We were an extended family of 6 (2 -20's, 2-40's and 2-60's) and have traveled with Princess at least 6 times.
Arrived at Gatwick (uneventful flight to the UK), and stayed at the Sofitel - a beautiful hotel with excellent service. They were able to get us a room 5 hours ahead of our scheduled check-in. We then used the Gatwick Express to travel to London and spent the day touring with Gren Tours. Glen laid out a fabulous day in London walking to all of the sites. He was well prepared, ensured all of the family members had a great time, and toured at our pace. What was unique was that while we never felt rushed - he always knew what time it was and where we needed to be. We had an opportunity to see the changing of the guard, and Glen knew exactly where to stand - and within 60 seconds the parade went right by us. We found Glen on Trip Advisor and he was #1 at the time - I can see why - we would all highly recommend him.
The journey to the ship: We used Woodford Chauffer Cars for our trip to Southampton and requested a stop at a Tesco to pick up water, sodas and snacks for the cruise. The driver was early, in a clean vehicle and easily accommodated our request for a quick 15 minute stop. We used Woodford on a previous cruise, after a recommendation on these boards, and are pleased with their service. We arrived around 1230-1300.