lissie

10 hours ago, D&N said:

In June 2022 we used a Wise debit card. I believe that's what @lissie used as well.

We didn't have many transactions because we bought the drinks package a week at a time for the two weeks onboard. But did buy three bottles of wine not included in the package, a photography package, internet, laundry and a handbag when they were at 25% off for a day.

Each time a debit or credit transaction was processed I got a notification virtually in real time on the Wise app of the revised charge Cunard were going to make. That included some drinks charged on the first day that should have been in the package and were eventually credited.

I assume they put a hold for the actual amounts spent on the card at any time. I didn't have any chance to test that as there was an adequate USD balance on the card that I had no reason to attempt to use for other purposes.

 

Other debit card providers may operate differently but from our experience Cunard doesn't put a large speculative hold on a card in the same way as some hotels do.

Yes I had a Wise card. I'd pre-loaded the US$ whne the rate was better for my home currency so I'd researched this heavily and it worked exactly as it would have with my credit card (without the additional  charges and por exchange rate of my credit card). It was nothing like using it for a hotel pre-authorisation which does reduce the balance for up to 10 days after checkout (and is annoying and I don't use if for that anymore) 

6 hours ago, roscoe39 said:

great pic...can I steal it?

Sorry not mine to give 

Picture of QV coming into Wellington today - not taken by me I have a friend with a good view!  

Didn't happen in 2022 - and I was using a debit card. They took a $1 a few days before boarding to confirm the card (I think that bounced back after a few days/weeks). Then they just charged the amount for the end of each sector of the cruise 

I've just handed over my room number to the porters so they can take the luggage and then  at check in my passport. Everything is a nice to have and frankly near impossible if you are travelling before hand without access to a printer  

You don't need to be paying $50 for a SL visa if you are only in port for a day - the transit visa still needs to be applied for but it's free from the official website 

Spent many weeks in the tropics on the QE in 22 - through both canals. The air con struggled - the worst was the garden lounge - they had to move the 7pm trivia because it was unbearably hot - felt really sorry for the staff.  We also had issues in lower Britannia restaurant not as bad -  fine for ladies - but men were all taking their jackets off and many had short-sleeved shirts (shock horror). Some in balconies on the wrong side (POSH port out starboard home) found it really hot - but we had an inside on deck 1 and never had to adjust the a/c 

10 hours ago, BigMac1953 said:

Why not just ask for a fresh jug of milk to be delivered periodically?

A ship doesn't carry fresh milk - its all UHT - as that's all that will last for the weeks between resupply ports 

22 hours ago, Ray66 said:

Ah, right.  I was just going to say there's always been a bible in a bedside drawer in our room on all of our cruises.

Also, you can buy a pack of playing cards in one of the ship's shops.

I've never seen a bible on the QE and I've sailed on her 3 times pre and post Covid 

8 hours ago, RD64 said:

One other thing in HAL’s favour - for Alaska they do open up the bow and forward decks for scenic viewing. Not sure if Cunard does this.

Cunard did for both the Suez and Panama Canals so I assume for Alaska too 

8 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

 

Cunard appears to be more of a point to point transit transportation line, than a cruise line. If one still wants to travel to various fairly fixed places around the world by sea, that is what they best offer. Not unlike most of the historic maritime lines before "cruising" took over the industry after the 1970's. Sea travel was how you got from point to point.  

 

And a very fine offering at that. Between a long cramped TA flight and jet lag, if one has the time and resources then a Cunard slower passage between continents is really a very nice option to have. Connecting the former global "British Empire" and still robust Commonwealth connections is still big business.

 

My friends out  there in the far flung "former British colonies" often still keep nostalgic ties to the Mother Country, even though long independent. Family members generations removed still keep those ties alive too.

I think you are confusing QM trans atlantics to the rest of the ships - plus QM does do normal cruises in the N hemisphere winter. Its a normal cruise line 

8 hours ago, alibabacruisers said:

I am sorry to invade this thread but saw Lissie here and wondered if I could ask you a question about your Cunard cruise Barc-Aust.?

 

We, and others doing a similar cruise to you last year. I wanted to ask you because you were on that cruise and would have valuable info about the actual visas you needed. Is the below your experience an Aust/NZ traveller.

 

Egypt - Cunard says they do it onboard at no charge.

 

Oman - onboard no charge.

 

Sri Lanka - know that port was cancelled, but what did you do...transit or regular or none?

 

Jakarta and Bali - ? None needed?

 

I thank you in advance for any help you could give.

 

They did Oman and Egypt on board for free , collected the passports and returned them stamped so need 1/2 page each. Sri Lanka was cancelled before we left so I don't know. I left in Singapore but I believe there was something online with a cost for Indonesia . there was also an online health declaration for Singapore that has  probably gone away now. the issue with the later 2 was cunards awful Internet - so try to do these in advance 

On 8/23/2023 at 1:15 PM, rodndonna said:

 

I believe it depends on the ship and maybe itinerary. 

 

On some it is buy 1, get 1 50% off. On the Zaandam in May it was 2 for 1,  and they had Happy Hour at 4:00 and again at 10:00 I believe (was asleep by then). That is the "Happiest" hour offer we have seen in our 5 HAL  cruises since Covid.

It wasn't actually 2 for 1 - it was 50% off .. there is a difference. Last week on Zaandam it was only certain bars Ocean Bar and Crows Nest 4-5 and Crows Nest only 10-11 (though they tended to shut up before 11) 

Just got off our first ever. HAL cruise Boston - Maritimes- Greenland - Iceland return. 
 

We’ve previously only cruised Cunards Queen Elizabeth- we chose HAL for the itinerary 

overall we had a great cruise . Every port was fantastic with the exception of Bar Harbor . We had a lot of tender ports but we never waited more than 10 min at peak times with the exception of Bar Harbor . 
 

Bar Harbor there was nothing to do and I’m glad we didn’t spend the money to go to Arcadia park as those who did said it was crazy busy too . There was nothing to do I town except eat and buy tourist tat . We did have a good lobster roll at the dog and pony pub .

the only time we did a HAL excursion was St Antony’s as we badly wanted to go to L’anse drs meadows and we couldn’t find a rental car . We hired cars in corner brook and Sydney . In Iceland we did a couple of local tours . The highlight for me was snorkeling between the continental plates - not for everyone - getting into dry suits is no joke but it was fantastic 

Iceland has an excellent tourist infrastructure and there is zero reason to pay the premium that Hal charges for the same tours . It is expensive though . 
 

Greenland again Hal was charging double for iceberg tours - we went on a small boat - only 4 of us - and our about $100 - cash only - the atm took no fee . Again a fanatic trip 

We liked the Zaandam in general . Unfortunately the singers weren’t that gear (the musicians were- but the female singers in the ocean bar were the issue) . The dance company was fantastic but under used - only did 4 shows in 25 days . 
 

the food was ok - surprisingly the same in the mdr as the lido so we often ate in the Lido . There were some themed nights - which were nice . 
 

the drinks prices were as expected the lack of range of cocktails was a big negative compared to Cunard - we didn’t have a drinks package and paid as we went given the number of ports this was cheaper 

we had booked an inside bar n deck 1 but we were upgraded to ocean view on deck 3 when ch we liked - huge storage bit a small room 

On 7/16/2023 at 1:57 PM, NE John said:

One of the problems of the Brooklyn. Cruise Terminal is that US Immigration forces everyone to get off the ship then re-enter via immigration, regardless if you’re leaving the ship or not. That adds to delays. 

That's every port in the USA - not just Brooklyn 

27 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Hey @afdds as @RuthC said, no need for you to babysit your booking for a check-in time or boarding group  - both are automatic and will be at the top of your boarding pass in the Navigator App.

Also, once you are on board, you're welcome to go drop off your carry-on bags in your cabin whether it's ready or not. You are then free to go explore the ship and eat lunch. No need to camp out anywhere waiting for your cabin, like they do on some other cruise lines. 

I'm totally confused - why would you do that - why not go to a bar? 

6 hours ago, JoieNsk said:

We just got our cabin assigned - seemed like today - for our cruise starting on August 19th.

 

I am impressed! I thought we would have to wait to a week before, because it seems like it is typical timeframe lately. 

 

It's our first time with guarantee. So far we got lucky.

 

Hope they are not going to change the cabin - closer to the date 🙂

Interesting - still waiting on our cabin for 29 July - but have got a boarding time! 

Worth saving and putting on the next thread when someone else says HIA is so worth it becasuse they don't have to worry about the cost of their drinks! 

That's very sad - can't believe they are cutting the hosts for the sake of a few cabins and meals in the lido 😞

I'm yet to fly into an intenational airport that doesn't have a queue of taxis outside 

Ex-geologist here. Its a lava eruption not a gas and rock explosive eruption like the unproduceable volcanoes which shut down lots of European flights. 

Its about 40 min outside of Reykiyvik but the lava is nowhere near any inhabited bit.  Hoping that it might be visible when we sail in from the east. 

I would love to hike out and see it - we are there in a few weeks so hopefully its still going strong by then.  My main issue is do I cancel the snorkelling trip and hope to be able to get on a hiking trip - and can I hike 20km over rough terrain! 

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Welcome to the same challenges the rest of the World has experienced for many years, when wanting to visit the USA. The requirements also don't apply to every country in Europe and not even every country in the EU.

 

Having applied for many ETA's, they are generally a simple process, with the US being the most onerous.

completely agree 

3 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

That is awesome! Any recent reports of how long it's taking to get approved? I submitted request today for 5 bookings through May 2024. Dud not receive an acknowledgement email, so that's kinda worrisome. Since we can't see OBC in our bookings, without a confirmation it's blind trust. 😞

It's not blind trust you get an email approving - check your spam folder 

It's unlikely to be as restrictive as the US ETSA has been for years.  I've been delaying going to Cuba and Iran because if I do USA requires me to get an expensive and difficult visa.  Now that my relative has moved out of the USA I may well just put US on my no fly list and do Cuba. 

What are your arrival/departure ports for the cruises . We did an eastbound cruise to Barcelona last year. Spent 6 weeks in Europe and then picked up the QE again in Barcelona to Singapore. We stored  our large bag of formal wear, and other nice to haves at the wharf in Barcelona and travelled carry-on only in Europe. 

I'd look for a service like that and pack so that you can carry a much smaller subset of clothes in Europe