Trans Atlantic Rookie Questions

[Newtonville Dan]

Edit -  Just found Southampton forum but would appreciate any additional imput

 

BlueJai and I (Dan) have cruised the Caribbean from Florida a million times. We have it down pat. Flights, shuttles hotels, limos  etc. Now we have booked a cruise on the bucket list. Encore inaugural from Southampton to New York in November. Wow.... We have flights booked from Toronto to Gatwick, hotel booked in Southampton, the cruise, flight home, but nothing in between.

 

- recommended way to get from Gatwick to hotel in London close to "hop on hop off" for 2 days in London. We have looked at doing the train but have read that we would be responsible for carrying our luggage etc. on the train and then on to the hotel. So if not the train, perhaps a private car or taxi? Because even taking the train... then we still have to get to the hotel with 100 lbs of luggage and two carry-ons

.

- recommendations for "reasonable" hotel (Hilton / IHG / Holiday Inn in London. (close to hop on hop off)

 

- now we have to get to Southampton from London with all our cruise luggage. So same as above, would the train be the best bet or perhaps a private car. We would still have to get from the train station to hotel

 

We have been doing lots of research on the London Toolkit which has been amazing but still leaves a lot of questions on how to get from various places. I guess what we are looking for is the easiest/safest ways to travel from Gatwick to London and from London to Southampton.

Thank you

Dan (& BlueJai)

Edited May 23, 2019 by Newtonville Dan
update

[Sauer-kraut]

There is a bus that will go from Waterloo? station to Southampton.  I think you really need to post this on the Europe forum for British Isles and Northern Europe BECAUSE there is a resident expert over there with the chat name John Bull and he has a wealth of information about London and getting to SOU.    Have a great trip!

[herdingdogmom]

We stayed in Southampton last year and were very pleased with our car service from West Quay Cars.  Nice luxury car and pleasant driver.  They were recommended on the ports of call forum by the contributor mentioned above. 

 

There is an much less expensive express bus that many in our roll call were happy with, but this worked best for us.

[Zippeedee]

You might want to look at the "packing hacks" thread currently on this board. NCL has a bag of laundry for $20 at least once, usually twice, on a transatlantic.  That being said, I can't handle even my much smaller suitcase on trains and such.

 

The train from Victoria actually drops you off a bit closer to the airport than the car services can. A first class ticket is about $35. Regular seats are much less.   

 

Because I wasn't feeling well, the concierge at the Doubletree Victoria (a short walk from the bus station and next door to the train station) booked me a car to Gatwick through Kensington Car Service for 85 pounds, $111 when converted by my credit card. I slept the whole way in the back of a fancy black Mercedes. It was worth it!

 

 You may want to check with NCL, they usually have a reasonably priced transfer to a port. Their bus from Southampton to London or either airport was $65. They do hide the option on the Summary page.

[Markanddonna]

We did the opposite last May on a TA. From Southampton, we taxied to the Express Bus Terminal- easy peasy. We had purchased out Express ticket before we left. Coach driver loaded/unloaded our luggage. Bus ride was very comfortable. 

We caught a taxi at the Victoria Station to our hotel- a Premier Inn, which is England's budget class hotel.  We stayed in two of them- one at Blackfriars, which had a tube station just a few minutes walk from it, and another in Stansted to take an early morning Ryan Air flight.

 

Blackfriars gave us easy access to all part of London either by walking or the tube. 

[coloradocruiselover88]

We booked a private excursion that picked us up at our London hotel, stopped at Stonehenge and  Salisbury and dropped us at our hotel in Southhampton with Harry Norman at London tours.  It was amazing and Harry is an excellent guide with a great depth of historical knowledge. His driver was super nice and the vehicle was great!  http://londonstours.com/

[BirdTravels]

We always stay in (not cheap) hotels in London. Taxi to Waterloo on morning of cruise. And catch the Southwest train direct to Southampton central. And take a taxi from the train station to the port. 

 

Make sure yoir your hop on hop off pass includes a round trip river cruise. 

Edited June 7, 2019 by BirdTravels

[Owenred]

From LGW you could take the national express coach to Victoria Station and get an uber to your hotel from the station, National express is very cheap and runs every 20 minutes I think. Also you have the Gatwick Express train which goes from Gatwick station to London Victoria station again this is easy enough, I have done it with luggage and it isnt a struggle. 

 

From London to Southampton again the train from Waterloo goes direct to Southampton Central and then get a taxi which is about a 5 minute trip. 

 

Need any tips or hints drop me a message born and bred londoner now living just outside Southampton so will try and help out 

[rmurray847]

We had a little different scenario than you have last year on the Breakaway.  We sailed from NYC to Southampton.  I won't go into all the details, but we stayed one night at the Hilton London Gatwick Airport.  The hotel LITERALLY connects by a walkway to the airport.  It's crazy.  It was very reasonably priced, and it was so nice to take the train to the airport and walk to hotel.