Day 16, arrival in Southampton
Yesterday evening we had received the cruise log in our room. The report from our first day at sea after Gibraltar omitted our unscheduled diversion to Vigo. Even more confusing the log reported our docking at the Queen Elizabeth terminal in Southampton rather than where we were at the Mayflower terminal!
Perhaps some proofreading would be a good idea in future!
Arcadia had slowed down about the time she reach the Solent and the changing noise had woken me up.
We arrived at the Mayflower Terminal and after a spin around in the basin we docked.
Looking out from our balcony the boat bringing fuel oil was arriving and was belching out black diesel smoke. The time for breakfast and to leave the cabin for the last time and arrived.
Breakfast was in the lower Meridian restaurant and we managed to be seated close by the stairs to the upper restaurant.
At breakfast we learn just had long it took to get to Edinburgh by coach from Southampton. This was almost over 12 hours. The Meridian upstairs was pretty full by the time we climbed the steps to wait to leave the ship.
Disembarcation
We had time to find a table and sit before anyone from the restaurant was called to leave the ship. The restaurant was emptied from the front door and as we were right at the back, we had to wait for quite a bit longer.
When we were called it was still ahead of our scheduled time to leave. The waiters were already setting up the dining room for the next cruises’ passengers. This may have been the reason that we were moved early and then had a 10 minute queue along the mid-ships corridor.
In the baggage hall we were further delayed as one of our bags was amongst the wrong deck’s suitcases. Unusually after a visit to Gibraltar there were no UK customs as we cleared through the green channel. Then once through we began our trek to retrieve our car.
After picking up our keys we were soon at the car but I was stopped from going to my door by a lady from the car next to us. It seemed her husband was busy relieving himself into a plastic bottle between the two cars. Once I was OK to get into the car I had to avoid all the puddles on the ground!
The Concorde Club
Once we left the car park we were on our way to Eastleigh to see our friends before they set off North. They have been in the Meridian at the same time as us but next to the front door. Plus their taxi had come quickly and they were already at the hotel waiting for us.
The Concorde Club is a famous jazz venue and we went inside for a quick look around. The car park is over a pretty stream.
The footbridge to the car park even had its own history too!
