Southampton, Salisbury, Stonehenge and Windsor to Heathrow & London
Combine your cruise transfer to London & Heathrow with a full day of sightseeing, ending with your hotel drop off. With a friendly driver and expert guide, enjoy this memorable day trip, visiting three world class attractions; delightful Salisbury Cathedral, mysterious Stonehenge and majestic Windsor.
This service is available on all dates (April to November) when Royal Caribbean, Oceania, NCL, Celebrity, Azamara, Cunard, Carnival & Princess cruise ships are visiting Southampton. Service also available to passengers on other ships not listed when dates and arrival times coincide with ships listed. Please note you will need to make your own way to the ship we are servicing on that date.
- Door to Door service from Southampton to London & Heathrow
- Full day tour and cruise transfer in a luxury, air-conditioned touring coach
- Services of an expert, friendly guide
- If your ship is late, we will wait
Our first stop is the attractive and charming town of Salisbury, location of one of the most beautiful of English cathedrals. Admire the impressive tower and spire, at 404 feet/123 metres, the tallest in the country, explore the amazing Early English Gothic interior constructed in such a short space of time from 1220 to 1258, see the world’s oldest clock built in 1386 and one of the four original copies of the Magna Carta dating from 1215, a major legal document and an important component in England’s long and varied history.
We plan to spend one hour in Salisbury, enough time for a photo stop and visit to the Cathedral. We recommend purchasing lunch in Salisbury. Please note as Salisbury Cathedral is a working Cathedral it will be closed on Sundays. It may also be subject to last minute closures.
The next stop on this historic tour is our visit to Stonehenge. Shrouded in mystery, we learn of what is known and what may never be known about the backstory to this stone circle, its creators, worshipers and the alignments to the yearly cycle. We will spend around 90 minutes at this awe-inspiring ancient circle. You can take the shuttle bus up to the stones and still have enough time for the gift shop or coffee in the Stonehenge cafe. Your guide will explain to you the many theories and mysteries behind Stonehenge as you approach the monument. You will then have the option (entry extra) of continuing up to Stonehenge itself by shuttle bus and enjoy an audio guided tour (Subject to availability).
After a 75-90 minute drive, we arrive in Windsor. Over 900 years of royal history awaits you at Windsor Castle, an opulent and impressive fortress perched high above the River Thames, home to British Monarchs for over 1,000 years. Its the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II, the Castle remains a working palace to this day. See for yourself the splendour of St. George’s chapel, wedding venue for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and the sumptuous state apartments with an impressive collection of renaissance art.
The guide will not enter Windsor Castle with you - you will receive a personal audio guide on admission so you can take in Windsor Castle at your own pace. Please note the entry to Windsor Castle is extra - to avoid long queues and possible disappointment on the day, we strongly advise that include your attraction entry when booking the transfer. Please do note that entry to Windsor Castle does involve a walk of aproximately 15 minutes from the coach park. Parts of this walk are up hill and may not be suitable for passengers with mobility issues.
If you don't want to visit the castle, there is much else to do in Windsor and Eton. The guide will be available to assist you in having a very enjoyable few hours in Windsor town itself.
Departure from Southampton Cruise Terminals
Nearly all cruises at Southampton arrive between 05:00am and 06:00am in the morning, with disembarkation starting around 07:00am. Your driver will meet you at the terminal building exit from 08:00am. Your driver will be holding a sign reading "International Friends", and will accompany you the coach. We plan to leave Southampton by 08:30am. 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).
| Time | Tour Timings | |
|---|---|---|
| Departs Arrives |
08:30am 09:15am |
Southampton Cruise Port Salisbury |
| Departs Arrives |
10:15am 10:45am |
Salisbury Stonehenge |
| Departs Arrives |
12:30pm 2:00pm |
Stonehenge Windsor |
| Departs |
4:00pm 4:45pm 6.00pm |
Windsor Begins drop offs at Heathrow Airport 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.
Arrival at London & Heathrow
We depart Windsor at 4:00pm and drop at Heathrow hotels and terminals 4:45pm - 5:30pm subject to traffic, arriving in Central London 6:00pm - 6:30pm. We offer a drop off at any London city centre or Heathrow airport hotel. We also drop at any London city centre train station. If you are flying from Gatwick, Stansted or Luton Airports we can drop you at Victoria Rail or Coach Station around 6:45pm - 7:00pm, where there are frequent trains and airport buses to each airport.
Below is a list of major hotels in London and Heathrow that we offer a drop off at. If your hotel is not on the list or you are staying at an apartment or Airbnb, during the booking process you will need to add the address in the additional information box. We will then contact you after your booking to confirm that we can offer a drop off here.
Drop off hotels in London click here Drop off points at Heathrow click here
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
What happens if my ship is late?
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 gurantee 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 gurantee that transportation will be provided for you, whether this is for a shortened verion 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 in disembarking?
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.
How much luggage can I bring?
Each person is allowed a maximum of 2 items of hold luggage (23kg each) and 2 items of carry on luggage (10kg each).
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.
Additional charges will be incurred should you bring additional items of luggage or for items weighing more than the maximum weight stated above.
How much walking will be involved in this tour?
As you exit the cruise terminal you will meet your guide and there will be a typical walk of about 100 yards to the vehicle.
Salisbury - Upon arrival your guide will offer a walking tour to the Cathedral. This is a short walk of approximately 10 – 15 minutes and is on flat ground. You will then have the option of entering the Cathedral or walking further into the town.
Stonehenge - The main visitor areas are all on flat ground and are well pathed. A shuttle bus service will take you from the visitor centre directly up to the Stones.
Windsor - There is a walk of approximately 15 minutes from the coach park up to Windsor Castle. Parts of this walk are uphill and may not be suitable for passengers with mobility issues.
We aim to drop off directly outside your chosen accommodation however sometimes due to traffic conditions or parking restrictions we may drop off nearby. The vehicle will park as close as is safely and legally possible.
How long will my journey take?
Departing Southampton Port at 08:30am the journey to Salisbury will take approximately 45 minutes - 1 hour. From Salisbury to Stonehenge the journey is approximately 30 minutes. The journey from Stonehenge to Windsor will take approximately 1.5 hours. We depart Windsor at 4:00pm and reach Heathrow at 4:45pm and Central London from 6:00pm.
Will I make it to Heathrow Airport in time to catch my flight?
In the UK we advise arriving at the airport at least 3 hours prior to your flight departure time. As a general guide, we would not recommend our shared service for anyone departing Heathrow before 19:00PM.
If your flight departure timings are too near to the shared transfer arrival time we would strongly recommend you book a private transfer. With private transfers you can depart the port at a time of your choice. It is your responsibility to check in advance that our tour itinerary is suitable for your onward travel, particularly if same day flights are involved. Please email [email protected]
My chosen hotel is not on your list of drop off points, can I take this service?
We drop off at any London city centre hotel and Heathrow airport hotel and terminals. Occasionally we are unable to drop off at certain hotels because they are not in London city centre, Heathrow airport or not easily accessible by coach. Please email us at [email protected] and we will advise if we can drop off at your hotel, or direct you to the closest drop off point.
I would like to join this tour but you do not service the ship I am travelling on. What can I do?
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. We offer a free cancellation policy up to 42 days prior to travel.
Should we tip our driver or guide?
Tips are entirely at the customer’s discretion and in no way expected. Should you feel inclined to tip, your driver or guide would be grateful, but you should not feel obliged. A 10% tip is considered customary in the UK.
This tour includes optional entry – do I need to book?
If you wish to pre pucrhase entry to either Stonehenge or Windsor Castle you do not need to contact the attraction and book entry. You will not need separate entry tickets to the attraction, the guide will manage your entry on the day. If you know you want to visit an attraction we always advise you add the tickets on at time of booking your transfer. We cannot guarantee entry for passengers to the attractions that have not pre-booked and paid.
My flight departs from Gatwick – can you drop me off there?
Unfortunately Gatwick is not in London and not in our drop off zone. We advise passengers use Victoria Station in central London as their drop off point as there are regular, cost effective transport options available from here directly to Gatwick. You can check out these options at:
- Express trains: www.gatwickexpress.com
- All trains: www.nationalrail.co.uk
- Coach transfer: www.nationalexpress.com