Royal Caribbean sets the parameters for flight times.
If you are arriving on embarkation day (August 26) and coming straight to the port, you need to be sure your flight arrives no later than 11:30am. Given the distance from both Gatwick and Heathrow airports to Southampton, we encourage you to book your airfare through the Air2Sea program and to use Royal Caribbean’s ground transportation services. This is the best way to ensure you arrive at the ship on time.
If you are departing directly from the ship when we return to Southampton on September 2, you need to be sure you flight departs no earlier than 12:30pm. The ship arrives in Southampton at 5:30am. We expect that disembarkation will begin between 6-6:30am. You will go through passport control when the ship returns. When you fill out your final paperwork prior to the cruise, you will provide your flight details, and Royal Caribbean will assign you to a departure group based on your flight time. If you wish to depart on Sunday, we also encourage you to book your airfare through Air2Sea, and. use their ground transportation services, because they will ensure you arrive at the airport in time for your flight.
Royal Caribbean also offers a couple of post-cruise shore excursions with drop-off at Heathrow for those with flights leaving later in the day, one to Windsor (if your flight leaves after 3:45pm) and one to Stonehenge (if your flight leaves after 4:30pm). (Remember if you are a part of the Pre-Cruise London Extravaganza, you’ll have been to Stonehenge on the way to the ship!)