Southampton, UK July 28

Our cruise ends in Southampton and we will have an early morning disembarkation from Crown Princess. Our flight back to the US will depart on July 29th as we were unable to get a flight using our frequent flyer miles on July 28th! No problem! There are six of the group who will have a day to explore the maritime city of Southampton!

After researching lodging options, I decided to try The White Star. It gets rave reviews on Tripadvisor and is a local boutique style inn and not a big chain hotel! The tavern/pub is reported to be one of the best dining options in Southampton... so I have made a 7:30 pm dinner reservation for the group. The White Star Tavern and Dining Rooms (28 Oxford Street, 02380 821 990) started life as a seafarers' hotel. The interior pays homage to the history of the building, with chandeliers and comfy leather sofas. The cuisine is "modern British" with familiar names such as local sausages and mash, beer battered fish and chips and some healthier options, such as pan fried fillet of salmon or breast of free range chicken.

Southampton sells itself as the shopping capital of the South Coast and the West Quay shopping centre does nothing to dispel you of that opinion. Walk along Above Bar Street toward the waterfront and the West Quay Mall will be on your right. John Lewis and Marks And Spencer are the major draws, but there are 97 other shops happy to separate you from your hard-earned dollars. The Bargate Centre and Mall Marlands will also help in your efforts to get in ship shape after our cruise. Above Bar and its continuation, High Street, have a number of pubs, cafes and restaurants to rest your feet and have a meal or drink ... or both. The 15th century Red Lion pub is one (but see my note below!)

There are two main areas for eating out in Southampton; the first is Southampton's hipster district Oxford Street (towards Ocean Village) and the second is around Bedford Place (just North of the city). Oxford Street has a selection of higher class restaurants. Recommended are the White Star (English/Traditional), Olive Tree, Oxford Brasserie for bistro fare, and Kutis (Indian) among others.

For a Pint: The Red Lion on High Street dates back to Tudor times and is a must-see. Kan always like to have a "mission" whenever we travel... so I propose this as his Southampton mission: see if the Red Lion still exists! I can't find a website except for a couple of Youtube videos and websites that have to do with ghosts in the Red Lion! For those looking for something more lively, The Platform Tavern nearby on the waterfront is an excellent bet as it features live jazz and blues music and a superb selection of local real ales. The city center also has the usual spattering of chain pubs, including Slug & Lettuce, two Wetherspoon's (the one on High Street is The Standing Order, Walkabout, Bar Risa and Que Pasa.

Central Chauffer will collect the six of us & our luggage at 5:15 am on July 29th to take us to London's Heathrow Airport and our trip back to the gold ole USA!