Portsmouth cruise port
The cruise port at Portsmouth, England
Where is Portsmouth?
Portsmouth is an historic port just down the Solent from Southampton, 120 km (75 miles) southeast of London.
What cruise itineraries use Portsmouth?
Several cross-Channel ferries use Portsmouth, including Brittany Ferries, Condor Ferries, Wightlink, and Hoverlink.
Crusie ships out of Portsmouth explore the U.K., cross the Channel to France and Spain, the Baltic, Scandinavia, the Mediterranean, and the Azores.
Which cruise lines use Portsmouth?
Cruise lines that use Portsmouth include Noble Caledonia, Sea Cloud Cruises, Silversea, Swan Hellenic, and Voyages of Discovery.
How can I get from Portsmouth to London?
Most cruise lines will sell you a port transfer for anywhere from $50 to $100 per person. This is undoubtedly the easiest option—though you usually have to go to the London Victoria Coach Station to board the chartered bus.
What they won't tell you is that you can get a train or coach for the same price or even less.
CHEAPEST: Bus: 1.75–3.5 hr; £13–£18
National Express runs hourly coaches (buses) from London Victoria Coach Station to the Porstmouth International Harbour port.
The ride takes anywhere from between 1 hour 45 minutes and 3.5 hours and costs £13–£18.
(Be sure you go to the Victoria Coach Station, which is across the street from Victoria Rail Station.)
Train: 100–155 min; £13–£55
You can also get a half-hourly train from London's Waterloo station—or a hourly train from London Victoria Station—straight to Portsmouth Harbour station (do not get off at the first station, Portsmouth & Southsea).
The train from London Waterloo takes about 95–100 minutes and costs around £35. It is more frequent and faster.
The train from Victoria takes around 2 hours and costs £29 (or as low as £5–£17 if puchased in advance).
(Yes, the time and cost totals in the heading above are higher than that, but that's because they also add in the time and expense to get a taxi or Tube between your hotel and the train station—plus the taxi on the Portsmouth end.)
A taxi between the station and the crusie terminal takes about 5–10 minutes, and should cost around £5.
Drive: 95–120 min
If you have a car, Portsmouth is a straight shot from London down the A3 to the M27 and then the M275.
- CruiseDirect.com - One of the top cruise discounters in the business, consistently underselling the higher rack rates you'll see posted on the web sites of the cruise companies themselves. CruiseDirect.com even has a last-minute page with discounts on soon-to-leave ships.Partner
- Cruisecompete.com - You know the commercials for LendingTree.com? That whole "When banks compete, you win..." spiel? Well this the same thing for cruises. You put in the date and destination and ship (any or all of those), and it sends your cruise request to a whole bunch of cruise brokers and discounters. Each of them then contacts you with a quote on how little they can do that cruise for you. Basically, it does the shopping around for you, pretty cool, huh? Partner
- Priceline.com - The famous discounter of hotels rooms also does cruises.Partner
- CruiseCritic.com - Editorial site with ship reviews, plenty of good crusing intel, and very active forums. (Disclosure: I have written for them, and have several friends on the editorial staff.)
- Singlescruise.com - Books groups of singles (ages 21 on up, but mostly 35–55) onto cruise ships, offering its own onboard program of events and mixers—and, most importantly, matching you with a same-gender cabinmate (of roughly the same age) so you don't have to pay the dreaded "single supplement."
Related
From the Tube (Underground, or subway) and the bus (double decker or otherwise) to taxis, shared "Boris" bikes, and other transportation options in London
General tips of similar interest
Book your own cruise excursions for up to 40% less than the cruise ships charge
If it's one of the seven deadly sins—gluttony (booze; food), greed (gambling), sloth (spas), extravagance (shore excursions)—it's how a cruise lines makes all its profit
