buchanan101

1 hour ago, exlondoner said:

Let’s hope they never use QA in Alaska, then. 😀 But she is going to Norway.

Yes, in 23 days now!!

17 hours ago, Tattycoram said:

I just got an email from Cunard with an offer to bid on an upgrade on our upcoming 8-day TA in July.

 

We've never been on Cunard (or any TA) before.  I've only been on a few cruises; we did have a balcony; I really liked it to read, get those ocean breezes, and look out. A few months ago I booked a Britannia Oceanview on Deck 6.  

 

My thinking was:  not too expensive (about the same as business class airfare--don't spoil the teenager); we could use public decks for air etc.; probably not too crowded to need privacy; might be too cold to use much; might be boring to look out (I don't really think this, because I love looking at the sea).  This is kind of a test trip to see if (as I suspect) my husband and I would book other trips on the QM2. 

 

Are my assumptions right?  

 

The starting bid for a Britannia sheltered balcony would be $230 for us both.  We got to choose our current cabin (under the spa entrance!).  I can get seasick so I went lower, but I'm not that worried on the QM2 in July.  With this bid we obviously wouldn't get to choose our location and maybe we'd get somewhere noisy?  obstructed?  What could possibly go wrong . . . ?

 

I've definitely come to value your knowledgeable opinions!

 

 

 

Sheltered are in the hull so won't - CAN'T be obstructed and are also low. Some people swear by them as being a great compromise as more protected, though in July... Half the cabins of course will be sunny side and half in the shade. We had a balcony in an October crossing, but was deliberately sunny side and was great. Starboard balconies would have been miserable as the wind was from NW

3 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I wonder why Cunard do this, which enables anyone not terribly short sighted to identify newbies?

 

I always thought red tops were popular newspapers. 😀

Can't remember the colour of key cards on our first (and so far only) Cunard voyage. Does this mean that even as a lowly Silvers we now won't be red tops in (checks - 24 days).  What are these pins like we are supposed to get...?

Just now, Victoria2 said:

The lounge was very much a Marmite area. It was very popular for pre lunch and dinner drinks but I think those who love the Vistas lounge would be a tad disappointed. We didn't stop for coffee or drinks very often whereas QV's lounge was very much 'our' lounge!

So far I only have experience of QM2 Grills lounge which as I said earlier is just dull IMO

29 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

For anyone who might be interested, my review has appeared, though it says very little that is not somewhere on this thread.

Not sure given what is going on in the world that describing the Grills Lounge as a "hell hole" is quite appropriate!

What was actually wrong with it? Must be better than QM2 concierge, and the Grills Lounge on QM2 is just dull...

(Though I did smile at bananas not appearing until half way through the voyage... maybe they were not ripe? Maybe they didn't put All Bran out at all because they were worried about the ships waste systems?)

1 minute ago, Selbourne said:

No. Massive queues to get off yesterday and today - both when docked. However, all tours have now gone and I’ve just walked off with no difficulty. 

I assume priority embarkation and disembarkation for Grills etc is only at start and end of cruise; can imagine Britannia would get a bit upset if they were always having to wait. 

25 minutes ago, david63 said:

There are two different scenarios here.

 

If the country requires a visa or some other form of entry document (eg USA) then in my experience you only go through immigration once but you need to show your passport at each port - one exception to that was Russia but we can forget that for now.

 

The other scenario is for ex Brexit countries where nothing currently has changed and you just walk off the ship and back on again. However this is due to change at some point in the future (currently scheduled for early 2025 but it has been put back so often that it may well change again) when the EU bring in their ETAIS, but the last time I read anything about ETIAS the EU had not figured out how to operate it for cruises.

 

Also remember that the cruise line/ship provide the country's immigration with full passenger and crew lists.

The first part of the system (EES) starts this October. Delayed until after Paris Olympics on this occasion. ETIAS is 2025

The UK is introducing a similar system (ETA). Without Brexit of course we’d be on the inside of the one system. We were very much in favour of EES. 

37 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

We did not have to go through immigration at all. No passports, all we needed was our ship’s card. No different from pre-Brexit. Don’t know how they would know if you had already done your Schengen 90 days.

So no stamping in/out. That’s a relief! 

32 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I’ve just thought: the Canary Islands may not be in Schengen.

Not sure it’s Schengen 90 days or all of EU (not that there’s much difference) 

Norway is in the former not the latter though essentially operates the same as in EEA.

Canaries are in Schengen. 

When you are visiting several ports in the same country do you have to go through immigration each time (I assume so, as they don't know you've been off at the first port)? How long does that take in post Brexit days?

11 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Absolutely. This is only our second Cunard cruise, but we’ve done well over 20 other cruises and we have never seen queues like we’ve seen on Queen Anne at present. It’s understandable that tender operations can result in delays, but this is the second day in a row where we have been in port and yet there were massive queues snaking through the ship just to walk off both days, and then once ashore another queue well over half the length of the ship for the tours. I presume this isn’t normal?

Hoping most ports in Norway are not tenders. Flam we share with a smaller ship so hopefully we get to dock.  Bergen must be docked (says T2 wherever that is). Olden and Haugesund only QA on the day so assume docked.

Are queues only at tender ports?

15 hours ago, TowandaUK said:

Thank you Hattie

Seems to be the only positive review on there... 

Folk here on the boards seem more positive though.

It's not QM2...doesn't mean you can't like both, and I'm still looking forward immensely to the end of June and Norway; 25 days according to MyCunard...

Hopefully most of the teething problems will have been sorted by then

1 hour ago, NE John said:

Maybe Paul McCartney will be the Godparent - Liverpool and all…??

Does that role have to be a Royal?

 

 

At least in hiring a Scouser, Craig Charles may be able to sing a bit better than Paul McCartney. I was witness to this effort of his live...

2 hours ago, Pushpit said:

I would be happy in 5145. It gets the full balcony, and is handy for Britannia and the promenade on deck 3 since you are right by the lifts / stairwell. The balconies in the central section from 5139 down do have a slightly deeper balcony (same frontage but longer space between rail and door), but I'm not sure that many people would notice, and there's plenty of space on 5145.

Looks like the deck plans are pretty accurate - seems to back up all your comments.  5143 a bigger cabin too, and 5139 has deeper balcony than 5145 (but presumably up a sub-class in price)

It's been reported that it's more expensive on board... and prebooking closes 4 days before cruise. But hopefully someone can confirm relative prices. Reports also of it being very popular so may be better to prebook when you want; half+ OBC goes on the tips thing anyway, a few drinks and it's gone!

37 minutes ago, napria said:

First we booked a TA on Queen Mary2 for August 2026, Southampton to NY by way of Iceland so I *might* get to see the a total eclipse.

 

Then I priced out the flight from the US to Southampton, including transportation from the airport, a pre-cruise hotel and meals.  Hey, for just a little more we can take QM2, get the same cabin and enjoy an extra seven days onboard.  Booked!

 

Cunnard has my email now and sent me a Memorial Day sale ad.  Oh look!  We can try out QM2 on a five day cruise from Canada to NY this fall!  Booked and paid in full!

 

Now I’ve got a new email from Cunard for a Memorial Day sale on a 14-day British Isles trip aboard the Queen Anne.  Such a deal!  
 

But wait… we haven’t taken even one trip yet.  I think I might be (figuratively) going overboard!

 

Oh but it’s tempting…

Sounds great, go for it!

21 minutes ago, Clewgarnet said:

I'm a bit confused that I've been invited to put in a bid for an upgrade when all cabin classes above mine are sold out. Is the upgrade system so fully automated that it can't take account of that, or are they just getting their bases covered in case someone cancels?

 

Either way, I don't think I'll hold out hope for that Gorilla upgrade!

For if someone cancels. You can even bid on the top staterooms on QA of which there are only two...

Tempted by £1280+ for PG1 to Q5/Q6, but nice as they are, those are almost all fore and aft and although we are going to Norway in June, OH won't be happy if it is rough as she feels the motion more than I do.

I assume that Grills are always early/ish. Only 32 days now (PG on QA).. good to get on board early to get lunch! last time we were QG and turned up even earlier than the time we were given (as coming across from IoW) and all was fine

3 minutes ago, Clewgarnet said:

Is anybody sailing in the cheap seats and willing to take photos of their cabin? Are the standard Britannia balconies noticeably different to QM2/QV/QE?

Lots of Vlogs on YouTube. I don’t think that they are much different in layout. The main improvement seems to be no shower curtain and USB sockets. 

17 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Thx 

A taster

Our 'light switches'

our en suite shower controls

 

What's the one lying in a hammock do?

2 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Shows how significant M.Roux's influence has. Last night's menu also had a couple of 'inspired' dishes.

Didn't notice but I did notice off menu dishes being prepared and a la carte requests!

 

Thank goodness the  Cunard QG usual offerings are still with us. The food has been up to its usual very high standard.

Yes there has been the odd logistical blip but who cares. We have looked upon this as another shakedown cruise and have been more than happy to have taken part.

 

ps

raining this morning in La Coruna. Sun hasn’t even bothered to get its hat out of the closet! 🤣

It's tipping down here...went to Dublin at the weekend and was expecting this weather there. But it was gorgeous; 20C and sunny  - luckily as was at open air concert at Croke Park

5 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Can I add, as a complete sceptic but one whose glass is usually half full, I will be very sad to leave this ship on Friday.

Then don't... I'm sure you can hide somewhere?

33 days to go 😄

Just now, exlondoner said:

I don’t really know what an influencer is, nor have I heard of the person, but, if it involves making money from their posts, why would I want, in effect, to assist, by sharing my views, ie my intellectual property, with him/her. But please forgive me if I have misunderstood.

He does pretty good reviews of various cruise ships - his life and career is always being on cruises... https://www.youtube.com/@tipsfortravellers

6 hours ago, safarigal said:

We did a bridge tour so I got to find out what is in that mysterious white area. It is crew cabins - so hopefully they will not be too noisy above you 🙂

Oh bridge tours sound interesting. Sign me up! 

13 hours ago, TowandaUK said:

Can someone explain something for me please. We are on Britannia open dining so we eat on deck 3 and arrive when we like. However we tend to book an early slot as we like to go to the first show. 
We enjoy moving around, meeting new neighbours and experiencing different servers. 
We have noticed that there are quite a few people who have set tables they go to every night on deck 3. They bypass the front desk and seat themselves. How is this possible with open dining?  Is it an overflow of fixed dining guests from deck 2?

I guess it could be because more people opted for fixed than the capacity of the lower deck?