Disembarkation at Southampton

[hillwalker]

Sailing on the Celebrity Eclipse Baltic cruise and arriving back in Southampton on 22 June 2013. After docking at 05.30am, when do we have to be off the ship?

[cruisestitch]

Latest you can leave is around 9:30 - 10:00 a.m. They need about an hour in order to re-set all systems to allow the new passengers to board around 10:30 to 11:00 a.m.

[MVPinBoynton]

And we don't want you hanging around too long, since we want to get on early on June 22. :D I hope you have a great cruise.

[BOB AND PINKIE]

What would be the earliest "safe " time to book a flight from Heathrow.?

[ladylemondrop]

Give yourself as much time as you can, the motorway for that airport is legendary for bad traffic, accidents, roadworks etc etc, if you can, take a late afternoon early evening flight, or even better one the next day! (Stay a while here, its nice!) :)

[Keith1010]

What would be the earliest "safe " time to book a flight from Heathrow.?

 

I would not book anything before 1:00 PM.

 

Keith

[J.E.C]

You need to allow plenty of time to get there and to check in (and then get through security) - I would be looking at a late afternoon flight at the earliest.

[kevinyork]

I would not book anything before 1:00 PM.

 

Keith

 

I would say later if you can. A 1pm international flight would require a 3 hour check in so they would need to be at the airport by 10. Factor in the rush hour if it is a weekday too.

[Keith1010]

I would say later if you can. A 1pm international flight would require a 3 hour check in so they would need to be at the airport by 10. Factor in the rush hour if it is a weekday too.

 

It would require a 2 hour check in.

 

Keith

[jomf]

The journey takes around 1 1/4 hours.

Factor in getting off the ship, finding your luggage ( you can take it off yourself though), the ship not being delayed into port. Then traffic, which can and does back up very often!

I would not fly until 2pm at the earliest.

 

You can (if the airline allows it) checkin online the day before or first thing in the morning, which will save time. But you will still need to print your boarding cards.

[lydnsyd]

It took approx 25 mins from the moment we were called to disembark - we were the 2nd number in line to disembark but they were 15 mins behind schedule calling us to get off! If you want to take your luggage off yourself you will be 1st in line to get off the ship. There are plenty of free luggage carts. The thing that took the most time was locating our luggage.

For your flight home - if you can check in online 24hr before hand and print off your Boarding Pass that will speed things up. Give you self plenty of time for traffic congestion. I'm presuming you are flying out of LHR.

So all in all ...give 25mins to get off the ship & get into transport to the airport then add approx 75mins to get to LHR + allow approx 2hr check in time If I can add correctly you will need 3hrs 40mins - 4hrs leeway from getting off the ship. Have a wonderful cruise

Edited June 4, 2013 by lydnsyd

[ladylemondrop]

International flights require a 3 hour check in unless they have changed the rules? It is only european flights that require just two hours.

 

The likelyhood is you will not be delayed, but you should allow for it, sometimes what is a 2 hour journey for us has been a 5 hour on that route (we use it regularly) OP what are your flight time options?

[Keith1010]

International flights require a 3 hour check in unless they have changed the rules? It is only european flights that require just two hours.

 

The likelyhood is you will not be delayed, but you should allow for it, sometimes what is a 2 hour journey for us has been a 5 hour on that route (we use it regularly) OP what are your flight time options?

 

I have not take a flight that involves a three hour check in.

 

I realize there are sometimes recommended time versus required check in times.

 

We actually do not know where the original poster is flying to although they have a UK country listed on their profile so their flight looks to be a European Flight.

 

When we fly back to the USA from say the UK a recommended check in time is two not two hours on the airlines we fly.

 

Keith

Edited June 4, 2013 by Keith1010

[drarill]

I would not book anything before 1:00 PM.

 

Keith

 

Our Eclipse cruise arrives on a Saturday, and our flight leaves at 1:00PM. We have private transportation picking us up at 8:00 A.M and we are flying Business class. Hope we have enough time and everything works out for us.

[Keith1010]

drarill, sounds like you have a good plan.

 

We have arrived many times to Southampton and have not had any problems making flights of 1:00 PM. I go with the 1:00 PM rule here to give extra time for the unexpected and to get through airport security.

 

Business Class should make check in quicker for you too.

 

Keith

[drarill]

drarill, sounds like you have a good plan.

 

We have arrived many times to Southampton and have not had any problems making flights of 1:00 PM. I go with the 1:00 PM rule here to give extra time for the unexpected and to get through airport security.

 

Business Class should make check in quicker for you too.

 

Keith

Thanks Keith!! hope my plan works out!! every time I read that a late afternoon flight is recommended I freak out!! :):)

[lydnsyd]

International flights require a 3 hour check in unless they have changed the rules? It is only european flights that require just two hours.

 

quote]

'

As far as check in times go for B.A. at LHR & LGW - the 'latest' check in time is -45mins any time after that & they don't accept pax. I used to work at check in and personally I wouldn't leave it as late as -45 as sometime security has long queue's. It may be different for other airlines but 3hrs for check in is unusual

[ladylemondrop]

This is from the London heathrow website -

• International flights - check in 3 hours prior to departure
  
• European flights - check in 2 hours prior to departure
  
• Domestic flights - check in 1 hour prior to departure
  

Boarding usually begins around 45 minutes before departure

 

I make flight bookings all the time in my work, (for people cruising) so this is nothing new to me. Some airlines are stricter than others about enforcing it, but its always 180 mins preferred - to get through security etc. and get to your gate. (sometimes by a mini train)

[Keith1010]

This is from the London heathrow website -

• International flights - check in 3 hours prior to departure
  
• European flights - check in 2 hours prior to departure
  
• Domestic flights - check in 1 hour prior to departure
  

Boarding usually begins around 45 minutes before departure

 

I make flight bookings all the time in my work, (for people cruising) so this is nothing new to me. Some airlines are stricter than others about enforcing it, but its always 180 mins preferred - to get through security etc. and get to your gate. (sometimes by a mini train)

 

These are recommendations and yes they are on the web site.

 

But it was mentioned that three hours is a requirement and that is just wrong.

 

I am one who tends to be very conservative when it comes to this. I know people who make 10:30 AM flight reservations.

 

I have disembarked in this port on several different cruise lines and have never had a problem making a 1:00 PM flight and have sat at the airport for quite awhile before that flight and we do like to arrive early so it's worked out fine.

 

Keith

[ladylemondrop]

10:30 is crazy, but yes, 1pm is definately manageable, its all luck at the end of the day - even the best laid plans can go wrong, but 1pm should be fine if you get up and set off early.

 

Anyway, the most important thing is to enjoy your cruise first!!:)

[BOB AND PINKIE]

Gotta luv Cruise Critic

Thanks for all of the great info, folks.

This is for June 2014

Can book flights in about a month

Going to go with an late afternoon/early evening departure back across the pond.

[always dreaming]

We are also arriving to Southampton at 0530 on Eclipse. There is an option to fly out of LHR departing at 1235 to the US. I am thinking of hiring a private car so we can make this flight otherwise we are looking at a 23 hr flight later that night. This will be on a Saturday. Does this seem manageable?

[welshfamily]

I am not sure I would go for the 12.35 pm flight. Not because of the length of Journey from Southampton or the "recommended " check in times but because of the new security measures which have recently been introduced for all flights departing from the UK to the States. Our newspapers are full at the moment of reports of delays going through security because the new regs. Issued by the US Transportation Security Administration. These include making sure you have enough power to switch on all electronic devices such as smartphones,iPads and kindles. If you cannot switch your device on they will be confiscated. The american intelligence service have issued a warning about a possible airline bomb threat and our airports are listening and doing all that is required of them.

Please be careful when booking flights this summer as it would be a dreadful end to a cruise to miss a flight.

[bigbenboys]

This is from the London heathrow website -

• International flights - check in 3 hours prior to departure
  
• European flights - check in 2 hours prior to departure
  
• Domestic flights - check in 1 hour prior to departure
  

Boarding usually begins around 45 minutes before departure

 

I make flight bookings all the time in my work, (for people cruising) so this is nothing new to me. Some airlines are stricter than others about enforcing it, but its always 180 mins preferred - to get through security etc. and get to your gate. (sometimes by a mini train)

 

If I remember right the 3 hours prior to departure on international flights is that you can't check you bags in more than 3 hours ahead. I'm the person that gets to LHR 3 hours early. I have been told it is to early to check in. T5 is huge. The have some nice shops. I like going to the BA lounge and getting a spa treatment or shower and some food and drinks.

[BSinPNS]

Have your driver check to ensure you are going to the correct terminal. Several airlines have moved/are moving between terminals. We arrived very early for our Delta 3PM flight to ATL and had no problems checking luggage - that may vary by airline. The longest queue was for the check-in kiosks for those who had not printed their boarding passes on the ship. Note that TSA is now requiring all computers/phones be powered up before letting you go through - I presume that is done after clearing immigration/customs in the US. The warning here is don't let your battery go to zero while reading on the flight. All the seats on our 764 had 120 power plugs so ours were fully charged on arrival in ATL.