Transportation from Port of Tilbury to Southampton--2 Different cruises

[cruise-quest1]

 Hi,

We are taking 2 cruises The Aegean Oddessy which finishes in  the  Port of Tilbury  and the following day we leave on the Queen Mary at  Southampton.

 

We would like some people suggestions for 4 somewhat physically challenged 70+ year olds --how to get from Port of Tilbury, UK to Port of Southampton, UK and stay in hotel  near  Port of Southampton?

Thanks

Rick

[Host Kat]

4 minutes ago, cruise-quest1 said:

 Hi,

We are taking 2 cruises The Aegean Oddessy which finishes in  the  Port of Tilbury  and the following day we leave on the Queen Mary at  Southampton.

 

We would like some people suggestions for 4 somewhat physically challenged 70+ year olds --how to get from Port of Tilbury, UK to Port of Southampton, UK and stay in hotel  near  Port of Southampton?

Thanks

Rick

 

Howdy Rick and welcome to the Cruise Critic message boards! 

 

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[John Bull]

Hi, and welcome to Cruise Critic

 

As an Irish friend of mine would say, "the easiest way to get to Southampton would be not to start from Tilbury" 🙃

 

Not an easy journey by public transport, especially for old-timers with luggage.

By train - Short taxi hop to Tilbury town station, train to central London's  Fenchurch St station, cross central London by tube (includes one change of tube train) or taxi to Waterloo station, then train to Southampton. Journey time about 3 hours, Walk-up fare £53 per person - or only £22 per person for advance ticket purchase and the ticket is is only for the train time that you book.

By bus -  25 minute taxi ride to Bluewater shopping centre, National Express coach to central London's Victoria coach station, change there to coach to Southampton. Convoluted route, total journey time about 6.5 hrs,  fare about £22 per person plus £?? taxi fare.

Or if Voyages to Antiquity offer airport transfer buses, you can then take a direct Southampton bus from Heathrow airport  or a direct Southampton train from Gatwick (Gatwick would be easier).  Fare from either is about £25 pp, plus ship's transfer bus from Tilbury 

 

Since there are four of you, I suggest  a pre-booked door-to-door private transfer.

115 miles. Journey time nominally just over 2 hours, but much of this is on the notorious M25 London orbital motorway so could be 3 hours. At a vague guess probably around £170 to £200 for the vehicle.

I don't know the operators in Tilbury, see how you get on by googling "Tilbury UK taxi"

And seek quotes from  https://www.smithsairportcars.co.uk/ (based near Southampton) and https://www.blackberrycars.com/  Both are frequently recommended on Cruise Critic

If your dates are a a long way out they might not quote until closer to your date.

..........................................................................

 

Queen Mary usually sails from QE11 cruise terminal or Ocean cruise terminal but all hotels listed on this page are in Southampton city centre and none are more than a £10 taxi fare from any cruise terminal

 https://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/southampton_accommodation.htm

(I suggest you don't book any transfer service offered on there, they tend to be over-priced  - someone has to pay for that  excellent website 😉)

 

JB 🙂

[sddsddean]

Not often I get a chance to say JB has boobed, so I'll say it now...JB has boobed! The bus from Bluewater would mean getting the little passenger ferry from Tilbury to Gravesend first, so don't even think about it! (I think JB was thinking of Thurrock Lakeside shopping centre).

However, all the other info is fine, but as there are 4 of you, definately try and get a car or van (we call them minibuses over here) service of some sort. The train journey is OK and I think the cruise line normally runs a bus shuttle from Tilbury pier to the station, but if you do it that way I would definately use a cab (London black cab) from Fenchurch St to Waterloo. More money, but the Underground is  a nightmare with luggage.

 

Simon

[gnome12]

2 hours ago, sddsddean said:

Not often I get a chance to say JB has boobed, so I'll say it now...JB has boobed! The bus from Bluewater would mean getting the little passenger ferry from Tilbury to Gravesend first, so don't even think about it! (I think JB was thinking of Thurrock Lakeside shopping centre).

However, all the other info is fine, but as there are 4 of you, definately try and get a car or van (we call them minibuses over here) service of some sort. The train journey is OK and I think the cruise line normally runs a bus shuttle from Tilbury pier to the station, but if you do it that way I would definately use a cab (London black cab) from Fenchurch St to Waterloo. More money, but the Underground is  a nightmare with luggage.

 

Simon

The cruise line is no longer Voyages to Antiquity, but rather these cruises are being run by Road Scholar. It looks like they transfer to the airport at the end of the cruise, so that might be the best choice for the OP's group.

 

 

[davekent]

I agree with the posters above in that with the circumstances given by the original poster a private transfer by car does seem the most appropriate and easiest way to do this journey.

 

The train journey does not have to be quite as difficult as that quoted in that all Tilbury line trains into London stop at West Ham station prior to Fenchurch street which interchanges step free (if the lifts are working!) with the Jubilee underground line that would take you directly to Waterloo for the Southampton trains. For one or two people with manageable luggage this might be the best option but for the 4 of you as stated I suspect the car would be a much better choice

 

 

[gnome12]

1 hour ago, gnome12 said:

The cruise line is no longer Voyages to Antiquity, but rather these cruises are being run by Road Scholar. It looks like they transfer to the airport at the end of the cruise, so that might be the best choice for the OP's group.

 

 

What was I thinking!

 

That wasn't what I meant to say at all. I said more and then erased some, and left it not making sense. What I was trying to say was that a private transfer probably makes the most sense. It isn't worth the trek to the airport (either one).

[John Bull]

4 hours ago, sddsddean said:

Not often I get a chance to say JB has boobed, so I'll say it now...JB has boobed! The bus from Bluewater would mean getting the little passenger ferry from Tilbury to Gravesend first, so don't even think about it! (I think JB was thinking of Thurrock Lakeside shopping centre).

However, all the other info is fine, but as there are 4 of you, definately try and get a car or van (we call them minibuses over here) service of some sort. The train journey is OK and I think the cruise line normally runs a bus shuttle from Tilbury pier to the station, but if you do it that way I would definately use a cab (London black cab) from Fenchurch St to Waterloo. More money, but the Underground is  a nightmare with luggage.

 

Simon

 

National Express bus

No, Simon, JB didn't expect the OP to take the foot ferry from Tilbury to Gravesend.

JB didn't even know about a ferry from Tilbury to Gravesend 😄

Hence the "25 minute taxi ride to Bluewater shopping centre" for a Nat Express coach.

But I guess neither makes much sense

 

Dave's local knowledge makes crossing central London to Waterloo station by tube easier, but even without that change the tube is no fun with cruise luggage. Fenchurch St station to Waterloo station is about 3 miles by taxi. Any idea of the fare, anyone? Probably double it, cos 4 + luggage would be a bit snug in one cab. 

 

We all reckon that private transfer is best.

Which is fine, cos none of us are paying for it.😉

 

But I still think ship's transfer bus to Gatwick airport and train from there to Southampton (or ship's bus to Heathrow airport & Nat Express bus from there to Southampton) is worth considering.

Gatwick is much closer to Tilbury than Heathrow & trains to Southampton run hourly, buses from Heathrow are less frequent.

Check ship's airport transfer charge, add £25 for train or bus, & multiply by four. Then decide if that saves a lot compared to a private transfer .

 

JB 🙂