It’s cruise day, August 13, 2022, and we are on our way……
We stayed a couple of days in London pre-cruise. Today we took a taxi back to the airport to catch our Princess Cruises motor coach shuttle to the port. I’m VERY glad we did not decide to book a train and go to the port on our own. Rail service was on strike, and when that happens, locals bring out their own cars, or use uber or taxi – thus potentially driving up the cost of transfers due to supply and demand. Booking transfers through the cruise line is always a smart move in Europe AND when the port is a significant distance from the airport.
Our taxi was 29 British pounds (GBP) from the hotel to the airport. From airport to hotel was 20 a couple of days ago, but the airport charges a 5 pound drop off fee which the driver, of course, built in to our fare. Split 4 ways this was pretty economical, and we didn’t have to wait for a Hoppa and wrangle our own baggage on and off. If it had just been the two of us, and we wanted to be thriftier, we could have taken the airport Hoppa shuttle (6 GBP per person) to the terminal. The taxi dropped us off right at terminal 3 which was our meeting location for the shuttle.
The Arrivals door around the corner was where we needed to enter for our shuttle waiting area.
I really appreciate that they paint these warnings at most tourist area crosswalks in London. They kept me from getting run over more than once in the last couple of days!
We easily found the Princess representatives; signed in for the shuttle; and sat in the waiting area until we were called.
Our motor coach was full of cruisers ready to head to Southampton.
It is an unassuming cruise terminal here at the Southampton cruise port.
But check-in was efficient for us. Pretty typical: Line up to show documents, await security screening like in an airport; then board. In the past we would be given a room key. Instead, the Princess medallion serves as our room key, and we ordered our medallions to be mailed to us in advance. It sped up the check-in process for us a little bit since we didn’t have to stop to pick up our medallions before going to security.
Princess supplies the Medallions engraved with guest’s name, ship, and sail date. They also supply a complimentary lanyard to house the medallion. Wrist bands, fancier lanyard housings, necklaces, etc., can also be pre-purchased or purchased onboard. I really like the wristband. The medallion is magnetic, so it becomes a nice refrigerator magnet as a souvenir reminder if you are into that kind of thing. The “jewelry” can be reused with new medallions for future cruises.
The Medallion unlocks our door.
Ready to settle in for our 12 night journey around the British Isles!
Click on this link for my post about the first port of call: Guernsey St Peter Port
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