Cruise Port Chauffeur Transfers
A Ship Does Not Wait
A cruise port transfer takes passengers and their luggage from a home or hotel address to the terminal berth, timed backwards from an allocated embarkation window rather than from the sailing time.
Two things make this different from an airport run. The first is the luggage: a fortnight at sea generates cases a saloon simply cannot take, so the vehicle class is decided by the boot rather than the passenger count. Two people going on a long cruise routinely carry more than four people flying.
The second is the deadline. Flights are missed and rebooked; a ship sails. Embarkation windows are allocated in advance, and arriving outside yours means queuing rather than boarding, so departure is planned backwards from the window with the day's traffic already in it.
The main ports are reachable in a morning. Southampton and Dover sit about 80 miles out, Tilbury around 25 miles east. Fares are fixed before travel and cover tolls and charges on the route.
Below: which ports we cover, the fleet that carries the cases, why the return leg is booked differently, how families travel, the driving times, what sits inside the fare, and how to book.
- Ports covered
- 5
- Fare, before travel
- Fixed
- Dropped at the terminal
- Berth
- Dispatch, every day
- 24/7
Four Parts of a Cruise Transfer
The outbound run
Timed to your windowPlanned backwards from the embarkation slot rather than the sailing time, with the day's traffic already allowed for.The return
Timed to the shipDisembarkation is slower and less predictable than boarding, so the collection is timed against the actual docking.The luggage
Boot decides the carLoaded and unloaded for you, and taken to the correct berth rather than left at the nearest kerb.Fly-cruise legs
Airport to portFlown into Heathrow or Gatwick and driven straight to the terminal, met inside arrivals with the flight tracked.Read more
Four Things That Go Wrong on a Cruise Day
The car is too small
The commonest failure. We size the vehicle on the honest luggage count rather than the passenger count.Missing the window
Departure is set backwards from your allocated slot with margin, because arriving outside it means queuing rather than boarding.The wrong berth
Cruise ports use several terminals. Being dropped at the wrong one with a fortnight of luggage is a long walk.A late docking
Dock times move for weather and port traffic. The chauffeur waits, because that is expected on this work rather than treated as a delay.
Families, Couples and Several Cabins
Families
Up to 7 seatsEveryone in one V-Class with a full luggage load, arriving together at the same berth in the same window.Luggage overflow
A second vehicleWhere the cases outgrow even a V-Class, a second car takes the luggage so nobody travels beside the bags.Milestone cruises
Cars heldAnniversary and celebration sailings where family see the party off, with the vehicles waiting at the terminal.Groups from several addresses
One bookingCollected from different homes and delivered together, quoted as one engagement with one invoice.
Five Ports and What Each Takes
Southampton
About 80 miles, normally 1.5 to 2.5 hours. The busiest UK cruise port and the bulk of this work.- Ocean Terminal
- Mayflower
- City
- Horizon
Dover
About 80 miles east, normally 1.5 to 2.5 hours, with the Dartford Crossing inside the fare.- Western Docks
- Cruise Terminal 1
- Cruise Terminal 2
Tilbury
About 25 miles east and the closest of the five, normally 45 to 90 minutes.- London International Cruise Terminal
Portsmouth and Harwich
About 75 and 85 miles, both between 1.5 and 2.5 hours depending on the day.- Portsmouth International Port
- Harwich International
Inside the Fixed Fare
- A vehicle sized for cruise luggage
- Luggage loaded and unloaded for you
- Motorway tolls and the Dartford Crossing
- Congestion Charge and ULEZ where they apply
- Departure timed to your embarkation window
- Terminal drop-off at the correct berth
- Waiting on the return if the ship docks late
- Child seats in any stage
Book Both Legs Together
- 01
Give the port and terminal
Cruise ports use several berths, and the right one saves a long walk with a fortnight of luggage. - 02
Give the embarkation window
Not the sailing time. The window is what the departure is planned backwards from. - 03
Count the luggage honestly
This decides the vehicle more than the passenger count does, and it is the commonest reason a cruise day starts badly. - 04
Book the return at the same time
Disembarkation is less predictable than boarding, and the return is timed against the actual docking rather than a clock.
For a cruise transfer, call +44 (0) 208 997 7103 or book online with both legs on one reference.
What Cruise Passengers Say
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a cruise port transfer?
A fixed-fare journey from your address to the cruise terminal berth, timed backwards from your allocated embarkation window. Unlike an airport run, the vehicle is sized on the luggage rather than the passenger count.
Which vehicle do I need for cruise luggage?
Usually a V-Class or Vito. Two people on a fortnight cruise often carry more than four people flying, so the boot decides rather than the seats.
What time should I leave for my embarkation window?
Work backwards from the window rather than the sailing time. For Southampton or Dover that generally means leaving London three to four hours before your slot, which the desk confirms against the day.
Which cruise ports do you cover?
Southampton, Dover, Tilbury, Portsmouth and Harwich. Southampton is about 80 miles and takes the bulk of this work; Tilbury is the closest at about 25 miles.
What happens if the ship docks late?
The chauffeur waits. Dock times move for weather and port traffic, which is expected on this kind of booking rather than treated as a delay.
Do you drop at the terminal or the car park?
The terminal, at the correct berth. Cruise ports use several, and being dropped at the wrong one with a fortnight of luggage is a long walk.
Can you collect us when the cruise returns?
Yes, and booking both legs together is worth doing. Disembarkation is slower and less predictable than embarkation, so the return is timed against the ship rather than a clock.
Cruise transfer or airport transfer, what is the difference?
The luggage and the deadline. An airport run is sized on passengers and can be rebooked if missed; a cruise run is sized on cases and cannot, because a ship sails whether or not you are on it.
In Summary
A cruise port transfer runs to Southampton, Dover, Tilbury, Portsmouth and Harwich on a fixed fare covering tolls and charges. The vehicle is chosen for the luggage, which on a cruise usually means a V-Class or Vito whatever the party size.
Departure is timed backwards from your embarkation window rather than the sailing time, because arriving outside the window means queuing rather than boarding.
The return leg is timed against the actual docking rather than the schedule, and the chauffeur waits when a ship arrives late. Booking both legs together is the sensible way round.