and arrived at the airport at 11:30 (exactly as per timetable) . Cost was £16 booked in advance.

There is also a coach at 7:45 which I could have made but timing was a bit too tight for comfort, especially if the ship had been delayed at all.

Are you on the Jade?

 

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We are on the silhouette arriving on June 9, 2018 in Southampton

We are on the silhouette arriving on June 9, 2018 in Southampton

Oh ok :-) We're on the Jade, enjoy your cruise on the Silhouette!!!

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We too have used Smiths for Airports which we did because of the recommendations on this board.

 

Keith

Another vote for Smiths. We used them to go from Heathrow to Southampton. Even though it was more expensive, it turned out to be a great choice. Just what we wanted after the long flight.

Another vote for Smiths. We used them to go from Heathrow to Southampton. Even though it was more expensive, it turned out to be a great choice. Just what we wanted after the long flight.

Cindy,

How long after you disembarked did you have Smith's pick you up at the terminal?

I'm thinking of booking them as well for my 2018 Transatlantic.

Thanks

Pam

Cindy,

 

How long after you disembarked did you have Smith's pick you up at the terminal?

 

I'm thinking of booking them as well for my 2018 Transatlantic.

 

Thanks

 

Pam

They picked us up at the airport, we didn't use them at the dock.

But we had a very early morning flight (turned out to be the red eye, but I didn't know that when I booked it, it was just the cheapest). So we landed at like 5:30 a.m., went through security and customs, all that stuff. As we walked out of security, he was walking right up. Again though, it was pretty empty and quiet still, as it was about 6 a.m. But still, he was right there.

We were on a British Isles cruise roundtrip Southhampton this past August with our group of 8 and used Smiths for Airports both ways, excellent service! Met us after baggage claim exit and transfer to our hotel in Southhampton precruise and again from cruiseship to Heathrow. Our flight was not til 5pm, so we added on a stop in Stonehenge for an hour on the way to the airport. It is recommended you prebook your Stonehenge tickets online for the entrance time and we had a 9:30 timeslot. We set a pick up time of 8:30am, just in case of traffic, and we always do a walkoff with our luggage. Private transfer and the price was very reasonable to me for our group. I would definitely use them again.

Jeanne

Wanted Smiths but they were booked for the dates I needed, Ended up using Black Cabs for pick up from Heathrow to our hotel, from our hotel to Southampton cruise port and from the cruise port back to Heathrow at the end of the cruise. No problems, clean cars, excellent drivers and prompt.

My cruise ends June 18, a Monday. Princess booked flight for 12:40pm. If I use Princess transfer to LHR how early will coach leave port? I know it's early, but work calls next day.

My cruise ends June 18, a Monday. Princess booked flight for 12:40pm. If I use Princess transfer to LHR how early will coach leave port? I know it's early, but work calls next day.

First Princess bus to LHR usually leaves around 8am.

That's cutting it fine for a summer Monday cos you'll be mixing it on the road with London commuters & those returning from a weekend out of the city, and the drive - which only takes about 90 minutes on a sunday morning - can take more than 2.5 hours .

Cruise lines generally recommend their buses for LHR flights after about 1pm, but you can check with Princess. I think this e-mail address is their Southampton office, best-placed to advise on this. enquiry@princesscruises.co.uk

Do include your date & day-of-the-week in your enquiry.

Princess transfer fares are more reasonable than most cruise lines, but it can still be cheaper for two (or more) of you to book a private transfer with one of the local operators linked in Bob's post. And you can broaden your wiggle-room by arranging to disembark unassisted (haul your own bags from your cabin) and book a car for 7 - 7.15am.

The National Express bus link in Bob's post is no good in your time-frame.

JB :)

We used Smiths Private Transfer Service in May from Southampton after disembarkation to transport 4 adults to Heathrow.

It worked out great as was price reasonable per couple cost. Driver was there waiting for us. Would not hesitate to use them again.

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from reading other posts, they recommend 3 hrs before flight for checking in n doing all the security...

so that really cuts into the transportation time between Southampton n Heathrow.

If you book transfer from Princess, n booked air from Princess....I think they should know when they'll disembark you.

of course, 3/4 people is cheapest on private transfer. We wanted to do taxi, but Princess scared us saying how long the lines would be, so we bought transfer from them.

Oh dear, you've been conned. :(

Twice ! :p

One

"A long line at the pier for taxis"

Heathrow is 90 minutes + from Southampton. For a drive of that distance you wouldn't hail a metered taxi from the line at the pier - it'd cost quite a lot more than two seats on a Princess bus.

Those taxis lined-up at the pier are predominantly used for short hops within Southampton. The rail station, the coach station, local hotels, mebbe Southampton's own airport. Because they're short hops there's a constant stream of taxis coming back to the pier, and even at busy times the wait is rarely long.

All of which is irrelevant if you want a private transfer to Heathrow, because you pre-book at a fixed price with one of the operators mentioned on this thread or one of many other private transfer operators. A pre-booked car to LHR will cost £80 to £95. That car will be waiting for you, nobody else.

So the line for taxis doesn't come into it. As local Princess staff know full well. :mad:

On the positive side, some folk feel more confident taking ship's transfer coach than making their own arrangements. And about 10 coachloads per cruise can't all be wrong.

Two

Arrive at the airport at least 3 hours ahead of flight time.

This "con" is perpetrated by airports with the best of intentions. It allows for hold-ups en-route to the airport or folk simply mis-judging their travel time, it allows for folk getting lost at the airport, and it spreads the load for check-in staff.

Even on long-haul, & even for those who don't check-in on-line, most airline check-ins don't close until 45 or 60 minutes out.

Because of the potential for delay at security & the possibility (in my case, the inevitability :rolleyes:) of having to walk to the gate furthest from the terminal, IMHO 45 - 60 minutes is cutting it fine.

IMHO 90 mins is just about adequate.

IMHO two hours is about right.

IMHO three hours is belt and braces. And elasticated waist. And safety straps. ;)

JB :)

Some people might say that the three-hour rule is designed to maximise sales at airport retail outlets, but I couldn't possibly comment.

How far is the dock from the National Express Coach Station? Thanks.

How far is the dock from the National Express Coach Station? Thanks.

Depends which cruise terminal (there are 4).

Minimum 5 minutes £6 taxi ride or 15 minute walk (City Cruise Terminal), maximum 10 minutes / £10 taxi ride (QE 11 Cruise Terminal).

JB :)