Southampton is where so many of my European and transatlantic adventures begin and end, and I genuinely love it — it's the busiest cruise port in the entire United Kingdom, welcoming over three million passengers annually and contributing more than £1 billion to the local economy. Royal passengers rate the whole experience 4.7–4.9 because of how seamless and British it feels. This port has been the departure point for legendary voyages: the Mayflower sailed from here bound for America in 1620, and the QE2 called Southampton her home port for decades. My perfect pre-cruise day has to include the SeaCity Museum's Titanic exhibit (Southampton was the Titanic's home port — chilling and beautifully done), walking the medieval Bargate and some of the most complete Medieval city walls in the UK, and fish & chips at The Rockstone.

The SeaCity Museum is where history becomes real — interactive Titanic exhibits include a painstakingly accurate replica of a first-class cabin, and you can stand at the very spot where the Titanic departed: Berth 44, Ocean Dock Gate 4, on April 10, 1912. Nearly 500 of the Titanic's victims were Southampton citizens, and of the 724 crew members who sailed that day, only 175 returned home. Afterward, I always walk through the Old Town's cobbled streets to the White Star Tavern (the former White Star Line ticketing office) or The Grapes pub, which served Titanic crew members their last pints before departure. These 12th-century churches and Medieval walls hold stories that make you feel the weight of centuries.

Day trips from Southampton are gloriously easy. Stonehenge is just 50 miles away — those 4,000-year-old standing stones (UNESCO World Heritage since 1986) are best visited via ship excursion or train to Salisbury plus bus. Winchester Cathedral is a 20-minute train ride, and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard (with HMS Victory and the Mary Rose Museum) is an absolute must for naval history enthusiasts. London is only 70 miles away — about an hour and twenty minutes by direct train. Pre- or post-cruise, the Mayflower Theatre, Westquay shopping, and the gorgeous Tudor House & Garden make staying overnight totally worthwhile.

Southampton feels proper British — polite, green, and effortlessly charming. It's not London's grandeur, but that's exactly the point. This is a working port city with real history and real warmth, where every cobbled street and ancient wall whispers stories of sailors, explorers, and ordinary people who changed the world.