Liberty of the Seas’ Southampton terminal switch is a fair trade for shore power

Liberty of the Seas passengers will leave Southampton from one terminal and return to another so the ship can use shore power on embarkation day. That gives drivers an extra set of instructions to follow, but I’d accept this inconvenience. Enabling a ship to shut down its engines while berthed is a sensible reason to rearrange a departure.

The Royal Caribbean ship will depart Horizon Cruise Terminal on September 25, 2026, and return to City Cruise Terminal on October 3 after an eight-night voyage. Parking operator ABParking has told guests with reservations that Royal Caribbean requested the arrangement to enable shore power use.

The neighboring terminals are approximately a quarter-mile apart. No changes are expected to the departure schedule or to the itinerary, which calls at Bilbao, La Coruna and Vigo in Spain, plus Le Havre and Cherbourg in France. This is a change to how passengers get between their cars and the ship, rather than to the holiday they booked.

Southampton introduced shore power in 2022, with connections at Horizon and Mayflower cruise terminals. Equipped vessels can draw electricity from shore and shut down their engines while alongside.

There is a catch, though. The port’s electrical demand limits shore power use to one ship at a time. Having the equipment available does not make plugging in an automatic part of every call. Berth arrangements still matter, and Royal Caribbean has requested one that allows it.

Drivers need to follow the parking instructions

For passengers, the immediate job is to follow ABParking’s directions rather than assume departure and arrival will use the same terminal.

Drivers should enter through Dock Gate 8, at the eastern end of Herbert Walker Avenue. Staff will direct vehicles to the designated parking area, where porters will collect luggage after guests have parked.

ABParking asks passengers to print their parking permits before traveling and display them clearly on arrival. The operator says this will help keep vehicles moving and reduce delays.

Guests with reserved Blue Badge accessible parking will have a complimentary shuttle between the parking area and the departure terminal. It can accommodate wheelchairs and mobility scooters.

On October 3, passengers will disembark at City Cruise Terminal and have a short walk to the appropriate parking area. The shuttle is described for departure only, so guests should not assume one will run on the return.

The boat show makes arrival timing more important

The Southampton International Boat Show runs from September 18 through September 27, overlapping embarkation day.

The event attracts roughly 100,000 visitors annually to Mayflower Park and the adjacent marina, next to City Cruise Terminal. That means additional waterfront traffic could complicate the drive to the port. Passengers should allow extra travel time and watch for possible road closures or delays near the terminals.

Liberty of the Seas is scheduled to depart at 5 p.m., but that is not a boarding deadline. Late arrival can prevent passengers from boarding, and final boarding deadlines are often set by government and port authorities, whose restrictions cruise lines must follow.

Passengers should not have to untangle the berth plan themselves, which makes clear parking directions essential. Still, a little more coordination on land is a reasonable price for shutting down a large ship’s engines at the waterfront.

See current Liberty of the Seas fares and itineraries on Cruise Lookup.