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The Cotswolds – Private Tour for Southampton Cruise Passengers
- 8–10 hours
- Easy
- £1095 per group, up to 8 guests
Overview
Step off your cruise ship and straight into the Cotswolds, or see them on your way to the ship.
Your private driver-guide meets you at the terminal, the airport or your London hotel, loads your luggage and shows you honey-coloured villages, quiet valleys and hidden gems most tours never reach, then delivers you to wherever you need to be next.
Highlights:
- Bourton-on-the-Water, Lower Slaughter, Bibury, Burford and Minster Lovell.
- Hidden gems the coaches can’t reach, chosen by a guide who knows them.
- Pickup and drop-off at your ship, the airport or your London hotel, luggage and all.
- A private luxury Mercedes and your own driver-guide, just for your group.
Jump to…
Three ways to take this tour
Choose your journey when you book. The price is the same whichever you pick: £1,095 per group of up to 8 guests.
- After your cruise (ship → tour → airport or London). We meet you at your terminal from about 8.30am for the full day below, and drop you at Heathrow at about 6–6.30pm, or at Gatwick or your London hotel a little later.
- Port day (ship → tour → ship). We meet you at your terminal at 8am and have you back at the ship by 5pm. It’s about 2 hours each way, so you spend around 4½ hours in the Cotswolds and your guide picks the best four or five stops.
- Before your cruise (airport or London → tour → ship). We meet you at Heathrow, Gatwick or your London hotel from 7.30am, visit three or four villages on the way, and reach your Southampton terminal by about 3pm.
The stops below are the full after-cruise day. Port days and before-cruise tours are shorter, and your guide agrees the best stops with you.
Comparing options? See all our private tours for Southampton cruise passengers.
What to Expect
1. Your pickup
Your driver-guide meets you at your cruise terminal, at airport arrivals or at your London hotel. Your luggage goes straight into the vehicle and stays with us all day, so there is nothing to store or collect.
Pickup
2. Bourton-on-the-Water
Discover “The Venice of the Cotswolds,” a beloved village with something for everyone. Enjoy free time to explore unique shops, charming tea rooms, museums, and possibly the best ice cream in the Cotswolds!
1 hour
3. Lower Slaughter
Despite its dramatic name, this village is pure charm. Stroll along the banks of the River Eye, passing picturesque cottages that look straight out of a painting.
30 mins
4. Yanworth
A quiet hamlet well off the beaten track, with a small Norman church and classic Cotswold stone cottages. It is one of the hidden gems most tours never reach.
20 mins
5. Bibury
Visit “the most beautiful village in England” and its world-famous Arlington Row cottages, probably the most photographed street in the country.
40 mins
6. The River Coln and Ablington
Follow the River Coln through one of the prettiest valleys in the Cotswolds, dotted with secluded stone villages.
30 mins
7. Burford
Burford’s famous High Street is steeped in history and packed with cafes and shops. Hear tales of kings, rebels and highwaymen.
1 hour
8. Minster Lovell
Conclude your Cotswolds exploration with this hidden treasure: quiet, mysterious and full of charm, with the riverside ruins of Minster Lovell Hall.
45 mins
9. Your drop-off
We take you on to your London hotel, the airport or your ship, and see you and your luggage safely to the door.
Drop-off
Make it your day
Every Tour Britannia tour is private, so the itinerary is a starting point, not a script.
This is the route most of our guests take, but you can change any of it. Your guide plans the day around you before you travel and stays flexible on the day itself. You can linger longer wherever you’re enjoying yourself, skip anything that doesn’t appeal, or stop wherever something catches your eye.
Ways to tailor this tour
- Add a stop at Diddly Squat Farm Shop and Hawkstone Brewery on Jeremy Clarkson’s farm
- Visit Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill
- Swap a village for Castle Combe or Stow-on-the-Wold
- Stop at Daylesford Organic for coffee and local produce
- Have lunch at a traditional Cotswold pub
- Spread it over two days with a night in the Cotswolds
Tell us what you’d like when you book, or ask us first. We’ll confirm the plan, and any change to the price, before you pay.
“Christopher was a great guide: knowledgeable, flexible, organized, and an all-round very nice man.”
Robert W, Tripadvisor review of our Cotswolds day tour, October 2026
Want something completely different? We design fully bespoke tours anywhere in the UK and Ireland, for a single day or several weeks. See bespoke tours we’ve created →
Questions about this tour
Is the price per person or per group?
Per group. It’s £1,095 whichever journey you choose. That covers your whole private group of up to 8 guests, including pickups and drop-offs, your luggage and your own driver-guide. There’s no charge per person.
Which journey should we book?
After your cruise if you’re leaving the ship in Southampton and heading to London or the airport. Before your cruise if you’re flying in or staying in London and boarding that day. Port day if Southampton is a stop on your cruise and you’re sailing on that evening.
When and where do you meet us?
In Southampton we meet you at your cruise terminal (Ocean, QEII, City, Horizon or Mayflower): from about 8.30am after a cruise, and at 8am on a port day. Before a cruise we meet you at Heathrow or Gatwick arrivals, or at your London hotel, from 7.30am. Your guide texts you the day before to confirm.
Will we be back at the ship in time?
Port days are planned to have you back at the terminal by 5pm. Tell us your all-aboard time when you book and we plan the day around it. If your ship sails before 6.30pm, please ask us before booking. Before a cruise we aim to reach your terminal by about 3pm.
What if our ship or flight is late?
We track your ship and your flight and move the pickup to match. If a late arrival leaves less time, we shorten the tour rather than risk your ship or your flight. Stops we have to miss aren’t refunded.
What happens to our luggage?
It comes with you. Each guest can bring 1 large suitcase and 1 small bag, which stay locked in the vehicle all day. If you have more, tell us before you book.
Can we fly home the same day?
Yes, if your flight leaves Heathrow after 9.30pm. The after-cruise day lasts about 10 hours, so earlier flights are too tight. For an earlier flight, choose our Stonehenge & Salisbury tour.
What is your cancellation policy?
You can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before your tour and get a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours of the start time aren’t refundable.
What’s included
- Pickup and drop-off at your Southampton cruise terminal
- Heathrow, Gatwick or London hotel pickup or drop-off before and after your cruise
- Your luggage carried all day (1 large suitcase and 1 small bag each)
- Private luxury Mercedes and your own English-speaking driver-guide
- Air conditioning, Wi-Fi, USB charging and bottled water
- Child seats at no extra cost
Not included: food, drink (apart from bottled water) and gratuities.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before your tour, with a full refund.
Not ready to book yet?
Tell us your dates and what you’d like to see, and we’ll send you a tailored plan for your day with a confirmed price, usually within 24 hours. There’s no payment and no obligation.
We’ll only use your details to reply to your enquiry. Prefer to talk? Call 0800 787 9757 (+44 800 787 9757 from overseas) or email bookings@tourbritannia.co.uk.
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