Southampton Cruise Port
The port lies 10 miles inland and right in the city centre of Southampton which makes it not only easy to access but means that if you are travelling a long way to the port, there is a good choice of hotels in and around the port.
The port is well protected from bad weather and rough waters thanks to the Isle of Wight that sits across the Solent and with an average tidal range of just 5 feet, the port is easily accessible even to the biggest ships for the majority of the day allowing for more and more cruise ships to use the port.
The port of Southampton offers a number of cruise terminals, all of which offer all you can need for a comfortable start to your holiday with most of them been large and modern and more like a leading airport terminal than a cruise terminal.
Southampton Cruise Holidays
Cruises From Southampton
As one of the world’s leading cruise ports and one of the busiest in Europe, it is no surprise that so many British holidaymakers head to the south coast to start their cruise holiday but with so choices of cruise lines, cruise ships and destinations, it can actually be a difficult choice on which holiday is the best for you.
That is why we recommend doing your research before booking to make sure you get the right cruise on the right line to the right destination and at the price.
Our in-depth guide(s) bring you all of the information you need to choose the perfect getaway for you and your family and to make sure that you next cruise holiday Southampton is one that will live long in the memory.
Cruise Lines
There is a huge range of cruise lines that offer holidays from the port of Southampton and whilst some call in once or twice a year, Southampton is also the home port for some lines.
During the peak cruise period of April to October, the vast majority of top cruise lines operate from Southampton with the most ships and destinations offered by those companies based at the port.
P&O Cruises offering the widest range of ships and destinations whilst Princess Cruises and Cunard offer a good range. Top lines including the likes of Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL), Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean offer cruises from Southampton and there is a good choice of luxury liners.
P&O are the British brand of the huge Carnival Corporation and offer a home away from home for British cruisers. The line features Southampton as its home port.
Offering the widest range of ships and destinations from Southampton, P&O are the first choice for many and with huge investment in brand new ships recently that are amongst the largest offered by any line to compliment there smaller and older ships, there is a choice for everybody although the itineraries do tend to be repetitive and focused on the more popular destinations such as the Norwegian Fjords, the Canary Islands, and the Caribbean.
Norwegian Cruise Line, or simply NCL as there are perhaps better known as, as an American based company that are known for their relaxed cruising style with no need to book restaurants, no need to get dressed up and no need plan.
The Norwegian experience is all about doing what you want, when you want and that makes for a holiday that the whole family can enjoy but best of all is the growing number of ships and destinations offered by NCL including many not offered by the home lines such as P&O.
Destinations
As mentioned, there is an incredibly choice of destinations on offer from the port of Southampton, thanks not only to the sheer number of cruise ships and lines operating out of the port but also thanks to the likes of P&O Cruises and Cunard offering world cruises.
That means everywhere from Asia to Australia and the Americas to Africa is on offer from Southampton but of course for the majority of us, a cruise of between 7-14 is all that our funds and time off work will allow.
As with all ports, that does somewhat limit the destinations on offer for most of us but the great news is that some of the world’s most popular cruise destinations can be easily reach from the port. Amongst the most popular destination are Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands, the Norwegian Fjords, the Baltic, the Caribbean as well as transatlantic cruises and trips around the British Isles.
The Norwegian Fjords are known around the world for their natural beauty and the best way to take it all in is on a cruise ship, which is something you can do directly from Southampton.
Many cruise lines offer as wide range of different cruise itineraries in the Fjordland region including some that go up to the Norwegian Artic and whilst everybody has their favourite destination in the Fjords, the like of Geiranger, Flam and Bergen are always amongst the most popular.
If sun, sea and sand is more to your liking a cruise to the Mediterranean could be the perfect destination for you but there is much more to sea that joins the south of Europe with the North of Africa as it is also home to many historic sites, lots of great cities and popular tourist destinations.
Perhaps best of all is the choice of cruise line, cruise ships and itineraries on offer from the Port of Southampton that head to the Med, which makes it easy to pick the perfect Mediterranean cruise holiday for you and your family.
Located off of the coast of Africa, the Canary Islands are part of Spain and offer a great year round holiday but thanks to its mild winter temperature, it is the first choice of many cruises for a winter sun holiday.
It is no surprise that in the winter there is a wide choice of cruise ships that head to islands such as Lanzarote, Tenerife, and Fuerteventura from the Port of Southampton.
On a cruise to the Baltics, you can enjoy the history and culture of places such as Tallinn and Riga, the natural beauty and relaxed atmosphere of the Scandinavian capitals such as Helsinki and Stockholm and you can also enjoy a visit to the impressive St Petersburg all whilst having a great choice of cruise lines & cruise ships that offer cruise holidays to the Baltic Sea directly from the Port of Southampton.
Location
As you would expect, the port of Southampton is close to the city of Southampton in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England.
The port of Southampton offers a number of cruise terminals all of which are just a short walk from the city centre of Southampton and all of which can be easily reach via road.
Terminals
There are 4 cruise terminals at the port of Southampton, 2 of which are modern and 2 of which are older terminals but those have undergone multiple refurbishments.
Queen Elizabeth II Terminal (Berth 38/39)- First opened in 1966, the terminal was modernised in both 2003 and 2016.
Mayflower Terminal (Berth 106)- First opened in 1960, the terminal was modernised in 2003 and 2015.
Ocean Terminal (Berth 46)- First opened in 2009, the terminal was upgrade and refreshed over the winter of 2018-19).
City Terminal (Berth 101)- First opened in 2003, the terminal was upgraded in 2007.
During busy periods an extra terminal at berth 104 (Fruit Shed) can be used.
Parking
There are multiple long stay car parks located at the port of Southampton with each terminal offering car parking just a short walk from check in.
Transport
For those with access to their own transport, the port is easy to reach as the port is located just off of a dual carriageway which links to the M271, which is a short spur off of the M27.
For those using public transport, each terminal is just a short taxi ride from the city’s main train station and the main coach station whilst Southampton airport is around 20 minutes away via taxi or there are regular train services to Southampton Central.
Cruise From Southampton
When it comes to cruising from the UK on either a NoFly cruise or a cruise and fly getaway, there is one port that dominates things and that is the port of Southampton.
As one of the world greatest cruise ports that somewhat aptly calls itself the gateway to the world, the majority of long term cruisers have at least enjoyed one cruise holiday that has start or finished in the port with many enjoying the majority of their holidays on a cruise from Southampton.
If you are just starting out on your life as a cruiser, trust us you will get hooked after your first cruise!, the chances are that you are at least looking at cruisers starting from the port and we are sure that you will have lots or question but even those who have cruised from it numerous times will have questions that they are looking for the answer to, due to the dynamic nature of the port.
The good news is that a lot of those questions are asked time and time again or they are questions that we have asked ourselves, so with that in mind, here is our list of the most Frequently Asked Questions about cruising from Southampton along with our best attempt at answering them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cruising From Southampton
Simply click on any of the questions below to reveal the answer.
