London & Heathrow to Southampton Direct

We offer pick ups from any London city centre hotel/Airbnb property/selected Heathrow Airport hotels. Below is a list of major hotels in London and Heathrow with our collection times. 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 the pick up time. London city centre pick ups are completed between 09:45am – 10:45am and Heathrow between 11:00am – 11:30am.

We are unable to collect from Heathrow airport terminals. If your flight arrives on the day of travel please see the FAQs page (section 3) for details on where to meet the transfer. We recommend you are ready for collection in the hotel reception area, 10 minutes prior to the stated pick up time on your ticket. Your driver will meet you inside your hotel lobby and will assist you with your luggage. On a small number of occasions, due to road closures or events, we may alter the route/timings to ensure prompt arrival at the cruise terminal. If we do amend the timings we will contact you in advance. We strongly recommend checking your emails prior to your departure in case we have contacted you with a pick-up time amendment.

Pick up points in central London click here       Pick up points at Heathrow click here 

Southampton arrival

There are four cruise terminals at Southampton. In normal circumstances you will arrive at Southampton by 1:00pm - 1:30pm. At Southampton you will be dropped off at your cruise terminal and walk straight to the check-in desk. Porters will take care of your luggage, ensuring it is delivered to your cabin. Make sure you use the luggage label in your cruise pack to facilitate this.

Drop offs are available at all Southampton Cruise Terminals, and the following Southampton hotels:

• Holiday Inn Southampton
• Leonardo Royal Southampton Grand Harbour
• Premier Inn Southampton West Quay
• Novotel Southampton
• Ibis Budget Southampton

Guaranteed Departure Dates

We guarantee to run this service on all dates listed. Book early to avoid disappointment, this is a very popular cruise transfer service. If your date is not listed above we can offer you a private transfer, available for 1 or more people please click here for details of private transfers.

Helpful Information

London to Southampton Direct Transfer 

 

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 (23kg each) and 1 item of carry on luggage (10kg each). If you have to bring more than the allocated amount, please inform us prior to travel.

Limits on luggage are worked out based on the space available in the coaches hold. If you bring extra luggage there is a possibility it will not fit in the coach. 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.

Additional charges will be incurred should you bring additional items of luggage or for items weighing more than the maximum weight stated above.   

My chosen hotel is not on your list of pick up points, can I take this service?

We guarantee a pick up from any London city centre or Heathrow airport hotel. Please email us at  [email protected] and we will advise if we can collect at your hotel, or direct you to the closest 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 11:00AM – 11:30AM, so if you are arriving on a flight on the morning of your transfer, please make sure that you have plenty of time to get to your collection point after your flight lands, bearing in mind that it can take up to 1 hour to get through passport control and collect your luggage.

Once you have your luggage you will need to make your way to your collection point by either taxi (the journey will take up to 10 minutes) or by using the hotel shuttle bus (the journey will take up to 20 minutes). The following website has further information about hotel shuttle buses - https://www.hotelhoppa.co.uk/

The collection points are based on the Airport Terminal your flight lands at, please see below:

• My flight lands at Terminal 2 or 3 – Collection Point: Hilton Garden Inn, Heathrow Terminal 2, Longford TW6 1AH 

• My flight lands at Terminal 4 – Collection Point: Hilton Heathrow Terminal 4, TW6 3AF

• My flight lands at Terminal 5 – Collection Point: Sofitel Heathrow Terminal 5, TW6 2GD

Please contact us at [email protected] for further assistance. Could you please note at the time of booking if you arrive on the same day as your booked tour.

My flight arrives at Gatwick – can you pick me up there?

Unfortunately Gatwick is not in London and not in our collection or zone. You will need to make your way in Central London for pick up. If you are arriving into Gatwick please contact us and we will advise on the best transfer options for you.

What happens if my flight is delayed and I cannot get to the meeting point on time?

As our collection time for Heathrow hotels is 11:00AM – 11:30AM, however, we ask that customers are ready to go at 11:00AM. When you book you will be given an emergency contact number on your E-ticket. We advise that you contact us on this number to inform us of your new arrival time so that we can best advise the options available to you. At Heathrow Airport our collections take place in a 30 minute time period. If you do contact us and are running 10-15 minutes late we would advise you to go to one of the hotels scheduled for a later pick up time. Please note our scheduled Shore Excursions and transfers are shared options and the 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 would not recommend our shared service for anyone arriving at Heathrow less than 2 hours before the pick up time. In all cases refunds on 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 will need to check if it is possible to make a claim through your airline or your travel insurance. If your flight arrival timings are too near to the shared transfer departure time we would strongly recommend you book a private transfer. With private transfers the departure time can be delayed.

What time will I be collected from my hotel?

Once you have informed us of the address of the hotel or other accommodation you will be staying at, we will give you a collection time within a window of 30 minutes. We will inform you of any changes to your collection time 4 days before your tour. If you do not hear from us, then your collection time has not changed.

How will I identify the International Friends staff?

We do not wish you to get cold or wet whilst patiently waiting for us to arrive, so please remain inside the hotel lobby. Your Driver will come into the hotel to collect you, they will know your name and will be carrying a sign with “International Friends” highlighting the name of the transfer/tour.

How long will my journey take?

London city centre pick ups are completed between 09:45am – 10:45am and Heathrow between 11:00am – 11:30am. 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 1:00pm– 1:30pm.

Is food and drink included in my transfer?

Food and drink is not provided on this transfer. You are welcome to bring a packed lunch with you. Cold food and drink can be eaten on the minivan. Hot food is not permitted and all hot drinks must have a lid. All rubbish is to be taken with you.

How much walking is involved in this transfer?

Your driver will meet you inside the hotel lobby of your chosen pick up and will assist you with your luggage. The vehicle will park as close as is safely and legally possible.

Once you have 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 8 people on your transfer, plus the driver. We will provide an executive minivan with Wi-Fi and will give plenty of space for everyone and their luggage.

Will I get to my ship on time?

Our Shore Excursions and Transfers are all designed for passengers going to and from the cruise ship. Our itineraries are based on the ships arrival and departure times. We would not offer an itinerary that did not allow passengers to get to their ship in time for its departure. Many ships will give allotted check in times, this is to help stagger passenger arrivals at the terminal and is more an indication of the earliest time they wish you to arrive. All of our tours aim to have passengers at the ship by 2:00pm (ship departure time is usually at around 5:00pm). In the unlikely event of there being delays out of our control, such as traffic problems, we will liaise directly with the ships 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 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.