LB_NJ

Is this still true these days now that there is bidding?

How is Ocean View cabin 2143?

You can get drinks, WiFi and gratuities in any class by booking All Included.

Yes, it is made with coffee beans. However, they use different beans, roasted differently, grounded finer, and the espresso is made under pressure. I have been on ships where I gag after a few sips of the coffee however the cappuccinos and lattes are fine. Sounds like I will be drinking cappuccinos or lattes. The only question is if I will drink enough for the package. Still would like to know if there are chai lattes and if they are covered by the package.

Where do they hold them hostage?

Still debating on whether to buy the hot drink package or possibly bring onboard some instant coffee. Traveling in Britannia on the QE. Is the regular coffee any good? Not looking for great, just decent drinkable coffee. Asking about Chai Lattes because my wife likes those, also wondering if they are on the hot drink plan. Looked at the posted menu and did not see them listed.

It really depends on how sensitive you are to ship movement. I have stayed in cabin 8044 and thoroughly enjoyed it however it was a summer cruise to Canada from NYC. I would definitely take the upgrade however ship movement does not bother me as much. FYI, there used to be sites that show the view from obstructed view staterooms. In the one I had you could see down to the water.

Except for wines that should be aged for decades, screw tops are probably better at keeping wine drinkable.

Since the restart and since we are allowed 4 bottles per cabin can we bring on 6 bottles on embarkation on the first leg? If they hold 2, anyone know how they are stored, don't want them getting so hot they are ruined?

In general, if you get all the options then the AI is usually cheaper.

I believe cookies and pastries are always free.

Just to clarify this: the regular MDR is for Concierge and below cabins, BLU is for AquaClass, and Lumanae is for suites. Whether or not All Included makes sense depends on how much you drink. It also includes bottled water, espresso based drinks, soda, etc. Usually makes sense if you drink around 3 alcohol drinks a day however it depends. Upgrading to premium also depends on how much you drink a day and what you drink. You can always stay with classic and just pay the few dollar difference per drink.

I asked the question a little wrong. The package price for hot drinks says $10. Do they add 15% to the $10 making it $11.50?

We requested fixed dining at a 2 top on the QE. I realize it is hard to tell however, does there appear to be issues with people who want smaller tables and fixed times not getting that.

If I am reading this correctly there is a 15% service charge for hot drinks (eg Cappuccino) purchased on-board. Is the 15% charge applied to the package price? I was wondering if they have Chai Lattes aboard the QE and if this is covered by the hot drink package? Finally, some people have replied that the crossover between individual purchases and the hot drink package is 2 some have said 3??? Thank you for the assistance.

I tried to get a CC discount on the non-alcoholic package and they said it was not available.

If you add up the items: gratuities, WIFI. non-alcoholic drink package (which as previously stated includes coffee drinks, tea drinks, juices, soda, bottled water) then the price of Always Included it is not much different than the price of the cruise only fare (assuming cruise-only was available when you booked) plus the 3 additions. Asking to remove the alcohol from the cruise is like saying I won't go to any of the shows on the cruise and asking for a refund for the shows you won't go to.

Today I got an email from Cunard saying Open Dining was available on my June 2023 cruise. I don't think I will do it. On the other cruise lines where it is available (I have done it on Royal and Celebrity) I have always booked a specific time with well in advance rather than just show up. It does not look like Cunard offers that.

You may have been lucky. This is directly from their website: "Yes. Guests who consume their personal wine and champagne in public areas, will incur a $15 corkage fee per bottle. Guests wishing to bring personal wine and champagne onboard may do so only on boarding day, limited to two (2) 750 ml bottles per stateroom. No beer or hard liquor may be brought onboard for consumption."

Royal Caribbean does charge a corkage fee. Although it is possible that not every waiter will.

Did you book with Always Included? Always Included is part of the basic cruise fare and includes WIFI, gratuities, and the drink package. Always Included is not a separate drink package.

There is a non-alcoholic version that may be of interest.

There might be some exceptions (maybe fancy foreign sodas???) however I was on a cruise in June with the classic package and soda was included.

Many cocktails can be made within the Classic limit as long as you don't ask for premium liquor. My personal view is that in a cocktail the mixers are more important than the liquor except in some very classic cocktails like the Manhattan or Old Fashion where you really taste the underlying liquor. Wine is a very different story. If you care about and can taste the difference in wines expect to pay a few dollars extra for each glass of wine. I almost always had a glass of wine with dinner and paid the upgrade. Unless you are drinking a lot of wine it does not add up to much.

FYI, Cunard has a cruise that does both Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier in 2023. We booked it for that reason. Some people love Cunard, some hate it. Can be a different cruising experience. If I had to pick a different cruise line I would pick Oceania. In general, my experience has been that all the cruise lines took a hit after the COVID restart.