Southampton Cruise Terminals Departure
Nearly all cruises at Southampton arrive between 5:00am and 6:00am in the morning, with disembarkation starting around 7:00am. Your driver will meet you at the terminal building exit from 8:00am. Your driver will be holding a sign reading ‘International Friends’, and will accompany you to the car. We plan to leave Southampton by 8:30am. There are 4 cruise terminals at Southampton, all slightly different but you will have a typical walk of about 75 yards to the vehicle where the driver will load your luggage into the hold. In the unlikely event your ship is delayed into port, we will delay our departure time accordingly (applicable only to the listed ships we service). For all delayed ship arrivals we will aim to leave at the latest one hour after docking (earlier if possible).
This service is available to those arriving on ships not listed if the dates and disembarkation times coincide with those listed. You will need to disembark and make your way to a ship that we are servicing that date as that is where you will meet our coach. We can assist with instructions for this.
Time Tour Timings
8:30am Departs Southampton Cruise Port
10:45am Arrives Bibury
11:10am Departs Bibury
11:30am Arrives Burford
1:15pm Departs Burford
2:00pm Arrives Oxford
4:00pm Departs Oxford
5:30pm Arrives Begins drop offs at Heathrow Airport
6:00pm Arrives Begins drop offs in Central London
Please note that all timings above are estimated and assuming normal traffic conditions. Due to the changeable nature of road conditions, we cannot guarantee a precise time when you will arrive at Heathrow and London.
London & Heathrow Arrival
We depart Oxford at 4:00pm and arrive at Heathrow hotels and terminals from 5.30pm subject to traffic, arriving in Central London between 6.00pm and 6:30pm. We drop off at selected London city centre or Heathrow airport hotel. We also drop at all Heathrow terminals and London city centre train stations. If you are flying from Gatwick, Stansted or Luton Airports we can drop you at Victoria Rail or Coach Station around 6:30pm-7:00pm, where there are frequent trains and airport buses to each airport. Please note on arrival in London we may use other vehicles to ensure we complete the drop offs as quickly and efficiently as possible. If this does happen our drivers, guides or tour managers will manage this.
How far in advance should I book?
Our tour dates go on sale 12-18 months in advance. We always advise booking early to avoid disappointment as availability cannot always be guaranteed if booking is left until closer to the date of travel.
How much luggage can I bring?
Each person is allowed a maximum of 2 items of hold luggage (75x51x28 cm -23kg each) and 1 item of carry on luggage (55x40x20 cm-10kg each).
Limits on luggage are worked out based on the space available in the vehicle’s hold. If you bring extra luggage it will not fit in the vehicle. In this instance you will be responsible for arranging separate transportation for your luggage to your cruise ship, which could result in a stressful start to your holiday! And no one wants that!
Should you wish to bring any mobility aids (wheelchairs or walkers) you MUST contact us in advance to let us know. We will require full dimensions and weight. These items must be able to be folded and stored in the luggage hold. Wheelchairs must be counted as 1 item of your hold luggage.
What happens if my ship is late getting into port?
In the unlikely event your ship is delayed into port, we will delay our departure time accordingly (applicable only to the listed ships we service). However, due to the timed entries at some of the attractions on these tours, in these circumstances we can not guarantee the itinerary will be completed as detailed. If attraction entries can not be changed to accommodate the late departure, some locations may have to be dropped. We do guarantee that transportation will be provided for you, whether this is for a shortened version of the day trip, or as a direct transfer to your hotel; we will ensure you are collected from the port. For all delayed ship arrivals we will aim to leave at the latest one hour after docking (earlier if possible).
Will you wait for me if I am late disembarking from the ship?
If your cruise ship docks on schedule and disembarkation begins as normal, we cannot be held responsible, in the unlikely event you are unable to disembark in time to meet your transfer. This is a shared transfer and we cannot delay departure from the port for customers who are late in disembarking. It is your responsibility to check the departure time for your transfer, and ensure you are at the meeting point at the appropriate time. For some cruise lines this may require self disembarkation. To ensure you can disembark in time to meet your guide/driver we would recommend self-disembarkation. Refunds cannot be issued for passengers who miss their tour due to being late.
