terry&mike

I will pass you on the river! We will be sailing downstream at the same time, on a Scenic ship.

I do have a great guide in this area, if you want one. His name is Xuan Le (pronounced "Soon"), you can reach him at tourwithxuan.com I used him in January 2020 when I traveled to Vietnam with a large group of friends. He lives in Ho Chi Minh City, but he also travels all across Vietnam to provide tours for people. He is quite popular and stays pretty booked up, but he is excellent. Great energy, fun personality, excellent English, knowledgeable. I enjoyed him so much that we have stayed friends, and we plan to meet for dinner when we are back in Vietnam this January.

They do give out a daily program with the activities and information on it. I found it to be a very good example of one of these ship programs because it had all of the necessary information in a time line order, but it also had some larger feature boxes promoting certain speakers or performances with some extra details. When we switched ships to Princess their program gave only the time line for entertainment, such as Don Downey or Paul Baker, 7pm and 9:30pm - if you don't know these people, you don't know that in the first case they are singing folk music and the second case Broadway tunes. Both ended up being good, but it would be nice to have an idea. Most of the mass market ships are using their programs to market things for sale such as Spa Specials, Events in the Shops. It was nice to have an actual program on Cunard with details. I will try to attach some photos below.

Thank you, and I agree, had we been in our home state of Florida, this would not have ended well! When we've been to a port city multiple times, we usually do day before fly in. I will say that going forward we will focus on 2 or more days before fly in, or at least until things normalize. I came home and immediately changed our flight in to Panama for next March to 2 days before sail away, rather than our previously booked day before. Even though the flight is direct and short, and should be no problem - lesson learned. Given the state of air travel currently, this sort of thing is happening frequently. We met a couple on board who were flying in from Richmond, Virginia, the day before the sailing, and arrived on the afternoon of the sailing, after 4 flight legs and about 20 hours of travel. We were in the Galapagos in March of this year, and 5 people were 2 days late joining the tour due to flight delays/cancellations. In the past, there have always been the occasional issue, but never anything like this. All of the airlines were having issues on the afternoon of August 4 for a storm that had rolled across NYC, and there were lots of cancellations. Could they have gotten some planes out later, I think in a pre-Covid world yes, and they would have. I feel that with the staffing shortages at airlines, baggage, and air control, and then with the planes not coming in to turn around, they used weather as the reason as this saves them money. On the morning of August 5, our cancellation notification stated "Operational Issues", but 30 minutes later we received a cancellation notification stating "Weather". We noticed on the display boards that several airlines had cancelled a couple of morning flights already, and so were not interested in getting moved over to another airline and taking the chance of playing the delay/cancellation game while sitting still. We felt our time was running out and we needed to be pro-active. As to the money, we filed a claim with our Chase Sapphire Reserve card for Trip Delay/Interruption and will likely be compensated. We've already received the money back from the plane tickets that were cancelled, so financially all is a wash. Someone mentioned booking flights with the cruise line, but this would not have gotten us to the ship, merely gotten us our money back for the Cunard sailing if we didn't make it, which was not our focus. Our goal was to be on the QM2 transatlantic sailing and enjoy that experience, and also to board our next ship departing from Southampton a week later.

I decided to add some information on a situation that we experienced. I did not add it earlier, because it really has nothing to do with the ship itself, but have decided it could impact a sailing. On this journey, as I mentioned previously, we first flew to Washington, DC for a couple of days to celebrate my Mother's birthday. We had been in NYC recently, so didn't feel the need to spend much time there pre-cruise. We booked an afternoon flight for August 4, the day before the transatlantic sailing, DC-NY, direct 1.5 hours - should have been easy. We spent the afternoon of August 4 at IAD Dulles Airport with continued flight delays and cancellations. We waited as the delays went from 2:30p to 3:15p, to 4:15p, then a crew time out and a cancelled flight. Then put on a 6:30p flight, which delayed several times up until 8:45p when United announced they would begin boarding in 10 minutes, and then a surprise when that flight was cancelled at 8:59p, and no other flights would go out that night. We were continually told it was weather, but we understand there are major staffing issues that are also in play. We were put on an early flight for August 5. United could not retrieve our bags for the overnight because the "ramp was closed" meaning the luggage handlers were not delivering bags any longer. No worries, we got a nearby hotel, grabbed a few hours sleep and a shower, and came back to the airport at 4:45a for our early flight. Just as we entered the airport, we were notified our flight was cancelled due to operational issues. United now telling us the soonest they can get us to NYC is 6:20p on August 5. I explained that would not work for our transatlantic sailing. It is the best they can do, so we cancel this booking altogether for a refund, and explore other options. First, we have to wait for the Baggage Claim Desk to open at 5:30a and get our bags back. It was good that we had Apple Air Tags in both of our bags, as the rep could see exactly where they were and make one phone call and have them brought to us. We had our bags by 6:00a. We first thought to take an Uber, DC to NYC, and got a quote for $425, which worked. The guy pulled up and said "New York? No way." Cancelled the booking and left. We ordered again, but the price had gone up to $500, and no driver would accept the request. I'm also trying to call car services, which aren't open yet and not answering. I switch to looking at trains, and it appears 2 trains would work in our time frame. But we have to get across town to the train station in DC Friday morning traffic. Okay, only 1 train will actually work, and that price is ridiculous, but I'm ready to go for it. Hubby says he has decided to stop relying on everyone else to get us there, and he's renting a car and driving us there. He reserves a car online that can be picked up at 7:30a, and we get ourselves over to the car rental place to be the first in line. Of course, due to staffing shortages, they open 30 minutes late at 8:00a, but we get our car and add in all the options to speed our travel (pre-pay full tank of gas, toll meter). The only stop we make is around 10a at an interstate service center for a snack/coffee, as we are on little sleep and haven't eaten since yesterday early evening. As you can imagine, traffic is heavy on a Friday morning between DC and NY, but we make it to the car return in NY by 1:15p. Drop off car, Uber 50 minutes to Red Hook Pier, and get in line with Cunard at 2:10p. Rental car cost $299.51, Uber cost right around $50. I can honestly say that I have never been so happy to lay eyes on a cruise ship as when our Uber turned the corner into the parking lot of the Queen Mary 2. Phew. I should also mention that several passengers on board did not receive their luggage in time for the transatlantic crossing, which I imagine was problematic for them.

If you are into salon services, such as massage, pedicures, etc. there are some nice places in HCM at excellent prices, such as Prive' Spa or any of the Miu Miu salons.

Yes, it was in use when we were on board, August 5-12, 2022.

When we sailed on August 5, 2022, we needed a Covid test to board. I believe this has either changed, or is changing currently.

We purchased 2 Air Tags and used them on a 28 day trip in August to great results. We kept one inside each of our suitcases. We have soft sided bags, but I'm not sure if it matters. If you are unfamiliar with how they work, the Air Tag sends out a signal. This signal pings off of a nearby device, and that is how you know it's location. As the world is full of cell phones, especially in airports, there are almost always "devices" nearby to ping off of. For example, your bag is checked in, your Air Tag will send you a message that your item is no longer with you. When a baggage handler, who likely has a cell phone in his pocket, picks up the container of bags that your bag is in and moves it next to the plane, you will be able to see where your bag is. So in looking, you are always seeing your bags last known/tracked/pinged location, which is likely still the same location. We had stopped for a few days in Washington, DC and were trying to fly to NYC on August 4, to board a Queen Mary 2 transatlantic on August 5. United kept delaying and cancelling our flight all day, and put us on an early August 5 flight. When we arrived at the airport, they cancelled this flight as well. We made the decision to rent a car and drive the 5 hours to make the sailing. We went to United Baggage Claim Desk and were able to show them exactly where our bags were moved to last. This allowed the representative to make 1 phone call and have our bags brought directly to us. She said she loves these devices, because they make here job easier when someone has them, as they don't have to search out where your bags are, they know where to start. We did make the ship. We also got off this ship on August 12 in Southampton, UK, and boarded the Island Princess for 16 nights sailing around England, Ireland, Iceland, and Greenland. We could see when our luggage was put on the ship, when our bags had been delivered outside our cabin, and so on. Very helpful, and comforting. It's also really nice to know when your bags are about to come down the delivery belt at the airport. An interesting note in regards to using Air Tags when cruising. When we would leave the room, we would get the message that our items were no longer with us. At some time a bit later we would get a message notifying us of our items location. We quickly discovered this was when our Room Steward entered our room to clean, and the tags pinged off his phone. We could always say, oh, our room is getting serviced now. As to marking them, as we did not have them engraved, I put a small piece of blue painters tape across the back of each one. I put a T on one and an M on the other, and in our phone we named them Terry's Bag and Mike's Bag. We really liked having them, and always knowing where our bags were.

Photos of Afternoon Tea Dance.

I will post photos from tea below. We attended an Afternoon Tea Dance, and although we did not dance we thoroughly enjoyed watching the dancing, and the music, as well as the tea. I didn't really need the extra storage, so put nothing in the over the bed storage cabinets. The only thing I placed up top is my travel purse, which you can see in the right cubby. I only use that while I am traveling (flying, transferring, etc) so no need to get to it often. I am 5'2" and I could lean up and place it in that cubby without effort. I think the 2 cabinets in the middle would be more difficult to access, so probably only good for something you don't need during the sailing.

When we booked, it was quoted as 7:45pm, and that sounded like fixed, but while onboard I overheard someone complaining about guests coming in at 8:30pm to dine, so I am not sure.

I'm usually just on the Boards, so hadn't thought of it, but I just went over and posted it to Reviews.

Some photos below of the Interior cabin, Britannia Restaurant, Red and Gold night menu. Please let me know if there are other photos you may be interested in and I may have them.

Apologies for spelling Britannia incorrectly. I have some photos I may try to post as well.

Hello all, although we are only returned from our trip a couple of days and still catching up on life, I thought I should get something on the boards based on the recent conversation about no comments from Brittania passengers. A short bit about us, husband and I are 62 and 57, retired, live in the Sarasota/Bradenton area of Florida. We take 4-6 international trips per year, and travel by land and sea. We have visited more than 100 countries and have been on more than 40 cruises. We have cruised on many different lines from the small ships of Ponant and SeaDream to the larger ships of the mass market lines like Princess, and even a couple of goes on Carnival. Our favorite size ships tend to be the 700-ish passenger size ships of Azamara, Oceania. We have sailed in all types of cabins from Interior to Suites, with Balcony cabins tending to be our go-to. We sailed the August 5-12, 2022, Eastbound crossing from NYC to Southampton, in an Interior cabin #5030 on the Queen Mary 2. This was our first Cunard sailing, and our first transatlantic sailing. This was part of a longer trip that had us start in Washington, DC to visit my Mother for her birthday. Continue on to NYC, then join the ship. We disembarked QM2 in Southampton on Aug. 12, and boarded the Island Princess in Southampton on the same day for a 16 night sailing visiting England, Ireland, Iceland and Greenland, returning to Southampton on August 28. A few days extra in England, and then back home to Florida. We showed up at the Red Hook pier in Brooklyn via Uber around 2:10p for boarding; we had a 2:45p time slot on our boarding passes. The line was long, but it moved along relatively quickly, and we were onboard in about 45 minutes. We felt it was handled well, and things seemed organized. As I was becoming a bit "hangry", we proceeded directly to the buffet to grab something quick to eat. In the overload of boarding, being hungry, etc, I don't recall my impressions of the buffet, only that I loved the sleek and clean decor, and that it worked well for getting something to eat. We then went to our cabin, and found our 2 bags waiting. Our room attendant came by and introduced himself, and showed us the cabin amenities. We were very pleased with the cabin, although small and an interior, it felt cozy rather than claustrophobic. The decor was lovely, with pale woods, and white linens dressed out in the standard blue and gold accessories. The bed was a King, which was incredibly comfortable, some of the best sleep we've had at sea. There was one sitting chair with a small round table, and a desk chair at the desk area. I felt the storage to be above average for a small cabin, and had no problem placing our things about in an organized manner. There was a coffee/tea setup, which we used daily. There was a full bottle of Pol Acker sparkling with 2 glasses chilling in the mini fridge. The bathroom was small, but again, very good storage. There was a small shower stall with curtain, and Penhaligon's toiletries. We dined every night in the Brittania Dining Room, 6:00pm early seating, on the upper level to the left as you enter, at a table for 2. We found the service to be excellent from both the waiter and the wine steward, always very attentive. We thoroughly enjoyed the food, and found only 1 dinner to be "meh" with the others being very good to excellent. We also dined in Brittania for most breakfasts and/or lunches, as we are not big fans of buffets. We were always able to find something on the menu that appealed to us. We purchased the 6 bottle wine package at $299, and enjoyed one bottle each night with our dinner, plus purchased a 7th bottle individually. We were happy with this choice, and found the wines on this package to be enjoyable. We dined one night at the Steakhouse, and found it worth every penny. A beautiful space with elevated service, and wonderful menu selection. We had pre-dinner cocktails a couple of nights in a couple of the different venues, and found the service very efficient, and the drinks made well. We loved the Queen Mary 2. More of an ocean liner feel than a cruise ship feel, we enjoyed the elegance of the decor in the public rooms, the art on display, the historical memorabilia of the Cunard line, and the high end finish outs. I took full advantage of the activities onboard including the Planetarium, an afternoon play, interesting lectures, and so on. I read every scrap of historical photo or fact posted from the lowest deck of the ship where the crew "High Street" is to the highest deck of the ship where the cabin doors and hall light fixtures are notably more posh. I expected to be bored at some point during the sailing, but was quite busy. Hubby took a few naps, read, relaxed mostly. We attended afternoon tea together one day and loved it. Also walked some laps on the deck one day, and visited the gym on another day. A few nights we went to the shows after dinner and found them entertaining. Our theme nights were Red and Gold, and Roaring 20's. We brought along appropriate semi-formal wear for those evenings and were happy we did. The other evenings we wore clothing we would generally wear for a nice dinner out in Sarasota. In the day we wore casual to smart casual clothing. Our crossing was mostly uneventful, with one medical emergency during the middle of the night on Day 2 where a passenger had to be airlifted via helicopter off the ship and flown to Halifax. We enjoyed our sailing so much that as soon as we returned I booked us on a 14 night Canada and New England sailing for 2023 on the QM2. On this sailing we will be in a BB Balcony on Deck 11, as we think there will be some scenery that we will want to appreciate from our balcony. We are also trying the later 7:45pm seating. Please let me know if you have any questions, and I will try to answer them.

I just want to mention a possibility to keep in mind with the luggage service option. The luggage services use airlines and air transport companies to get the luggage from you to the ship, and with the chaos of late with airlines and luggage, this can be problematic. We sailed the Queen Mary 2 NY to Southampton on August 5, and several of the guests who had used Cunard's White Glove Luggage Service did not receive their bags due to carrier delays. Unfortunately, a luggage delay in a transatlantic cruise is a major issue, so there were some unhappy people. With a river cruise, it can always catch you at an upcoming town, so maybe a better bet, but I felt it worth mentioning.

Hubby and I are currently sailing on the Island Princess, 16 days around England, Ireland, Iceland and Greenland. Today we ported in Akureyri, Iceland and went on a privately arranged tour with goHusky (gohusky.is), Hiking with Husky - it was a highlight of our trip! We were met at the port by Gunni and Maria, along with one of their beautiful dogs. They drove us to their home overlooking the fjord where we met all 18 of their furry family. The four of us then hooked up to a dog each and went off on a beautiful nature hike for nearly an hour. The dogs are fun and high spirited, and Gunni and Maria are outgoing and interesting. We laughed, talked, walked and shared a great time in nature with dogs. We returned to their home for a tour of their property, and some more time with the full pack of Huskies. At the end, we were dropped back at the port. If you love dogs, and nature walks, you will love this outing. We did - it was truly a joy!

No, but I haven’t reached out to any transfer companies or the hotel yet. I will probably do so 3 months or so before my sailing.

I had the Free at Sea with 250 free minutes, and upgraded just myself to Unlimited Premium Wifi with Streaming. Did not have to purchase wifi for hubby (but probably will later as he doesn't like to share).

Thank you for the post. Good to hear! We board Island Princess on August 12 for the Iceland/Greenland sailing. Sailing over to join you via Queen Mary 2 from NY to Southampton on August 5. Keep the lights on for us!

My sailing in March 2023 on NCL Jewel still includes San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. Of course, a change could still be coming our way, and if it does, we'll roll with it.

Are you talking about the Terminal Cruceros de Amador (Amador Cruise Terminal)? If so, that is on the Panama City side, around 25 minutes from Old Town, and easily reached by Uber or taxi. I am heading to the cruise terminal in Colon, across the peninsula, which is about 1 to 1.5 hours away from Panama City, depending on traffic.

Wonderful, thank you for the information.

On the river cruise portion of the trip, is your sailing direction Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh?