Cruises Departing from Southampton

The port of Southampton is one of the busiest in the world, and is ideally suited as a stating point for your cruise holiday - indeed it is home to the P&O Cruises and Cunard fleet, as well as hosting regularly Royal Caribbean International, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises and more. Over 1.7 million guests travel annually from Southampton with that figure set to rise in future.

Southampton is the biggest trading and container port on the south coast of England as well as being a lively city. It has passenger ferries to the Isle of Wight and the Continent, and a large cruise ship terminal. Southampton's history stretches right back to the Roman occupation of Britain 1500 years ago. It has been a Royal city for well over 1000 years - from Alfred the Great's father, King Ethelwulf in 840AD, right up to our present Queen Elizabeth. Southampton Castle was built in the 12th century and by the 13th century Southampton had already become a leading port. The Mayflower, the Titanic and the Allied Invasion all left from the quays here. Consequently there is an excellent Maritime Museum here.

Southampton offers modern shopping complexes, many ancient buildings and its remaining stretches of medieval walls and fortifications, encircling the old town. At the heart of the city are the historic Central parks. Local landmarks and places of interest include King John's House (12th century), the 14th-century gates of the Norman town walls, Southampton Art Gallery, which specialises in 20th-century British art and the Southampton Hall of Aviation which depicts the history of aviation in the Solent area. The Roman settlement of Clausentum and the later Saxon town of Hamwih were located on the site of the city and The Museum of Archaeology illustrates important periods in local history. Southampton became a fashionable resort in the 18th century but during World War II the port was heavily damaged. Now it is a modern city and a premier liner port.

If you have time to spend in Southampton, then the Southampton Tourist Guides Association offer guided tours (some free) of this historic city and will bring the past alive for you.

Southampton has benefited from a significant level of investment and has four dedicated cruise terminals. A cruise from Southampton means no busy airports, no restrictions on hand baggage and as much cabin baggage as you need to enable you to start your holiday as soon as you arrive at the port.

City Cruise Terminal – via Dock Gate 8 or 10 – SO15 1HJ
Mayflower Cruise Terminal – via Dock Gate 10 – SO15 1HJ
QEII Terminal – via Dock Gate 4 – SO14 3GG

You can also enter the port via Dock Gate 20 as you come off the M271 – SO15 1DA

All car parking must be booked in advance of your cruise departure. Please ask for details.

Southampton Central Railway Station is 1.2 miles from the port or 7 minutes by taxi.

Please ensure you leave adequate time for your journey to Southampton to arrive for your scheduled boarding time.

NOTE : Information for guide purposes only.