Cruise Talk: Portsmouth & Southampton

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»	Cruise Talk » Ports of Call and Destinations » Portsmouth & Southampton

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Topic: Portsmouth & Southampton

Tim Agg
First Class Passenger
Member # 3185

posted 07-09-2007 11:50 PM

We will be staying in Portsmouth August 7 -9, with plans to visit the historic ships and dockyard at Portsmouth, as well as the Maritme Museum in Southampton. Both the Queen Mary 2 and the Grand Princess are in Southampton August 9, and both scheduled to sail at 5 pm. Is there a good place at Portsmouth to view and take photos? If not, where is a good place - i.e. easy to find for North American drivers/navigators.

Posts: 365 | From: Vancouver BC | Registered: Jul 2002 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 07-10-2007 03:08 AM

As a tourist Portsmouth has a lot to offer. The Historic Dockyard is great. There's enough to occupy you for a couple of days. At Gosport there is the Royal Navy Submarine Museum which is very good. It's a ten min ferry ride from Portsmouth's dockyard.

If you have time you could take the Hovercraft from Southsea (next to Portsmouth) to the Isle of Wight (Ryde) - it only takes ten mins, or a fast-ferry from the dockyard. Osborne House, Queen Victoria's summer home and gardens is recommended. It can be reached from Ryde by bus.

Southampton is a city and and a port, rather than a tourist attraction. The Southampton maritime museum is worth a look, but is very small and does not open all day, so check the times. If you are a Titanic fan there are lots of monuments in parks and some buildings ('The Titanic Trail' - Google it) in Southampton to seek out.

You can take a fast-ferry from Southampton to Cowes (Isle of Wight) which is a cute town famous for it's yachts.

Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower offers wonderful views, although Southampton is quite a way from Portsmouth - the ships will just be visible as they depart. However you will get a closer view from Southampton - Patsy et al. knows where.

[ 07-10-2007: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

gaz hants
First Class Passenger
Member # 5749

posted 07-10-2007 11:24 AM

hi tim,
the view from portsmouth city as ships leave is limited. you will need a good zoom lens.
they pass about 1.5 - 2 hrs after departure from southampton through the forts. best places to view are southsea/old town walls/round tower.

as malcolm said, spinnaker tower is a good place to see right over southampton water. another good place is to take the ferry/fastcat/hovercraft over to ryde/isle of wight which has more of a panoramic view down the solent.

if driving, head for any town on eastern side of water. lee-on-solent has a great panorama of the solent (follow directions to fareham/gosport) though driving means going all the way around portsmouth harbour.

if you want to avoid driving, get the ferry from portsmouth to gosport (5 mins on opposite side of harbour) from there a bus will take you to lee-on-solent.

bring some decent weather with you, please!

Posts: 273 | From: hythe southampton uk | Registered: Jun 2005 | IP: Logged

Tim Agg
First Class Passenger
Member # 3185

posted 07-10-2007 09:51 PM

Thanks to both of you for your advice. After a truly soggy spring and early summer, the weather has turned wonderful in Vancouver - 27C on the water today and much hotter inland. We'd love to bring sunshine with us as before we go to Portsmouth, we spend a week in Cumbria and, after, head to Copenhagen for a 10-day Baltic cruise.

Posts: 365 | From: Vancouver BC | Registered: Jul 2002 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 07-11-2007 04:10 AM

Viewing from Portsmouth as ships depart will be leaving you trying to take photos directly into the sun [assuming there is any]. Taking a tip across to the IOW is a good option, especially if you get the timing right.

There are also various boat trips one can take to see the ships departing in S'ton; might be something from Portsmouth, sslewis should be able to advise there.

There was a fairly recent thread on places to see ships in Southampton, but I'll be blowed if I can find it. However see this page for some ideas.

[For anyone wishes to see the ships at Dover, there is a great page outling the places to view from at Dover Ferry Photos.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

gaz hants
First Class Passenger
Member # 5749

posted 07-11-2007 08:57 AM

southampton is ok, but qm2 will be too distant (unless she turns on departure) from public areas

southampton port boat trips are good for close ups.

calshot is good - see ocean voyagers recent oriana/aurora piccies for some idea. it is probably a bit too far for you.
http://www.travelserver.net/travelpage/ubb-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=009716

btw some nice ferries visit portsmouth - great views from round tower at port entrance (near old city / cathedral)

this thread demonstrates the distance from portsmouth

http://www.travelserver.net/travelpage/ubb-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=6&t=001143

Posts: 273 | From: hythe southampton uk | Registered: Jun 2005 | IP: Logged

Tim Agg
First Class Passenger
Member # 3185

posted 07-15-2007 08:11 PM

I think we'll try a boat tour on Southampton to get up close. I hope to bring summer waether along!

Posts: 365 | From: Vancouver BC | Registered: Jul 2002 | IP: Logged

Tim Agg
First Class Passenger
Member # 3185

posted 07-16-2007 11:30 PM

Blue Funnel advises that there will be no harbour tours August 9, due to a schedule change to accommodate Cowes Week. We'll now try the S'ton - Hythe ferry instead.

Posts: 365 | From: Vancouver BC | Registered: Jul 2002 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 07-17-2007 03:57 AM

Cowes Week... oh blimey!

You picked a busy one there and the IOW ferries will be chocka. However sailing fro S'ton in the evening will be lovely past the IOW with all the yachts around. Nightmare for the officers no doubt.

Sticking to the Hythe Ferry will be the best bet, you can go back and forth. I dont think I've mentioned this page before, which gives a good overview of all the berths. Go through the links on the left too.

The Hythe Ferry sails frequently, and there is a free bus into the city and station from Town Quay.

Also of late the Thames Sailing Barge Alice, has been spotted taking Solent excursions. She is based in Bosham [between Portsmouth & Chichester]. She doesn't seem to have any specifc private charter yet for those days, perhaps something suitable may come up. That would be an intersting one, see here.

One of Patsy's photos from 16th June as she sailed up to see the ships sail from Southampton:-

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

gaz hants
First Class Passenger
Member # 5749

posted 07-17-2007 05:02 AM

the hythe ferry is good for qm2 - passes by the berth.
not so good for GP - she berths far up in western docks (berth 106).
if you are hanging around until departure, best places to see GP will be Town Quay (where hythe ferry/iow fastcraft depart) or mayflower park or of course hythe pier (but you can't get on the end!).

enjoy hythe if you do come. look out for a few CTers and the highlight of any visit: patsy's bench!

Posts: 273 | From: hythe southampton uk | Registered: Jun 2005 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 07-17-2007 05:53 AM

At the Town Quay, inside the building, right near the Red Funnel IOW Fastferry boarding point, there is often a guy selling boats trips to the ships in Port. This will include all of the berths.

I think you get 1 hour for £5. Not bad value and the best photo opportunity.

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Tim Agg
First Class Passenger
Member # 3185

posted 07-19-2007 11:46 PM

Many thanks to all of you for your help. On Aug 9th we are limited to the morning for ship photos; by the end of that afternoon we have to drive to a hotel near Heathrow, as we fly to Copenhagen the next day to join the Veendam. I've seen the Grand Princess several times - it's the QM2 I've not yet seen, so the Hythe ferry will suit, and Hythe seems interesting too!

Posts: 365 | From: Vancouver BC | Registered: Jul 2002 | IP: Logged

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