Facts checked October 2026 against operator sources. Prices and times change, the booking page wins.
The closest terminal to Southampton Central. With a small case you can walk it.
Address and how to find it
City Cruise Terminal, 101 Berth, Solent Road, Southampton SO15 1HJ. Enter Dock Gate 8; the terminal is on the left. Dock Gate 8 stays fully open during the Boat Show. On foot: 0.2 miles from Dock Gate 8, 0.3 miles from Dock Gate 10. Bus: No public bus stops directly outside; Southampton Central is the realistic stop.
Opened
2003, refurbished later in the 2000s and again in 2015.
Cruise lines
Fred. Olsen (Borealis), Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Disney and Saga on various calls. Assignments are not fixed, so trust the terminal named in your boarding documents.
Getting here on embarkation day
| From | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Southampton Central | Taxi from the rank (south exit) or walk | 0.6 miles via Dock Gate 10, about 15 minutes on foot |
| Southampton Airport | Taxi, or train to Southampton Central (7-16 minutes) then taxi | about 20 minutes, 4.7 miles |
| Heathrow | Pre-booked car via M3, or National Express route 032 to the coach station then taxi | 1 h 25 by car; 1 h 25 to 1 h 50 by coach |
| Gatwick | Pre-booked car, or train via Clapham Junction to Southampton Central | 1 h 45 by car; about 2 h by train |
| London Waterloo | South Western Railway to Southampton Central, then taxi | 1 h 12 to 2 h by train |
Parking
ABParking (the port's own car park) is about a five-minute walk and serves City and Horizon; Blue Badge bays at the terminal. Every terminal has a short-stop drop-off lane at the entrance for unloading luggage. See cruise parking in Southampton for prices and the off-site alternatives.
Next step: get to the terminal without the queue
Pre-booked cars meet you at Heathrow, Gatwick or Southampton Central and drive straight to City Cruise Terminal. Prices are fixed when you book, drivers track the flight, and the car waits if you are late. Taxis from the rank at Southampton Central cost around £10 and take 5-10 minutes.
Port transfers: KiwitaxiCompare drivers: GetTransferSleep near the port the night before
Most ships board between 11:00 and 15:00. A hotel within a mile of the docks turns embarkation day into a short taxi ride, and several of them sell park-and-cruise packages with parking for the length of the voyage.
Hotels near the terminals: Booking.comHostels and budget rooms: HostelworldWalking distances and drive times are from ABP's passenger directions dated July 2025; line assignments from the ABP provisional schedule for October 2026 to January 2027.