Advice on Southampton Disembark / 1:00 PM from LHR

[dustball]

It was suggested that I cross post this question here:

 

I could use some advice.  We are on the 8/11-8/25 Silhouette Ireland/Iceland Cruise.  We are trying to find flights (boy are they expensive!) and we found an affordable one that leaves on 8/25 at 1:00 PM from LHR.  Has anyone had good luck with being the first off the ship at 6 AM (carrying our luggage), going through customs, having a car waiting and gotten to LHR in time?  We are from USA so need to be in LHR by 11:00 AM.

 

I would love to hear opinions on this.  Thanks to all my fellow cruisers.  This forum is invaluable!

 

Stephanie

[sddsddean]

Replied on the 'Celeb' board.

 

Simon

[John Bull]

No worries - 25th August is a sunday !!!

A long holiday weekend, but it's the sunday. 

 

I'm almost tempted to suggest a National Express coach or ship's coach transfer, or a later start but

-     Nat Express will cost you time getting to Southampton coach station, waiting for the coach, one or perhaps two minor deviations to bus stops at Southampton University, Winchester or Basingstoke, and, depending on your LHR terminal,  intermediate terminals or a long walk to your terminal.

-     Ship's first transfer coach won't fill and leave before about 8am. And for two people will probably cost as much as a private transfer.

-     a later start means mixing it with the herd abandoning-ship and diminishes  your wiggle-time.

So let's not fritter away the advantage of it being a sunday

 

Forget 6am. Earliest unassisted disembarkation isn't usually until 7am, mebbe a few minutes earlier.

 

If you disembark unassisted you'll be ahead of the herd - at that time there'll be no long line for port formalities.

Book a car for 7.15. Being a sunday, the 55 miles to LHR will take about 80 to 90 minutes, so plenty of wiggle-time even if a massive fatal saturday-nite wreck means that the main route is closed.

You'll find yourselves kicking your heels at LHR for a few hours.

Try www.smithsforairports.com or www.westquaycars.com or www.aquacars.co.uk All are based at the Southampton end, all are frequently recommended by Cruise Critic members.

 

Being a holiday weekend makes no odds. This'll be early sunday morning, most holiday traffic will have gotten to its destination on friday nite or saturday and won't be heading back to the grindstone in the big bad city until monday - or later on the sunday at the earliest if bad weather means they decide to foreshorten their weekend.  

 

On a sunday I'd even be pretty confident booking a flight after 11am.

 

JB 

  

 

 

[dustball]

Thank you so much for this reply John Bull!!!  Much Appreciated!