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lindylooellalouise
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emam

emam

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Washington services on A1 in the coach park at the back. Coach usually leaves at 6:00 a.m. We usually get there before 5:30, gives you time to use the conveniences or get a drink if you want one. The Times we have been on the bus has been more than half full from Washington.

There's usually one or two more pickups. One a quick stop for a couple of a few people I think at Scotch Corner. The other a bit further down where you can get off for ten minutes. Then there's a lunch stop and after that it depends both on the traffic and the port. If making good time the driver has to check with the port as whether to go there or take another quick break. 

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lindylooellalouise

lindylooellalouise

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14 hours ago, emam said:

Washington services on A1 in the coach park at the back. Coach usually leaves at 6:00 a.m. We usually get there before 5:30, gives you time to use the conveniences or get a drink if you want one. The Times we have been on the bus has been more than half full from Washington.

There's usually one or two more pickups. One a quick stop for a couple of a few people I think at Scotch Corner. The other a bit further down where you can get off for ten minutes. Then there's a lunch stop and after that it depends both on the traffic and the port. If making good time the driver has to check with the port as whether to go there or take another quick break. 

Hi Emam for your reply we are considering using the coach for our October Arcadia cruise, and it sounds  a really good option for us we would normally drive down the day before stay in a hotel then use CPS parking but it’s all becoming such an expensive hassle we really need another option.

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janny444

janny444

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I know it isn't the same route but we take the coach from Preston. We used to drive down and have taken the train down ....both on the day before. Would never consider either of those options now....for us a lot less hassle taking the coach transfer especially now with train strikes on the horizon and fuel prices that seem to be going up daily

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dunnster1965

dunnster1965

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3 minutes ago, gsmt47471015 said:

These are just the joys?? Of having to get to Southampton from the North of England, If your booking only carries a small amount of obc the coach option is now a valuable option with the  escalating cost of parking/fuel

 

We're attempting the train next month from Lancashire as we cruise for the first time since we've moved up here. Some specific issues prevent us from using the coach although, as you say, it offers the best bang for the buck. Hoping for a hassle-free journey. 

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gsmt47471015

gsmt47471015

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11 minutes ago, dunnster1965 said:

 

We're attempting the train next month from Lancashire as we cruise for the first time since we've moved up here. Some specific issues prevent us from using the coach although, as you say, it offers the best bang for the buck. Hoping for a hassle-free journey. 

Hope all goes well with your journey, we used the train for the first time ever in February and sorry to say the last part of our connection was cancelled and we ended up having to hastily make other arrangements which made us get home four hours later than we should have

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Ranchi

Ranchi

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Its always a chew from the north east of England. We have used coaches quite a few times but they have moved the pick up points and they are not as convenient for us. While I find the journey down fine (excitement etc.) the return is a bit of a challenge. I must admit the coaches we have been on either Eavesway or whoever Cruise Connect have contracted  have almost always been excellent (the exception was the first year Cruise Connect took over & I note they haven’t used the sub contractor again.)

The train is quite good but we still tend to go the day before. Also getting reasonable prices for tickets means either chancing it with an early train when you return or spending a few hours in Southampton & ensuring you catch your booked train. A few years ago we were held up disembarking from Britannia due to strong winds affecting the gangway and missed our scheduled train. We were not charged extra for our journey but it did make for an anxious time. So it’s car for us accommodation somewhere cheap (one of the lodges/inns) south west of the M25 or south of Oxford depending on cost/route & a fairly short drive to Soton on embarkation day. We opt for CPS instead of extra obc. 

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gsmt47471015

gsmt47471015

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We have driven down once and used CPS and found them very good ,driving down again in September with an overnight stop and again using CPS , do enjoy the coach as its nice to relax, the downside is it sometimes appears to take ages to get back home , not sure why

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cruise saint

cruise saint

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13 hours ago, Ranchi said:

Its always a chew from the north east of England. We have used coaches quite a few times but they have moved the pick up points and they are not as convenient for us. While I find the journey down fine (excitement etc.) the return is a bit of a challenge. I must admit the coaches we have been on either Eavesway or whoever Cruise Connect have contracted  have almost always been excellent (the exception was the first year Cruise Connect took over & I note they haven’t used the sub contractor again.)

The train is quite good but we still tend to go the day before. Also getting reasonable prices for tickets means either chancing it with an early train when you return or spending a few hours in Southampton & ensuring you catch your booked train. A few years ago we were held up disembarking from Britannia due to strong winds affecting the gangway and missed our scheduled train. We were not charged extra for our journey but it did make for an anxious time. So it’s car for us accommodation somewhere cheap (one of the lodges/inns) south west of the M25 or south of Oxford depending on cost/route & a fairly short drive to Soton on embarkation day. We opt for CPS instead of extra obc. 

Travelling by coach from Scotland is a complete no-no for us.  The pick-up time at Edinburgh is about 3-4 am I believe,  and this coupled with 12 hours on a coach doesn’t appeal at all.  We drive down the day before,  usually stopping at Didcot PI (South of Oxford as you suggest) and have about 1 hour drive into Southampton next morning.  Very little stress and arrive feeling fresh for the start of the cruise, which I'm not sure we would if we had spent 12 hours on the coach.  Leaving at that time we would probably have no sleep before boarding the coach.  The fuel price is obviously a concern,  but we'll just have to suck it up I'm afraid.  Our cruise in August is our first since lockdown (first for over three years actually) so the cost of travel is softened by the excitement and anticipation 😀 

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cruise saint

cruise saint

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10 hours ago, gsmt47471015 said:

We have driven down once and used CPS and found them very good ,driving down again in September with an overnight stop and again using CPS , do enjoy the coach as its nice to relax, the downside is it sometimes appears to take ages to get back home , not sure why

It's uphill on the way home 😉

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