£5m upgrade for Southampton cruise terminal

The Queen Elizabeth II (QEII) terminal in Southampton is getting a £5m upgrade with work expected to end by this time next year.

The announcement is good news for the many thousands of Brits who enjoy going on cruise holidays each year to a wide range of destinations and follows hard on the heels of the £6m revamp of the Mayflower terminal which came to completion last April.

Joint effort

The huge revamp project is a joint venture between ABP Port of Southampton and cruise operator Carnival UK. The work will take place over two distinct phases in 2015/16 and will include the construction of a brand new ship-to-shore walkway which will replace the existing one initially installed for Cunard's Queen Mary 2.

A major result will be that a far greater range of ships will be able to dock at the terminal, and along with new technology, upgrades to the check-in area and a brand new lift, both passenger flow and experience will be vastly enhanced.

Upgrades to the baggage and passenger X-ray areas will also be combined with a total reorganisation of the passenger drop-off area.

Vast passenger numbers

With almost two million passengers expected to pass through Southampton this year, director of the port Nick Ridehalgh said the renovation was "vital" in order to ensure facilities were in "the very best shape" to handle the ever-increasing passenger numbers.

“The number of cruise passengers coming through Southampton's port continues to rise, with 1.75 million expected to pass through this year,” Ridehalgh said.

“It's therefore vital that we ensure our facilities are in the very best shape to accommodate these passengers and that they are laid out in a way that gives people a seamless and stress-free start to their holidays.”

Two phases

Spring 2016 is the date given for the first phase of the work to be completed, with a second stage due to be finished by next winter.

As well as Carnival brands such as Princess, Holland America and Aida, other major cruise operators such as Cunard and P&O Cruises will also benefit from the programme.

If you are planning a cruise holiday, don't forget to arrange your Worldwide Travel Insurance before you travel.

Date Created: 20/11/2015