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Ocean Cruise Terminal
Berth 46/47, Eastern Docks (Dock Gate 4, SO14 3QN), near Town Quay and Ocean Village. Commonly used by P&O Cruises, Cunard and Princess, though assignments vary by sailing.
Southampton, England
Southampton is a port city in Hampshire on England's south coast, at the head of Southampton Water where the Rivers Test and Itchen meet. More about Southampton →
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Ship schedule by month
October 2026 · from today · all times local (United Kingdom Time)
ShipDateArrivalDeparture
Showing 10 of 16 calls in October
Cruise Ships in Southampton
Today and the next 7 days · all times local (United Kingdom Time)
Today · Fri 23 OctPeak
15,837 people in port
3 ships · 3 turnarounds · ships alongside 08:00 – 20:00
117% busier than a typical day in Southampton. Busiest 08:00 – 20:00, when all 3 ships are alongside.
Next 7 days
Quietest: Mon 26 Oct · busiest: Sat 24 Oct- Fri23 Oct15.8kPeak3 ships
- Sat24 Oct22.8kPeak4 ships
- Sun25 Oct6.2kTypical2 ships
- Mon26 Oct2.8kQuiet1 ship
- Tue27 Oct5.1kLight1 ship
- Wed28 Oct–No ships0 ships
- Thu29 Oct–No ships0 ships
Thousands of people in port, guests plus crew. Crowd level compared with a typical Southampton day.
Planning a day in Southampton?
The crowd calendar shows every ship and how busy the port is, hour by hour, plus the quietest and busiest days for the next 90 days.
Where is the Southampton cruise port?
Ships dock alongside at five ABP cruise terminals in two areas of the Port of Southampton, right below the city centre. Ocean (berth 46/47) and QEII (berth 38/39) are in the Eastern Docks, entered by Dock Gate 4 off Platform Road next to Town Quay and the Old Town.
City (101), Horizon (102) and Mayflower (106) are in the Western Docks along West Quay Road, entered mainly by Dock Gate 10. City and Horizon are about 1.3 km (20 minutes on foot) from Southampton Central station, while QEII and Mayflower are farther, so taxis are easiest with luggage.
Terminal assignment varies by sailing, and a ship can return to a different terminal from the one it left.
Terminal
Getting to the Southampton cruise port
London Heathrow Airport → Southampton cruise terminals
102–109 km · 70–80 min by car
Most international passengers fly into Heathrow and travel about 100 km by road via the M25 and M3. There is no direct train; National Express coaches run direct to Southampton Coach Station in the city centre, not to the terminals.
Typical prices, approximate. Fares change with demand, traffic and time of day.
TransportTypical priceJourneyGood to know
Pre-booked private transfer / taxi
GBP 110–150per vehicle
70–80 min
Operators' fixed saloon fares for up to 4 (GBP 110–150 incl. Heathrow pickup parking); MPVs cost more.
Cruise-line transfer
Variesper person
Varies
Varies by line and sailing; book through your cruise line.
National Express coach + taxi
GBP 17.40per person
85–100 min
Coach from GBP 17.40 one way to Southampton Coach Station (about 1 hr 25–40 min), then a taxi (about GBP 10).
Rental car
Variesper vehicle
Varies
M25 to the M3, then M27/A33; follow signs for Dock Gate 4 (Eastern Docks) or Dock Gate 10 (Western Docks).
Typical prices, approximate. Fares change with demand, traffic and time of day.
Driving to the port
The terminals are split between the Eastern Docks (Ocean, QEII: Dock Gate 4 via Platform Road) and Western Docks (City, Horizon, Mayflower: Dock Gate 10 via West Quay Road; Mayflower also via Dock Gate 20 from the M271). Use the terminal postcode or dock gate, not just 'Southampton docks'. Taxi ranks operate outside each terminal but get very busy during disembarkation, so pre-book where possible. Check your terminal on final documents, as ships can return to a different terminal.
Southampton Cruise Terminals
5 terminals
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QEII Cruise Terminal
Berth 38/39, Test Road, Eastern Docks (Dock Gate 4, SO14 3GG), the farthest terminal from Southampton Central (about 2 miles). Commonly used by P&O Cruises, Cunard and Princess; other lines also use it.
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City Cruise Terminal
Berth 101, Western Docks, about 1 mile from Southampton Central. ABParking long-stay and Blue Badge car parks are beside it. Generally serves Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, MSC, NCL and other ABParking partner lines; P&O also uses it.
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Horizon Cruise Terminal
Berth 102, West Bay Road, Western Docks (Dock Gate 10, SO15 1AW). The newest terminal, with shore power for ships equipped to use it; ABParking long-stay and Blue Badge car parks are beside it. Commonly used by MSC, NCL, Oceania and Regent, among others.
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Mayflower Cruise Terminal
Berth 106, Western Docks (Dock Gate 10 or Dock Gate 20 from the M271, SO15 1HJ), a 25–30 minute walk from Southampton Central. Has shore power. Commonly used by P&O Cruises, Cunard and Princess.
Parking at the Southampton cruise port
Associated British Ports (ABP), which owns the Port of Southampton, runs official secure cruise parking at or next to each of the five cruise terminals, booked in advance. Cruise lines (for example P&O Cruises and Cunard) also sell parking packages, including valet options. Prices depend on ship, dates and cruise length. A sample 7-night sailing (MSC Preziosa from 20 Nov 2026) showed GBP 129 for Official Secure Parking and GBP 129 for Blue Badge parking.
Parking facilities
FacilityServesRatesReservationRate notes
ABP terminal car parksAssociated British Ports (ABP)
All terminals
~GBP 129/cruise
Required
Serves All terminals · Reservation: Required
Official secure parking: total for a 7-night cruise; varies by sailing date and length. · Blue Badge parking: total for a 7-night cruise; varies by sailing date and length.
Accessible spaces are available at the terminal car parks; details are given at booking.
Where to Stay Before Your Cruise
Pick the area first. Typical nightly prices, approximate.
City Centre and Old Town
GBP 45–95 / night
Closest hotels and city sights
Typical hotel
GBP 45–95 / night
Port 5–10 minAirport ~85 min
Pre-cruise nights within a short taxi ride of every terminal, close to WestQuay shopping and the medieval walls.
Hotels here
- voco Southampton by IHG
- Novotel Southampton
- Premier Inn Southampton West Quay hotel
Ocean Village
GBP 45–90 / night
Marina setting next to the docks
Typical hotel
GBP 45–90 / night
Port ~5 minAirport ~85 min
Waterfront marina stays a few minutes from the Ocean and QEII terminals.
Hotels here
- Leonardo Royal Hotel Southampton Grand Harbour
- Moxy Southampton
- Second Nature Southampton
Southampton Airport and Eastleigh
GBP 45–100 / night
Arriving by train or regional flight
Typical hotel
GBP 45–100 / night
Port ~25 minAirport ~75 min
Chain hotels by Southampton Airport Parkway station and the M27/M3, with easy road access to the port.
Hotels here
- Premier Inn Southampton Airport hotel
- Holiday Inn Express Southampton M27, JCT.7 by IHG
- Village Hotel Southampton Eastleigh
Heathrow is the main international gateway, about 80–90 minutes by road. Southampton Airport (regional) is closer. Rates rise on peak sailing weekends in summer.
Eating in Southampton
- Breakfast per person
- GBP 10–20
- per person
- Casual lunch per person
- GBP 10–30
- per person
- Restaurant dinner per person
- GBP 20–50
- per person
Prices are approximate. A 10–12.5% service charge is often added at table-service restaurants; check the bill.
Where to eat
Oxford Street
Restaurant row in the old town, a few minutes from the docks.
WestQuay and Above Bar Street
Chain restaurants and cafés in the main shopping district.
Town Quay
Waterside restaurants and a brewery bar next to the Red Funnel ferry.
Destination
About Southampton
Southampton is a port city in Hampshire on England's south coast, at the head of Southampton Water where the Rivers Test and Itchen meet. Its compact centre pairs the Westquay shopping and leisure complex with the Old Town, still partly enclosed by medieval walls and entered through the Grade I-listed Bargate.
Tudor House & Garden and the Medieval Merchant's House are close by, the city's deep Titanic connections are told at SeaCity Museum, and Oxford Street is the main strip of independent restaurants and bars.
Southampton is the UK's leading cruise port and Northern Europe's busiest turnaround port, with 3 million cruise passengers in 2024. It is also a gateway to the New Forest, Winchester and, by Red Funnel ferry from Town Quay, the Isle of Wight.
- Climate
- Mild maritime climate, with average highs of about 9 °C in January and 22–23 °C in July and August. Rain falls year-round, heaviest from October to January and lightest in summer.
- Time zone
- United Kingdom Time
- Currency
- Pound sterling (GBP)
Things to Do in Southampton
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Old Town and medieval walls
Follow the surviving medieval walls from the Grade I-listed Bargate through the Old Town to Tudor House & Garden and the Medieval Merchant's House. The Bargate is about a 20-minute walk from Ocean Cruise Terminal.
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SeaCity Museum
Home of Southampton's Titanic Story, with an interactive Titanic model, passenger recordings and original objects, plus galleries on the city's maritime history. About a 25-minute walk or short taxi from City Cruise Terminal.
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New Forest National Park
A national park since 2005, covering 220 square miles of landscape shaped by free-roaming ponies, cattle and pigs. Lyndhurst is about 16 km (20–25 minutes) by car from the Eastern Docks, and Brockenhurst is about 13 minutes by train from Southampton.
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Winchester Cathedral and city
Winchester's great cathedral and historic centre, also home to the Round Table, make an easy pre- or post-cruise half day. It is about 22 km (25–30 minutes) by car, or 10 minutes by train from Southampton Airport Parkway.