Departing from London
Guests can enjoy convenient pickups from selected London City Centre hotels and Heathrow Airport hotels. A list of these hotels and their collection times is provided on the links below. If your hotel isn’t on the list, or you’re staying in an apartment or Airbnb, just add your address in the “additional information” box when booking. We’ll then contact you to confirm the nearest available pickup hotel.
London city centre pickups happen between 9:45 AM and 10:45 AM, and Heathrow pickups are between 11:00 AM and 11:30 AM.
Please note: It is not possible to collect from Heathrow airport terminals. If your flight arrives on the day of travel, please see details below on where to meet your transfer. It is recommend for you being ready in your hotel reception area 10 minutes before the pickup time stated on your ticket. Your driver will meet you in your hotel lobby and help with your luggage. Occasionally, due to road closures or events, it may be required to adjust the route or timings to ensure a prompt arrival at the cruise terminal. If this happens, you’ll be contacted in advance, so please check your emails before you depart for any pickup time amendments.
Arriving in Southampton
Southampton has four cruise terminals. You’ll typically arrive at your terminal between 1:00 PM and 1:30 PM. Once there, you can walk straight to the check-in desk. Porters will handle your luggage, making sure it gets delivered to your cabin. Just remember to use the luggage label from your cruise pack to help with this!
Drop-offs at all Southampton Cruise Terminals, plus the following Southampton hotels:
- Holiday Inn Southampton, Herbert Walker Avenue, SO15 1AG
- Leonardo Royal Southampton Grand Harbour, W Quay Road, SO15 1AG
- Premier Inn Southampton West Quay, Harbour Parade, SO15 1BA
- Novotel Southampton, 1 W Quay Road, SO15 1RA
- Ibis Budget Southampton, 3 W Quay Road, SO15 1RA
Guaranteed Departure Dates
This service guarantees to operate on all listed dates. Given its popularity as a cruise transfer service, early booking is highly recommended to avoid disappointment. If your desired date is not listed, a private transfer option is available for one or more people. Contact us for further details regarding private transfers.
Your Tour Questions Answered
How far in advance should I book? Our tour dates typically go on sale 12-18 months in advance. We always recommend booking early to avoid disappointment! While we’d love to guarantee availability, popular dates fill up quickly, so securing your spot well in advance ensures a stress-free start to your holiday.
How much luggage can I bring? To ensure comfort and ample space for everyone, each person is allowed a maximum of two items of hold luggage (each measuring 75x51x28 cm and weighing up to 23kg) and one item of carry-on luggage (55x40x20 cm, up to 10kg). It’s crucial to adhere to these limits, as they are based on the space available in our vehicle’s hold. If you bring extra luggage, it simply won’t fit. In such a scenario, you’d be responsible for arranging separate transportation for your luggage to your cruise ship, and nobody wants a stressful start to their holiday! Should you wish to bring mobility aids like wheelchairs or walkers, you must contact us in advance to let us know. We’ll need the full dimensions and weight. These items must be foldable and able to be stored in the luggage hold. Please note that a folded wheelchair counts as one item of your hold luggage.
My chosen hotel isn’t on your list of pick-up points. Can I still use this service? Absolutely! Please email us and we’ll be happy to advise if we can collect at your hotel, or we’ll direct you to the closest convenient pick-up point.
My flight arrives at Heathrow on the morning of my transfer. How can I join this service? Our collection time for Heathrow hotels is between 11:00 AM and 11:30 AM. If you’re arriving on a flight the same morning as your transfer, please ensure you have plenty of time to get to your collection point after your flight lands. Remember that it can take up to an hour to clear passport control and collect your luggage. Once you have your luggage, you’ll need to make your way to your collection point by either taxi (a journey of up to 10 minutes) or by using the hotel shuttle bus (which can take up to 20 minutes). For more information about hotel shuttle buses, you can visit https://www.hotelhoppa.co.uk/. Your specific collection point is based on the airport terminal your flight lands at:
- If your flight lands at Terminal 2 or 3: Your collection point is the Hilton Garden Inn, Heathrow Terminal 2, Longford TW6 1AH.
- If your flight lands at Terminal 4: Your collection point is the Hilton Heathrow Terminal 4, TW6 3AF.
- If your flight lands at Terminal 5: Your collection point is the Sofitel Heathrow Terminal 5, TW6 2GD.
My flight arrives at Gatwick – can you pick me up there? Unfortunately, Gatwick is outside our London collection zone. You’ll need to make your way to Central London for a pick-up. If you’re arriving into Gatwick, please contact us, and we’ll advise you on the best transfer options for your journey into Central London.
What happens if my flight is delayed and I can’t get to the meeting point on time? Our collection window for Heathrow hotels is 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM, and we ask guests to be ready at 11:00 AM. When you book, you’ll receive an emergency contact number on your e-ticket. We advise you to contact us on this number to inform us of your new arrival time so we can best advise on available options. Our Heathrow Airport collections take place within a 30-minute window. If you contact us and are running 10-15 minutes late, we might advise you to go to one of the hotels scheduled for a later pick-up time. Please remember that our scheduled shared transfers are designed to run on time for all passengers, and final departure times cannot be delayed for late arrivals. However, we will always assist you in making your way to the ship. As a general guide, we wouldn’t recommend our shared service for anyone arriving at Heathrow less than 2 hours before the pick-up time. In all cases, refunds for shared transfers cannot be applied to missed transfers due to late flight arrivals or delays in luggage collection or passport control. In this situation, you would need to check if it’s possible to make a claim through your airline or travel insurance. If your flight arrival timings are too close to the shared transfer departure time, we strongly recommend booking a private transfer, as the departure time can be more flexible.
What time will I be collected from my hotel? We’ll provide you with a collection time within a 30-minute window. We’ll inform you of any changes to your collection time 4 days before your tour. If you don’t hear from us, your collection time remains as originally advised.
How will I identify the staff? We want you to stay comfortable! Please remain inside your hotel lobby. Your driver will come into the hotel to collect you. They’ll know your name and will be carrying a sign highlighting the name of your transfer or tour.
How long will my journey take? London city centre pickups are completed between 09:45 AM and 10:45 AM, and Heathrow pickups between 11:00 AM and 11:30 AM. The journey from Central London will take approximately 2.5 hours, and from Heathrow approximately 2 hours. We aim to arrive at the port between 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Is food and drink included in my transfer? Food and drink are not provided on this transfer. However, you’re welcome to bring a packed lunch with you. Cold food and drink can be enjoyed in the minivan. Hot food is not permitted, and all hot drinks must have a lid. Please remember to take all your rubbish with you.
How much walking is involved in this transfer? Your driver will meet you inside your hotel lobby and assist you with your luggage. The vehicle will park as close as safely and legally possible. Once you’ve arrived at the port, there will be a short walk of about 100 yards from the vehicle to the terminal.
How many people will be joining this transfer? This is a shared transfer with a maximum of 4 people on your transfer, plus the driver. We provide an executive minivan with Wi-Fi, ensuring plenty of space for everyone and their luggage.
Will I get to my ship on time? Absolutely! Our Shore Excursions and Transfers are specifically designed for passengers going to and from cruise ships. Our itineraries are meticulously based on the ships’ arrival and departure times. We would never offer an itinerary that didn’t allow you to get to your ship in time for its departure. Many ships provide allotted check-in times; this is primarily to help stagger passenger arrivals at the terminal and is more an indication of the earliest time they wish you to arrive. All our tours aim to have passengers at the ship by 2:00 PM (ship departure time is usually around 5:00 PM). In the unlikely event of delays beyond our control, such as traffic problems, we will liaise directly with the ship’s ground handling team and keep them updated on our progress and expected arrival time at the port.
Should we tip our driver or guide? Tips are entirely at your discretion and are by no means expected. Should you feel inclined to tip, your driver or guide would be grateful, but you should not feel obliged. A 10% tip is generally considered customary in the UK.
