BeachTunes

Hello! We have just booked our first Cunard cruise on an October Queen Elizabeth sailing. We are SO excited about experiencing this beautiful ship! I am also interested in booking a theatre box on a formal night. Does anyone happen to know if this may be booked at some point pre-cruise on MyCunard? I'm not seeing it as an option at the moment. (I hope it's OK that I have piggybacked my theatre box question on this thread! 😊) Thank you and to the OP, enjoy your cruise countdown! 🚢

PS: Photos to follow. I'm having iPhone and Cloud issues due to taking too many cruise photos! It's time for me to invest in a storage drive or get a new phone but I keep spending my extra funds on traveling. 🤪

Hello All! Just following up on this as I started this thread and a few people wanted to know what we ended up doing to bide our time from disembarkation in San Juan to our afternoon flight so here goes! (This is long overdue as is my March trip report! LOL!) We disembarked the Millennium in San Juan on April 1st. I ended up booking the two of us a 5-hour private car and driver to take us on an El Junque Rainforest hike followed by stops at Luquillo Beach and the Pinones Beach. The company is called Puerto Rican Green Transportation. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! I spent a bit extra and chose a Tesla vs a regular sedan because I have never been in one and was curious how it handled. Haha! Silly me, I wouldn't pony up more next time as with traffic, it didn't make a difference. That said, it was nice knowing I was helping the environment a little extra that day! I believe most of their fleet is at least Hybrid. Given how travel can batter our fragile planet, this company's initiatives are appreciated by us! Booking this company was a FABULOUS decision. Our driver Felix was an absolute delight. He grew up in Luquillo, the area south of the rain forest and about an hour east of San Juan so he shared an incredible amount of interesting info about the region and its history. He picked us up at 9am and returned us to the airport at 2pm. It was the perfect amount of time for touring, exploring, chatting and lunch. He took us to a trail that is less travelled than where the bigger busses go. The hike took about half an hour and we ended up at a breathtaking fresh water waterfall. We had the entire majestic place to ourselves! Apparently the waters are known to be healing so we took advantage of swimming, even though we were worried about being a bit soggy before our flight. It was worth it! We had lunch at a beach view restaurant in Luquillo and looked around the nearby stalls and shops. We then went to the Pinones Beach which happens to be quite close to the airport. We ADORED Pinones! The food and drink stalls there, while across the street from the beach, seemed a little more authentically local, with wood fire ovens grilling up chicken, seafood and other delights. We were there on a Saturday when it apparently is quite common for locals from nearby small towns to ride their horses to the beach. At one point a calvacade of a few if not several dozen citizens on horseback rode past us on the road! We have been to San Juan a handful of times and had not experienced anything like it. It felt like we'd traveled back in time. Definitely a huge contrast from the nearby, more modern neighbourhoods/hotels of Isla Verde and Condado. We enjoyed our two-night pre-cruise stay in Old San Juan as well. We had only overnighted in Condado previously, so it was fun to see the old city alive at night. Next time, we'll definitely consider a pre-cruise stay near Pinones so we can bike along the paths to the beach and food stands and enjoy the day. If going on this private excursion, be sure to wear flat shoes that you don't mind getting muddy. We wore Keens. (I've had my Keens since our Costa Rican honeymoon in 2011. They've been through a LOT and are still holding up!) Same goes for shorts and a T-shirt or tank top. Don't wear anything you might be sad to part with should it get dirty. I admittedly dressed for Instagram-worthy jungle photos and had to change at a gas station before the hike. 😉 All in all, we were very pleased with our decision, although definitely not the most economical option, especially because our Canadian dollar is worth so little right now. I think for a family of 4 or a group, it's an even better value. We'd book with Puerto Rican Green Transportation again in a heartbeat and would consider touring in the other direction, to the region Northwest of San Juan next time. Thanks so much for everyone's help with this! I think the cruise excursion option would be great too, and probably less "muddy" if that's a concern! 🥰 Happy Travels!

We had the same experience on the Millennium in March. I pre-ordered three items that never manifested. That said, I also didn't ask. The yoga mats appeared to be absent but I finally spotted them on top of the closet near the end of the cruise. I *meant* to workout more during our cruise but alas... In lieu of using the elevators we took the stairs from our stateroom on Deck 11 most of the time. 🙂 (Side Note: I did use one of the Pelotons in the gym. I was able to log in to my own account and it all worked well! There's a sign on them that says they need to be reserved but a quick chat with the spa staff had one ready to go on demand.)

Following as we are intrigued by Cunard and are looking at one of the Memorial Day promo cruises! 🙂 From what I've read, though, I don't believe the deposits are refundable, at least for the cruise we're eyeing! (I might be wrong!) We're also looking into what "Cunard Care" insurance covers... While we have extensive insurance coverage through our credit cards, Cunard Care appears to be a reasonably priced option for added peace of mind. We're at the age where both we - and our parents - are subject to all things unexpected so extra insurance is never a bad thing! I hope more people will chime in. Happy cruising to you and yours!

I was on The Millennium in March and visited the "What Goes Around" preloved boutique. The signage was very clear that this segment of the shops sold used merchandise. The LV bags looked quite new to me. The shop manager informed me that they were very lightly used, mostly for a single photo shoot or runway show. They had a beautiful Speedy model that I was very tempted to purchase but refrained, much to the relief of my husband. LOL! Here in Canada preloved designer bag pop-up shops happen quite often in our department stores. My two cents? The bags I saw on the ship were around the same price as what I could by used on land but in better condition. Of course, YMMV depending on the ship, inventory, etc. Happy cruising and shopping! 🙂

No, because I don't buy furniture at those types of places. 😜 This is what I have learned! 👆

I agree. That converts to $10,700 Canadian! 🥴 I'm getting frustrated with "Price-Flation" to make sales look better.

Actually, now that I look at your rate I see that it is in USD which translates to over $5600 CAD with no Wifi or Drinks. I had a hold on a Concierge room for that price in August WITH All-Inclusive. Sadly, we were uncertain if we could sail in August so we let that deal go. Our lousy Canadian dollar isn't making this process (and convincing my husband to book) any easier! LOL!

@mahdnc That's a decent rate for sure! If only we could cruise on May 26th! The later season dates are in some cases double, for understandable reasons (high demand). I will get to Alaska some day whether it's this year or next! 🙂

Thanks again to all for your input here. I received a second email about the offer from Celebrity that is much clearer. The first one didn't mention dates or cabin category which was frustrating. The second email specifically states the qualified stateroom categories (inside and oceanview) which is much more helpful to those of us perusing the website for options! 🙂

I believe you are correct as that is what I'm seeing. I've scanned through several dates and plugged in verandas of all types and no dice. Also, BOGO won't apply if one tries to select the All-Inclusive option. But yes, the promo does work for select inside and oceanview staterooms on certain June and July dates. So, not 100% bogus after all! That said, we prefer all-inclusive and balcony staterooms. I suppose we could book an oceanview and press our luck on a Move Up bid, but I doubt we be saving much in the end after the upgrade fees, paying for drinks, wifi and gratuities. Sorry to dis Celebrity. I just wish hotels, cruise lines, etc would be more transparent about these kinds of promotions. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Sandals is the worst for this having had their 65% off sale running for the past decade and a half! LOL! (And we have enjoyed several lovely Sandals vacations!) Happy cruising, everyone!

Thank you @NorthStarStateCruiser! They sure don't make it easy to figure out which rooms on which dates apply! Tooling around the website, I managed to find a true BOGO deal on an inside stateroom on Millie in July. Too bad the deal isn't valid for balconies and above! 🙂

Seems like smoke and mirrors at the moment. For example, there's a Sunset Veranda available for a July Southbound cruise showing a price of $2865 Canadian plus fees/taxes of $370 (Not All-Inclusive). So, in theory the BOGO price *should* equate to $3605, assuming the the 2nd guest still has to pay the taxes and port fees. But, when I click though to book, the final amount is $6470 Canadian. (Still have to pay for gratuities and optional wifi and drinks.) Meanwhile I had a concierge stateroom on hold for a similar itinerary a few days ago AND All-Inclusive that was less than $5500. So BOGO appears to be BOGUS! LOL! Should my TA come up with anything more impressive, I'll be sure to share the success story here. 🙂

Ah, just what I thought. As they say, nobody rides (or sails) for free! 😉

Hello! I just received an email from Celebrity advertising a weekend flash sale on select Alaska sailings. Supposedly the 2nd Guest Sails Free! But, when I do mock bookings on the advertised dates, it's not a deal at all. I've put a call into my travel agent to see if she can access a special booking code. My husband and I have been eager to sail to Alaska but our summer work schedules have made it challenging to lock down a date. If this sale was a true blue "BOGO" then I might be able to more easily convince him to throw caution to the wind and book it! LOL! (Thanks again for everyone's previous answers to my many Alaska cruising questions!) I'm thinking this promo is just another bait and switch type thing where prices are jacked up on the 1st cruiser to appear like the 2nd cruiser sails free when (aside from some extra OBC with the promo) it's not a special rate after all. If anyone has insight on these kinds of deals, especially if you've had success booking one, please share! Thanks so much!

Rohit! He's lovely! We were on the March 25th Millie sailing and the Mast Bar was our fave spot to hang out, chat with the bartenders and people watch. George and Uros at the bar are also gems! If you have a chance, please tell each of them that Ellen and Jamie from Canada say hello and that we miss them! 🙂 Thank you for sharing your journey with us. It feels like we're back on board! I'm overdue to post our trip report. Will get to it this weekend when everyone will be in withdrawal from your wonderful live posts. 😉

Hello! We returned from the Millennium and LOVED Le Petit Chef! I giggled the entire evening. The show was really cute and fun, in our opinion. At some points the animation almost looked like it was in 3D. Service was excellent and the food was very good. I can see why some people may not appreciate it but we would definitely consider going again, especially for a different show. Apparently there are three or four different shows and menus across the fleet. Incidentally, here in Toronto Le Petit Chef is running a pop up at an event space. I did the math and it's $129+ gratiutiy per person Canadian. So $150 Canadian or approximately $110 US per person. That's before drinks. Add in Ubers or taxis to and from the venue and the Toronto version could easily tally $300 Canadian or $220+ USD. So the value is definitely better on the ship. Here are some photos and a video from our March 27th experience. 🙂 IMG_5645.MOV

Thank you for your input Coral! And wolfie11, that photo is stunning! I know whichever week we choose, it will be a magical one! 🙂

Wow, thank you all so much for the helpful input! I figured getting Aqua Class for Concierge pricing would be a long shot but it's great to know that we can score a C1 for C2 pricing. (Or a V1 for the price of a V2.) That will help with flights and excursions! 🙌

Hello! First of all, thanks to everyone for answering all of my questions here! I promise that our March 25th Millennium trip report is coming soon! 🙂 We're now considering an Alaska cruise on Millie. I currently have a Concierge (C1) stateroom on a courtesy hold. We love Aqua Class/Blu but given how much we plan to spend on excursions, pre-cruise, flights, etc, current pricing isn't quite a match at the moment. That said, I'm confused about the Captain's Club One Category Upgrade... Does it mean that we could upgrade to an Aqua (A2) stateroom for the current C1 pricing? I'm thinking that is not the case and that it's a category upgrade within the actual category (Inside, Outside, Balcony, Concierge, etc.) If indeed we could get an A2 for C1 pricing, I'd be booking immediately! LOL! (I do use a travel agent but thought I'd get some opinions here first.) Just wishful thinking here before I make the final decision! 😊 Thank you!

Thank you very much for your input. 😊 Of course, a three-week weather window isn't the only deciding factor for this journey's date. There are many other things to consider. Given this is a bucket list trip I thought I'd put the weather question out there. Being a Canadian, I know weather predictions are rarely reliable. A prime example is that it was 86F in Toronto today while April averages are usually 50F! So indeed I AM a fool for asking a weather question. LOL! The above said, the September sailing is looking better all the time... You had me at "fewer crowds" and "Northern Lights"! ⭐ I will be blessed to sail on either itinerary!

Thank you! That makes sense. I need to do more research on this forum! 🙂

Hello! We have narrowed down two cruise departure dates for a 7-night sailing from Seward to Vancouver and can't decide which one to choose! If anyone has insights on which one is more ideal, it would be appreciated! 🙂 1. August 25-September 1 (Seward to Vancouver) 2. September 8-15 (Seward to Vancouver) I'm leaning toward option #2 because our preferred hotel in Anchorage is available pre-cruise (Historic Anchorage Hotel) and also because the Goldstar service on the train to the ship is available. Do those things even matter? I feel like the September date would mean less crowds but I wonder if the August departure date might give us potentially better weather? As I always say, these decisions are good problems to have to solve! Thanks to all for your input!

Thank you all so much! I truly appreciate everyone's input! 💙 We're leaning towards the Concierge Class room with the extra space but a couple other interesting/well located staterooms have opened up for another sailing. With that said... Between these two dates, is one more ideal than the other for Alaska? 1. August 25 - September 1 2. September 8 - 15 I'm thinking August weather *might* be better? I also thought the September date may be less busy but this particular sailing looks quite booked. So who knows? I know, I know, I know... I'm overthinking everthing! This will be a very special trip for me as Alaska will check the box off for having visited all 50 United States! 🙂