Transport to a ship...

[Unregistered]

Having just received my joining instructions for my next ship via the well known training company I'm wondering do you have to use there method of travel? the only negative i can think is if something goes wrong making my own way they will kick up a major fuss...


but traveling from up north via the train to london, then having to get onto the underground and then finally onto another train to southampton... then make my own way to the ship... which roughly gets me into southampton (no delays/ not the port) at about 2:30 for a ship sailing at 4:30? bear in mind I've never been to London so the tube with bags doesn't sound great.


i can't see why they didn't fly me direct (flight price is cheaper) and i'd be in southampton airport at 10:30 the same day...


any ideas? i'm really contemplating booking a flight and paying myself. approx 2 weeks till i join.

[Chiefy]

Try calling them and explaining that flying is actually cheaper, they often like that ;-)

There are also othe train routes that let you dodge London from where you are

[The Kraken]

This happened to me a few times, I ended up researching the route myself and phoning them up telling them I've found direct flights which were cheaper. They were quite happy to rebook travel arrangements when I'd informed them, multiple trains and going through London is not the best solution.

[Mantaforce]

I once had this as a cadet from Liverpool to Aberdeen. They wanted me to get the train, but I found out that the flight was only ?2 more expensive. When I told them this they were happy enough to book it. Only problem was that when they phoned the ship to confirm my flight, the Captain there decided that cadets weren't entitled to flights and wrote me out a rail warrant! But worth getting in touch and explaining that it's cheaper, a lot of the travel is booked trough a third party travel agent.

[endure]

When I joined my first ship I had to catch a train down to St Pancras and then get to Heathrow under my own steam. It gave my family a chance to stand on the platform sniffing into their hankies and wondering whether they'd ever see me again. I was far too excited to be sad

[YoungMariner]

I once had this as a cadet from Liverpool to Aberdeen. They wanted me to get the train, but I found out that the flight was only ?2 more expensive. When I told them this they were happy enough to book it. Only problem was that when they phoned the ship to confirm my flight, the Captain there decided that cadets weren't entitled to flights and wrote me out a rail warrant! But worth getting in touch and explaining that it's cheaper, a lot of the travel is booked trough a third party travel agent.

That Captain sounds like an idiot.


When I lived in Yorkshire I had a few occasions where companies asked me to fly from Heathrow for various reasons and also went via kings cross and the Piccadilly line, a real pain. Also went to Warsash via London once, not fun (that alternative of FlyMaybe not being much better).