Southampton, Salisbury, Stonehenge and Windsor to Heathrow & London

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).

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 5:30pm - 6:00pm. 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 guarantee 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 guarantee that transportation will be provided for you, whether this is for a shortened version 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. For some cruise lines this may require self disembarkation.

How much luggage can I bring?

Each person is allowed a maximum of 2 items of hold luggage (23kg each) and 1 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.

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 hotel or airport, which could result in you missing the start of your tour.

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 you will have a 30 minute photo stop

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 5:30pm.

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 8:00pm. 

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 cruise@internationalfriends.co.uk if you wish to check that our transfer is suitable for your onward travel plans.

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 7 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.

Are audio guides provided on this tour?

Stonehenge no longer provide handheld audio guides. They now offer a free, downloadable audio guide that can be downloaded prior to your visit or whilst you're on site. Information on how to download the audio guide can be found on the Stonehenge website.  Please remember to bring your headphones. Don't worry if you forget as headphones can also be purchased at the admissions office and in the gift shop for £2.

Windsor Castle provide free multimedia guides at the start of your visit along with headphones.

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