Portside Meet and Greet

Portside Meet and Greet: cruise parking at Southampton since 2017

Portside Meet and Greet is a family-run business based in Southampton that has provided parking for cruise passengers since 2017. Its model is the meet-and-greet format: the customer drives to the terminal's short-stay car park, hands the vehicle to the company's team and collects the keys on return. The company presents customer service as the focus of its operation and states that it has been rated 5/5 stars on Judge.me.

How the meet-and-greet process works

The service is organised in four steps described by the company: online booking, arrival at the terminal's short-stay car park where staff take charge of the vehicle, the cruise itself while the car remains stored, and key collection at the end of the trip.

Vehicle security and storage

According to the information published by the company, cars are kept on land on the outskirts of town, in an area with fencing and additional security measures, under constant CCTV monitoring. Vehicles are arranged in long rows, and the keys are not kept onsite, which the company presents as an extra layer of protection. The service includes insurance on all vehicles and professional, vetted drivers who handle the cars.

Assistance for passengers with special requirements

Portside states that it provides personalised assistance for customers with special needs as part of its standard service. Specifically, it lists accessible cruise parking, unloading of mobility scooters and wheelchairs, assistance for people with hearing or sight impairments, and trained staff available on arrival.

Electric vehicle charging

Among its services, the company offers electric car charging so that customers can return from their cruise to a charged vehicle. The site presents this as part of its Southampton cruise parking offering.

Booking, cancellations and refunds

Reservations are made through the booking page or by contacting customer service, providing details such as the cruise date and vehicle information. The booking form includes a departure date and a selector for the cruise ship, with a long list of vessels from different companies. As for cancellations, the company asks customers to send an email; to be eligible for a refund, the cancellation must be made at least seven days before the scheduled arrival date, with a £20 cancellation fee deducted from the amount. Cancellations made after that seven-day period are not eligible for a refund.

What the company says about its service

Portside describes its packages as budget-friendly and its team as welcoming, and highlights simplicity and a stress-free start to the holiday as hallmarks of its operation. The site includes testimonials from customers who mention the friendliness and efficiency of the staff, the speed of the return process and the ease of booking, drop-off and pick-up. The company also states that it does not offer fly-cruise packages: its services focus on experiences that begin and end at the same port, without air travel.