OceanMonarch

OP - Thank you for the replies.

I am still trying to decide on which cabin to book 4166 or 4178.

I "chatted" with HAL yesterday and was told that cabins 4166 + 4164 do not have larger balconies - they were just regular balcony cabins. I explained these cabins are categorized VB for a reason but was told that if indeed the balconies were larger "it would be a bonus"

My priority in selecting a cabin is

1. That it is quiet

2. There is sun and shade. We will be in the Med in July

To mix things up even more we have also been offered 5185.

I have to make a selection by Monday, so any assistance would be much appreciated.

I am new to HAL and would welcome any recent comments on the above cabins but particularly 5185. I intend to sail for 24 nights in July 2016.

Is this balcony completely covered and what deck furniture does it have? Is the cabin quiet because I do not intend to leave the ship at every port and just wish to sit on the balcony (that hopefully has some sun/shade) along with a good book. Any recent photos would be appreciated.

With regard to 4166 - I have been told this has an extra wide balcony. Again any photos would be much appreciated. Thank you

 

The Alternative evening dining in the Kings Court is very popular and can often get booked up very quickly. If you are interested in the 'Coriander' you will be advised to book it within your first day onboard . :)

We were very excited to try the Coriander on our recent voyage and made a reservation with the section manager (you often see them walking about the KC) on the first sea day to dine on the last sea day. He wrote the details in his notebook.

Midway, through the voyage I spoke with the Maitre d' in the Britannia restaurant (he called up to the KC) to confirm everything was in order. Thinking back now he was rather vague in his affirmation that things were OK - muttering something like ...don't worry all will be just wonderful. However, when the time came to dine, our reservation was lost and all tables were reserved.

I was quite annoyed (and yes, I realize it's not the end of the world) but when the young duty manager told me " what would you like me to do? Put a big smile on my face and tell you everything is OK?" I was so close to causing him actually bodily harm. Where do they get these people?

So, unfortunately we didn't get to try the Coriander, maybe next time.:o

My daughter has just returned from the westbound TA sailing, Jul 22nd. They only had one sunny day (the last sea day) and one other day where it was cloudy but OK to sit outside. On our TA's this year we had many more days where it was sunny and warm enough to sunbathe. You can never tell how the North Atlantic will be - so a jacket is a good thing to pack. Or, you can buy one on board - the stores have quite a good selection.

This leads me to another question - why is the Boardwalk Cafe never open? It was not open during our two sailings in May & June even on wonderful sunny days. We often sat on the open deck area near the cafe and lost count of the number of passengers who tried the door during the lunch period hoping it was open. My daughter also said that it was not open on her voyage on the sunny day. Does anyone know why this facility is not open?

We enjoyed spending time in Lucca - it is Italy's most impressive fortress city. You can walk or hire a bike for a leisurely ride along the perfectly intact wall that encircles the city. There is a wonderful little coffee shop called - "Di Simo" off the main town square on Via Fillungo for an excellent cup of coffee and a pastry or a light lunch.

We hired a car and drove the relatively short and easy distance to Lucca but there is a train service too (via Pisa I believe). Hertz come right to the ship's gangway as do other car rental companies.

What ship did your friends sail on?

 

We have just returned from the QM2 - May 27th sailing and purchased FCD for ourselves and also for our daughter who was not on board at the time (she is hoping to sail in July). We received 3 separate e-mail confirmations along with the correct paperwork delivered to our cabin the following day. The only issue we had was the representative on board, would not take our money when we went to the booking office on board (there wasn't a line of guests waiting or anything). We had to call from our cabin and give our credit card number over the phone; this took quite some time due to accents and a fuzzy phone line:confused:

 

Now that we are home, I have checked the credit card statement and the correct charge x 3 has been deducted.

 

Now we get to plan when we use them:)

An update on the purchase of Future Cruise Deposits. My daughter is on board the QM2 and we asked her to purchase FCD for my husband and I (for a possible B2B). This is part of the reply that I received from Cunard Guest Relations this morning:

".....Going forward we will only be able to create a Future Cruise Deposit for guests actually sailing....."

Thank you Salacia for the info.

It also appears that there is a different import allowance for each state. I read this on an old thread.

Another wrinkle is that state laws on importation of liquor may be more restrictive than the federal laws. When I return to the US from overseas my point of entry is usually Philadelphia, and PA restricts how much alcohol one can carry into the state (for a couple it comes to about 3 bottles of wine). Even though Federal law is much less restrictive, CBP will enforce the state law applicable where the entry point is located. Underwatr

Since the point of entry is New Jersey does anybody know the permitted allowance in NJ?

It seems the duty is $1.32 per liter (taken from the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (2015) (Rev. 1). Perhaps the low rate is why US Customs aren't too strict when you only bring in a small extra amount of alcohol:) But, I will always declare any extra, just in case.

Rum and other spirits obtained by distilling fermented

sugar-cane products:

2208.40

In containers each holding not over 4 liters:

2208.40.20 00 Valued not over $3 per proof liter........................... $1.32/pf.

liter 1/

Free (A+, BH, CA,

CL, D, E, IL, MX, P,

PA, PE, SG)

7.1¢/pf. liter (OM)

7.9¢/pf. liter (MA)

9.1¢/pf. liter (AU)

10.1¢/pf. liter (KR)

10.5¢/pf. liter (JO)

17.3¢/pf. liter

(CO) 1/

pf.liters...... 23.7¢/pf.liter 1/

2208.40.40 00 Valued over $3 per proof liter.................................. $1.32/pf.

liter 1/

pf.liters...... Free 1/

Towards the end of the TA voyage Cunard have a great offer on spirits, 2 for 1 on a varied selection of rum, vodka etc. only $25.00 for 2 bottles of Captain Morgan dark rum. What a deal! (they do not sell this in the US for some reason).

My question is, as a solo passenger how much is the US customs tax, if you take in 2 bottles of spirits?

Great news regarding the expansion of the kennels!:)

Very low one way fares e.g. Jul 20th only $266.00! But, remember they do not fly daily in case you have any flight delays and then miss your onward connection. Just something to consider - great savings nonetheless.

Please let us know how it turns out. You're just making it under the deadline.

Thank you BlueRiband - I have managed to find a one way flight with WOW air $277.00 one way (Baltimore to London Gatwick). My TA will charge a small admin fee..:)

Thank you all for the information - it seems a name change may be possible. I will definitely call my TA on Monday morning.

Good point. The OP is in the US but we don't know on which side of the pond her daughter - who owns the booking - made the reservation.

My apologies for not making my information clear. Yes, I am in the US and made this reservation for my daughter so I am permitted to make any changes by the TA. I was just curious if this was at all possible at this late stage - I will of course contact the TA but I like to have the knowledge of CC members in case I get an agent who is new or unfamiliar with Cunard's policies. I don't want to waste their time if it's a non-starter. :)

It's not just a case of a name change, it's a complete person change, i.e. different passport number etc. You're going to need to phone Cunard as soon as you can about this.

 

Presumably your daughter's partner has already cancelled with Cunard?

 

https://ask.cunard.com/help/before-you-sail/canxpax_cu

I probably should have mentioned that this reservation was made in the US in case the booking conditions or fare structure makes a difference.

Unfortunately, my daughter's partner will be unable to sail on the TA July 22nd voyage - he was unable to secure a kennel place for the dog and will have to fly home. :(

What are Cunard's rules concerning name changes after final payment? I would love to fly over and cruise back with her. Is it possible at this late stage?

We sailed twice in May (10th & 27th). On the Eastbound voyage the Golden Lion pub was open on embarkation day, but closed on the Westbound. When we asked the reason why, we were told by the staff in the pub that the number of passengers on board, determined if they were serving lunch or not.

We then went to the Britannia restaurant (which was open from 12:00 - 1:30) and had lunch there. Apparently it is generally open for B2B passengers but nobody said anything (I guess we were sort of B2B:) ).

On the Eastbound voyage when the clocks change at midday it is quite difficult to find a seat in the Golden Lion. It is always a very busy spot on board and reducing the time that lunch is served makes it even more challenging to find a seat. This is why we like to eat there on embarkation day.

If the ship is sailing full it's not possible to grant every dining request, thus the fare prioirty system. Nothng wrong with asking for a change, but there is something wrong with demanding a change. While I'm obviously not there to see the entire passenger/Maitre D' exchange, I sometimes speculate how far a passenger tried to pursue their request where if one argument doesn't work then they try another, then another, until finally the answer "no" is considered "lacking in White Star Service ".

 

I recall a cancelled flight were Ms. Louis Vuitton Carry On repeatedly went to the gate agent arguing that evething "sucks, stinks, and is stupid". Long story short, she didn't get onb the next plane. Human nature being what it is some service people will just write somebody off if they think the passenger is demanding an entitlment they don't deserve. Not saying this is what the OP did but I can see it happening.

I am the OP and having worked in guest relations most of my adult life I understand that there are in fact, three sides to each and every story. I know that it is very challenging working in the hospitality industry, you work long hours, have very little time off and guests can be very, very demanding; generally my sympathy tends to err on the side of the staff member. Always observing and listening, I will often hand out those little White Star Service comment cards when I observe a staff member handle a difficult guest situation well. And I did this on more than several occasions on both May crossings. I guess I just can't switch off from my day job.:)

I mentioned on my original post that the Maitre d' does have a point (when assessing passenger's requests) but he should have been much more respectful in how he interacted with passengers; they all asked politely (those that I heard) and left when he beckoned the next in line. You are correct when you say that I am not entitled or maybe deserve a particular request (it is just a request after all ) but passengers should always feel valued and that their request will be handled with respect and discretion.

We do not have saver fares in the US just to clear that issue up.

Which does not mean that they cannot ask nicely if it is possible to be moved to another dining time. And which does not mean that the Maitre D' should be telling them that their request can't be accommodated due to the low price they paid.

 

Had he said "Due to the conditions attached to the fare you booked / your late booking date I cannot promise that we will be able to honor your request" I don't think this discussion would be on here. You do not tell customers, in front of other customers, that they were cheap and didn't pay full price hence... not your problem. That's highly unprofessional in any area of customer service.

People book when they book. Some wait for a low price, some look for a vacation and by chance find a low price. Different fares come with different restrictions so I think it's fine if the Maitre D' knows when a guest booked his voyage it's just not on him to tell other guests in public why he can't provide a different dinner seating. Collect requests, make a list, use the necessary criteria to determine who gets to switch (booking date, price, shoe size, eye color) and then let the guests you were able to move know.

Well said. My thoughts entirely.

When people book a cruise they know the conditions attached to the price they pay. If they don't like the conditions then book another fare.

Living in the US I don't know what you mean by this. :confused:

Presumably you and the other passengers were asking to be allocated early dining rather than the late they were given.

 

A more diplomatic approach would have been to point out that their table time was not guaranteed but he would do his best to accommodate them.

 

But embracing passengers? Kissing them? Not good form, what? I will fully expect to find my room steward dossing down on my bed for an afternoon kip the way things are going.

 

David.

In my case I was more than happy with late seating. I just requested any table not on the lower floor; the other passengers had a variety of other requests. But nobody that I heard asked for early dining, and a table for 2 by the window. That would have been a little cheeky.:)

Absolutely agree. The Maitre d' is frequently the first member of staff guests have an extended interaction with, and it is important that this interaction follows White Star protocols.

And while Cunard have this facility on embarkation day to assist passengers with dining requests, passengers will continue to ask for changes.

First let me say, my husband and I love sailing on the QM2 and will continue to do so whenever we possibly can. But the actions of certain crew members can really have a negative effect on your opinion of Cunard especially if you are first time cruiser or new to Cunard. This is one of those situations (but not the only one) that I experienced recently on the QM2.

“Madame, you have paid a very low price….”

Standing in line to change my dining table selection, I was very surprised to overhear the Asst. Maître d’ of the Britannia dining room say this to several passengers who had requested to change their table/dining time. As each couple approached the desk, he asked when they had booked, proceeded to check his computer and remarked that they had either paid a very low price and/or booked late, including myself. I could see that the passengers were taken aback by the conversation and somewhat embarrassed.

Having been employed in the hospitality industry myself I do not believe the Maître d’ served any purpose by this rather off hand questioning of passengers. He may have a point, but I do not believe this is the way to approach the matter, especially since the conversations could be overheard by others. It was a credit to each of those guests that they left without making a scene. I for one expect more tact, especially from a senior member of staff.

Now that I am home I have thought about this and wondered if this had happened to other passengers recently on the QM2. This was certainly not the only occasion during our two recent voyages where a certain sector of the crew (mainly Eastern European/Russian) were not respectful in the way they dealt with passengers. It may be a cultural/language difference but it is not White Star Service.

Funny thing is when my husband and I sat in the Royal Court Theater one evening, we got chatting to another lady passenger who brought up the subject of the Maître d’ and his offhand manner on embarkation day – she had also been told that she had paid a very low price. She said that she was going to report this to guest relations but the following day when she went to thank the Maître d’ (her dining time had been successfully changed) he gave her a big hug and kiss. Go figure. :confused:

Did anyone else experience this rather bizarre behavior?

Booked the voyage and received written confirmation of $300.00 + $100.00 OBC. Yippee!:) Costs the same as an economy class flight!

My apologies if this has been asked before but I did a quick search and could not find the answer.

I purchased a FCD for my daughter whilst on board the QM2. She intends to sail alone and according to the standardized paperwork received, an OBC of $150.00 is the norm for this length of voyage/cabin selected.

Whilst at the on- board office the Cunard sales representative stated she would receive $300.00 and yesterday my travel agent checked with Cunard and apparently she will receive the $300 + $100 (from the agent).

This seems to good to be true.:) Has anyone had exact experience of this double OBC for singles? I guess you're being charged 100% surcharge for single occupancy so this could be the reason.

This turned into more of an ordeal than expected and showed both the best and worst sides of Cunard customer care. Once on board my friends proceeded to the future cruise office and tried to purchase FCDs on our behalf only to be told that this was not possible as we had to be on board so somewhat defeating the object of the purpose.

 

 

My friends went back a few days later with the Ask Cunard web page where it states you can buy FCDs for family and friends not on board but still the salespeople were adamant that this was impossible to do.

 

 

I contacted a Cunard Personal Cruise Specialist and when they contacted the ship they too were told that it was impossible even though the CPCS confirmed that it has been possible for several years.

 

 

The CPCS was able to allow me to buy the FCDs and have them applied to a booking I then made on the basis that my friends were on board and were being prevented by Cunard staff from buying us the FCDs.

 

 

So a good ending on the FCD front plus I found a CPCS who is top-notch and really goes the extra mile. One hopes that the shipboard staff will be brought up-to-date on these matters.

 

 

DJ

What ship did your friends sail on?

We have just returned from the QM2 - May 27th sailing and purchased FCD for ourselves and also for our daughter who was not on board at the time (she is hoping to sail in July). We received 3 separate e-mail confirmations along with the correct paperwork delivered to our cabin the following day. The only issue we had was the representative on board, would not take our money when we went to the booking office on board (there wasn't a line of guests waiting or anything). We had to call from our cabin and give our credit card number over the phone; this took quite some time due to accents and a fuzzy phone line:confused:

Now that we are home, I have checked the credit card statement and the correct charge x 3 has been deducted.

Now we get to plan when we use them:)

 

This reminds me.... deck 2 forward is the place to go today to watch the waves. I shall try and remember. It can also be a great place to snooze as the waves are mesmorising

We will be joining the QM2 in New York on May 17th. Can't wait! This will be our 3rd TA on QM2 and would love to watch the waves and haven't found this particular spot you mention on deck 2 forward. Sounds just the place for an afternoon nap.