Princess Transfers to Southampton

[tango223]

Can you take advantage of the Princess transfers without booking your hotel through Princess? I saw somewhere that there is a Princess transfer from Victoria Station. Can anyone tell me how that works and where does the transfer actually pick you up?

 

I was thinking of staying in a centrally located hotel in London (not Princess) and taking a cab to Victoria station to catch the bus transfer to Southampton. Also can anyone recommend a good hotel around $300/night?

 

Thanks in advance for any help.:confused:

[BJS]

Can you take advantage of the Princess transfers without booking your hotel through Princess? I saw somewhere that there is a Princess transfer from Victoria Station. Can anyone tell me how that works and where does the transfer actually pick you up?

 

I was thinking of staying in a centrally located hotel in London (not Princess) and taking a cab to Victoria station to catch the bus transfer to Southampton. Also can anyone recommend a good hotel around $300/night?

 

Thanks in advance for any help.:confused:

 

You can purchase transfers without booking hotels or air fare through Princess.

 

Your TA or Princess (if you booked directly with them)can add them for you. I have taken them from the airport and they generally have someone near the luggage carousels to direct you. You will be given information as to where and what time to meet when you book the transfer.

 

.

Edited October 25, 2014 by BJS

[vantec]

We took advantage of the transfer on our last Princess Cruise, although we caught the transfer at Heathrow. We stayed at the Paddington Hilton, the morning of the cruise we took the train to Heathrow and met up with the Princess people - they had nothing to do with our hotel arrangements. I have read you can also meet where you are suggesting, you just have to indicate that when you purchase your transfer.

[Pam in CA]

For hotel, I'd recommend the Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt hotel on Cromwell Street and Gloucester Road. Great location right across the street from the Gloucester Road underground and where the HOHO busses stop. Lots of restaurants nearby, from a Burger King to a pub to the best Indian meal I've ever had on the next block or so. Very reasonable. Free WiFI.

[caribill]

 

I was thinking of staying in a centrally located hotel in London (not Princess) and taking a cab to Victoria station to catch the bus transfer to Southampton. Also can anyone recommend a good hotel around $300/night?

 

Thanks in advance for any help.:confused:

 

Be sure to go to the bus station and not the train station.

 

Hopefully someone will post exactly where the transfer bus will be.

[seacruise9]

Hi,

 

Prior to taking the maiden voyage of the Royal Princess in June 2013, we booked our own air and used Hilton points to spend two nights in London at the Trafalgar London Hotel (excellent location in Trafalgar Square). We booked the Princess transfer to Southampton. Princess provided us with detailed instructions. On the day of the cruise, we took a taxi to Victoria Station and then took the Princess bus to Southampton. Everything went very smoothly.

 

Chuck

Edited October 26, 2014 by seacruise9

[2theship]

Be sure to ask your taxi driver for Victoria COACH Station, not the train station. It's the same location but you can avoid some walking if you're dropped right where the buses are waiting.

[azbirdmom]

Park Plaza Victoria London is a nice hotel and they run some good specials within your price range. We stayed there a couple of years ago and had booked a room again for our last trip that started 2 weeks ago but decided to stay in Southampton instead. The room rate including executive club access (complementary breakfast, drinks, etc.) would have been right around $300.

 

To get there we took a National Express bus from the central bus station at Heathrow to Victoria coach station and then walked to the hotel with the help of a porter. It is also right across the street from Victoria train station and within walking distance of Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, London Eye, etc.

[tango223]

Hi,

 

Prior to taking the maiden voyage of the Royal Princess in June 2013, we booked our own air and used Hilton points to spend two nights in London at the Trafalgar London Hotel (excellent location in Trafalgar Square). We booked the Princess transfer to Southampton. Princess provided us with detailed instructions. On the day of the cruise, we took a taxi to Victoria Station and then took the Princess bus to Southampton. Everything went very smoothly.

 

Chuck

 

This sounds like what we want to do. Did you book the transfer through Princess? Do you know how much it was?

Thank you for your help

 

Marg

[rocklinmom]

Hi Marg, my family and I are booked on this same cruise for next July. I am also looking at buying Princess transfers from Victoria coach station to the ship. It shows the transfers as costing $59 per person.

[rocklinmom]

Pam in CA, you know so much about Princess and I read your posts all over CC :-)

I am interested in the hotel you mention here, the Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt. Would you consider it family friendly? I have two teens and an eleven year-old, so older children. It seems like a smaller, possibly boutique style hotel. It is indeed a great price for us, since we need two rooms. I noted your mention of a nearby Burger King, which would appeal to my ever-hungry teenage son. But overall, would you say it is appropriate for families? And the website doesn't say if it has nonsmoking rooms or not -- that is very important for us. Do you recall by any chance?

[hiworldtraveler]

The Princess transfer which you can purchase through your TA or Princess is $54, at least this year it was. As mentioned earlier, emphasize COACH station when taking a taxi or asking for directions. Although both stations are across from each other, depending on the amount of luggage you have, it can be a walk. Your transfer should mention which "Bay" the bus departs from and there are a lot of nice personnel around to guide you in the right direction. Many sightseeing tours as well as tours to other countries originate at that coach station so it is busy especially between 7 a.m. & 8 a.m. From the coach station it is about a 10 minute walk (depending how fast you walk) to Buckingham Palace/the Queen's Gallery/the Mews, another 5-10 minutes for Westminster Abbey or the London Eye.

 

As for hotel, I stayed in a very inexpensive single room near the coach and train stations. I didn't need anything fancy only a clean & comfortable place to sleep since I am continueously on the go. It was convenient since my tours originated at either station.

[Stevesan]

Can you take advantage of the Princess transfers without booking your hotel through Princess? I saw somewhere that there is a Princess transfer from Victoria Station. Can anyone tell me how that works and where does the transfer actually pick you up?

 

I was thinking of staying in a centrally located hotel in London (not Princess) and taking a cab to Victoria station to catch the bus transfer to Southampton. Also can anyone recommend a good hotel around $300/night?

 

Thanks in advance for any help.:confused:

 

Or take the train to Southampton, then a brief cab ride to the dock.

 

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/london-victoria-station/departures-arrivals/

[caribill]

Or take the train to Southampton, then a brief cab ride to the dock.

 

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/london-victoria-station/departures-arrivals/

 

Not that easy if you have too much luggage to drag around.

[hiworldtraveler]

I used this transfer service last month and was pleased with it. This service picked up at my hotel with a mini van at 7:30 a.m. and there were only three of us (me and another couple from another hotel). The driver took us to Stonehenge where we spent close to 2 hours at the site. Since we were early, we had the place virtually to ourselves before the large tour groups came. Then it was only about an hour drive to Southampton where we were dropped off in front of where the luggage is collected to board the ship at Ocean Terminal. Sure it costs slightly more then the Princess transfers; however, it is like a private service. The list of hotel pick ups or areas near your hotel is on the site.

 

 

http://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/southampton_from_london_shared_bus.html

[phabric]

I have taken the National Express http://www.nationalexpress.com from Victoria COACH station to Southampton COACH station. You want Victoria COACH station not the Victoria train staton and Southampton COACH station, there other Southampton stations.

 

This is much cheaper than Princess' transfer. A few months in advance of your cruise they sometimes have cheap fares. You purchase your tickets online and print out the vouchers to hand to the driver.

 

You hand over your luggage to the driver at Victoria, who places it under the coach. Once at Southampton, the driver places the luggage beside the coach for you to pick up. Go outside the fence and take a taxi (about 5-10 GBP) to the dock where the porters will take your luggage.

 

Some passengers have taken International Friends Coach http://www.internationalfriends.co.uk. They only have service to and from ports (Southampton, Dover, Harwich) on embankment and disembarkment days. They pick up at varies hotels in London and Heathrow hotels.

 

Check out the Port of Call - Britain, great for information.

Edited October 28, 2014 by phabric

[tango223]

I used this transfer service last month and was pleased with it. This service picked up at my hotel with a mini van at 7:30 a.m. and there were only three of us (me and another couple from another hotel). The driver took us to Stonehenge where we spent close to 2 hours at the site. Since we were early, we had the place virtually to ourselves before the large tour groups came. Then it was only about an hour drive to Southampton where we were dropped off in front of where the luggage is collected to board the ship at Ocean Terminal. Sure it costs slightly more then the Princess transfers; however, it is like a private service. The list of hotel pick ups or areas near your hotel is on the site.

 

 

http://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/southampton_from_london_shared_bus.html

 

HiWorldTraveler , thank you for this information. Can I ask you what London hotel you were staying at? Were you pleased with it and the location?

 

Thank you in advance,

Marg

[lamchops]

I have taken the National Express www.nationalexpress.com from Victoria COACH station to Southampton COACH station. You want Victoria COACH station not the Victoria train staton and Southampton COACH station, there other Southampton stations.

 

This is much cheaper than Princess' transfer. A few months in advance of your cruise they sometimes have cheap fares. You purchase your tickets online and print out the vouchers to hand to the driver.

 

You hand over your luggage to the driver at Victoria, who places it under the coach. Once at Southampton, the driver places the luggage beside the coach for you to pick up. Go outside the fence and take a taxi (about 5-10 GBP) to the dock where the porters will take your luggage.

 

 

I just took the National Express to Southampton from Victoria Coach station on our recent September cruise. It was $6bps which is about $10us if you prebook it. I also did this in 2012 for our TA cruise. You can walk to the cruise ship from the Southampton coach station or cab it for $10bps ($17us) which would include a tip.

The total trip would be $37us for 2 people.

 

The Victoria COACH station is just over a block away from the Victoria TRAIN/TUBE Station. There are signs in the train station to lead you to the coach station.

 

There's a Doubletree hotel just around the corner from Victoria train station that is very popular. We stayed at the Best Western in Victoria station but the rooms are small compared to North America. If you're only in London for a short time, the Victoria Station area is good because the tube station, tour companies, and major sites are all within walking distance. (Buckingham Palace, Royal Mews, Churchill War rooms, Big Ben)

[eandj]

We used the train to get to Southampton. It is VERY easy to do. It is not difficult to move bags on the train as they are level to the landings. The trip was fast.very comfortable and definitely on time. We took a train that left about 10. The trains leave every 20-30 min. as I recall.

 

What we saw with the ship transfers bus was they did not leave till around noon, as I recall. We were actually checked in on the ship eating our lunch when we saw the transfer bus finally arrive at the ship. Then watched as the crowd of riders had to wait for their bags to be unloaded. :eek:

 

If the OP has teenagers along, I'd definitely go the train route. This can be booked for VERY little with the megatrain rates. I suggest OP you go to the Southampton port of call/departure board and you'll get lots of help. (or use the tripadvisor forum) To take the fastest train with no transfers, you will leave from the Waterloo Station. Honestly....don't waste the time with the cruisebus. We aren't spring chickens and found the train the best choice for us. ( I'm not a big bus and extra patient person.) We did NOT choose the train for cost. We booked it for being the most efficient and for the experience of seeing the countryside in a comfortable way.

 

Read ANSWER ONE on this post...This Londoner gives the exact answer to choices...

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g186216-i15-k5307649-From_London_Victoria_Station_to_Southampton_Cruise_Ship_Term-United_Kingdom.html

Edited October 29, 2014 by eandj

[hiworldtraveler]

HiWorldTraveler , thank you for this information. Can I ask you what London hotel you were staying at? Were you pleased with it and the location?

 

Thank you in advance,

Marg

 

Hi Tango 223,

 

I stayed at the Comfort Inn-Buckingham Palace Road for $150 a night that I found on booking.com. Since I was traveling solo, I was looking for a single room instead of being punished with a single supplement. The hotel is located next to the train station and across from the coach station. I don't need anything fancy because I knew I would only be in the hotel to sleep with full days and nights of sightseeing planned.

 

All my tours originated from either station. Buckingham Palace is about a 10 minute walk from the hotel and another 10 minutes from Buckingham Palace to the Abbey or London Eye. The hotel offers breakfast for a fee; however, it is served starting at 7:30 a.m. and I had early starts so I brought my own snacks as well as picked up items at Mark & Spencer at the train station the night before and kept in my room. The room had a tea pot with tea bags.

 

From the Heathrow to the hotel, I used share a bus for $38.

 

Let me know should you have anymore questions.

[catsdinner]

We have taken the National Express a couple times and would recommend it. It takes about 2 hours from Victoria Station and is a pleasant drive. One other time we took the International Friends tour from Southampton with a stop at Stonehenge on our way to the airport. It was an excellent way to spend the time before a later afternoon flight.

 

 

Sarah