Coach and Minibus Hire in the United Kingdom

Minibus to Your Ship at Southampton

Southampton has five cruise terminals spread across two docks, and plenty of British cruises start and finish here. Tell us which ship you're joining, and how many cases, and the driver can head for the right gate with room for everyone's luggage.

Check your terminal before anything else

Your cruise documents name the terminal, and it's worth reading that line twice. The Eastern and Western Docks each have their own dock gates, so a vehicle aimed at the wrong side has to go back out and round. Include the terminal name when you book.

Once inside the port, each terminal has its own drop-off lanes and dedicated coach bays. You'll be set down at the building itself, not in a far corner of a car park, which counts for a lot when you're wrangling suitcases and a pushchair.

Sprinter 19-seat minibus, side view
Sprinter 19-seat minibus, side view

Room for the luggage, not just the people

Cruise luggage is what most families underestimate. A 16-seat minibus has a luggage area behind the back row, but with every seat filled it runs out fast, and a fortnight of evening wear takes up real space. Ten people with large cases are usually happier in a 16-seater with spare seats.

For bigger groups, a midi coach has a proper hold underneath.

Cruise lines you might be sailing with

  • TUI
  • AIDA
  • Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
  • Disney Cruise Line
  • Norwegian Cruise Line
  • MSC Cruises
  • Princess Cruises
  • Royal Caribbean
  • Cunard
  • P&O Cruises

The terminals

  • Run by Associated British Ports (ABP)
  • Mayflower Cruise Terminal (Berth 106), Western Docks, Dock Gate 20 for vehicles
  • Horizon Cruise Terminal (Berth 102), Western Docks, entered by Dock Gate 10
  • City Cruise Terminal (Berth 101), Western Docks, entered by Dock Gate 10
  • QEII Cruise Terminal (Berth 38/39), Eastern Docks, entered by Dock Gate 4
  • Ocean Cruise Terminal (Berth 46/47), Eastern Docks, entered by Dock Gate 4

Flying in to meet the ship

From Heathrow it's roughly 68 miles to the docks, usually an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half on the road. Gatwick is further out, roughly 80 to 90 miles and about an hour and three-quarters. A morning flight on sailing day leaves little slack, so many groups fly in the day before.

Southampton's own airport is a far shorter hop: a little under 5 miles, around 20 minutes, to Ocean Cruise Terminal. With a spare day at either end, the New Forest and Winchester are about 25 minutes from the city, Beaulieu about half an hour and Stonehenge about an hour.

Your questions

What time should we arrive at the terminal?

Aim for the arrival slot your cruise line allocates. The port asks passengers to keep to it, and turning up hours early just means a long wait in the vehicle.

Is there a bus from Southampton Central station?

No public bus stops right outside a cruise terminal, so from the station, about 2 miles away, you'd still need another leg. A pre-booked minibus from the station or your hotel saves that shuffle with cases.

Can you collect us when the cruise ends?

Yes. Give us the ship, the return date and any onward plans, and we'll ask the operator to time the pickup around when your cruise line expects passengers to leave the ship.

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