The majority of cruise ships that sail from the UK will do so from Southampton. Whilst this isn’t a problem for some of the country for a lot of people Southampton can be quite difficult to get to.
Below is a handy guide that should let you plan ahead for the best way to meet your cruise ship.(Most cruise lines state that you have to be checked in by about 3:30/4:00 on the day of departure)
| Major Cities | Car | Train | Coach | Plane | Fastest way to do it | Cheapest way to do it | Where to book it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen | Follow A90 to M90 in Perth and Kinross | Aberdeen - | Aberdeen Coach Station - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 19h 30minAberdeen Coach Station - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 19h 30min | Aberdeen (ABZ) - Manchester (MAN) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 3h 05min No Direct Flights Aberdeen (ABZ) - Manchester (MAN) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 3h 05min No Direct Flights | Plane | Plane - FROM £77 | www.skyscanner.net |
| Belfast | Get on A12 from A1 and Grosvenor Rd/B38 Take M1 to Sprucefield Roundabout in Lisburn. Take the A1 exit from M1 Continue to Louth, Ireland Take M1 to East Wall Road/R131 in Dublin Follow R131, R118 and N31 to Dun Laoghaire, IE - Holyhead, UK in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Take the Dun Laoghaire, IE - Holyhead, UK ferry Continue to Holyhead Continue on A55. Drive from M6 and M40 to Cherwell. Take exit 9 from M40 Get on M3 in Winchester from A34 Follow M3 to Test Valley District. Take exit 14 from M3 Take A33 and A3024 to Herbert Walker Ave in Southampton | Belfast Central - Dublin Connolly - Dublin Port – Stena - Holyhead - Nuneaton- Coventry- Southampton Central Approx. 16h 28min | Belfast (Stena Terminal) - London (Victoria Coach Station) - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 18h 40min | Belfast City (BHD) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 1h 25min Direct Flight | Plane | Plane - FROM £55 | www.skyscanner.net |
| Birmingham | Drive from M42 and M40 to Cherwell. Take exit 9 from M40 | Birmingham New Street - | Birmingham Coach Station - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 5h 45min | Birmingham (BHX) - Edingburgh (EDI) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 3h 30min Birmingham (BHX) - Belfast (BHD) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 4h 10min No Direct Flights | Car | Car - Approx. £37.52. | N/A |
| Blackpool | Get on M55 in Fylde District from A583 | Blackpool - | Blackpool (Central Coach Station) - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 16h 10min | Blackpool (BLK) - Dublin (DUB) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 6h 20min No Direct Flights | Car | Car - Approx. £43.30 | N/A |
| Brighton | Follow A27 and M27 to Eastleigh District. Take exit 8 from M27 | Brighton (East Sussex) - | Birighton (Coach Station, near Pier) - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 5h 25min | London Gatwick (LGW) - Jersey (JER) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 5h 15min No Direct Flights | Car | Car - Approx. £10.68 | N/A |
| Bristol | Take A4044 and Newfoundland Circus/A4032 to M32 in St Paul's | Bristol Temple Meads - | Bristol (Coach Station) - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 5h 30min | Bristol (BRS) - Jersey (JER) - Guernsey (GCI) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 4h 15min No Direct Flights | Train | Train - FROM £7.20 | www.nationalrail.co.uk |
| Cardiff | Follow North Rd/A470 and Eastern Ave/A48 to A48(M) in Old St. Mellons | Cardiff Central - | Cardiff (Bus Station) - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 6h 45min | Cardiff (CWL) - Belfast City (BHD) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 5h 05min No Direct Flights | Car | Trainc- FROM £11.10 | www.nationalrail.co.uk |
| Chelmsford | Get on M25 from New London Rd, A414 and A12 Continue on M25 to Surrey. Take exit 10 from M25 Follow A3 to A3(M) in East Hampshire District Continue on A3(M). Drive from M27 to Eastleigh District. Take exit 8 from M27 Take Bursledon Rd/A3024, Botley Rd/B3033, A3025 and B3039 to Cunard Rd in Southampton | Chelmsford - | Chelmsford, Essex - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 5h 35min | Stansted (STN) - Dusseldorf International (DUS)- Nantes (NTE) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 6h 10min No Direct Flights | Train | Car - Approx. £21.32 | N/A |
| Derby | Get on M6 Toll in Lichfield District from A38 | Derby - | Derby - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 7h 10min | East Midlands (EMA) - Edinburgh (EDI) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 15h 40min No Direct Flights | Car | Train - FROM £22.00 | www.nationalrail.co.uk |
| Dundee | Take A90 to M90 in Perth and Kinross | Dundee - | Sheffield (Coach Station) Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 6h 45min | Dundee (DND) - London Stansted (STN) - London Gatwick (LGW) - Edinburgh (EDI) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 19h 35min No Direct Flights | Car | Train - FROM £49.50 | www.nationalrail.co.uk |
| Edinburgh | Get on A74(M) in South Lanarkshire from A702 | Edinburgh - | Edinburgh - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 16h 30min | Edinburgh (EDI) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 1h 35m Direct Flight | Plane | Plane - FROM £49 | www.skyscanner.net |
| Exeter | Take Union Rd, B3212 and Cumberland Way to Honiton Rd/A3015
| Exeter St David's - | Exeter (Bus and Coach Station) - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 8h | Exeter (EXT) - Manchester (MAN) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 2h 50min No Direct Flights | Car | Car - Approx. £18.04 | N/A |
| Glasgow | Drive from M74, A74(M), M6 and M40 to Cherwell. Take exit 9 from M40 | Glasgow Central - | Glasgow - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 16h | Glasgow International (GLA) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 1h 35min Direct Flight | Plane | Plane - FROM £58 | www.skyscanner.net |
| Hull | Take M18 and M1 to A43 in Northampton. Take exit 15A from M1 | Hull - | No Coaches | Humberside (HUY) - Amsterdam (AMS) - Leeds Bradford (LBA) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 8h 10min No Direct Flights | Car | Car - Approx. £41.66 | N/A |
| Inverness | Follow A9 to M9 in Stirling | Inverness - | Inverness - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 19h 35min | Inverness (INV) - Manchester (MAN) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 3h 05min No Direct Flights | Plane | Plane - FROM £82 | www.skyscanner.net |
| Isle of Man | Take Baldwin, A23 and Peel Rd to Heysham, UK - Douglas, Isle of Man | Douglas Isle of Man - | No Coaches | Castletown (IOM) - Manchester (MAN) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 2h 40min No Direct Flights | Plane | Plane - FROM £68 | www.skyscanner.net |
| Leeds | Get on M621 from A61 | Leeds - | Leeds (Coach Station) - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 7h 20min | Leeds Bradford (LBA) - Belfast City (BHD) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 5h 15 min | Car | Car - Approx. £38.70 | N/A |
| Liverpool | Take A5047 and A5080 to M62 | Liverpool Lime Street -
| Liverpool (Coach Station) - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 8h 25min | Liverpool (LPL) - Castletown (IOM) - Manchester (MAN) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 4h | Train | Car - Approx. £38.87 | www.nationalrail.co.uk |
| London | Take A4 to M4 in London Borough of Hounslow | London Victoria - | London (Victoria Coach Station) - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 2h 0min | London Gatwick (LGW) - Jersey (JER) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 5h 15min No Direct Flights | Train | Train (London Victoria - Southampton Central) FROM £8.00 | www.nationalrail.co.uk |
| Manchester | Get on M56 in Wythenshawe from A5103 | Manchester Piccadilly - | Manchester Coach Station - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 8h 30min | Manchester (MAN) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 55min Direct Flight | Plane | Car - Approx. £36.90 | N/A |
| Newcastle | Take St. James' Blvd, A184 and A1 to A1(M) in Gateshead District | Newcastle - | Newcatle-Upon-Tyne - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 14h 45min | Newcastle (NCL) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 1h 20min Direct Flight | Plane | Plane - FROM £39 | www.skyscanner.net |
| Nottingham | Get on M1 in North West Leicestershire District from A453
| Nottingham -
| Nottingham (Coach Station) - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 5h 40min | East Midlands (EMA) - Edinburgh (EDI) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 15h 40min No Direct Flights | Car | Car - Approx. £27.72 | N/A |
| Perth and Kinross | Take A826, A822 and A9 to M9 in Stirling | Perth -
| Perth - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 17h 38min | Edinburgh (EDI) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 1h 35m Direct Flight | Plane | Plane - FROM £49 | www.skyscanner.net |
| Plymouth | Get on A38 from A374 | Plymouth -
| Plymouth (Bretonside Bus Station) - Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 9h | Exeter (EXT) - Manchester (MAN) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 2h 50min No Direct Flights | Plane | Car - Approx. £24.93 | N/A |
| Portsmouth | Take A3 and Mile End Rd to M275 | Portsmouth Harbour - | No Coaches | No Flights Available | Car | Car - Approx. £3.21 | N/A |
| Sheffield | Get on M1 in Rotherham District from Derek Dooley Way/A61 and Sheffield Pkwy
| Sheffield -
| Sheffield (Coach Station) Southampton Cruise Terminal Approx. 6h 45min | Manchester (MAN) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 55min Direct Flight | Plane | Car - Approx. £34.11 | N/A |
| St Ives | Drive along A3074 | St Ives - | No Coaches | Exeter (EXT) - Manchester (MAN) - Southampton (SOU) Approx. 2h 50min No Direct Flights | Plane | Car - Approx. £38.70 | www.skyscanner.net |
| All dates were searched on the 4th April 2014. Petrol was worked out at 129.87p/litre at 45MPG and a 20% Non-optimal Driving Offset. Prices for trains are from National Train Journey. Coach prices are from National Express and flight prices are from Skyscanner | |||||||
