BoisDore

after waiting on for the Cunard call centre for over 1 hour to talk to them about our booking

That *is* frustrating. I'm surprised a company as large as Carnival doesn't have their call centers managed worldwide to handle multiple brands from multiple regions, to maximize efficiency and minimize hold times.

I asked Cunard yesterday and had they could not assist. :D

Perhaps it's just very American of me, but I would have politely refused to accept that as an answer from Cunard.

They may not have the info on hand, but really should at least collaborate with you to answer the question/solve the problem.

Hi All -

A big group of friends is planning to do a transatlantic on QM2 next fall, and I could use some advice on formal attire.

Questions like:

-Women in tuxedos?

-Men in long tailored tuxedo skirts?

-Full-on drag?

Any thoughts appreciated.

Hit Hyacinth up for some extra cash for me. ;)

Someone's gotta pay for the artisanal, organic, local, mayonnaise...

So we'll never see you?

Didn't realize he was away in Brooklyn :)

There's quite a good textiles study program here. Though it *is* an expensive place to live...

I doubt folks will meet Hyacinth's high standards.

One needn't ALWAYS be dressed for a candlelit supper.

Truth be told, I'm more of a Sharidan than a Hyacinth.

On the topic of daytime dress... I've been curious about that.

I know there is no dress code before 6pm, but what are the averages like?

For what it's worth, I - and most people I know - are the sort that rarely leave to house* looking "put together". Casual, sure. But never sloppy or lazy. On our September TA will we be having lunch with people in tracksuits?

*exception for early morning dog walks

I'm just home from a ship tour with the Princess/Cunard sales reps, who say Britannia dining room and King's Court are both up for remodels.

Carinthia Lounge picture here:

 

http://www.cunard.co.uk/cruise-ships/queen-mary-2/remastered/carinthia-lounge/

 

During the day, the Carinthia Lounge will serve light breakfast and lunch dishes, speciality teas and coffees, delicacies from the new patisserie counter and a special champagne afternoon tea.

 

...The spacious venue will also feature a wine wall, vertical metal Art Deco-inspired screens, and a dark walnut timber dance floor.

Looks sharp!

Here the link to Cunard Formal Wear Rental

 

https://ask.cunard.com/help/cunard/life-on-board/Formal_Hire

Thanks! I thought I'd read every word on their site thrice, but I'd missed this.

I know the OP expressed hesitation about dining alone and all the other posts certainly are supportive of ways to hopefully dine with others. But I would also like to encourage the OP that it's not the end of the world to dine alone on a cruise. I've done it many times and on every cruise I see solos dining alone. So if it works out that you are solo for a meal, don't give it a second thought. I've eaten solo in main dining rooms, the buffet, and at specialty restaurants. I often take a book to read if I'm so inclined, but I also sometimes just sit and enjoy my ability to do whatever I want to do.

I'm new to cruising, so can't speak to it in that context, but going out to a nice dinner by myself is one of my favorite indulgences. I save long-form New Yorker articles just for such occasions.

Does anyone know the approximate costs of onboard formalwear rental? Sounds handy, but wondering how much that convenience costs...

There are at least a couple outlet malls in NJ, closer to ERW than Woodbury Common. 'Jersey Gardens' is practically at the end of Newark's runways.

here's their track fro arrival this morning ... the loop is when they turned around to back to the pier ...

Ahh... Thanks for that. Didn't realize she backed in - thought she might pass the battery and slip into buttermilk channel from the north.

Reverse question:

Does she pass Lady Liberty when inbound to Red Hook?

The biggest impediment used to be the cost of the medallion (literally a metal badge riveted to the hood (bonnet) of the Yellow cab) - most recently around $750,000, but now New York allows Uber drivers and anyone can be one of those, no license (aside from a driver's license) or medallion required.

Medallions are required to OWN a cab, but not to drive one. Cabbies lease the car from the garage/owner for their shift for something like $125/appx.

And medallions used to trade for over a million dollars, but their value has fallen something like 20% in the last few years, with the advent of Uber and the green borough taxis.

Well BoisDore, those evening soirees sound wonderful, and I don't know about Violet but I bet there will be room for a pony in your cabin, have a lovely trip :)

As long as Rose and Olso don't show up!

I don't know . but it could be taken as "showing off" by some. Depends on how the group members will see it?

Thanks for your concern. We're all very good friends, and quite comfortable in the dynamics of our relationships.

Hello,

 

I have a group assembling for a TA in the fall of 2016, and I've just noticed that Cunard's online prices are now lower than the group rates we booked. (the reverse of a couple months ago, when the group booking was first made)

 

Should my travel agent be able to renegotiate the group rate, and get us equal to or lesser than what the same cabis are selling for now?

 

Thanks.

An followup on the original question, if anyone is curious: My agent was able to reduce all previously booking to the current, lower fare. She wasn't able to get the contracted group rate reduced, so future bookings will be at the lower of group/currently available. As was suggested by a couple of commenters, if fares go even lower, we can continually get reductions up until final payment dates. And we were able to get the free gratuities offer without forfeiting any OBC. (I'm learning a lot!)

11.57pm:

The FOD [Friends of Dorothy] meetup had about 8 attendees today and of course we had another long chat with H1! DH is already in bed but I think I'll go up on deck for a little before turning in.

Hey BostonJetSet - Was the FOD meetup announced/scheduled, or more casual/spontaneous? Curious, though with the group I'll be traveling with, 'family' won't be at all hard to find.

According to a linked CruiseCritic article, one HAL ship has trialed the flat rate plans:

 

Westerdam is the only ship to test the line's new social media package. Here's how those packages break down, priced for seven-day cruises.

 

"Social" ($5 for 24 hours or $25 for the week): Limits access to only eight social media sites, including Facebook and LinkedIn.

"Enhanced" ($16 for 24 hours or $60 for the week): Excludes videoconferencing and music streaming.

"Premiere" ($25 for 24 hours or $99 for the week): Excludes video streaming.

"While each cruise line has some leeway in what they offer and how the offerings are priced, all of the ships will have Internet packages that charge a flat rate for social media usage..."

Who knows where it would go, but looks like that pricing isn't to be counted on.

Providing cheap access to social media seems like a clever move - allowing for the customers to do a lot of marketing for the lines.

I was part of a group of twelve friends on QM2 a few years back. We all had Britannia Grade balcony cabins.

 

As we were all friends we dined together (evenings. Went our separate ways in smaller groups for breakfast and lunch).

 

We did this as we booked as a group. No-one felt the need to elevate themselves and book a different grade of accommodation. No "them and us" atmosphere (I think if any of us had done so, we wouldn't still be friends, and planning yet another group cruise).

 

After we had enjoyed this group cruise, several booked other Cunard cruises. In Princess or Queens Grill suites.

 

And that is what I would advise; travel on this trip as a group all in one grade of accommodation. Then book a future cruise in Queens Grill just for yourself.

 

Whilst in Queens Grill it may be possible to "dine down" on one night (this has been done in the past), I doubt it would be welcome on a regular/frequent basis. As for passengers "dining up", I've never heard of this. And "greasing" a maitre 'd could be seen as very insulting.

 

In short, I'm not sure I understand why one would book as part of a group, and then separate oneself from the group?

 

Best wishes and happy sailing whatever you do :)

Thank you for your insights, Pepper.

I certainly wouldn't want to create an 'us vs them' distinction among the group. Part of my thinking is to have the QG suite to then be able to host our group for cocktails and canapes at least a few nights - perhaps a casting off party on our balcony.

But perhaps I'm mis-estimating a social/class structure aboard? Is there a hierarchy - perhaps unwritten - in addition to where one sleeps and eats? (Needless to say it's our first time... On a cruise of any sort.)

A factual answer to your Dining question.....basically yes , you should be able to dine in Britannia a couple of times if you wish. We did precisely this on QE when travelling in PG and our friends were in Britannia. Maitre'd organised this for us without any problem. But they were not allowed to dine with us in PG.

 

In our case we had booked originally to go (in PG) with another couple who had to cancel due to an accident. The friends who joined us on the cruise did so last minute and were unable to secure a PG cabin - our friends cancelled cabin had already been sold on.

Thanks for that insight, Mysticalmother.

It is recommended that your bookings be linked..

 

Dining as a Group

A TWID code can be added to all fare types for passengers wishing to dine together, however, please advise passengers we cannot guarantee these requests. In addition we cannot guarantee that linked bookings will be allocated the same dining choice and/or time or that cabins are in close proximity of each other.

 

Please see page 20 of the CCS User Guide for further details on adding dining requests and linking bookings. (I presume this last part refers to a professional travel agent manual.)

 

As for different grades, this is from ask.cunard.com:

Q. Am I able to dine in a restaurant that is allocated for other grades?

If you are allocated to the Britannia restaurant, it would not be possible for you to dine in the Princess Grill or Queens Grill as these restaurants are reserved for those guests travelling in Princess Grill or Queens Grill suites. It is also not possible for you to upgrade to dine in Princess Grill or Queens Grill restaurants, unless you upgrade your stateroom prior to sailing.

 

If you wish to dine with other guests who are booked into a different stateroom category you would all need to be booked into the same stateroom category.

Hmmm... I guess that answers the question. Or gives at least the official answer. Thank you BlueRiband.

I did see somewhere in a past thread a report of Queens Grill guests wanting to have dinner one night with a friend who was in Britannia, and the QG maitre d' got them a table in the Princess Grill. So, it would seem that they may be some room to 'make things happen'. I'd want to be a bit more confidant before making the booking, though.

Personally speaking, if you are a group it seems a bit odd to separate yourself off to the Grills.

I can be very odd, so if this is only a bit, then I'll have a balance remaining. Any idea on the dining room question?

You probably won't easily be able to eat in Britannia assuming there aren't two empty seats at their table the whole cruise, but easily in Todd English or the Kings Court evening a la carte venues.

Yea - That's my concern. I know we'll all do at least one dinner at Todd English, and having 2-3 dinners without the group is fine - maybe even optimal.

Surely there is some amount of fudge factor in the dining room seating space & assignments, with people skipping the MDR for other options? I wonder if greasing the maitre d's could get a couple sent up to the QG dining room to free up some space?

An off topic question...

If we are the only couple in our group to be in the grills, will it be a problem for us to dine with our group in the MDR two or three nights?