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[sandancer]

On all our previous cruises we have chosen the extra obc but we are thinking of either taking the coach transfers or car parking for our cruise in March. As the coach journey is on the sail date I’m slightly uneasy about any delay due to traffic etc. it’s a long journey from the NE. Would they wait as the coach is part of the package?  I’m not convinced they would hold the ship up for one group of pax. Anyone had this happen.?  If we choose the car parking option is it CPS?  

[Selbourne]

6 minutes ago, sandancer said:

On all our previous cruises we have chosen the extra obc but we are thinking of either taking the coach transfers or car parking for our cruise in March. As the coach journey is on the sail date I’m slightly uneasy about any delay due to traffic etc. it’s a long journey from the NE. Would they wait as the coach is part of the package?  I’m not convinced they would hold the ship up for one group of pax. Anyone had this happen.?  If we choose the car parking option is it CPS?  

If you take a coach organised by P&O then they will definitely wait for it. We have had delayed departures due to one coach being very late. If you take ‘free’ car parking then it’s always with CPS. Depending on the length of cruise, it can often work out a lot cheaper to take the on board credit and pay to park with Parking4Cruises.

[kalos]

We now travel down the day before but used to travel same day .What changed us was 

one time we stopped at Cherwell services for a break .

On leaving and joining the motorway looking in my rear view mirror I could see the 

motorway was blocked due to an accident . We had just missed it .

Onboard the ship the sail away was delayed due to coaches that were delayed due to 

that accident .  So as far as I know they do wait for the coaches .

 

[9265359]

31 minutes ago, sandancer said:

Would they wait as the coach is part of the package?

 

As it is their coach and it is part of the package then if they didn't wait for the coach then either they are refunding 50 people for their cruise (plus likely paying compensation / FCC as well), or arranging last minute flights and hotels for 50 people.

 

So many tens of thousands of pounds in refunds vs holding the ship for an hour or two - it is not a hard decision for P&O.

 

And that was demonstrated last year on a P&O cruise from Malta when the flights in from Manchester were very very late, and we sailed many hours after we should have done.

 

Edited September 3, 2023 by 9265359

[sandancer]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

If you take a coach organised by P&O then they will definitely wait for it. We have had delayed departures due to one coach being very late. If you take ‘free’ car parking then it’s always with CPS. Depending on the length of cruise, it can often work out a lot cheaper to take the on board credit and pay to park with Parking4Cruises.

The extra obc is £60 each so if either the parking or coach is more than that then it is doable. If you park with Parking4Cruises do they take the keys and park for you or do you park yourself and keep the keys?

[Selbourne]

3 minutes ago, sandancer said:

The extra obc is £60 each so if either the parking or coach is more than that then it is doable. If you park with Parking4Cruises do they take the keys and park for you or do you park yourself and keep the keys?

It’s the same as CPS, but the only difference is that you drop the car off and pick it up in the short stay car park next to the terminal. You can drop off luggage and passengers in front of the terminal first if that’s easier. They park the car offsite, so need the key. 

[JeanieC,Aston]

Eavesway every time,,,comfy coaches,WiFi,no stress of driving.

Do the math and see what works better.

Dozens of trips never been late to the ship on any off them,,,those drivers know every back road in England.

[royallondon]

I’m sure that they do but unfortunately the coaches can’t always get down them 🫣

[FangedRose]

I always use the included coach from the far North West. As others have said ths ship will wait (or if not it is up to P&O to sort things out). The drivers are in constant contact with base and each other, and often go a different route according to the info they receive. Never had any problems. There will be one or two comfort stops, and short pick up stops along the way. Yes it's an early start, but who sleeps the night before a holiday anyway? Usually arrive early afternoon (between 1pm and 2pm). You give the luggage to the driver and you next see it outside your cabin.

 

You are more likely to suffer traffic delays driving yourself without the info that the coach drivers receive, and no staying in a hotel the night before with the commensurate luggage hauling, not to mention two sleepless nights prior to your holiday. 

 

Eavesway is classed as independent travel and P&O will not take any responsibility for problems (such as when luggage was off loaded at the wrong ship,  no compensation etc). Also, their pick up points are much more sparse, (no farther north than Preston on the west side of the country, none in Scotland).

 

[sandancer]

You have answered 2 of my questions ie, luggage handling and early start. Could you be a little more specific about start time bearing in mind that we are also travelling from the frozen North. 

[FangedRose]

From Carlisle we usually have a pick up time of about 5am. Bearing in mind it's come from Glasgow or Edinburgh it can actually arrive between 4.45am and 5.30am. Pick up points for early starts is usually a hotel near a motorway junction and oftem people will stay at the hotel if they live a long way from the pick up point. It will wait until a good few minutes past the notified pick up time and then the driver will attempt to contact you. (Which is good if you've slept in, not so good for those sitting on the coach!)

[wilson12]

From Washington Services you are usually picked up at 5.30 am. I have travelled by coach on the last two holidays and each time it has been on a coach that started from Washington and went direct to Southampton with no more pick ups.

For years we drove to Southampton the day before and stayed at a hotel with car parking but after using the bus for the first time last November  we couldn’t understand why we hadn’t done it before. It’s a doddle

Hope this helps you

 

[sandancer]

Well that’s that then. I’m sold on it. 

[studentcruiser23]

I am getting picked up from Liverpool for the coach = does anyone have any idea of what time the pick up is for there? 

[Ardennais]

3 hours ago, FangedRose said:

I always use the included coach from the far North West. As others have said ths ship will wait (or if not it is up to P&O to sort things out). The drivers are in constant contact with base and each other, and often go a different route according to the info they receive. Never had any problems. There will be one or two comfort stops, and short pick up stops along the way. Yes it's an early start, but who sleeps the night before a holiday anyway? Usually arrive early afternoon (between 1pm and 2pm). You give the luggage to the driver and you next see it outside your cabin.

 

You are more likely to suffer traffic delays driving yourself without the info that the coach drivers receive, and no staying in a hotel the night before with the commensurate luggage hauling, not to mention two sleepless nights prior to your holiday. 

 

Eavesway is classed as independent travel and P&O will not take any responsibility for problems (such as when luggage was off loaded at the wrong ship,  no compensation etc). Also, their pick up points are much more sparse, (no farther north than Preston on the west side of the country, none in Scotland).

 

Speak for yourself! I sleep well as per usual. 

[JeanieC,Aston]

9 hours ago, studentcruiser23 said:

I am getting picked up from Liverpool for the coach = does anyone have any idea of what time the pick up is for there? 

Hi

We get picked up at Burtonwood Services by Eavesway at 07:45 I believe Liverpool is ~07:15.

A couple of times with P&O coach it’s been 09:15 from Burtonwood,,,P&O from Liverpool usually use Ellisons coaches,,lovely coaches.

Edited September 4, 2023 by JeanieC,Aston

[wiltsw]

Silly question, how does parking at the services work? 

 

i.e if we drive to our pickup location, do we have to pay for parking at the services, or is there some arrangement for that?

 

How do others get to the services?

Again, we always drive and park, but given the cost of hotel / fuel / etc, we might be tempted going forwards. 

Edited September 4, 2023 by wiltsw

[terrierjohn]

3 minutes ago, wiltsw said:

Silly question, how does parking at the services work? 

 

i.e if we drive to our pickup location, do we have to pay for parking at the services, or is there some arrangement for that?

 

How do others get to the services?

Again, we always drive and park, but given the cost of hotel / fuel / etc, we might be tempted going forwards. 

If you leave your car at any services then you will need a bank loan to pay the fee when you return.

[wiltsw]

Just now, terrierjohn said:

If you leave your car at any services then you will need a bank loan to pay the fee when you return.

Which is my concern, there must be some tried and tested way of getting to said services without losing my left.. Arm

 

[terrierjohn]

Just now, wiltsw said:

Which is my concern, there must be some tried and tested way of getting to said services without losing my left.. Arm

 

Taxi?

[kermchem]

Washington Services is 2 hours free parking and then £15 per day. I assume the answer is taxi (at 5 am) or get your 19 year old son to drop you off (also at 5 am) in return for borrowing mum’s car while parents are away. Most motorway services have no way for the public to access from local roads. 
 

I can just about remember being that 19 year old son, but now I am the parent with son and cruise to plan. 

 

[sandancer]

7 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

Taxi?

Only practical way for us. Don’t have a 19 yr old son to do the honours. 

[Francisdrake]

Check your local drop off point it might not necessarily be the services (two of the local ones to me are Barnsley bus station & Leeds interchange with Eavesway)  could be an option to get on a stop like that if it's easier than getting to the services.     

 

Not sure if Intercruises have any stops like that as it's been years since we used Intercruises as par of select fare as the extra for select fare on all the recent cruises i've done have been a lot more than the saver fare so it's been cheaper to book saver & pay for Eavesway.

[P&O SUE]

Although we don’t live a huge distance away (Kent) I sometimes wish we had the coach option. I had one cruise with my friend and we would have liked to have used the coach but the nearest pick up point was Victoria coach station in London! A pick up point like Maidstone would have been better. Much too much faff getting there so my friend’s husband took us and mine picked us up!

Mind you we do like getting off the ship early on disembarking and getting home quickly, I guess it takes a while getting home on the coach.

Our first cruise we were on top deck watching the last coach passengers running on as they were late! We did wait for them though.

[davecttr]

1 hour ago, P&O SUE said:

Although we don’t live a huge distance away (Kent) I sometimes wish we had the coach option. I had one cruise with my friend and we would have liked to have used the coach but the nearest pick up point was Victoria coach station in London! A pick up point like Maidstone would have been better. Much too much faff getting there so my friend’s husband took us and mine picked us up!

Mind you we do like getting off the ship early on disembarking and getting home quickly, I guess it takes a while getting home on the coach.

Our first cruise we were on top deck watching the last coach passengers running on as they were late! We did wait for them though.

The lack of a pick up point in Kent irritated me too. With the current state of the railway service I now use a transfer taxi company but it is expensive, £400 for the return journey, the journey is usually under 2.5 hours though versus 4+ hours by train. If the trains are running both ways I should reconsider that option. Less than £70 return is better than £400. there is also the option of using the 'slow' train to Southampton which leaves from Victoria removing the need for the transfer to/from Waterloo.