Having cruised from Southampton at least half a dozen times, we have tried and tested a number of parking options and arriving by train, but I must say that Portside Meet & Greet was by far the best experience we’ve had to date.
How Does It Work?
When you get to your ship’s designated cruise terminal, drop off your luggage and any additional passengers at the luggage drop, then drive to the Short Stay car park. Look out for the red flags (pictured below). When you pull in to a nearby space, the friendly representative will do a detailed walk around of your car. They will make a note of any damage or wear and tear that the car already has, plus note down your mileage upon arrival. This is great as it protects both you and the company from any accusations of wrongdoing. You then handover your keys, they give you a receipt, and that’s it! You can walk over to the terminal to meet up with your fellow passengers and begin the embarkation process. Your car will then be driven to a secure location (approximately 8 miles away) until the morning you disembark. The next time you see your car will be in the Short Stay car park of your return terminal. If, like on our cruise, your ship is departing and returning in to two different cruise terminals, that’s OK – Portside Meet & Greet will know this and will bring your car to the correct car park for your ship. This is a great perk of booking Meet & Greet parking – you don’t need a transfer or taxi at either end of your journey!
Booking in Advance is Essential
All port parking must be booked in advance, and Portside Meed & Greet is no different. If you don’t book your parking in advance, you will likely find that you will have to park elsewhere in Southampton and get a taxi to the cruise terminal. Any port side alternatives available on the day will undoubtedly be expensive. Due to the enormity of modern cruise ships, and the fact that there are multiple ships arriving each day, it is not uncommon for parking to sell out too, so be sure to plan ahead.
Save Money – Book Early
As is common with airport parking, you will likely find that Portside Meet & Greet parking will get more expensive closer to departure, so book in advance to get the best prices and availability.
Top Tips for booking Port Parking
- Use A Travel Agent
- Read Reviews
- Book ASAP (at time of booking or 12 months in advance)
- Check Your Cruise Terminal 72 hours before travel
Why Use A Travel Agent?
Booking through a reputable ABTA approved travel agent will not only give you peace of mind (there are plenty of cowboys and scammers online willing to take your money), but they will often find you the best deal and recommend a reliable firm such as Portside Meet & Greet.
Reviews Give You Clues
Checking out first-hand customer reviews will always give you a strong indication of what to expect for your money. Portside Meet & Greet are rated very highly on Judge.me (5/5) and Holiday Extras (9/10), with comments praising friendly staff and a convenient service.
Book As Soon As Possible
If you were able to take advantage of ‘free port parking’ as part of your cruise fare, you should do this as soon as you book. The parking offered will likely be with CPS (Cruise Passenger Services) and will not offer the same service as Portside Meed & Greet. Any good travel agent will advise you to book as soon as possible as even the ‘free’ spaces fill up and cannot be added close to departure. With P&O it’s bookable no later than 35 days prior to travel. As this varies by cruise line, be sure to check long before you travel! If you do not have port parking included, you should still book early – up to 12 months in advance!
What If My Cruise Terminal in Southampton Changes?
Even though your departure and return terminal could change at any time, Portside Meet & Greet will be aware of the changes and will move your booking and/or vehicle accordingly. During the confirmation process, you will enter your cruise ship name, and they will use this to track the booking. For peace of mind, you can check your scheduled cruise terminal at Southampton port up to 6 days prior to departure on the VTS Planned Movements page available here at www.southamptonvts.co.uk. For the advanced schedule, which includes more details about the different cruise terminals and directions to each, visit here.
Some alternative service options when cruising from Southampton:
- Cruise Passenger Services (CPS)
- Triangle Parking
- AB Parking
- WestQuay Multi-Storey, then taxi transfer
- Parking at a hotel, then taxi transfer
- Train, then taxi transfer
In Summary
Portside Meet & Greet is by far our favourite port parking option available in Southampton. Its competitively priced, has thorough vehicle inspections, fantastic customer service and is incredibly convenient. No need to drag your luggage from the car park or wait around for a transfer – your stress-free holiday starts the moment you arrive at Southampton port. We loved the whole experience so much, we have booked it again for our next cruise!
If you like this article, check out some of our other cruising posts here.
Did you find this article useful? Do you recommend any other port parking options? Let us know what you love about it in the comments – we love hearing from you!
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