How late can one check in on Embarkation Day?

[Canadian Guider]

We are booked on the Arcadia departing from Southampton on Sept 14, 2023.  We will overnight in London on Sept 13.  We are trying to book train tickets from London to Southampton but no sailing /departure time has been given in any documentation received to date. Can anyone advise on the approximate sailing time of the Arcadia?  When do ships normally sail?  How late can we check in on embarkation day?  How early are we required to be on board before departure?

Any advise is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

 

 

[yorkshirephil]

The ship usually leaves around 17:00, last boarding is usually half an hour to an hour before that. You can drop your bags off from around 12:00 then walk into town. Your boarding pass will be available to download three weeks prior to sailing which will have embarkation time on it. P&O are quite strict at the moment with embarkation times. 

[Cathygh]

I am right in thinking you are from Canada? Just be aware that the railways are on strike and the dates for September have not been announced yet. You might want to consider a National Express Coach from Victoria to Southampton and then an uber to the port. 

[david63]

8 hours ago, Canadian Guider said:

How late can we check in on embarkation day?

Realistically I would aim to check-in no later than 15:30

[janny444]

5 hours ago, Cathygh said:

I am right in thinking you are from Canada? Just be aware that the railways are on strike and the dates for September have not been announced yet. You might want to consider a National Express Coach from Victoria to Southampton and then an uber to the port. 

I will second that....rail travel at the moment is so unreliable that even when it isn't an official strike day it is still beset with problems....cancelled trains at a moment's notice....lack of staff.....not working overtime....can be utter rammed in cattleclass....at least with National Express you are guaranteed  a seat unlike rail travel where you could be struggling to even find a space on the floor to sit !

[Cathygh]

Also ask  P &o if you can book their coach. If not try Intercruises or Eavesway as they run coaches to the port

 

[david63]

49 minutes ago, Cathygh said:

ask  P &o if you can book their coach.

I thought P&O only ran coaches for repositioning cruises.

[tring]

2 hours ago, david63 said:

I thought P&O only ran coaches for repositioning cruises.

 

There are coaches for all cruises, it is one of the complimentary options with select fare bookings.

 

[david63]

55 minutes ago, tring said:

 

There are coaches for all cruises, it is one of the complimentary options with select fare bookings.

 

Not quite true. One of the options is to be able to book a coach with Cruise Connections which is nothing to do with P&O - the only P&O coaches that I am aware of are those for repositioning cruises between the airport and the cruise terminal.

[jh1809]

14 minutes ago, david63 said:

Not quite true. One of the options is to be able to book a coach with Cruise Connections which is nothing to do with P&O - the only P&O coaches that I am aware of are those for repositioning cruises between the airport and the cruise terminal.

And I don't think Cruise Connections run any coaches from London but only from places further north.

[Canadian Guider]

Hi everyone, thanks for your advice and the warnings on rail strikes.  Yes Janny444, we are Canadian and looking forward to visiting London again. 

Thanks Yorkshirephil, I am glad to learn that the ship does not sail until about 17:00 as we are hoping to have a visit in the morning with some friends in London.  Also hoping that by train we can get to Southampton between 13:30 and 14:00.  We will keep our fingers crossed that the rail situation will improve by September.   

  

[Winifred 22]

51 minutes ago, Canadian Guider said:

Hi everyone, thanks for your advice and the warnings on rail strikes.  Yes Janny444, we are Canadian and looking forward to visiting London again. 

Thanks Yorkshirephil, I am glad to learn that the ship does not sail until about 17:00 as we are hoping to have a visit in the morning with some friends in London.  Also hoping that by train we can get to Southampton between 13:30 and 14:00.  We will keep our fingers crossed that the rail situation will improve by September.   

  

Sorry to poor cold water but I think it’s highly unlikely the rail situation will improve that much by September. It’s been going on a far while now and doesn’t really seem to improving.  Weekends can also be problematic. 

[purplesea]

1 hour ago, Canadian Guider said:

Hi everyone, thanks for your advice and the warnings on rail strikes.  Yes Janny444, we are Canadian and looking forward to visiting London again. 

Thanks Yorkshirephil, I am glad to learn that the ship does not sail until about 17:00 as we are hoping to have a visit in the morning with some friends in London.  Also hoping that by train we can get to Southampton between 13:30 and 14:00.  We will keep our fingers crossed that the rail situation will improve by September.   

  

I suggest that you look into National Express, as has been suggested and possible book in advance.

 

We were due to travel to Southampton by train for our cruise in May (departing 14th) and as we live so far away we travel up the day before. The trains were on strike for two days (12th and 13th) and by the time the strike days were confirmed we were unable to get booked with National Express. 

[tring]

14 hours ago, david63 said:

Not quite true. One of the options is to be able to book a coach with Cruise Connections which is nothing to do with P&O - the only P&O coaches that I am aware of are those for repositioning cruises between the airport and the cruise terminal.

 

True, but those official coaches do go direct to the terminal and the general understanding is that the ship will wait if one of them is delayed.  If none are run from central London though the idea is clearly a non starter.

 

12 hours ago, Canadian Guider said:

Also hoping that by train we can get to Southampton between 13:30 and 14:00.  We will keep our fingers crossed that the rail situation will improve by September.   

  

 

If there are rail strikes, the roads will be very busy and, in our experience, it is very easy to get stuck in "stop - go" tragic in the London area, so we would be going down earlier than that and having a leisurely lunch somewhere in Southampton. Last embarkation would be no later than an hour before your cruise departs.  Those who live in or near London, would be better placed than me to comment though.

 

Edited July 11, 2023 by tring

[Fionboard]

In your position, if possible I would travel to Southampton the night before and stay in a hotel at the port. Avoids the stress!

[david63]

2 hours ago, tring said:

those official coaches do go direct to the terminal and the general understanding is that the ship will wait if one of them is delayed

That also is not true - although they will do their best to wait for the coaches.

 

Several years ago when there was a major accident on the way down to Southampton one of the ships sailed without the coach passengers who were unable to get through - arrangements were made for those who wanted to to meet the ship at the next port.

 

One point to remember with the coaches is that your contract is with the coach company and not with P&O so any problem does not fall within the package holiday terms.

[tring]

1 hour ago, david63 said:

That also is not true - although they will do their best to wait for the coaches.

 

Several years ago when there was a major accident on the way down to Southampton one of the ships sailed without the coach passengers who were unable to get through - arrangements were made for those who wanted to to meet the ship at the next port.

 

One point to remember with the coaches is that your contract is with the coach company and not with P&O so any problem does not fall within the package holiday terms.

 

Which is why I had said generally.  I was aware of that occasion, though I understood that would have been an exceptionally long delay, that may have even meant the itinerary may need to be altered. As you say, it was arranged to get the passengers to the next port.  That protection would not be in place if transport is arranged independently.

 

In fact, if the cruise is included with the cruise booking, with no further payment, then it would be included within the cruise package as booked.

 

Edited July 11, 2023 by tring