Hotel in London and Transportation to Cruise Pier

Thanks for that quick response SteveB. We have booked a hotel near the airport, Hilton Garden Inn, for a price in US dollars of $58.00. Their website indicates that there is excellent transportation links to the city. The price is right , although we can cancel 24 hours prior. We are not going to attempt to see several points of interest, just a couple and hopefully a nice dinner. Do you think a hop on, hop off bus might be a good way to make most of the little time we have once we arrive in the city? I'll check out the trains, and car service as you suggested. thanks again.

That's a great price for a Heathrow hotel. My suggestion would be to check in, or at least leave your bags there as soon as you can after landing, then head back to the airport and into London for whatever sightseeing you can manage that day. The Heathrow Express is the fastest way to get to London but expensive. There's also the Heathrow Connect train service, and the Piccadilly Line on the underground (aka subway). A HOHO bus would give you an overview of the city but very slowly. Or make your way to Westminster, walk across the bridge and along the south bank of the Thames. Try to stay outside moving around till you're too tired and/or ready for dinner. Then back to your hotel for a good night's sleep.

The next morning your cruise line should have a shuttle from Heathrow to the Southampton docks, the easiest way to get there.

Stonehenge seems to me like "a bridge too far" for your timeframe. If you try to go there on your arrival day you may be too jet lagged to appreciate it. If you try on your sailing day you risk missing the boat. I'd recommend using your very limited time to get a taste of London. Or, perhaps, head over to Windsor Castle that arrival day.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ suggests taking the RailAir bus from the Heathrow Central Bus Station to Woking station and getting a Southwest train from there to Salisbury. Hourly departures and takes a bit more then 2 hours.

Many thanks to Dick and Sam. You have me thinking that maybe I should try Stonehenge another time. I know that the cruise line offers each way $100, and was hoping to find another way and spend around $60. But at the end of the day, no matter what you try, seems like it will cost that amount, connecting with trains and busses.,so why fight it? Great suggestions. thanks again.

So if you will be at Heathrow, having booked a hotel there, have you checked out the National Express buses from the airport bus station (Terminal 3) to S'hampton? Then a short taxi ride to the dock. Certainly bound to be cheaper for two people than the cruise line transfer of $100 each.

If the cruise line transfer is $100 each one way, you might want to check a private car service. We had a private car service one way for two of us from Heathrow to Canterbury for half that amount .

Rome2Rio shows a 45-minute National Express bus (coach) from LHR to Woking, then a 48-minute train from Woking to Southampton, estimating total time at about two hours and cost at $24-36 per person. The station at Southampton is close to the docks but you may want a taxi with your luggage. Cheaper, but maybe less convenient, than what the cruise line offers.

Is there a particular desire to see Stonehenge?

I took the kids there last Thursday and despite living here for 40 years I've never actually visited the stones, I've driven past them numerous times but never got close. I found them interesting, my youngest less so but even then there is only so long you can look at them and I found 20 minutes walking around them to be sufficient and considering that many of the people on the bus on the return journey to the visitor centre were also on the bus on the way out (buses leave every five minutes) it seems that is an average time for most people. All in all, with a look around the exhibits, the stones and something to eat we spent an hour and a half there and by 11 am it was very busy. If you're in the area it makes sense to visit Salisbury Cathedral and view the Magna Carta.

From Salisbury it takes around 40 minutes to drive to Southampton docks.

Depending on what time the cruise departs it's certainly doable but it's worth asking whether you want to see Stonehenge because you're genuinely interested or simply because it's a "must see" and everyone seems to go.

Again, I thank all of you for your input. I think Norma and SteveB have the best suggestion for booking National Bus with our hotel as the starting point. We will only have 2 suitcases and a carryon so should be ok. I also appreciate JC's remarks about Stonehenge. I never really looked into it much, but thought if time permitting, get an excursion out of the ride to Southampton. And another time, it might be worth seeing, but funny that you mentioned after viewing rocks for 20 minutes, you had enough. LOL. I'm sure there are some very notable sites to see along the way, but it will be nice to get to the pier without stressing.

The stop in Winchester is brief but you will see the statue of King Alfred, and the St.John almshouses, established in the 11th century, when the bus stops for passengers.