Dorset Cruiser

Talking about setting an example. You should have reported the kid.

To whom - the Captain [emoji23]

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No swim diapers allowed for obvious reasons and also because the filtration system in ship pools is not like those on land pools. However on several of our recent cruises on Princess, Cunard and P&O we have seen children in the pools and hot tubs in swim diapers and one of them was the baby son of the captain!

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5 posts in 12 minutes me thinks somebody is trying to boost number of posts and likes to see name in lights its rather tedious when it could have been all put in one post.

If they are that tedious - don't read them, just scroll on by [emoji848]

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I had problems. Deleted app and reinstalled but cannot get back to previous easy to read format. Think it was CC glitch/update that caused the problem ☹️

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And what exactly does this accomplish, apart from saving you some money? It's not as if the steward can nip ashore for an hour instead of cleaning your cabin.

I have to say, I hope the original question regarding tips on a 99 day cruise is a wind up. I can almost understand when someone has scrimped for a cheap 7 day cruise, and has an issue with the auto tips. But as a percentage of the cost of a 99 day cruise, the auto tips are insignificant. If you can't afford the tips and are prepared to stiff the crew, despite being able to pay for a 99 day cruise, shame on you.

 

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Well he/she would be servicing the other cabins so no they would not go ashore [emoji848]. A 99 day cruise might be someone's trip of a lifetime that they have scrimped and saved for over the years but had not realised how much extra the tips would add? Strange that you can differentiate 'stiffing' staff over 7 days and finding it somewhat understandable, but not over 99 days - perhaps thats how you deal with your tips [emoji853]. Personally I never take tips off and on a long cruise of over 4 weeks I tip extra to steward and waiters but that is MY choice and mine alone. Tipping is NOT compulsory and they can be left on, or increased or decreased or taken off in full. Its nothing to do with anyone else.

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Exactly maybe cooking your own food.

Kitchen staff do not share in the tip pool. Its for stewards, waiters and their assistants.

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Then you could serve yourself at all the buffets including MDR and stand at the bar trying to get your own drink.

Well yes, why not? No hardship to serve yourself sometimes on a 99 day cruise or have room service. Just suggesting what might help someone faced with hundreds of dollars in gratuities after paying thousands of dollars for the cruise but as usual a keyboard warrior has to jump in ☹️

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Oh dear! Looks like I am going to have to find nearly a thousand pounds extra for my 99 night cruise in January. Any discount on the gratuities for a long cruise?? That amount may be OK for the lucky people that can afford to cruise several times. But, many people, especially older people may well have spent years saving to go on a once in a lifetime trip and then find they have to find a lot more extra money and then feel guilty if they decide to opt out and tip "what they can afford" . All cruise lines should sort out this unpopular system. At the moment I have no idea what to do. To tip or not to tip, "that is the question" I will decide on the day I start the cruise and depending how much I have left in my piggy bank and on the service I receive over several weeks.

Perhaps tell your steward to only service your cabin every two or three days and do the other days yourself. We all look after our own bedrooms and bathrooms at home. I personally would not miss the pillow chocolate (nasty chocolate) and could make my own bed and hang my towels up to dry in the bathroom. Then cut the autotips down by a half.

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There is always room service !

Not a fan of eating in our stateroom - why should we have to - we just want a casual restaurant where we can hear what each other is saying 🙁

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Kings Court is the noisiest ship buffet restaurant we have ever been in - plates clashing constantly. The acoustics were not well thought out when the refit took place. The food is excellent in both choice and taste but the acoustics would now make me consider whether it is worth me travelling on QM2. I know we can use the Britannia for breakfast but service ends too soon for us to make use of it - not early risers on an Atlantic crossing with no ports of call to get up early for 🙁

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To say get over it is to me bad. I've booked over 6 months in advance paid top money as we are from the uk and I find out this sort of stuff happens. Yes I understand cruises like airlines overbook but to just choose a few to get what I can only call an outstanding offer an bear in mind they still get their cruise is what I find wrong. If this is what needs to be done to move cabins around then an email should surely be sent to everyone and whoever comes back to them first gets the offers not just a selected few

Don't think UK passengers ever get move over offers. Terms are different as we never get price reductions either and cannot cancel without losing our not inconsiderable deposits. Just the way Princess operates ☹️

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We are sailing tomorrow and got our allocation 13 days ago.

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Yes, done it twice - £30 a case. It will be announced in the 'daily paper' and you just go and register your case and collect paperwork.

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I think September is a perfect time to visit high should be 70's low 60's great weather to walk around

Perfect 😀

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Thanks everyone - got a couple of ideas now. Should the weather still be nice in September?

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Thanks for your responses. We are staying in The Grand Hyatt on 43rd Street (?) for two nights. I know we could eat there but really want to find out our options nearby. We like Italian, Indian, American, but not Chinese or Thai. Never tried Mexican.

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On balance YES.

 

On the occasion before last when we departed Southampton my Daily programme tells me the Sailaway Party didn't start till 17.30.

She's definitely scheduled to leave at 4.30pm so we'll go by that. Just hope its fine and sunny - never had a nice sailaway from Soton.

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Residing in the fortunate position of being able to view every cruise ship that leaves Southampton I would never advise setting a clock against a Queen Mary 2 4.30 pm departure.

 

I would suggest, that if visiting Asda for 'nibbles' and wine was a priority, then there would be plenty of time once having checked in and had a bite of lunch.

Does she habitually leave later then? Not leaving Weymouth until 11.30am so we avoid the early rush so might not get there until just after 1.00pm. Think we will load up a rucsac with a couple of bottles of wine and a small bottle of gin and some tonic and our 'nibblies'. Presume we can take gin on? Will only be drinking this in our stateroom. Not big drinkers but we like a drink while getting ready for the evening, then we have a pre-dinner drink in one of the bars 😀

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From my experience, usually 4:30 or 5:00 p.m.

Specific voyages, including pier assignments, are here:

http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/Live_Information/Shipping_Movements_and_Cruise_Ship_Schedule/Cruise_Ship_Schedule/

Thanks so much - we have a 4.30 pm departure - bit early, no time to visit Asda for wine and nibbles for cabin. Will have to bring it with us 😀

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31 August this year

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Can anyone give me suggestions for good mid priced restaurants in the Grand Central Station area. TIA 🙂

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What is the usual departure time westbound from Southampton? TIA 🙂

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Can we take wine and spirits on board for cabin consumption? TIA 🙂

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Why would you discount a valid comment ? The majority of cabins may not be in the Grills but it doesn't make the experience of those who sail in them less valid.

It is certainly possible to spend that amount to sail on Cunard, there is no need to go to a "6 star line".

This has nothing to do with the post I was responding to. 🤔. See my final response to Victoria. No more from me, life is just too short ☹️

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oh please. Prices have been going down over the last twenty years. Cabin sizes and amenities have been improving.

My experiences on the QE2 back in the day was not the romantic vision that some here seem to imagine. I remember queuing up for our jewelry at night before dinner, so yes, we all dressed up more all the time. But so did people in society in general.

Even then, I didn't remember the food being outstanding, it had to come up in an elevator ... I did prefer the Cunard countess for the meals which seemed more fresh.

The fact is, one can do a crossing for as little as $100 per day. Keeping one's expectations aligned to that reality will prevent disappointment.

If you want a higher standard, then save up for the Grills. Or sail one of the other lines where the per diems are $500 pp per day and up. Then you can complain if your Camembert is cold.

Well actually this was the post being quoted 🤔

The last paragraph was the one I was referring to. I know you probably have to pay upwards of $500 a night in Grills but not a lot of 'other lines' charge anything like that unless in their suites. You would have to sail 6 star to routinely pay that amount pppd and Cunard is the only cruiseline that does 'crossings', so if thats the type of voyage someone wants to do, then they are stuck with their prices and their food.

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