Windsurfboy

Fingers crossed for June 9th

As I got up for morning walk in Tenerife they were literally shoveling large black soot particles up on decks at back, filling multiple bin bags full of the stuff, even had to empty pools. However everything was fine for next three days. So hard to say what happened

Feeling lucky to have made it back to Southampton, thoughts on my first QM2 and PG experience. QG was fully booked for Capetown to Southampton, all booked in first hour. Anyway were very pleasantly surprised by QM2 PG cabin, had just as much usable space as Q.V. or QE so called penthouses(Q3 or Q4) . -Clothes hanging space amazing, wife had walk in wardrobe to herself, I had 4 single wardrobes to myself. -PG service was excellent although some days even with a la carte found menu boring. So I agree that PG is the sweet spot in terms of service and value. QG is an indulgence, however if you can afford it then indulging yourself is always a good idea. We shall continue with QG, but perhaps if there were more real speciality restaurants would be very happy with PG. As for the QM2 it's one and only plus point is its ride , you just don't feel the waves. Apart from this I was disappointed. -The queens room was like the black hole of Calcutta , it had no atmosphere , never busy enough to be a grand ballroom. -The grills lounge and deck was to small. No view from the grills restaurants. -The grand atrium by Pursers desk was not useful for anything. -Commodore club too small. -The nicest lounge was Carpenthia, pity it was dress down. -At night you couldn't go forward from grills restaurants on deck 7 had to go outside. So I'm clearly in the camp that believe Q.V. and QE are better designed ships, Queen Anne also looks to have a more well thought out layout. So in am clearly not in the camp that you haven't experienced the best of Cunard if you haven't been on QM2. One thing staff on all 3 ships are equally great

Only if they booked hotel and other elements at same time through Cunard or a travel company , then it becomes a package and Cunard/ travel company have responsibility for total package. If they booked just a cruise one way then all Cunard is legally responsible for is a full refund. Insurance responsibility for rest.

This caught them by surprise as captain was expecting it to be fixed in 36hrs at Southampton. So sudden cancellation is nothing that can helped. But the response in terms of what seems to be complete lack of help is completely unacceptable.

When captain announced 12pm boarding a lot of Americans said they would get train to London, so they will be in blissful ignorance

300 meters apart could see everyone waving, horns saluting each other

Qm2 putting foot down , we are arriving in Southampton early at 9.30 pm Saturday, but it's not leaving till after midnight Sunday, early Monday morning Captain said for essential maintenance. Just overtaken Victoria

All we can do is keep letting Saga know , that the library is a facility which guests think is as important as the other things they promise. Must be cheaper than daily crafting workshops and more widely used if there. Note I'm not saying get rid of crafting, but I think problem isn't just money. Anyway it's Saga's problem to solve

Thanks

Can you use your Wi-Fi allowance on more than one device

I would believe the people on board. It's too late for your sailing on Sunday. However if when you get on board, and no books, then an immediate email to Nigel.blanks@saga.co.uk telling him of your phone call and assurance, and your immense disappointment. This would help others. One benefit of free WiFi on board

All we can do is keep complaining to Nigel.blanks@saga.co.uk. Yes it is the digital age, but digital books and especially tablets are very hard to read in bright sunshine. The more emails he gets the more likely to possibly react. Saga advertise a full library as one of the key facilities on board.

I thought all of Cunard was a luxury line 🤔 comparable to luxury hotels. If the argument is that only QG is luxury and can be compared to luxury hotels and rest of ship is mass market, anyone who says that must prepare to be shot down in flames. By the way I agree with you Cunard service is better than most US or UK top end hotels. However when you compare it to top end resorts in say Indian ocean, for a similiar cost, then the relatively low staff to guest ratio becomes apparent when you look at level of service. You can wait for ages for service on grills deck.

Why when Cunard service is discussed we end up talking about great QG service, when 95% of ship isn't QG. Both grills only equate to 10% of ship.

Cunard has taken a very similiar approach with minimum of rough half the difference , based on their equivalent of select the Cunard fare

We'll never agree on tipping. All I can say there is no correlation between expected tipping levels and service, if there was , then service in USA would be best in world. Quality of service is mainly culture , and of course staffing numbers. Some cultures are good at service , some not, some are excellent Some companies good at service some not, again some excellent. Cunard is good, but not exceptional. So to me service not as good as Cunard , couldn't be classified as good , it would be acceptable, but again what is acceptable depends on what you pay. . Cunard operates on the margins of staff to passengers ratio for good service. Of course it's better than many cheaper lines, but not up with luxury lines. And nowhere near luxury hotels .

The interesting thing is a upgrade is equivalent to a saver fare , ie no choice in cabin. So yes the minimum bid of 50% of difference looks good. However thats difference between two select fares. You could have bought the higher grade cabin as a saver fare, so the difference between lower grade cabin as select and higher grade as Saver will be less. The upgrade might not be the bargain they might want you to think.

Have you brought this to attention of hotel manager.

This looks like a passenger book swapping collection. Is a properly curated selection of book available, as per the picture on Saga website.

I ticked no upgrade but got email

As you have no choice on upgraded cabin it's like going fton cunard fare to a saver fare. Thus someone booking a Cunard fare and choosing their cabin, could have booked a higher grade cabin using a saver fare for not much more in the first place. Interesting to see if anyone can show statistics for Select price plus upgrade minimum bid vs saver fare for the higher grade. Is their a significant saving? Yes I know there are no saver fares in grills,

I had a similiar offer on Cunard over half the orginal price difference. They are clearly not leaving room for cheeky bids. I wonder if cabins remain unsold minimums will come down at last minute. Better for them than the old practice emails with real bargins a few weeks before sailing

The order in which you book them matters. I'd booked a 32 day cruise, then later noticed there was a 5 day cruise just before it. Did the sums , 10% off the 32 day cruise eould mean 5 day cruise almost free. Rang up was told would only get the 10% off the 5 day cruise as that was second one I'd booked. Spoilt that plan.

My out take is Cunard want to get people to bid early and higher, rather than offer last minute bargins a few weeks before sailing. If it works good business.