Questions About Princess Transfer to Heathrow

[Tedferg]

Looking at a post-cruise excursion that terminates at Heathrow. I assume this works just like a regular airport transfer.

1. Do you have to claim luggage when disembarking, or do they take it the night before and put it on coach?

2. Does coach stop at various terminals at airport, or one central drop off point.

3. Assume coach will NOT stop at airport hotels.

TIA

[hpeabody]

I believe you put out your luggage, claim your luggage like normal, do arrival formalities, exit building and proceed to Princess bus.  I would expect to receive specific instructions in your cabin a day or so ahead.

 

My experience with this transfer was not a good one.  The bus parked in an underground parking structure in 1 terminal only ( 2 or maybe 3) and we had to make our way to our ticket/check in counter dragging our luggage.  No carts in an underground parking structure.

 

I do not think they would stop at a hotel that is not their destination

 

Personally, I would now opt for a private company for a Heathrow transfer,  Unfortunately it appears Smith's for airports has ceased operations.  They were highly regarded

[ldubs]

1. Pick up luggage and then proceed to coach. 

 

2.  LHR terminals are not close to each other.  All of our Princess Xfers drop us at our terminal.  I would assume the same for Xfer-excursions.  

 

3. Not likely, but have never checked.   LHR has shuttle service to airport hotels.   Last time we stayed near the airport at the Marriott the shuttle was £5 (exact change needed).  That was quite a few years ago, so thing could well have changed.  

Edited December 14, 2022 by ldubs

[ldubs]

2 minutes ago, hpeabody said:

I believe you put out your luggage, claim your luggage like normal, do arrival formalities, exit building and proceed to Princess bus.  I would expect to receive specific instructions in your cabin a day or so ahead.

 

My experience with this transfer was not a good one.  The bus parked in an underground parking structure in 1 terminal only ( 2 or maybe 3) and we had to make our way to our ticket/check in counter dragging our luggage.  No carts in an underground parking structure.

 

I do not think they would stop at a hotel that is not their destination

 

Personally, I would now opt for a private company for a Heathrow transfer,  Unfortunately it appears Smith's for airports has ceased operations.  They were highly regarded

 

That isn't good at all.  Did you have to go to another terminal?   

[Rick&Jeannie]

Others have pretty well answered your questions.  Here's a couple of options if you don't want to do the Princess thing (although you *did* say that it was an excursion...)

 

We have used Blackberry Car Service on quite a few occasions.  They are very reliable and we have NEVER had any issues with them...plus you can pre-pay their fee.  Downside...would be rather expensive from Southampton.  Upside...private transportation, very stress-free. No coughing, sneezing tag-alongs as with a bus.

 

Alternative: National Express Coach.  Full disclosure...we have never used this method but it is VERY cheap.  BIG downside: Dragging all your luggage on and off a typical bus.  (Not for me, thanks...but it's an option.)

 

I have done an excursion going *to* Southampton before (Stonehenge).  Had no issues and the luggage was handled very well.

[ldubs]

18 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Others have pretty well answered your questions.  Here's a couple of options if you don't want to do the Princess thing (although you *did* say that it was an excursion...)

 

We have used Blackberry Car Service on quite a few occasions.  They are very reliable and we have NEVER had any issues with them...plus you can pre-pay their fee.  Downside...would be rather expensive from Southampton.  Upside...private transportation, very stress-free. No coughing, sneezing tag-alongs as with a bus.

 

Alternative: National Express Coach.  Full disclosure...we have never used this method but it is VERY cheap.  BIG downside: Dragging all your luggage on and off a typical bus.  (Not for me, thanks...but it's an option.)

 

I have done an excursion going *to* Southampton before (Stonehenge).  Had no issues and the luggage was handled very well.

 

We did National Bus from LHR to Southampton for the Oct North Seas cruise.  It was easy for us to access the National Bus station at LHR.  I think the total was under £20 pp.  Overall, it was a good experience and we would use it again.   At Southampton we jumped into a cab to get to our hotel.  Returning from Southampton to LHR we used the Princess Xfer because of our flight time.   

 

If we were flying out of LHR the following day, an option we might consider is to stay in Southampton for the night then take the National Bus to LHR for the next day's flight.   I guess staying in Southampton might be more appealing than staying near LHR.  Except if the intent was to shoot info London for an evening.   

Edited December 14, 2022 by ldubs

[topspot]

We used International Friends in October for a transfer.  We did a private transfer, but they do transfers with tours also.  Their service was outstanding

 

https://www.internationalfriends.co.uk/

[Tedferg]

Thanks for all good information, International Friends looks interesting. We will stay overnight Sunday, seems better to stay at airport and short trip Monday to fly home. Even possibly walking from Hilton Garden to Terminal 2. Princess excursion looked like two birds with one stone. Especially if we left our luggage out on last night and saw it next at the terminal. I see now that is not possible and even worse if we are dropped at a different terminal.

[Rick&Jeannie]

The Stonehenge tour we did was with International Friends. 

[Tedferg]

1 minute ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

The Stonehenge tour we did was with International Friends. 

Was this as a transfer or a shore excursion?

[Rick&Jeannie]

Transfer to Southampton

[lesnpatty]

We used the Princess transfer for the first time in Southampton in October.  We had no issues, it was super easy and they dropped us off at T5 at Heathrow.  The bus made multiple stops at Heathrow. 

[phabric]

In June, I took Princess post excursion - Stonehenge then LHR as we had a 5:05pm flight.

 

We put our luggage outside the cabin the night before.  We picked up our luggage after exiting the ship and walked to the Coach.  The tour guide had us sit in certain seats on the Coach for which terminal we had.

 

We stopped at Salisbury and walked to the Cathedral (did not go in).  Drove to Stonehenge and were given a certain time to return to the Coach.

 

The Coach dropped us off at terminal 2 then other terminals.

 

I have also taken www.internationalfriends.co.uk from Southampton dock with a stop at Salisbury, Stonehenge and Windsor before being dropped off at the door of my London hotel.  They also drop off at LHR hotels.

[shellbeachjim]

We did this in August (Sapphire Bombay distillery tour). We left the luggage out the night before, collected it the next morning, and took it to the tour bus. After the distillery visit (very nice, by the way), the bus made its way to Heathrow. It stopped at all the terminals. We were flying out the next day from T2 on United, so we booked a room at the Hilton Garden Inn. It’s a short walk from the drop off spot at T2 through the parking garage. The hotel lets you keep the luggage cart in your room, so getting back to the terminal is easy.  The restaurant at the hotel was not great, but we loved the bar upstairs where we could watch the planes coming and going. We’d stay there again. 

[capriccio]

In the summer of 2019 we took the Windsor Castle excursion transfer to Heathrow.  The ride was very comfortable since the amount of luggage that can be loaded onto the bus restricts the number of passengers.  We had a very good guide talking to us the entire drive.  We did have to wait in line to enter the castle but that was not unexpected.  We all received the audio guide and had a couple of hours to tour.  The drive from Windsor  to Heathrow was about 1/2 hour and was along part of the Thames and passed Runnymede where the Magna Carta was signed.  We were dropped right at our terminal. 

[Tedferg]

6 hours ago, shellbeachjim said:

We did this in August (Sapphire Bombay distillery tour). We left the luggage out the night before, collected it the next morning, and took it to the tour bus. After the distillery visit (very nice, by the way), the bus made its way to Heathrow. It stopped at all the terminals. We were flying out the next day from T2 on United, so we booked a room at the Hilton Garden Inn. It’s a short walk from the drop off spot at T2 through the parking garage. The hotel lets you keep the luggage cart in your room, so getting back to the terminal is easy.  The restaurant at the hotel was not great, but we loved the bar upstairs where we could watch the planes coming and going. We’d stay there again. 

Good information, thanks that is pretty much what we are thinking of doing, including Hilton Garden.

[milolii]

7 hours ago, shellbeachjim said:

We did this in August (Sapphire Bombay distillery tour). We left the luggage out the night before, collected it the next morning, and took it to the tour bus. After the distillery visit (very nice, by the way), the bus made its way to Heathrow. It stopped at all the terminals. We were flying out the next day from T2 on United, so we booked a room at the Hilton Garden Inn. It’s a short walk from the drop off spot at T2 through the parking garage. The hotel lets you keep the luggage cart in your room, so getting back to the terminal is easy.  The restaurant at the hotel was not great, but we loved the bar upstairs where we could watch the planes coming and going. We’d stay there again. 

Sorry, what luggage cart are you referencing?  Are you saying you kept it overnight in your room?  Was it your luggage cart?  Or did it belong to the airport?  Of the Hilton hotel?  I am confused. 

Edited December 16, 2022 by milolii

[shellbeachjim]

6 hours ago, milolii said:

Sorry, what luggage cart are you referencing?  Are you saying you kept it overnight in your room?  Was it your luggage cart?  Or did it belong to the airport?  Of the Hilton hotel?  I am confused. 

It was a Heathrow airport luggage cart, picked up when we were dropped off at T2. We loaded it up, walked through the garage to the hotel, checked in, and we’re told by the hotel staff to use it to take our luggage up to our room (and keep it overnight). Our carry on bags had our change of cloths, so we didn’t need to unload our large bags from the cart until we dropped them off when we checked in for our flight home the next morning. 

[milolii]

Ok. Ty.  

[TW6cruiser]

On 12/15/2022 at 11:26 AM, phabric said:

In June, I took Princess post excursion - Stonehenge then LHR as we had a 5:05pm flight.

 

We put our luggage outside the cabin the night before.  We picked up our luggage after exiting the ship and walked to the Coach.  The tour guide had us sit in certain seats on the Coach for which terminal we had.

 

We stopped at Salisbury and walked to the Cathedral (did not go in).  Drove to Stonehenge and were given a certain time to return to the Coach.

 

The Coach dropped us off at terminal 2 then other terminals.

 

I have also taken www.internationalfriends.co.uk from Southampton dock with a stop at Salisbury, Stonehenge and Windsor before being dropped off at the door of my London hotel.  They also drop off at LHR hotels.

Can I ask if you remember what time you got to LHR?  We are not flying out until the next day so we won't be rushed. We are looking into staying at the Hilton.   Was there a chance to get a snack or light lunch on the way to the airport? 

[phabric]

1 minute ago, TW6cruiser said:

Can I ask if you remember what time you got to LHR?  We are not flying out until the next day so we won't be rushed. We are looking into staying at the Hilton.   Was there a chance to get a snack or light lunch on the way to the airport? 

I can’t remember the actual time we arrived at LHR (2pm ?), I know we had plenty of time to go through security, sit, wait and walk to the gate before our boarding time for our 5:05pm flight.

 

The guide on the Princess bus, said we had time and we stopped and got out of the bus and walked to the outside of the Salisbury church.  We also drove near Windsor area.  I was surprised we did Salisbury and it was not in the excursion details, maybe we were too early for Stonehenge?

 

On the Princess post Stonehenge excursion, I bought a sausage roll and drink at Stonehenge cafe.

 

On the International Friends tour, with stops at Salisbury, Stonehenge and Windsor, we were told there was no time for a stop for lunch.  They said you can purchase food at the Salisbury stop which would take time away from the sights.

 We had taken baggies from home and took some sandwiches the day before and put in the refrigerator overnight from the ship.  We ate the sandwiches while waiting for others at Stonehenge or could eat anytime on the bus.

 

On the International Friends tour, at the Windsor stop, they moved the luggage of the people staying at London hotels to a small van instead of the big bus.  We arrived at our London hotel around 5-6pm.  The people going to LHR and LHR hotels, stayed on the big bus and probably would have arrived about the same time.

[TW6cruiser]

2 minutes ago, phabric said:

I can’t remember the actual time we arrived at LHR (2pm ?), I know we had plenty of time to go through security, sit, wait and walk to the gate before our boarding time for our 5:05pm flight.

 

The guide on the Princess bus, said we had time and we stopped and got out of the bus and walked to the outside of the Salisbury church.  We also drove near Windsor area.  I was surprised we did Salisbury and it was not in the excursion details, maybe we were too early for Stonehenge?

 

On the Princess post Stonehenge excursion, I bought a sausage roll and drink at Stonehenge cafe.

 

On the International Friends tour, with stops at Salisbury, Stonehenge and Windsor, we were told there was no time for a stop for lunch.  They said you can purchase food at the Salisbury stop which would take time away from the sights.

 We had taken baggies from home and took some sandwiches the day before and put in the refrigerator overnight from the ship.  We ate the sandwiches while waiting for others at Stonehenge or could eat anytime on the bus.

 

On the International Friends tour, at the Windsor stop, they moved the luggage of the people staying at London hotels to a small van instead of the big bus.  We arrived at our London hotel around 5-6pm.  The people going to LHR and LHR hotels, stayed on the big bus and probably would have arrived about the same time.

Thanks for the fast response!