Cambridge to Southampton cruise terminal
Cambridge to Southampton is a long cross-country trip, about 131–132 miles via the M11, the M25 and the M3, and by train it means crossing London with your cases. A private car takes you from your door to your ship's terminal in one go, from £268 per car for a saloon or £285 for an MPV, luggage included.
Fares from Cambridge to each terminal
| Ship terminal | Saloon up to 4, 2 cases | MPV up to 6, 4 cases | Executive up to 3 | 8-seater up to 7 | Road miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean Cruise Terminal | £270 | £286 | £303 | £336 | 132 |
| QEII Cruise Terminal | £271 | £287 | £304 | £337 | 132 |
| City Cruise Terminal | £268 | £285 | £301 | £334 | 131 |
| Horizon Cruise Terminal | £268 | £285 | £301 | £334 | 131 |
| Mayflower Cruise Terminal | £270 | £286 | £303 | £336 | 132 |
Guide fares per vehicle, one way, from central Cambridge for a weekday daytime journey, luggage included; the same fares apply from the ship to Cambridge. Villages close to the city are priced at a similar level, and the booking page prices your exact address. Fridays, weekend mornings and peak hours carry a supplement, shown before you pay. A return booked with the outward trip costs 1.9 times the single fare.
The route: M11, M25, M3
From Cambridge the car goes south on the M11 past Stansted to the M25, then anticlockwise round the west of London, past the M1, the M40 and Heathrow, to the M3 and down to Southampton. It is about 131–132 miles and motorway almost all the way.
The western M25 is the variable: the stretch past Heathrow is one of the busiest roads in the country on weekday mornings and Friday afternoons. Weekend mornings are usually much quieter. The driver checks live traffic before leaving and the fare stays fixed.
A long drive deserves a break. There are services at Birchanger near Bishop's Stortford on the M11 and at South Mimms on the M25, and the driver will stop if you ask.
Planning embarkation day from Cambridge
| Your check-in slot | Weekday pick-up | Saturday or Sunday pick-up |
|---|---|---|
| 11:00–12:00 | 07:30 | 08:00 |
| 12:00–13:00 | 08:30 | 08:45 |
| 13:00–14:00 | 09:30 | 09:45 |
| 14:00–15:00 | 10:30 | 10:45 |
These leave about 3 hours 15 minutes on a weekday and a little less at weekends. If your slot is early, staying the night near the port takes the pressure off; see our guide to hotels for the night before, and our pre-cruise stopovers for ideas on the way.
Picking up in Cambridge
Much of central Cambridge is closed to general traffic, with bus gates and rising bollards around the historic core. For a college pick-up, tell us which porters' lodge to use and the driver will meet you at the nearest place a car can stop. Homes in Newnham, Trumpington, Chesterton, Cherry Hinton and the villages are simple door-to-door collections. Cambridge and Cambridge North stations are easy meeting points if you are arriving by train.
Car, train or coach?
By train, Cambridge to a Southampton cruise terminal means a train into London, the Underground across to Waterloo, a train to Southampton Central and a taxi to the dock: around three and a half hours and three changes, with luggage. Driving yourself is the same three hours each way, plus parking at the port for the length of the cruise.
A private car is a single journey from your door to the terminal. Four people sharing an MPV pay about £71 each. Coming home, the driver tracks the ship and waits while you disembark, and you are back in Cambridge by mid-afternoon.
Cambridge to Southampton on short winter days
The drive from Cambridge to the docks runs to around 131 miles, down the M11, round the western half of the M25 and along the M3. In winter the flat land around Cambridge is prone to fog on still mornings, and the M25 can slow sharply when visibility drops. With daylight short, a lot of December journeys start and finish in the dark. We set winter pickup times with that in mind, giving the drive enough slack that a slow patch on the motorway does not put check-in at risk.
By train, Cambridge to Southampton means crossing London, usually from King's Cross or Liverpool Street to Waterloo, with luggage on the Underground. Around Christmas and New Year, engineering works and replacement buses make that even less appealing, and Christmas Day itself offers little or no rail service. If yours is among the festive cruises sailing between 19 and 22 December, a car from your home, college or hotel in Cambridge takes you to the terminal door without the London transfer.
- Pickup time allows for fog on the M11 and slow spells on the M25.
- No cross-London transfer with cases on a cold December day.
- Ship tracked on the way back before the long drive to Cambridge.
- Heated car and space for winter luggage, all at a fixed fare.
If your winter travel is by air, our Stansted to Cambridge chauffeur service is the obvious one, and the main airport transfers page covers the rest.
Questions
How much is a car from Cambridge to Southampton cruise port?
From £268 for a saloon (up to 4 people, 2 large cases) and £285 for an MPV (up to 6 people, 4 cases), per vehicle, one way. An 8-seater for larger groups starts at £334.
How long does the drive from Cambridge to Southampton take?
About 131–132 miles: allow 2 hours 45 minutes on clear roads and 3 hours 15 minutes or more on a weekday, mainly because of the M25 between the M11 and the M3.
What is the train journey from Cambridge to Southampton like?
There is no direct train. You travel to King's Cross or Liverpool Street, cross London on the Underground to Waterloo, then take a train to Southampton Central and a taxi to the ship: around three and a half hours with two or three changes.
Should we travel the night before from Cambridge?
For a check-in slot before about 12:30, many Cambridge passengers prefer a night near the port. For an afternoon slot, an early-morning pick-up from Cambridge works well.
Do you collect from colleges and the station?
Yes. For colleges, tell us the porters' lodge to use; for the city centre, where cars are restricted, the driver meets you at the nearest permitted stopping point. Cambridge and Cambridge North stations are both simple pick-ups.
Can you drive us from Cambridge to Southampton for a December cruise?
Yes. We collect from Cambridge and the surrounding villages for winter and festive sailings, including the busy dates between 19 and 22 December. You pay a fixed price for the car rather than per head, luggage included, by card or to the driver. Expect a slightly earlier pickup than in summer to allow for fog and darker roads.
How do you keep track of our ship if winter weather delays it before the drive back to Cambridge?
Your driver follows the ship's real arrival time rather than the published one. Ships usually berth by about 06:00, but a storm can delay docking or change the slot. The pickup moves to match, and once you are in the car the driver takes the M3, M25 and M11 home at a pace that suits the conditions.
Related transfers and guides
- Essex to Southampton cruise terminal
- Hertfordshire to Southampton cruise terminal
- Southampton cruise terminal to Stansted Airport
- Southampton cruise terminal to King's Cross
- Hotels near the port for the night before
- Every station, airport and area we cover
Pickups from London and the Home Counties: Heathrow to Southampton, Gatwick to Southampton, Central London to Southampton, Kensington and Chelsea, Canary Wharf, Essex, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bristol and Bath.