Parking in Southampton but keeping own car keys

We are sailing on the Azura on 23rd June and I've left it a bit late to arrange parking. Sorry if this has been answered elsewhere but my baby brain can't find it.

After a bad experience of meet and great parking (the "chauffeur" crashing our car into another whilst drunk, near Manchester Airport) we would prefer a car park where we can keep our own car keys. Are there any not too far from the port? The plan will be that hubby will drop the baby and I off with all of our luggage, then park and join us.

Thanks

Have you considered staying the night before in a cruise and park hotel?

You park your car there, overnight accommodations and breakfast. They. provide a taxi to the port and back after the cruise.

Just an idea.

We are staying over with a friend in Newbury the night before, so won't be needing a hotel on this occasion. good idea though :-)

We are using the West Quay multi-storey car park for £5 per day. Husband just drop me and the kids and he is usually back within 15-20 min. No need to book, safe and you keep your own keys. £35 per week is not that bad :-) They are open 24 hours / day.

Sorry to hear about your bad experience but I would suggest that if you left your car in a public car park you are more likely to have it damaged for all sorts of reasons rather than come across a rogue driver in a meet and greet.

My Husband is the same he will not hand his keys to anyone to park.

I see you are sailing from Ocean terminal. So your in luck there is a car park right next door. It's self park and you keep the keys. We used it last December when we sailed on the Ventura. As you drive in someone with a clip board will approach you, you will be on his list. He told us to park where ever we wanted and brought a trolley to us to load the cases in.

We have booked the same car park although we are sailing from QEII terminal as the website we booked through offer a taxi service from the car park to the terminal. Oh we return to Ocean so only need the taxi at one end.

Are you going from and coming back to the same Terminal as the port schedule suggests you don't. In which case the Taxi option is what you'd need to look at.

We booked through Looking4parking.

Jules

If your staying at Newbury and traveling with a baby I would opt for Penguin Parking.

They do keep a car key that is sealed in a bag , it's for emergency use only should a car set fire next to yours , I think you would be glad to have your car moved out of harms way .

I think all the time I've parked with them my car was moved once a few yards for some reason .

My car has the exact mileage as when I parked up .

Coming down from Newbury you head to Marchwood (No city centre driving )

They then take you on about a 20 min run right up to the ships baggage area and they load and unload your suitcases leaving you to keep an eye on your baby or hubby for that matter.

On return give them a ring and they take you back to your car give you your keys and a drink for the journey home and again no city early morning traffic as you get to Redbridge roundabout ,you turn left onto M271 and your on way home.

I hate leaving my car keys but have no problems leaving them with this company .

So having cases to hump about and a baby's buggy I think this could be a good option but you do leave a key.

Thanks for the suggestions, will discuss with hubby and decide which one he is most comfortable with :-)

Thanks for the suggestions, will discuss with hubby and decide which one he is most comfortable with :-)

I used the car park mentioned in post #6 last week

Its name is the Triangle Car Park and can be booked through several agents. I used Holiday Extras. It is just outside the port gate and a few minutes walk to the Ocean terminal. There a few things to note however. There is no barrier in and out, only CCTV survellance. It is only suitable for those leaving and returning to the Ocean terminal. The same company does also have a nearby car park with a chargeable taxi service if you return to a different terminal.

We used CPS as it was part of the offer. I was very reluctant to hand over keys (I never ever do this for airports) but was reassured when booking by them that they were insured etc and staff were very nice, plus when collecting the car it was easy and quick and cars were parked so that there were good gaps between cars... they could have squished more cars in but didn’t. Good service and would highly recommend.

We used CPS as it was part of the offer. I was very reluctant to hand over keys (I never ever do this for airports) but was reassured when booking by them that they were insured etc and staff were very nice, plus when collecting the car it was easy and quick and cars were parked so that there were good gaps between cars... they could have squished more cars in but didn’t. Good service and would highly recommend.

Where you picked your car up on disembarking is not where your car is parked for the duration of the cruise. They drive your car away and store them at another part of the docks and then return them to car parks at Mayflower/Ocean the day before disembarking.

We used CPS as it was part of the offer. I was very reluctant to hand over keys (I never ever do this for airports) but was reassured when booking by them that they were insured etc and staff were very nice, plus when collecting the car it was easy and quick and cars were parked so that there were good gaps between cars... they could have squished more cars in but didn’t. Good service and would highly recommend.

I agree wiith that but we now use Parking4Cruises which is just about the same just cheaper. Have used them 5 times now, never a scratch on the car. They take pictures of the car before you hand over the keys.

I agree wiith that but we now use Parking4Cruises which is just about the same just cheaper. Have used them 5 times now, never a scratch on the car. They take pictures of the car before you hand over the keys.

I have used parking4cruises too and found them very good. Funnily enough I knew I had a dent in my car that they never spotted, it wasn't an obvious one more of a crease where someone opened their door on mine. They were a bit surprised when I pointed it out to them on my return but I owned up to them not being responsible.