International Express tour from Southampton/London or reverse

[PunkiC]

Has anyone taken this tour?

 

http://www.internationalfriends.co.uk/southampton-cruise-tour-transfer-to-london.html

 

We want to take it form Southampton to London, with stops at Salisbury Cathedral, Stonhenge and Windsor Castle.

 

Any feedback you can give me will be greatly apreciated.

 

It looks like very convenient and reasonably priced transportation (plus tour) from Southampton to your London hotel.

[windsor26]

Has anyone taken this tour?

 

http://www.internationalfriends.co.uk/southampton-cruise-tour-transfer-to-london.html

 

We want to take it form Southampton to London, with stops at Salisbury Cathedral, Stonhenge and Windsor Castle.

 

Any feedback you can give me will be greatly apreciated.

 

It looks like very convenient and reasonably priced transportation (plus tour) from Southampton to your London hotel.

 

As we always use the coach system to go from Heathrow to Gatwick or Heathrow or Gatwick to Southampton when we are in the UK I would expect their tour to be excellent value and give you the chance to see some of the sites you may miss if you just travel from point A to pointB

 

Just in case and if it fits your age they have a seniors ticket on the normal coach trips - ask!

[PunkiC]

OK, I am confused. What is the "coach system"?

 

Oh by the way, "senior" definitely fits our chronological age, but not our mental or spiritual age. The good thing is that the discount applies no matter how young and foolishly you might behave. :p :o

[dolittle]

Coach= Bus

[John Bull]

This service has got nothing to do with National Express, the company which operates scheduled inter-city coach (bus) services.

 

It's a new service offered by International Friends in conjunction with London Travellers' Toolkit, & they call it their "cruise bus" service.

Both organisations are well-established & reputable, but I know very little about them -for instance, I think London Travellers' Toolkit simply acts as their sales agency, but I'm not sure whether Friends International are tied-in with coach tour companies or whether they use contracted coaches.

 

The transfer is slightly different in each direction:

 

As the OP says, from your ship at Southampton to Salisbury (stop for 30 mins) to Stonehenge (50-60 mins) to Windsor (up to 3 hrs) & on to (?Heathrow terminals/hotels?) & London Victoria & central London hotels, possibly using feeder taxis/vans.

 

Or from London hotels on feeder coaches to London Victoria, change to cruise coach, & on to just Stonehenge & your ship at Southampton.

 

Logistically, these tour-transfer offerings make a lot of sense, the timings seem to be right, they allow for "cruise" luggage, and they're sensibly priced. Each tour-transfer involves only passengers from the same ship.

They run subject to minimum numbers (20) being achieved 6 weeks ahead, then payment taken by credit card, or the tour cancelled if minimum numbers aren't achieved. They suggest helping to recruit minimum numbers via CC roll-calls.

 

http://www.internationalfriends.co.uk/southampton-cruise-tour-transfer-to-london.html

 

http://www.londontoolkit.com/tours/private_southampton_stonehenge.htm

 

JB :)

BTW, Windsor 26, National Express no longer offer reduced fares for seniors - this reduction was subsidised by the govt but that subsidy has now been withdrawn.

[CharlotteK15]

We recently took this tour in May, 2014. The itinerary was great. The bus driver and guide were very friendly and knowledgable. We got a late start because some people took their time getting off the ship. In addition, at two stops people were 20 minutes late in returning to the bus which resulting in less time at the stops we made. We had people who were in wheelchairs. I didn't think the bus was handicapped friendly, but they managed. Keep in mind that it is one steep staircase up because all the luggage fits under the bus. The stops I felt were a little rushed, but I can't blame the tour company for this but the people we kept waiting for. Overall, it was a great way to spend a day before checking into the hotel. The bus took us right to the hotel at the end of the day. Book early because this trip usually sells out because the cruise ship does not offer anything like this.