LB_NJ

Two amusing things.

I found this title in the Daily Mail webpage "Cruise passengers anger over Cunard decision to make on board dress code more casual." It is dated March 2013.

I also found this on Cunard's website: "

The US site updated their FAQ with the new definitions.

I also find it interesting that they have included photographs of suggested attire.

We are looking to book a balcony cabin on QM2 for December 2019. One of the options we are being offered is a cabin with a "Sheltered " balcony. Can anybody tell exactly what that is. Looking at the diagram for the cabin online the balcony looks fully enclosed, effectively making it the same as an outside cabin unlike a proper balcony which is open to the air. The reason I ask is that it will be a 26 day cruise and the sheltered cabins are a lot lower in price then the standard balcony!

 

Peter and Jenny

Where is the cruise?

I have an inside aft cabin on deck booked and I am also interested in the answer.

I went on a bunch of Royal Caribbean cruises as a child. But last year I went on Empress of the Seas and I have to admit I was a little underwhelmed. It was not how I remember RC from many years ago (I forget which ones I went on)

 

BUT I just booked on Mariner for this summer and I am hoping to be "wowed" again! Is there a big difference from Empress to Mariner?!?!

 

Please and Thank you

I am guesssing they added Empress, a small ship, mostly for Cuba.

Ha Ha Our travel agent owns the travel agency! No one to complain too! I am sure everything will work out. I had to ask for a perk and got $25.00 OBC. She wasn't going to give us anything extra like I see on other websites. So we cant get the pre- paid tips as a perk either! Enough complaining. lol We just won't use her again, that's for sure!

Most travel agents should give you something or expert advice otherwise you are better off calling the cruise company directly, I usually call rather then book the initial cruise online.

Is there a reason you want to prepay the tips?

In general I would rather keep the money until it is necessary to actually pay it over. As far as tips go unless there is a pending increase there is usually not a benefit to prepaying. It will just go on your charge card.

As a previous person mentioned, except for payments like tips you can usually arrange everything else yourself. Unless there is something the travel agent knows or could specifically help you with I prefer to go directly with the cruise line. I think there is less chance of a screw-up.

I Have not yet been on this ship however I assume you understand that Empress is a little different/smaller then the other ships in the line.

I'm not very hopeful that's likely to happen any time soon. The US FAQ doesn't seem to get much attention. It doesn't mention that the G32 and the Yacht Club are casual venues. That change was made on the UK FAQ over a year ago. Nor does it mention the Carinthia Lounge as a casual venue. That's a venue name change on QM2 (renamed from the Winter Garden) that occurred during QM2's remastering in 2016.

I have become disgusted with the US website. Especially since I think they have blocked the UK website for US users. If there is a workaround I wish someone would tell me.

I recall you've mentioned you are on the QM2 voyage departing July 1. If that's the one you mean, it is showing up on the "nycruise.com" schedule although it is listed as a "Transatlantic Crossing" rather than a "Canada & New England", so that may be why you were having trouble finding it.

Thank you. I think there is either something flaky with the website or my browser. Depending on how I fill in the selection criteria it shows up and other ways that I think make sense it does not.

It looks like the what to wear FAQ on the US Cunard Website has not caught up with the descriptions in Voyage Personalizer.

https://www.nycruise.com/schedule/

Not sure how accurate they are since I have a cruise scheduled for July 2018 and it does not show up.

A good example is the wine sold onboard. One wine we like is Nobilo. For awhile it was $42. On last cruise it was up to $46. Just after that cruise I saw it on sale at Total Wine for $8.50. I can regularly get it at the grocery store for under $10. I expect a mark-up but, seriously?

That's why people bring their own wine onboard and pay the corkage fee if necessary.

I was on a cruise in January and they still had BOGO. However they made a truly terrible Margarita. Maybe they will improve the quality once BOGO is gone.

I have always wondered how many all you can drink packages get sold. You really have to drink a lot to make them worth it.

Hi, is the soda package the same price if you buy it on the ship vs. Buying online? Thanks, Greg

I bought it on the Crown Princess and think it was about the same price so easier to buy on board.

I think the breakeven is about 3-4 drinks a day so I may not buy it again considering that when you are on an excursion you may not make that number that day. It does however simplify things.

Basically at the bars and at dinner they look at the sticker and hand you whatever you asked for that is covered.

Depending on how busy they are at the bars you might have to wait a few minutes.

This thread will probably generate tons of varying opinions, some will be important to you and others not. For me, the ONE big change I have noticed may not be an issue for most people, but it is a big deal for me. 5 years ago, the cruise director's staff were much friendlier, much more approachable and much more organized. Plus they spoke much better English. On my last few cruises, the cruise staff has been distant, surly, seemingly not ready to improvise or banter with the passengers, and speak such bad English that you can barely understand what they're saying.

 

On a positive note, the introduction of an Entertainment director has freed up the CD to be more social and visible on the ship.

I think it depends on the ship and the cruise. Was on Crown Princess in January and except for one person who was handling deck chairs never ran into what you are talking about.

My first cruise with Princess so can't make a comparison with the past.

Too many cheerleaders here -- you will get flamed. But yes you should have done your research. I do like the ships "classic" decor more than the O class ships.

 

 

However service has been an issue on Regatta ==> with first hand experience this year. Who is your ships GM.. You should make your displeasure known to him.

I am hoping I did not make a mistake. I have a cruise booked on Insignia for summer 2019. The only other cruise I have done to date is Princess (Crown Princess). I will be doing a Royal Caribbean, Empress (couldn't find itinerary on Oceania that I liked and was available) and QM2.

I realize Oceania isn't considered true top of the line luxury however, the itinerary on Insignia meets my needs at an acceptable price point. I was OK with Crown Princess (was not rowdy as I have heard Carnival can be and the people were friendly, service was fine) although I would have liked a little better food.

https://www.statuecruises.com/departure-schedule#/

http://libertylandingferry.com/

 

The SOL ferry stops at both Liberty Island and Ellis Island. The ferry from NJ tends to be much less crowded and much easier to just show up and buy tickets. We did that on a gorgeous Sunday in early Sep and had no problem. If you're not planning on doing the pedestal or crown, I would consider not pre purchasing tickets when going from NJ.

 

Here's my suggestion:

The Liberty Landing ferry is about 9 blocks from your hotel at the foot of Warren Street, runs every half hour, and costs $2, so plan to walk or cab it over to the ferry landing. Across tge little channel at Liberty Landing walk out to Audrey Zapp Drive and left towards the river to the ticket office. Be sure to leave enough time to go through security and walk out to the ferry pier itself (read the security requirements on the SOL website).

 

From the SOL or Ellis Island you can take the ferry back to Manhattan and walk to the 911 Memorial area and go to the Museum and/or the Freedom Tower. The World Trade Center PATH Station is right there. To get back to your hotel take the Newark Path train two stops to Grove St.

Just in case it was not clear, if you want to do the pedestal or the crown you should check availability NOW. Personally if you are tight on time I am not sure it is worth it. There are also additional security checks/lines that add additional time to the whole trip.

Also, while off season I have taken a drive to Liberty State park on the spur of the moment and had zero problems getting on a ferry to Ellis Island/Statute of Liberty it is likely different in July when there are more tourists. Tickets are around $20. There can also be some delay getting through security so plan on that.

Boat schedules vary by season.

I can’t seem to find a place that shows any charges, balances or OBC. I was thinking that would be a good place to see if or when I receive the Shareholder credit.

 

 

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You could try calling.

Perhaps someone said this previously but there are many more reasons to sail Cunard than just the dress code! Lovely, elegant ships, intelligent entertainment, good service etc. Not to mention that for much of the year they provide the only way to cross the Atlantic by ship. Cannot believe so many people are cancelling. Cutting off your nose to spite your face, IMHO.

It depends on what one values and in what order, here is a somewhat incomplete list, in no particular order.

1. Food quality.

2. Ambiance (this includes how other people dress), THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IF EVERYBODY WALKS AROUND IN TANK TOPS AND GYM SHORTS VS. NICE CLOTHS

2. Service.

3. Cabin size/quality.

4. Itinerary.

5. On board activities.

6. Price

Personally, I booked a cruise on Cunard because of the ambiance with a specific emphasis on the dress code, even though the cost on Cunard was significantly higher. It doesn't mean that I will not book on Cunard again, it just means the price will need to be lower since there won't be as significant a difference between them and other mainstream lines.

Will be on the December M847B. Last time Cunard were quite useless in helping me. It's very cold and my husband needs assistance with his wheelchair. So we only want to travel a short distance. Get in and out as quickly as possible. So looking for somewhere to visit for a couple of hours. It was such a hassle last time we did not bother. I can't rely on Cunard so I must do it. We would have looked at the Intrepid museum but it's quite far and I think will be too cold. Most of it being outside.

Sorry Queen Mary 2

Do not do the Intrepid. Both Botanical gardens and probably central park are probably out that time of year.

First, weather in December can be quite unpredictable. It could be reasonably warm or there could be snow on the ground.

Also, it depends on how much time you really have after going through customs. Everything will require transportation.

Manhattan has the best selection of options however traffic to and from Manhattan can be unpredictable, especially if there is snow.

The previous list of museums is probably a good start. My personal favorites are the Museum of Natural History and the Metropolitan Museum of Art on 5th Ave around 82nd street. Although you might check out the web sites for the other museums (e.g., MOMA) to see what the special exhibits are. There are numerous other museums (e.g., NY Transit Museum in Brooklyn) if you could provide some details on your interests it would help.

Some people like to walk down 5th avenue to see the window exhibits in the stores, go to Rockefeller Center and see the tree/skating, Bryant Park, however the mobility problems probably preclude that. Not sure if there are mobility issues if you want to go to the top of a skyscraper.

The Mansions.

I don't see the comparison between the QM2 and a beach resort. I would only sail the QM2 on a crossing which I view as a means of transportation, not a destination where I will be checking on everyone else's wardrobe. If Cunard decides to open a nudist restaurant where not only formal, but all clothes are optional, I could care less. Until another line starts doing frequent crossings throughout the year I will continue to cross on the QM2 as opposed to spending the same amount of money on a ten hour flight.

What percentage of people look at a TA crossing as mere transportation? In its current configuration if they can't profitably put around 2500 people onboard for each crossing they will stop the TA service and use the ship for some other cruise purpose.

Most people don't have the luxury of spending 7 days to cross the Atlantic when a jet can do it in around 7 hours. Roundtrip airfare from the NY area to Heathrow runs less than $1000 on major airlines depending on the dates.

That short a cruise is what we refer to as a "Trailer Trash Booze Cruise". I'd never go on one of those!

That ship also has 7 and 8 day cruises that can run about $140 pp/day for ocean view depending on date and itinerary. I am sure the answer would be the same about wearing sweatpants to the MDR at night.

FYI, depending on where you are staying there might be a water taxi service into Manhattan. Something different.

Also, while I prefer using subways or walking in Manhattan, the subway system can be very, very, confusing.

The Courtyard Jersey Newport in Jersey City is adjacent to the PATH.

You will need car service to the hotel.

The staff might stop people from being shirtless in restaurants however, I think the ambiance will still be destroyed when people come for afternoon tea in baseball caps, bathing suits, sandals, and basketball tank shirts.

Unfortunately if you don't enforce some things it destroys the experience for others.

It is a business and Carnival can do what it likes however, I agree it would be nice if they just told their customers what market they were going after.

One of the major reasons customers complain and businesses get a bad reputation is customer expectations are not met. If I happen to go to a McDonalds I don't complain that it is not haute cuisine. However, if I go somewhere promising a fancy French meal and it tastes like McDonalds then I will tell everyone I ever meet how bad it was.

We are flying in in June 28 for our cruise on Adventure leaning on the 29th. Don’t mean to sound dumb but what is PATH?

 

 

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PATH is the name of a mass transit commuter train that goes from Newark Penn Station to Manhattan. It is run by the port authority of NY and NJ.

It is a few dollars each way. Schedules can be found on their website.

New Jersey Transit also has a train that goes to Manhattan.

FYI, there are trains that stop at a Newark Airport train station that go to Newark Penn Station and continue on to New York Penn Station. Google NJ Transit.