Does Everyone Have A Favourite Cruise Terminal ?

Everyone has their favourites, whether its a cruise ship, airline or supermarket but do you have a favourite cruise terminal ? If you don`t cruise, well no, but if you do I`m sure you have one that you like to sail from over all the others.

Southampton has just been named ” Best UK 2013 Cruise Departure Port ” by the Cruise Critic Editors Awards, based on excellent customer service, ease of embarkation and the wide choice of cruise lines who sail from there. Ease of Embarkation ? I suspect that is a matter of opinion!

I hate queuing with a passion so, to me, ease of embarkation means there is no queue! The best ones I`ve experienced were embarking Regent Voyager in Civitavecchia, a couple of years ago where we were welcomed straight onto the ship ( no queue) with a  glass of champagne to do the actual check in on board. Crustal Serenity was very similar in Miami, but these are 6 start cruise lines so this is exactly what you would expect to happen.

Voyages to Antiquity was lovely, again in Civitavecchia, no long queue and lovely staff, but she is a small ship so  you would not expect to be waiting for ages to get on.

In the UK its a different story. Sailing out of Southampton is generally on a ship holding 2000 or more passengers and that must be a logistical nightmare for the cruise lines. I love Dover Cruise Terminal, its relatively small, friendly and the couple of times I`ve sailed from there its been a really easy and stress free embarkation day.

Now I hate to say this BUT my experiences at Southampton have not been the best in the world to say the least . The first time I sailed from there was on Fred Olsen Braemar, this was my first cruise and I really didn`t know what to expect. We arrived at the port around 1pm along with half the world and his wife it seemed, and we waited and waited and waited, to then be told the ship was going to be late docking anyway !  Next time was to board Queen Mary for a transatlantic crossing to New York and the situation was much the same, standing around for ages with very few facilities. This was far worse than waiting at an airport where at east you have some retail therapy to while away the time before boarding.

To be honest I dreaded going to Southampton until last December when I did a lovely mini cruise on Oceana, sailing from Southampton. I travelled by train to Southampton and arrived around 10.45 am – into a taxi and off to the Ocean terminal. Guess what ! no queues! well only small ones ! I walked up to the desk checked in and went on board. The terminal was lovely, much improved from my first visit and it was all so easy. I was on board by 11.3o and although I couldn`t go straight to my cabin I could get a drink and relax in peace.

I am going on Oceana again at New Year with a group of friends and the plan is to get there early, as early as possible and then we can  test my theory out that the Early Bird does indeed, catch the worm – or ship !