Southampton is an ideal terminal to access the ocean for a cruise.
Located approximately 80 miles from London, the south coast city is well-connected by road and its main railway station welcomes direct trains from major cities including Birmingham, Manchester and London.
Its port also has plenty of history as well, the Titanic sailed from there in 1912 and the Mayflower in 1620.
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Today, Southampton has five passenger cruise terminals, Ocean and QE2 via dock gate 4 and Mayflower, Horizon and City Cruise Terminal in Dock Gate 10.
More than a dozen cruise lines use the port such as Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean. Not only that, it’s the largest passenger port in the UK and welcomes more than two million cruise passengers a year.
Embarking on a cruise from Southampton is a great idea for those looking for a no-fly holiday option. Whether you fancy some guaranteed sun in the Med, or setting sail to Scandinavia or even the Caribbean, all manner of cruises depart from Southampton, spanning as little as four nights to month-long and even world voyages.
Here are some of the best cruises departing from Southampton in 2025 and beyond.
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P&O Cruises: 10-Year Anniversary Celebration
Southampton – South Queensferry (for Edinburgh) – Kirkwall – Stornoway – Scottish Isles – Belfast, Liverpool, Cork – Southampton
P&O Cruises is a regular in Southampton and is hosting a very special voyage this year.
Passengers can take part in the 10th anniversary of its Britannia ship with a celebration sailing across the British Isles.
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The itinerary includes talks with chef Marco Pierre White and Tom Parker-Bowles and passengers can visit its newly decorated Sunset Bar and Crystal Room and dine on celebration dinner menus created by Pierre White.
Departs 6 June 2025; from £1,099pp.
Celebrity Cruises: Best of Scandinavia
Southampton – Copenhagen, Denmark – Stockholm, Sweden –Helsinki, Finland – Tallinn, Estonia – Skagen, Denmark – Southampton
Calling at Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Estonia, this sailing with Celebrity Cruises is the perfect way to tick off a host of northern European capitals in one sailing.
With an overnight stay at Copenhagen, you’ll also get the chance to spend two days discovering why Copenhagen often gets named the happiest city in the world (hint: the sublime Danish pastries may play a part). Guests will sail on board Celebrity Apex, which features its very own rooftop garden as well as The Magic Carpet, a cantilevered, floating platform on the side of the ship.
Departs 17 June 2025. From £1,405pp
Southampton – New York
A transatlantic cruise is a bucket list trip for many.
You get a week or more of sea days as you sail to US destinations such as Florida and New York.
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Some cruise lines may even offer round-trips. One of the most iconic transatlantic cruises departs from Southampton aboard Cunard’s Queen Mary 2.
You could be part of Cunard’s 185th anniversary celebrations this year on a week-long cruise to New York where you can enjoy traditional cruising including the brand’s legendary white-gloved afternoon tea.
Departs 24 June. From £1,249pp.
Princess Cruises: Norwegian fjords
Southampton – Haugesund – Skjolden – Olden – Stavanger – Southampton
You can’t beat the scenery of the Norwegian fjords and you don’t need to get on a plane to see it.
A cruise is a great way to sail close to the memorable mountain ranges and waterfalls of Norway and you may even get a chance to see the northern lights.
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Sailing on Sky Princess, passengers can relax in the four pools and eight hot tubs onboard and be entertained by evening cabaret and comedy shows.
Departs 12 July 2025. From £1,099pp.
Royal Caribbean: Spanish Flair
Southampton – Lisbon – Vigo – Seville – La Coruna – Bilbao – Southampton
Enjoy a nine-night roundtrip sailing from Southampton around northern Spain as well as Portugal aboard Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas.
Destinations include cultural Bilbao, which has its own Guggenheim Museum and the beautiful beaches of Vigo.
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Independence of the Seas has lots of activities to keep passengers entertained over nine nights including a waterpark, racing waterslides Typhoon and Cyclone and its FlowRider surfing simulator.
There is also a Sugar Beach sweet shop and high-end entertainment including performances of Grease.
Departs 3 August 2025; from £1,299pp.
Southampton -Zeebrugge – Southampton
You don’t have to travel to Orlando or LA for your Disney fix. Mickey and co are coming to Southampton this summer.
Disney Fantasy is sailing out of Southampton between July and October, visiting Belgium, France and Spain as well as a transatlantic cruise ending in Port Canaveral, Florida.
This three-night Belgium cruise visits Zeebrugge, which is a short 20 minute trip to the centre of Bruges and around an hour away from Brussels. This gives plenty of time to taste the country’s iconic waffles, chocolate and beer before recovering during a sea day on the way back to Southampton.
Onboard, passengers will find character meet-and-greets and you can ride the AquaDuck high-speed waterslide. There is also the Europa Adult District to escape the kids on board and enjoy live music, bars and nightclubs including a 1970s London area called The Tube.
Departs 29 August 2025, from £1,914pp
MSC Cruises: Iberian Coast, Canary Islands & Madeira
Southampton – Lisbon, Portugal – Madeira, Portugal – Las Palmas – Santa Cruz, Tenerife – Arrecife, Lanzarote – Vigo, Spain – Southampton
Visit the Iberian Coast and Canary Islands during a busy 12-night cruise. Taking you from Lisbon to Vigo, you’ll get to lap up some vitamin D while exploring Funchal’s cobbled streets and Lanzarote’s sandy beaches.
This sailing also features five sea days, giving you the perfect opportunity to try out MSC Virtuosa’s water park and high ropes course as well as its 4D cinema and bowling alley before relaxing with a drink made by its robot bartender.
Departs 4 October 2025, from £1,149pp.
FAQs
If you live local to Southampton, do you get a discount on cruises?
Southampton residents unfortunately don’t get a discount on cruises from the city, although they will have the benefit of being able to reach the port in less time.
Many cruise lines, including Celebrity, P&O Cruises, MSC and Royal Caribbean, offer discounts to NHS, emergency services, and social care sector workers through the Blue Light Card scheme, regardless of where you live
What is the parking like at Southampton?
There is a car park at the cruise terminal building run by Associated British Ports (ABP). There are a few, so you need to select your cruise line and date of sailing to ensure you park in the closest one to your ship.
The car park is opposite the relevant terminal entrance for your sailing and provides trolleys so you can push your luggage to the entrance which is around a five minute walk away. There are also shuttle buses if you have lots of bags.
Some cruise lines may offer discounts on parking but the earlier you book, the cheaper the rate. Blue badge holders can also pay for disabled parking, which is a shorter walk to the terminal.
Cruise & Passenger Services (CPS) provides official meet-and-greet valet parking for passengers of P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises and Cunard at the terminal building.
There are also third-party meet-and-greet services such as Southampton Cruise Parking Services that operate for all cruise lines sailing from the port.
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Alternatively, there are three multi-storey car parks close to the port: Bedford Place, Eastgate Street and Grosvenor Square.
The Eastgate Street car park charges £9 for the first 24 hours, while Bedford Place and Grosvenor Square charge £11. There is then a £5 per day charge at each location. These car parks are a 25-minute walk to the port or a 10-minute cab ride.
Penguin Parking also offers a park and ride service where you meet them close to the port to park your car and take a shuttle bus to the terminal.
If you are sailing from Southampton but flying back, Penguin Parking also has a fly-cruise option that will collect you from the airport and transfer you back to your car.
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Are there transfers or discounts offered for travelling to Southampton?
Most cruise brands offer coach transfer services from UK airports to Southampton. Some lines, including Cunard, MSC Cruises and P&O Cruises, may have promotions that include coach travel as part of the cruise fare.
It is also possible to get a door-to-door transfer arranged by brands such as Norwegian Cruise Line. This may cost extra although there are sometimes deals as part of the cruise package.
When is the best time of year to travel from Southampton to avoid choppy seas?
It can feel choppy on the water when sailing from Southampton, depending on the weather and route.
The shallow waters of the North Sea can be particularly rocky and sailings to the Med can be notoriously rough if going through the Bay of Biscay.
Sailing conditions are hard to predict but you will typically find calmer waters in the summer months such as July and August.
It is best to select a cabin in the middle of a ship on the lower deck if you are worried about motion-sickness at sea.
Read more: How to avoid getting seasick on a cruise
