DISEMBARKATION IN SOUTHAMPTON

[tcrandal]

6 hours ago, McGarrett5oh said:

I’m wondering if anyone in this this thread EMBARKED from Southampton and has any tips regarding the check in process for our upcoming Prima cruise in the Haven?

Drop off luggage outside, wait in line with everyone else for security (I didn’t see a Haven area pre-security). Then, You go up the escalator and there is a Haven check-in area on the left. They check you in, you can snack on some finger foods, and enjoy some coffee and juice. They will walk you onboard when the ship is ready in smaller groups. Not sure if you’re looking for anything specific, but they will point you to the right direction. One thing I didn’t realize, we are in a suite, but not Haven, but they still processed us in the Haven area.

[ziggyuk]

16 minutes ago, tcrandal said:

Drop off luggage outside, wait in line with everyone else for security (I didn’t see a Haven area pre-security). Then, You go up the escalator and there is a Haven check-in area on the left. They check you in, you can snack on some finger foods, and enjoy some coffee and juice. They will walk you onboard when the ship is ready in smaller groups. Not sure if you’re looking for anything specific, but they will point you to the right direction. One thing I didn’t realize, we are in a suite, but not Haven, but they still processed us in the Haven area.

 

There is a haven security line, just go see a member of staff if they don't approach you, it's normally the door on the left where the staff stand while the masses queue at the right door at the Horizon terminal. Haven are whisked through security then have their own line (along with priority) upstairs at check-in.

[dexddd]

I can't tell you what haven is now, but September it was a mess. We arrived on their bus.  Luggage taken at airport.  At Port, luggage drop off to right for others.  Folks still exiting around 10:30.

Went in doors to left, went right, they had one line with then several check ins.  Then u turn to security, up escalator, then left, then a whole check in again.  Nice terminal but not efficien.h  

[McGarrett5oh]

Thanks for the replies @tcrandal, @ziggyuk & @dexddd.  What time did you actually get onboard to drop your carryons?  🛄

[ziggyuk]

52 minutes ago, McGarrett5oh said:

Thanks for the replies @tcrandal, @ziggyuk & @dexddd.  What time did you actually get onboard to drop your carryons?  🛄

 

I was not haven so had to stand in a long zig zag for security screening, upstairs I joined the haven line for check-in as I was priority, nobody in this line so straight through. Arrived 10.30 on by 11.00.
Southampton is very efficient and quick and as you will wiz through both security and check-in you will be fine.

[insidecabin]

Star May 11:10 am  took around 20mins to get through security as the snake was full(they were holding people outside.

 

There was a Haven holding/check in  area between the escalators at the top.

only one in the priority line done and starting the long walk to the ship 11:35 short delay it had backed up on the ship 11:43

 

Next time we will arrive earlier.

I bag drop then go park offsite  saves £50+ and a short 7-15mins depending which parking is available.

 

 

 

 

[Teachertmart]

We have two days after disembarking in South Hampton before flying out of Heathrow. We would like to stay close to the airport, but also in a location that would allow us to take the train somewhere charming outside of London. Any suggestions on where to stay or what sites to see?

Thank you! 

[insidecabin]

On 3/28/2024 at 1:28 AM, Teachertmart said:

We have two days after disembarking in South Hampton before flying out of Heathrow. We would like to stay close to the airport, but also in a location that would allow us to take the train somewhere charming outside of London. Any suggestions on where to stay or what sites to see?

Thank you! 

Hotels around LHR are not great for travel elsewhere by train  other than central London.

A lot of hotels don't do free shuttle have to use the Hoppa system.

 

Why not look at places like Winchester Salisbury Windsor etc for a stay.

[The Traveling Man]

On 3/27/2024 at 8:28 PM, Teachertmart said:

We have two days after disembarking in South Hampton before flying out of Heathrow. We would like to stay close to the airport, but also in a location that would allow us to take the train somewhere charming outside of London. Any suggestions on where to stay or what sites to see?

Thank you! 

In April 2019 we took a Transatlantic cruise on the Getaway which arrived in Southampton two days earlier than previously scheduled.  It seems that NCL decided to get a head start on moving the ship into dry dock.  That left us with two extra days to spend prior to our previously arranged plans to travel from Southampton to Brussels.  We had been to England several previous times, so instead of rushing off to London, we looked for places to visit in the Southwest.  We found a hotel for two nights next to the Southampton train station.  We took the train one day to Salisbury.  We found a tour bus at the Salisbury train station to take us to Stonehenge.  Afterward we explored the town on foot, enjoyed a delightful pub lunch, and visited the Salisbury Cathedral, where the Magna Carta is on display.  Another day we took a train to Winchester to visit the Cathedral, walk the old city streets, spend time in the shops, and enjoy another splendid pub lunch.  The following day we resumed our previous itinerary, took the train to London, then the Eurostar to Brussels, which put us back on our planned schedule.  It was a wonderful, though unexpected, two extra days of exploring parts of England where we previously had not immersed ourselves.

[UKstages]

if you are committed to staying at an LHR hotel, consider the hilton garden inn at terminal 2. (there are - confusingly - two LHR hotels that call themselves hilton garden inn at heathrow... why hilton corporate allows this, i do not know... guests are always booking themselves into the wrong property. and the other one is not conveniently located, although it bills itself as convenient to terminal 4.)

 

anyway, the "good" HGI is a short walk from terminal 2 and i often stay there after an overnight flight from new york. i get a few hours sleep, then take the tube into central london by late afternoon and on into the evening, then return by tube to the airport. the next day, i check in to my proper london hotel.

 

i wouldn't recommend using a heathrow hotel as a base of operations for more than a night or two. but, with the relatively new elizabeth line, you have three transportation options into central london... the piccadilly line is the slowest and cheapest and will take you about an hour. the elizabeth line (overground) will take about 40-45 minutes depending on where you're going. and the heathrow express will take about twenty minutes and will drop you at paddington station, at which you may possibly begin an outward rail journey to "somewhere charming outside of london," should you so desire.

 

[Catchum]

On 3/28/2024 at 1:28 AM, Teachertmart said:

We have two days after disembarking in South Hampton before flying out of Heathrow. We would like to stay close to the airport, but also in a location that would allow us to take the train somewhere charming outside of London. Any suggestions on where to stay or what sites to see?

Thank you! 

Charming and Heathrow are not usually used in the same sentence. I suggest the train to Portsmouth and the wonderful historic dockyards, you can easily spend two days there. The charming cities/ towns of Chichester, Winchester and Salisbury are all with reach by train. Heathrow is not a good base for any thing other than catching a flight. 

[The Traveling Man]

20 hours ago, Catchum said:

Charming and Heathrow are not usually used in the same sentence.

That may be the most apropos understatement ever made.

[Rick&Jeannie]

On 6/19/2023 at 4:47 PM, UKstages said:

conservatively, a car, taxi or bus to LHR, with no traffic, is 90 minutes... more like an hour and 45 minutes under normal conditions... two hours and fifteen minutes with heavy traffic.

This ^^^^^^

 

We've NEVER made it back to London (much less Heathrow) in less than about 2 hours.