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Southampton United Kingdom Cruise Port Guide
Location:
Southampton's excellent South Coast location means that travel links by road, rail, sea and air are unmatched in the region. Further travel information can be found on the Travelling to Southampton link.
Details and maps of Southampton's four cruise terminals.
Taxi fares to town are about 5 pound.
It is about a 5 minute cab ride to the train station. You have the option of four departures an hour and journey times of 70 to
90 minutes to London.
A fifth terminal opened in July 2021. The Horizon terminal is fitted with shore power and has more than 2,000 roof-mounted solar panels, allowing it to generate more power than it uses daily. Located at Dock Gate 10. Mostly for MSC and NCL ships.
Hotels near the Cruise Terminal
Some hotels have special cruise packages, which include parking!
Printable map to take along.
Cruise calendar for this port and where you will be docked.
Check here for festivals and events in London when you are in port.
Watch a destination video.
Live Nautical Chart with Wikipedia Markers
Monthly Climate Averages for Southampton United Kingdom
Sightseeing:
Discover Southampton's Old Town, one of the gems of England. A place, with some unique features, that has played its part in the country's history and that, for diverse reasons, attracted the interest of William The Conqueror, Henry V, William Shakespeare, the Pilgrim Fathers, Isaac Watts and Jane Austen.
Walk in their footsteps seeing buildings that span centuries of time, be captivated by the spell of very impressive medieval town walls that rival any to be found in England and wonder at The Bargate, one of the country's finest medieval town gates.
See the church in which Philip of Spain heard Mass before riding to Winchester to marry Queen Mary in 1554. Be thankful that you are not trapped beneath the fiendishly defended West Gate. Near here both Mayflower and Speedwell were berthed in 1620 when the Pilgrim Fathers were at Southampton and had no inkling that they would be making an unscheduled stop at Plymouth.
Find out the fishy story of why Tudor Merchants' Hall was moved. See places that Jane Austen and her family knew, including the wide variety of architectural styles within a short distance in Bugle Street. Go back in time at award winning museums, in historic buildings, to see how people lived here in past centuries and why the loss of the Titanic had such a devastating effect on Southampton.
Within a short distance of the Old Town is the waterfront, peaceful now with cruise ships and container vessels that are such a feature of Southampton, but once of vital importance for the D-Day landings. Solent Sky, with its wonderful display of historic aircraft, is nearby. With no shortage of places to relax, eat and drink.
Tours Excursions Transportation:
Taxis are plentiful and metered, but often refuse short trips. Taxi to the town center and train station about 8 pound.
London is an hour and a half away by train.
At the train station also the national express bus departs for London and Heathrow.
It pays to compare your cruise line tours here.
Nearby Places:
Salisbury / Stonehenge - Half-hour train journey, every 30 minutes, to the laid-back cathedral city of Salisbury. Ho-ho bus from there to Stonehenge (ho-ho round-trip one hour travelling, and allow one hour at Stonehenge).
Winchester - 20 min train journey, 2 to 3 per hour, to the ancient capital city of Wessex, walk down through the city to the cathedral, etc, perhaps taxi from King Alfred's statue back uphill to Winchester rail station.
Beaulieu Abbey/National Motor Museum & the New Forest - 10-minute ferry across Southampton Water from Town Quay to the village of Hythe (Hythe, Hampshire, not Hythe, Kent), 6 mile taxi ride to Beaulieu, just in the New Forest.
There are a number of ferries, some faster than others, that run between Southampton and Cowes (Isle of Wight), and a day trip is possible.
Shopping and Food
On the other side of the Bargate, the main shopping street is Above Bar, with a huge shopping mall (West Quays) close by. And everything is within pretty easy walking distance. Details on www.visit-southampton.co.uk
Currency:
The currency throughout the UK is the pound (£). You may also hear the slang term quid for pounds. Scottish bank notes are frowned upon in other parts of the UK, so change the notes before leaving Scotland.
Cash machines (ATM) or less formally 'holes in the wall' are very widely available and usually dispense £10 and £20 notes.
Visa, Mastercard and Maestro, are accepted by most shops and restaurants.
Communication:
English is spoken throughout the country, but sometimes with heavy accents!
Near de Lidl on Highstreet are a couple of street benches, with free WiFi access. Also in the WestQuay mall's food court has WiFi (McDonald's)
The local emergency telephone number is 999, however the EU-wide 112 can also be used.
Opening Hours and Holidays:
Shopping hours are in general:
Small stores 6 or 7 days a week (10am - 6pm)
Larger stores in general stay open til' 9PM
Hyper marts often 24/7
Holidays in the United Kingdom
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