The coach can be a great option for getting to the Southampton Cruise Terminal, whether that’s because you’re on a budget, live far away, or simply don’t want to drive.

Plus, with several great options available to choose from, no matter where you live in the UK, you will find a bus option that works for you.

One could argue that the coach is actually the best way to arrive at the cruise terminal!

The Best Options Ranked

Intercruises

In my opinion, Intercruises is the number 1 best way to get to Southampton cruise terminal by coach. The service from Intercruises is called Cruise Connect and is for passengers travelling with P&O, Princess, Cunard and Marella cruises.

The service has 50 pick-up locations across the UK and conveniently drops you off at the ship. They even take care of all your luggage, so once it’s packed onto the coach, the next time you’ll see it, it will be waiting outside your cabin!

With Intercruises, you know you’re getting a reliable service. They’ve been operating for over 20 years and have never missed a sailing. Travelling with Intercruises gives you the added security that the ship will wait for you if there is a delay with your journey.

If like us, you’re travelling with kids then you’ll be pleased to hear that kids ages 3-12 travel for a reduced fare, and kids under 3 go free.

It’s worth considering whether to bring your own child seat with you, since Intercruises won’t provide one for you. I would personally always recommend travelling with your own car seat for peace of mind.

It’s not the cheapest option of travelling to Southampton for your cruise, but it does give you the benefit of knowing the ship won’t leave without you, and you won’t need to have the additional cost of paying for a hotel the night before.

An adult fare, starting at 13 years old, is approximately £75 return, though prices may vary depending on time of year.

Eavesway Travel

Eavesway serves more ports and cruise lines than Intercruises, but it has fewer pick up points, and there are no reduced prices for children. They also mandate the use of a child seat for children under 12 or 135cm, though I don’t see that as a negative.

Eavesway can drop passengers off at Southampton, Dover and Newcastle for passengers travelling with Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Fred Olsen, P&O, Princess and MSC cruise lines.

Again, Eavesway travel are dedicated cruise link services so you can guarantee you will board the ship. The coaches will drop you off right at the ship and also take care of your luggage.

As previously stated, there are no discounts for children with Eavesway, each seat will cost full price. If you’re travelling as adults only, Eavesway could work out as a cheaper option than Intercruises, but if you’re travelling with kids, then paying full price for their seats could make the journey more costly.

It’s also worth checking where your closest pick-up point is, as not all pick up points are used for all journeys. Eavesway recommend contacting their office to check that your closes pick up point will be used for your specific journey.

Eavesway have been running for over 90 years, and dropping cruise passengers off at Southampton since the 1990s. The coaches are equipped with free WiFi and leather seats, so you can relax in comfort knowing you’re travelling in safe hands.

National Express

If you’re from the UK, then you’ll be well aware of who National Express are – the largest coach company in the UK.

There are only 26 direct routes to Southampton with National Express, but there are around 400 indirect routes, so you can be sure there is an option that will work for you, even if you have to change along the way.

Unlike Intercuises and Eavesway, National Express won’t drop you off ship side, you’ll be dropped off at Southampton Coach Station, which is about 1 mile away from the Cruise Terminal. From there it’s a simple Uber/taxi ride unless you fancy dragging your suitcases on the pavement for a mile!

I would always recommend travelling the day before your cruise with National Express. That’s because it isn’t a dedicated cruise line coach service, which means if your coach is delayed, the ship will leave without you!

Travelling the day before will incur the additional expense of a hotel, although National Express itself is a cheaper way to travel than the previous two options. I have a handy Southampton hotel guide for the best places to stay before a cruise, which you might find helpful.

Much like Eavesway, there’s no discount for a child ticket here. National Express charge the same for everybody over the age of 3. Children under 3 travel free but you can book them a free seat to guarantee that they won’t be sat on your lap the entire journey!

Megabus

Now we all love a bargain, and it pains me to rank the cheapest option at the bottom of this list, but we can’t all be winners. Make no mistake though, the Megabus is still a great option, all the options on this list are!

Got a Tesco Clubcard? Well, you can turn £1 into £3 with your Clubcard points to spend on the Megabus, so the cheapest option just got even cheaper – nice.

The Megabus also won’t drop you ship side. Instead, it’ll drop you off in Southampton city centre, about 1 mile from the Cruise Terminal. Again, you’ll likely want to jump in an Uber or taxi from there for a small fee.

Just like National Express, I’d also recommend staying in a hotel in Southampton the night before your cruise. That’s because the Megabus only has 16 direct, and 90 indirect routes in to Southampton, and the ship won’t wait for you. Children ages 4-14 will get a 10% discount on their fare, with children under 4 travelling for free, although they aren’t guaranteed a seat.

To Summarise

If you choose to travel by coach, there are lots of different options available to you. The variables for which will be the right option for you include cost, pick up locations, and cruise line eligibility.

The dedicated cruise line services Intercruises and Eavesway will guarantee you get on the ship and can only be taken on the day of departure. This saves you having to stay in a hotel the night before, but does cost more than National Express or the Megabus.

For cheaper alternatives, National Express or Megabus are the way to go. They have lots of different pick up points and route options available, but there’s no guarantee of arriving on time and the ship won’t wait for you, so I strongly recommend you take these services the day before your cruise and stay overnight in Southampton.

If you’re looking for the best hotels in Southampton, checkout my post here.