Reggiefan

Mcclouded, thanks for your response. My intent was not to start a debate on Covid mandates, and I have already stated my position. But my intent was to state that for at least one person booked on a future TA crossing, if circumstances require a mask mandate, then perhaps I should not be sailing at all. Even with a mask mandate, chances are you will be seated next to others for extended periods with no one wearing a mask unless passenger capacity is materially reduced, there is social distancing at meals, and the bars are closed.

I am one who currently opposes a mask mandate, especially on a Transatlantic crossing. I have no issue with--and indeed welcome--any requirements of vaccination and proof of a negative Covid test before boarding. But I am booked on a Transatlantic crossing in 2023--I have pushed it back more than once--and will push the crossing back again if there is a mask mandate. My reasons: 

1. The appeal of a TA crossing for me is its ambience and elegance and reminder of the past. Wearing a mask undermines that appeal.

2. Requirements such as vaccination and a negative test should dramatically reduce the chances of catching Covid. 

3. Those wanting to wear a mask can wear one.

4. The protection provided by a mask seems especially small when in many settings passengers can be seated next to one another for extended periods--restaurants and bars--without wearing a mask.

5. My position does depend on the circumstances. If a new variant emerges that is highly contagious and is too often causing hospitalization, that would be totally different. In that instance, one should not be cruising regarding of the mitigation measures taken. But it seems that going forward, we may have to accept Covid as a one more health concern and get on with life.

Note my purpose is not to initiate a debate on Covid mitigation measures. But I did want to say that a mask mandate (except for medical facilities) defeats my reasons for sailing, and I will cancel or push back my sailing rather than wear a mask on board.

The latest information is that the 2023 schedule will be released in early January. The delay seems much too long, but the latest news is that there will be a release in roughly two months.

It seems counterproductive, if not hypocritical, for any cruise company to require that paying passengers, but not all crew members, be vaccinated, and that they follow strict mask requirements as well. Note I am not making any comment on whether Cunard requires its crew members to be vaccinated. I do not know. But the question raised in the OP is timely and relevant.

So a possible reason for the delay is the lack of call-center personnel to accept reservations by phone? That's seems like a relatively small problem that should have been addressed by this time.

Has any reason been offered for the delay? We are talking about a release for the year 2023. Surely, enough time has passed for Cunard to get its 2023 plans in order. 

This should be happening very shortly, perhaps in the next week. Has anyone heard anything?

I am fully vaccinated, received my booster shot as soon as I could, and will receive future booster shots if necessary. And I comply with any rules to wear a mask. But I will not sail on Cunard if I have to wear a mask. I am currently booked on a spring 2022 Transatlantic crossing. Because of Covid issues, I will reschedule and book a later sailing as soon as the 2023 schedule comes out. However, I am not going to spend a substantial amount of money to sail on a ship that has as a main selling point recreation of the glamour of sailing across the Atlantic 75 years ago if mask-wearing is required. It is not my intent to debate mask mandates, especially for those fully vaccinated, because this is simply not the place to do so. But for me a mask requirement on a Transatlantic crossing defeats the purpose of such a trip, and I will opt out. Just one person's opinion.

I am not sure why the delay, but it appears that the announcing of the 2023 schedule is four to five weeks away. The current status of the Covid pandemic should have little bearing on a 2023 schedule. But for whatever reason, Cunard is waiting to disclose its full 2023 schedule.

Bbtablet, I know that I raised the mask issue. It was certainly not my intent to say or suggest that those who have been fully vaccinated cannot get Covid. We can. But the evidence seems substantial that the risk of transmission is less and the risk of serious illness is dramatically less if one has been fully vaccinated.

I was trying to make these two points:

1. If sailing requires both full vaccination and a very recent negative Covid test, the environment on that ship for a transatlantic crossing seems very safe and for me sufficiently safe not to impose a mask mandate.

2. If there is a mask mandate except when seated for eating and drinking, that mandate for me is a deal-breaker. Now, if there is a mask mandate--and my state currently has one--I play by the rules and comply. But it seems to me that mask-wearing affects the ambience, the mystique, the allure of a transatlantic crossing, which are the reasons I want to cross the Atlantic on the QM2. And given the substantial fare charged by Cunard, I will pass and hope for better times in the future.

I realize there are those who feel different, and I am not suggesting their view is wrong. But I did want to clearly state my view.

Yorky, Cunard does not require its crew to be fully vaccinated? I cannot say that I have seen anywhere--but then I have not yet looked--an article saying that all Cunard crew will be fully vaccinated. But if that is not the case, it seems to lessen the necessity for all passengers to be fully vaccinated.

I asked about the mask requirement because I am currently booked on a 2022 Transatlantic cruise. Because the ship makes no stops before its final destination, it would seems that if all on board--crew and passengers--have been fully vaccinated and tested before sailing, there would be little need to require the wearing of masks during the voyage.

In my case, if there is a mask mandate, I will comply, and I am fully vaccinated. However, if it appears that in April 2022 Cunard is still requiring that passengers wear masks in public areas, I will reschedule or cancel. For me, that is a condition that is a deal-breaker.

Given the requirement that all be fully vaccinated, is there a requirement that all passengers wear masks in public spaces?

Bluemarble nailed it. I was told that the schedule will be released in November.

Bluemarble, thank you for your very informative response. One can understand in late 2020 the delay in announcing future voyage dates because 2020 was the first year of the Covid pandemic. Based on the historical data, it seems that the full 2023 schedule should be announced very shortly, perhaps in the next week. But I was wondering whether anyone speaking with a travel agent or Cunard representative has any additional information on what the date might be.

I have seen on the Cunard website a few cruises on the QM2 through May 2023. I was wondering when Cunard is likely to announce the rest of its 2023 schedule.

Thanks to all who have responded or will respond in the future.

In 2022, there is an October 25 eastbound Transatlantic crossing featuring Anthony Inglis and the National Symphony Orchestra, and a December 3 eastbound Transatlantic crossing featuring a literature festival. For those who have been on crossings with the orchestra and during the literature festival, are those good times to sail? It seems I read somewhere that the ship may be too busy during the lietrature festival. Anyway, for any who have sailed during those events, what was the trip was, how was it different, and can you recommend those crossings?

Cunard has not cancelled the TA crossings after mid-November. Whether these crossings take place obviously depends on Covid variations and mitigation mandates at a later time. However, the 12.3 TA eastbound crossing does not even appear on the Cunard website because it is completely sold out.

I am booked on the 12.3.21 eastbound crossing. I know that doubt has being expressed as to whether Cunard will have any TA crossings this year. I believe my deadline for making payment is 8.3.21. If the cruise is not cancelled before August, I will wait to see whether Covid restrictions will likely be in effect. In short, if there are requirements to mask and social-distance, I have no interest in making the trip and will cancel. A TA crossing is supposed to be much more than a means of transportation. It is supposed to be a social event. Covid restrictions undercut the reasons for making a TA crossing on Cunard.

I am booked on the December 3 TA crossing. I thought that, given the vaccination rates in the US and UK, it would likely sail. But I do see that Cunard has cancelled its TA crossings before November, and IB2's post immediately above certainly suggests that it might not sail.

The fares for the TA crossings in 2022 are considerably higher than the 12.3.21 fare and deal I booked perhaps six months ago.

For those curious, I am currently booked on an eastbound Transatlantic crossing leaving New York on Dec. 3 and arriving in Southampton on Dec. 10. At this time, I am optimistic that by the last quarter of this year we will see largely a return to some normalcy. If by late July my assumption about a return to normalcy seems truly questionable, I will forego making final payment and consider the lost deposit a cost of doing business in these difficult times.

My preliminary itinerary, driven by the time of year, is Bath, York, London, Bruges, and then Amsterdam with a Christmas Eve flight home. I will be visiting all of these places for the first time, except for London, which I have visited several times.

Thanks.

Cunard currently has a number of cruises through early 2022 on sale. Its website says the sale ends by November 18, rather than before November 18.

Does it mean it ends on November 17 at 11:59 pm (presumable Eastern standard time), or November 18 at 12:01 am, or November 18 at 11:59 pm? 

I tried calling the 800 number, but was put on hold twice and after about 10 minutes gave up.

Thanks to all who have responded, providing much appreciated insight. Yes, as nearly everyone has guessed, I am talking about the QM2. Despite the loss of time going eastbound, I am inclined to do an eastbound trip. Travel during December holds some appeal, despite some increase in crowds and hotel pricing compared to December, but I do not want to spend Christmas in Europe, limiting the number of days that can be spent post-cruise after the December 10 departure, and raising the challenge of flying back shortly before Christmas.

Ideally, I would like to spend some time in the UK--a quick night in Bath and a few nights in London--before travel to Brugge and Amsterdam, two places I have never travelled to. But for that itinerary, the choice becomes largely more time in Europe in November or the Christmas-time experience with the expense and flight issues previously noted. But then life is about choices, and these are decidedly pleasant ones to navigate.

The question is admittedly broad and general, so I suspect that the range of responses, if people care to respond, will be large. But I am curious as to what most from the US do in Europe if they spend some time in independent travel after their eastbound, or before their westbound, Transatlantic cruise--especially if they travel in the late fall or winter. The reason for the question is that I am at least considering eastbound cruises in 2021 arriving in the UK on November 5 and December 10. I would like to travel in Europe for roughly two weeks after the cruise. The problem with the former cruise is that as far as weather, November (as well as December) can be challenging months in northern Europe, and the problem with the latter cruise is both the weather and the challenge of flying home so close to Christmas. Ideally, I would like to spend time in London, and then Belgium and the Netherlands. But this does not seem the right time of the year to visit the Low Countries in particular.