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5 best cruises from Southampton
One of the main advantages of a cruise holiday is that it offers a foreign holiday without the boredom and stress of airports.
Southampton is arguably the best place for UK cruisers to start looking for a no-fly cruise with more than a dozen cruise lines using the port. If you're driving, it's about 2 hours 30 minutes from Birmingham to Southampton or about 4 hours 30 minutes from Manchester. By train, you can get to Southampton in about 90 minutes from London or it's about 2 hours 30 minutes from Birmingham.
Southampton also won 'Best UK Port' at the Cruise International Awards 2018.
We’ve picked out the five best cruise lines which operate from Southampton by looking at customer reviews, prices, industry awards and destinations.
For our price comparison, we looked for a Mediterranean cruise of around two weeks in 2020 for two people. We looked at the price of a room with a window (i.e. an 'outside' cabin).
Southampton is arguably the best place for UK cruisers to start looking for a no-fly cruise with more than a dozen cruise lines using the port. If you're driving, it's about 2 hours 30 minutes from Birmingham to Southampton or about 4 hours 30 minutes from Manchester. By train, you can get to Southampton in about 90 minutes from London or it's about 2 hours 30 minutes from Birmingham.
Southampton also won 'Best UK Port' at the Cruise International Awards 2018.
We’ve picked out the five best cruise lines which operate from Southampton by looking at customer reviews, prices, industry awards and destinations.
For our price comparison, we looked for a Mediterranean cruise of around two weeks in 2020 for two people. We looked at the price of a room with a window (i.e. an 'outside' cabin).
1. Saga Cruises - mid-priced, best for 50+
Saga doesn’t have the razzmatazz and ice skating of some cruise lines, but it does get strong reviews (4/5 on average) and was named the 2nd Best Cruise Line by Which? in 2018 and 2019. It also won Best for Dining in the small ships category at the Cruise Critic Awards 2017 and Best Specialist Cruise Line at the British Travel Awards 2017.
They are exclusively for the over 50s, but it isn’t all early bedtimes and episodes of Countdown. There’s plenty of dignified entertainment onboard, as well as bars and places to eat. The cruise ships aren’t as mammoth as those offered by some companies, but that generally means they are easier to navigate and have a much smaller number of passengers onboard.
From Southampton there was a choice of 25 no-fly cruises when we checked, mostly around the Canaries, Mediterranean and Scandinavia. Cruisers with stamina can spend more than a month onboard a cruise to the Caribbean or USA.
Saga is a mid-priced option and it won a ‘Best Value for Money Cruise Line’ award at the Wave Awards 2017 and 2018.
Typical price: £7611 for a 16 night Mediterranean cruise with an outside cabin for two people in October 2020 (travelling from Southampton and visiting Malaga, Monaco, Gibraltar and other stops).
They are exclusively for the over 50s, but it isn’t all early bedtimes and episodes of Countdown. There’s plenty of dignified entertainment onboard, as well as bars and places to eat. The cruise ships aren’t as mammoth as those offered by some companies, but that generally means they are easier to navigate and have a much smaller number of passengers onboard.
From Southampton there was a choice of 25 no-fly cruises when we checked, mostly around the Canaries, Mediterranean and Scandinavia. Cruisers with stamina can spend more than a month onboard a cruise to the Caribbean or USA.
Saga is a mid-priced option and it won a ‘Best Value for Money Cruise Line’ award at the Wave Awards 2017 and 2018.
Typical price: £7611 for a 16 night Mediterranean cruise with an outside cabin for two people in October 2020 (travelling from Southampton and visiting Malaga, Monaco, Gibraltar and other stops).
2. P&O Cruises - mid-priced, best for families & couples
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P&O is top of our list of cruises from Southampton because their range of ships and destinations from the port is the widest we've found.
There are nearly 250 round-trip cruises from Southampton on offer and the company regularly wins awards from customers including ‘Favourite Ocean Cruise Company’ at the Globe Travel Awards 2018. Customer reviews average around 4/5. Couples and single travellers usually go for one of the adults-only cruises from Southampton with a choice of about 75 cruises. |
P&O has several cruise ships which sail from Southampton
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Families have a choice of about 150 no-fly cruises from Southampton onboard a handful of larger cruise ships with children’s activities in four age groups. There's also a big range of fun and games for grown ups including several dining options and bars, spa facilities, swimming pools, cinema, theatre, libraries, as well as health and fitness classes to burn off the holiday platters.
P&O no-fly cruises from Southampton range from a 2 night mini cruise to Guernsey through to a month’s cruise to the Caribbean. Stick with a shorter option if you’re a first time cruiser.
Other destinations from Southampton include Canada, Central America, Scandinavia, Mediterranean, USA and Western Europe.
P&O prices are somewhere around the mid-market, although you can obviously adjust things significantly depending on the type of accommodation you choose. For the benefit of first-timers, cruise lines offer ‘inside cabins’ without windows for a bargain price, with options to upgrade to ‘oceanview’ cabins or suites with balconies if you can stretch the budget.
Typical price: £3298 for a cruise for 14 nights for two people sharing a balcony cabin in June 2020 (Barcelona, Rome and Gibraltar, departing from Southampton).
P&O no-fly cruises from Southampton range from a 2 night mini cruise to Guernsey through to a month’s cruise to the Caribbean. Stick with a shorter option if you’re a first time cruiser.
Other destinations from Southampton include Canada, Central America, Scandinavia, Mediterranean, USA and Western Europe.
P&O prices are somewhere around the mid-market, although you can obviously adjust things significantly depending on the type of accommodation you choose. For the benefit of first-timers, cruise lines offer ‘inside cabins’ without windows for a bargain price, with options to upgrade to ‘oceanview’ cabins or suites with balconies if you can stretch the budget.
Typical price: £3298 for a cruise for 14 nights for two people sharing a balcony cabin in June 2020 (Barcelona, Rome and Gibraltar, departing from Southampton).
3. Royal Caribbean International, best for families
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Royal Caribbean International is arguably the first place to look if want an action-packed family-friendly cruise from Southampton.
Many of the world’s biggest cruise ships are part of Royal Caribbean’s large fleet and they take great pride in offering quirky activities such as bungee trampolining, ice skating, laser tag and one of those games where you have to escape from a room within a certain amount of time. Royal Caribbean often wins family-friendly awards including Best Family Cruise Line at the Wave Awards 2019. They get decent reviews of about 4/5 from customers on average. |
Royal Caribbean is a popular family choice
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When we searched there were three Royal Caribbean cruise ships which sailed from Southampton and a choice of 33 cruises. The shortest was a two night trip to France, whilst the longest was a fortnight around the Mediterranean. Other destinations included Scandinavia and Ireland.
Typical price: £4598 for a 14 night cruise for two people with an ocean view in June 2020 (Mediterranean cruise from Southampton visiting Rome, Lisbon and Gibraltar).
Typical price: £4598 for a 14 night cruise for two people with an ocean view in June 2020 (Mediterranean cruise from Southampton visiting Rome, Lisbon and Gibraltar).
4. Oceania - luxury, mostly older adults
Which? named Oceania as the world’s best cruise line in 2018 and customers give consistently strong reviews (averaging about 4.5/5 on most cruise sites). They’d be my choice for a luxury cruise from Southampton.
Their biggest strength is onboard dining, with the company regularly winning awards for its food.
It’s not a cheap option - a fortnight’s cruise round the Mediterranean for two people cost about £8000 when we searched (£285 per person, per night). That was for an 'oceanview' room, you’ll pay more if you want a balcony or a bit less for an inside cabin (i.e. one without a window).
You won’t find many children onboard, partly because of the price and partly because most entertainment is aimed at adults (lectures, wine tasting, spa treatments, casinos).
When we searched, there was a choice of 30 Oceania cruises from Southampton ranging from 10 to 34 days. You can visit the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and Scandinavia. It's worth noting that some Oceania cruises from Southampton aren't round trips, so you need to fly back at the end of the holiday.
Typical price: £7850 for a 14 night Mediterranean cruise for two people with an oceanview room.
Their biggest strength is onboard dining, with the company regularly winning awards for its food.
It’s not a cheap option - a fortnight’s cruise round the Mediterranean for two people cost about £8000 when we searched (£285 per person, per night). That was for an 'oceanview' room, you’ll pay more if you want a balcony or a bit less for an inside cabin (i.e. one without a window).
You won’t find many children onboard, partly because of the price and partly because most entertainment is aimed at adults (lectures, wine tasting, spa treatments, casinos).
When we searched, there was a choice of 30 Oceania cruises from Southampton ranging from 10 to 34 days. You can visit the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and Scandinavia. It's worth noting that some Oceania cruises from Southampton aren't round trips, so you need to fly back at the end of the holiday.
Typical price: £7850 for a 14 night Mediterranean cruise for two people with an oceanview room.
5. Cunard - luxury, couples and some families
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Cunard is probably a better known luxury cruise line than Oceania and it rightly remains a popular option.
At the time of writing they’ve got three cruise ships, offering a wide range of activities including tango lessons, spa sessions, nightclubs and guest speakers. There are also children’s activities so there's a good range of ages onboard. Cunard is all about heritage and traditional cruising, with smartly dressed staff in white gloves and separate dining rooms for different class of accommodation. |
Cunard cruises are traditional and luxurious
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Customer reviews are around 4/5 so not quite as strong as Oceania, but over the years Cunard has won several awards. Recently, they came 5th and 6th in best cruise line guides by Which? (2018) and Telegraph Travel (2017).
Round trips from Southampton include Northern Europe, Scandinavia, Mediterranean, Canary Islands and the Caribbean. They also do mini cruises to the Netherlands and Belgium. When we searched there was a choice of more than 150 Cunard cruises from Southampton, although some involve a flight back afterwards.
They would be my personal choice for a luxury transatlantic cruise but I’d go for Oceania for other locations.
Typical price: £4378 for two people, cruising around the Mediterranean for two weeks in September 2020 (visiting locations including Barcelona, Monaco, Roma and Corsica)
Round trips from Southampton include Northern Europe, Scandinavia, Mediterranean, Canary Islands and the Caribbean. They also do mini cruises to the Netherlands and Belgium. When we searched there was a choice of more than 150 Cunard cruises from Southampton, although some involve a flight back afterwards.
They would be my personal choice for a luxury transatlantic cruise but I’d go for Oceania for other locations.
Typical price: £4378 for two people, cruising around the Mediterranean for two weeks in September 2020 (visiting locations including Barcelona, Monaco, Roma and Corsica)
The Best Cruises Guide Dont-Blame-Us-Disclaimer: facilities, onboard activities and prices were correct when we checked, but things change all the time so please check details direct with cruise lines, rather than blaming us. Bear in mind that some cruise lines are more 'inclusive' than others, so will add extra charges later. We just looked for the basic price.
