watsonbeau

Thank you. Overnight in LA is good as would probably do a trip over to Queen Mary in Long Beach, if only to photograph exterior if closed and second day maybe go round the Iowa as we did a tour up to Santa Monica/Becerkey Hills last time I was in LA. The Panama transit is what I’m really interested in though. I did hear they are likely building another bridge Pacific end with funding from China - if they do I wonder if they will decommission Bridge of Americas or keep both. Can’t wait for March !!

Is QM2 docking at San Pedro ? Thank you

That’s the one I want - transit Panama on QM2. Sounds fabulous!

The next program from Sept 25 to Jan 27 is apparently released to World club members on 6 March. World Cruise from 5 March. Can’t wait !

Same here. Otherwise might have had a trip to Scouseland to see. Hopefully it will be shown onboard QV.

I’m trying it in September for first time - for the return they told me you are given some of reference before you leave the hotel so you can book your taxi back to hotel from the port.

A lot of time will be just sitting on the bus there and back - although the trip itself is 1/2day, the rest is travel time. Rome traffic is seriously terrible. I’m on QV in June and will either wander round Civitavecchia or do one of the other tours that don’t go to Rome.

Reuters reports tanker on fire out there. So situation isn’t exactly improving. https://www.reuters.com/world/ukmto-reports-incident-60-nautical-miles-south-east-yemens-aden-advisory-note-2024-01-26/ and this https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/cruise-operator-carnival-flags-impact-operations-amid-red-sea-tensions-2024-01-26/

If you book it and the port is missed so Cunard cancel excursions there then Cunard will refund it 100%.

If Cunard cancel it either before you travel or onboard you get 100% back. If you cancel before you go then all refunded, however if you cancel it onboard then I think they deduct a small amount maybe 10% - somebody else on here can maybe confirm.

It might have been on Cruisemapper https://www.cruisemapper.com/news/12847-cruise-operators-adjust-itineraries-red-sea-security-concerns and in Reuters https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/royal-caribbean-msc-cancel-cruises-due-red-sea-attacks-2024-01-19/ Apologies if I’m not supposed to put links.

Agree with tjunmin. Takes sometime to secure port facilities - they need to have all that sorted before Dubai as you say. It would still risk the ship even passengerless - and what a coup should the ship be targeted. They’d do best to do the Cape route if there are still issues in the area.

I’d guess the latter if it comes to it plus she can speed up as is often the case on the transatlantics. Adds to fuel bill but better than risking ship and those on board. All very difficult and I wouldn’t like to be the one who has to decide on it.

Yes that’s what I’m thinking - the discount is small compared to the extra OBC you’d get on a shorter <24 nt cruise. Surprised they don’t give you a choice between the usual 200/300$ pp onboard perk or the 3% whichever is better. Which is why I was trying to find out - thank you..

Debating on a Caribbean round trip (am in UK). Just wondering whether to wait and book onboard - or book at home. Do they still give the extra discount 3%?? (as it’s over 24 nights) if you book a saver fare or is that only if it’s a Cunard fare ? Can’t remember! Also can you still request OBC for a saver fare with the required 100+ Carnival shares - have always had Cunard fare before so not sure on this point either. Thank you.

Channel is live now on QV

Don’t know about shuttles, but if excursions sold out before sailing, once onboard they will often add extra capacity (extra buses etc) so booking becomes possible and some you can ask to waitlist as some people may cancel last minute.

Solentships have a channel on the well known video clip (YT..) so should be on there. Not sure when the channel will be live - -237 waiting - one is me. Think doing QM2 on there as well. Hope they both get a lovely send off.

Was on recent Caribbean round trip from Southampton - still came back with unread books etc - can’t think where the time went.

Yes but as others have said, many are very close together ! However there are a few that are more “isolated”. The one thing I liked about the open dining is that you have no fear of being stuck with table mates you don’t get on with, and then having to ask for elsewhere via the maitre d’. However do feel sorry for the lovely staff as you don’t get chance to get to know them on open dining.

Yes I did wonder how bona fide it was. Fingers crossed for the Panama Canal transit - I’ve got that earmarked for 2026 - thank you.

Just found this itinerary for QM2 - no idea if it’s accurate though, which shows her round the Horn and not doing Panama transit. One of the experts might be able to check ? I have just shown the part from New York but ties in with the TA prior from Southampton. Thank you. January 2026 15 Sun New York, USA Depart 5:00 pm 16 Mon Cruising the Atlantic Ocean 17 Tue Fort Lauderdale, USA 6:00 am 11:00 am 18 Wed Cruising the Atlantic Ocean 19 Thu Basseterre, St. Kitts 8:00 am 6:00 pm 20 Fri Bridgetown, Barbados 7:00 am 5:00 pm 21 Sat Cruising the Atlantic Ocean 22 Sun Cruising the Atlantic Ocean 23 Mon Cruising the Atlantic Ocean 24 Tue Salvador de Bahia, Brazil 1:00 pm 7:00 pm 25 Wed Cruising the Atlantic Ocean 26 Thu Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Port 8:00 am 27 Fri Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Depart 6:00 pm 28 Sat Cruising the Atlantic Ocean 29 Sun Montevideo, Uruguay Port 12:00 pm 30 Mon Montevideo, Uruguay Depart 2:00 pm 31 Tue Cruising the Atlantic Ocean February 2026 1 Wed Cruising Cape Horn 7:00 pm 8:00 pm 2 Thu Ushuaia, Argentina 8:00 am 4:00 pm 3 Fri Punta Arenas, Chile 8:00 am 7:00 pm 4 Sat Cruising the Chilean Fjords 5 Sun Cruising the Chilean Fjords 6 Mon Puerto Montt, Chile 7:00 am 6:00 pm 7 Tue Cruising the Pacific Ocean 8 Wed Valparaiso, Chile 6:00 am 6:00 pm 9 Thu Cruising the Pacific Ocean 10 Fri Cruising the Pacific Ocean 11 Sat Callao (Lima), Peru 7:00 am 6:00 pm 12 Sun Cruising the Pacific Ocean 13 Mon Esmeraldas, Ecuador 8:00 am 6:00 pm 14 Tue Cruising the Pacific Ocean 15 Wed Fuerte Amador, Panama 8:00 am 6:00 pm 16 Thu Cruising the Pacific Ocean 17 Fri Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica 8:00 am 6:00 pm 18 Sat Cruising Pacific Ocean 19 Sun Acapulco, Mexico 9:00 am 6:00 pm 20 Mon Cruising the Pacific Ocean 21 Tue Cruising the Pacific Ocean 22 Wed Los Angeles, USA Port 6:00 am

Thank you - have previously left tips mainly as GBP or USD, and paid surplus USD into onboard account rather than exchange it. Wasn’t sure about Euros. Will likely leave any left over as tips to avoid exchange.

As the currency on board is USD - what’s best to leave for personal staff tips if the ship is in European ports where it’s mainly the Euro - Euro or USD or GBP - we are on QV summer 24 on a 4 week Rome to Rome trip, so will have GBP as am in UK and Euros, but wondering about whether I should order some USD as well ? Thank you.

Returned 15th after the round trip to Caribbean departing Southampton Sun 19 Nov so onboard for what was in effect a 3 in 1 trip, in Britannia class. No complaints to be honest and found staff as always fabulous and the food lovely - we were open dining and also used Kings Court for dinner a few times and went in Verandah one night, but didn’t try the Coriander etc in evenings so can’t comment on those. Enjoyed Boardwalk in afternoons while in Caribbean. Did a few afternoon teas in Queens room which we enjoyed and fits in well with open dining - we always used to go 1st sitting so usually missed teas as times too close together. Thought there were good choices in buffet - minor issue was the ice facility in one or two water machines stopped working on occasion - ice bucket with cubes/tongs provided though. When you think of food prices/eating out prices in UK, I thought the cruise was excellent value for quality/quantity provided. Only thing I missed were toasted muffins - didn’t see any about but maybe just didn’t spot them. We avoided Britannia on departure days from Southampton and NY and used KC buffet - around 7pm as 6pm seemed busiest time. One recommendation would be to book your evening meal for every night in advance at start of trip - can always change or cancel later - as we started off booking daily and found there were no early slots around 6 - 6:30pm in Caribbean sector once all had boarded in NYC for that part of the trip. Not an issue as we either ate a bit later or used KC. Captain Hall was excellent in his broadcasts and did a great job at Halifax - QM2 did not berth as no there were no fenders at dockside, so to avoid any damage he manoeuvred in close in the harbour and the passenger was taken off by tender across a short distance. Some good Insights lectures - Bill Miller and Derek Tedder very good and some up to date films in Illuminations - Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning, Barbie, Oppenheimer. First week was the Literature Festival so that was very busy for those into authors etc. Saw a few shows in Royal Court but did find the band/singers sometimes very loud and seemed to be fighting each other. Quite a few people were I thought rude coming in half way through or leaving part way through - disrupting others in the process. Spent most evenings in Commodore usually after show/theatre if we went and had good service in there from staff. We didn’t catch Covid and never heard it mentioned but there was certainly coughing in theatre and lectures, and a few wearing masks. I did think the cabin stewards were overloaded - apparently Britannia ones had 18 cabins to do twice a day - previously they had 12 - nonetheless ours was very good and cannot fault. So no complaints overall from me but appreciate we all have different experiences and expectations. Sadly have now got three more now booked onboard, QV and a round trip on Queen Anne !