3rdGenCunarder

People who book in the US are not required to buy travel insurance. That's done as a separate purchase. HAL offers it as an option. I don't know if Cunard does. In the post-covid startup period, I believe Cunard required insurance for UK bookings, but not US bookings. Coverage options in the US vary greatly, depending on how much coverage you want. I always buy independent insurance to be covered for medical emergencies and return to home if needed. I think my policy would pay for to fly me home (or pay some of the cost) as "trip interruption," if I were in the UK, expecting to board the ship to go home.

Has anyone having to pay for a flight back to the US (or anywhere else, for that matter) contacted their travel insurance to see if that will pay for the flight? Insurance won't pay the cost of the cruise because Cunard is giving that back. But maybe this counts as "trip interruption" or something like that.

What time does the ship sail? I would expect Group A to be the first to check in. Have you tried the port of call board to ask how strict Barcelona is about assigned times?

Good for you! I think there should be more "gala" nights, too.

If you're going right home after the cruise, take a carry-all bag of some sort to stuff the formal clothes into. I don't worry a lot about how I pack going home because clothes are going to the cleaner or in the wash, not back into the closet.

I think you're right. Even if this problem can be fixed in a few days, rushing to NY to pick up people for the EB crossing would cost a fortune in fuel. I think she might be able to do it in 5 days, certainly in 6. But 6 days empty to NY and 6 days back doesn't make financial sense, even if they could fix the problem in 2 days. Allowing "stranded" passengers to stay onboard for a night was at least a little consideration. But I'd like to know "while travel arrangements are sorted" means. Is this supposed to give people somewhere to stay while THEY make arrangements? Will Cunard help at all?

When CO was new, FLL had a special desk for CO and an orange rug to stand on at a "private" check-in desk. It was NOT very private, as it was around the back of the row of check-in stations, which meant it was in full view of the people in the waiting area. It felt VERY pretentious. If they're still doing that, I didn't see it because I wasn't in CO in January. Kiosk check in was so fast, I didn't have time to look. Once the priority passengers go upstairs to wait, 4*, 5*, CO are all called to board together. Port staff are not HAL employees, so they deal with the rules and priorities of several lines over the course of a season and they don't always quite get it right. Once, boarding a HAL ship in Boston, we were asked how many Marriott stars we had.

I agree that this is a good solution. If your husband needs a break--and it sure sounds like he does--cruising with you in questionable health may not be the break he needs. Staying on land in a quiet place will give both of you peace of mind.

I can understand tours changing on short notice. That happens for a variety of reasons. But the disembarkation/embarkation ports must require advance reservations with the local port authority. A ship with 200+ people can't just show up and look for a parking place. SOMEONE has to know the schedule. But I can't find that person. I tried emailing Port of Milwaukee, and I got a reply. But their info came from AQV, not any entity within the Milwaukee port. AQV told them of three dates in Milwaukee, and @uktog's cruise was not one of them. Nor mine. I tried emailing Navy Pier in Chicago. I haven't had a response yet. I just emailed the Illinois Central Port District. They are strictly cargo, but I'm hoping they can give me contact info for cruises out of Chicago. This is ridiculous!!!!

That would have been perfect! I miss that special dinner.

QM2 has history panels around the ship, and one is about QE2. There's a great photo like that there. I don't recall when it was taken, probably toward her last days. All former living captains were there.

Sometimes port fees turn out to be lower than the cruise line planned for, and the refund is usually returned as OBC. On my last cruise, no port was cancelled, but I got back about $25 in port fees. That was on the last day, so I did a little souvenir shopping.

I tried to search for charters, but when I entered the date and the ship name, I mostly got links to this thread or to online travel agencies, but nothing for a specific charter. It seems like an odd time for a group to charter a ship, between Thanksgiving and Christmas. And I agree with @tlund, it seems short notice for a charter. But HAL does have a history of accepting a charter and cancelling reservations. That's why I avoid 7-day cruises or B2B cruises made up of 7-day cruises. I don't trust HAL for those short cruises. I'm sorry for people's disappointment. Some people may already have done their travel arrangements to get to the ship, which adds to the trouble.

I've never seen someone try to "queue barge" for the iron in the launderette, but I agree with your comment about planning better. Many years ago, a colleague at work had a sign in his office "A lack of preparedness on your part does NOT constitute an emergency on my part." Don't remember which floor, but here is a QE launderette. My complaint about the ironing board is that it's too close to the wall.

Yes, Carinthia on QM2 is a good daytime spot. It's pleasant early in a cruise, before people discover it and it gets crowded. I like to have lunch there, especially on embarkation day, as I prefer something light and I despise the buffet on QM2. Carinthia on QE didn't have as much choice for food, and I didn't like the offerings. I often sit in a chair by a window in QM2's champagne bar in the morning after breakfast and read or catch up on my journal. Or just watch the ocean go by.

Both Mary Pickford and Honeysuckle daiquiri are on the Commodore club cocktail menu. I've only had the Mary Pickford at Commodore club, but I have had honeysuckle daiquiri from the Chart Room. Can't find a pic of the daiquiri, but here's Mary Pickford.

I just looked at the tours. For Saturday, May 27, they are selling tours and transfers from "Chicago (Port of Milwaukee)." This sounds like the Voyager will dock in Milwaukee. I want to say they wouldn't sell a tour from Milwaukee if they were docking in Chicago. But AQV seems to sell tours/cruises that aren't going to happen, so I guess I'd say this is an indicator rather than proof. When I look at the first page for my cruise, day 1 is "Chicago/Milwaukee" but day 2, when we actually go to the ship, just says "Chicago." This sounds like the hotel stay is Milwaukee and then we are bused to the ship in Chicago, which I don't think is correct. For the end of the cruise before mine (June 14), all the tours/ transfers are from "Chicago," no mention of Milwaukee. I'm tempted to chat with an agent, but I have so little faith that anything I'm told will be true. This is too much of a rabbit hole for me this morning!!!!

I suppose the music on offer is the main factor in my choice. I like the Chart Room on QM2 but not so much on the Vistas. I prefer the Commodore on Vistas. In Alaska, on QE it was lovely to sit up there after dinner and look out at the sea at twilight. Oh, yes, I like the Mary Picford, too. And the honeysuckle daiquiri, my new favorite.

If you could see the mess that is my home office, you'd understand why anything I want to be able to access without a search is on the computer.

The thermal suite on Volendam has a hot tub for pass holders. It is just a hot tub, not a hydropool, as on the larger HAL ships. The hot tub is in the room with the heated loungers. I believe there also are hot tubs by the Lido pool, but those are not excusively for spa pass holders.

Not quite the 18th here, but happy birthday HAL! I'll try to remember to wear something orange tomorrow.

I recently added a column where I make note of number of voyages for that line and total days on sailed as of the end of that cruise. I do this only for Cunard and HAL because they're the only ones where I've racked up a significant number of days. 345 days on Cunard!

I don't include cruise #. I have a column for Destination, like Caribbean, Canada, Transatlantic, etc. I also have a comment for notes, like if we sailed with friends or family or if something unusual happened--Hurricane Eduardo, rescuing a sinking sailboat, Titanic fans on board, etc.

I am beyond words. You're right, you can't make this up.

I have been fortunate that I haven't had to deal with that kind of patronizing/pitying comment. People mean well, but that doesn't help. My reply would be "you never know what you can do until you have to do it" or something like that. I don't know if the ships use any personal info to seat people for fixed dining, but I've often been at a table with other solos, especially on Cunard. On QE in June, we were 3 solos and two couples, which made a nice mix.