Question 1

Getting to the Port

Accepted Answer

Southampton Central is the nearest station to the port, and direct trains from London Waterloo take about 1 hour 20 minutes. From the station, City and Horizon terminals are a 1-mile walk, Mayflower is 25 to 30 minutes on foot and Ocean is about 2 miles. Taxis wait on both sides of the station, and the ride takes about five minutes. From Southampton Airport, trains to Southampton Central take about 8 minutes and run every 10 to 15 minutes. From Gatwick Airport, direct trains take about 1 hour 55 minutes. National Express coaches stop at the central coach station, a 10 to 15 minute walk from City and Horizon terminals and at least 30 minutes from Ocean and Queen Elizabeth II. Drivers arrive on the M3 or M27. Long-stay parking at the port has to be booked in advance. City buses take contactless cards, and a day of travel on Bluestar buses is advertised from £4.

Question 2

Tipping and Currency

Accepted Answer

Britain uses the pound, and tipping is appreciated but not expected. Some restaurants add an optional service charge, which is shown on the bill. Where no service charge is added, 10 to 15 percent is the usual restaurant tip for good service. With taxis, it is customary to round the fare up to the nearest pound.

Question 3

The Titanic Connection and Beyond

Accepted Answer

Titanic sailed from Southampton on April 10, 1912, and most of her crew gave the city as their home address. SeaCity Museum, which opened on the centenary of the sailing, tells the Titanic story through the crew and has hands-on exhibits for children. It is about a 20-minute walk from City Cruise Terminal. About half of the 2 km circuit of medieval town walls survives, with 13 of its 29 towers and six of its eight gates. The Bargate, built around 1180, was the main gate of the medieval town. Tudor House and Garden, on Bugle Street in the Old Town, became the city's first museum in 1912. Southampton City Art Gallery is free to visit.

Question 4

Where to Eat

Accepted Answer

Fish and chips is the classic British lunch, and Southampton has both takeaway counters and sit-down restaurants that serve it. The Old Town, inside the medieval walls, has more than 50 independent restaurants, bars and cafés. Oxford Street and Bedford Place are the streets to try for cafés and restaurants away from the shopping centers. Eat before you go to the ship on embarkation day, because most terminals have no café inside.

Question 5

A Brief History

Accepted Answer

Southampton has been a port since the Romans built the settlement of Clausentum at what is now Bitterne Manor. The Saxon town that followed was called Hamwic, later Hamtun, and the county of Hampshire takes its name from it. French, Genoese and Monegasque ships sacked the town in 1338, and Edward III ordered the walls built to close it off. The Mayflower anchored at Southampton in August 1620 to meet the Speedwell before the Pilgrims' voyage to America. The first dock opened in the early 1840s, soon after the railway to London, and Southampton became one of Europe's main ports for ocean liners. The city was heavily bombed in the Second World War and was one of the main embarkation points for D-Day.

Question 6

Beaches

Accepted Answer

Southampton is a working port with one stretch of natural shoreline left, the shingle beach at Weston Shore. Bournemouth, about 30 minutes away by train, has seven miles of sand. Red Jet catamarans cross from Town Quay to Cowes on the Isle of Wight in about 28 minutes. The New Forest, a national park that began as a royal hunting forest around 1079, is close to the city.

Question 7

Shopping in Southampton

Accepted Answer

Westquay, the main shopping center, has more than 100 stores and is about a 15-minute walk from City Cruise Terminal. Above Bar Street and High Street are the main shopping streets. East Street has independent boutiques and vintage shops. The Marlands Shopping Centre, near Westquay, has a left-luggage service that is open seven days a week.

Question 8

Traveling with Family

Accepted Answer

Southampton Common is 365 acres of woodland and parkland, with a large play area and a paddling pool in season. Paultons Park, home of Peppa Pig World, has more than 70 rides and attractions. It is in the New Forest near the village of Ower, a drive from the city. Solent Sky is an aviation museum about Supermarine, the Southampton company behind the Spitfire, and the flying boats that once operated from the Solent. Mayflower Park and Hoglands Park are the city-center parks to head for with an hour to spare.

Question 9

Accessibility

Accepted Answer

Boarding help is arranged through your cruise line and should be requested at least 48 hours before you sail. Terminals have airbridges to the ship. Ask your cruise line what applies to yours. Check that the lifts at Southampton Central are working before you travel, and ask South Western Railway about step-free routes. The city center is mostly flat, with dropped curbs and tactile paving at key crossings. Go-Mobility is a local taxi firm that specializes in passengers with disabilities.

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