RICHARD@SEA

On the Mera there was a sauna in the mens locker room of the gym area ... can be used anytime by anyone - I went almost every day & there was never more than one or two other men in there. The locker room had plenty of towels etc & the ability to shower & return to the sauna was a plus without having to put clothing on. It was a longer cruise 17 days & mostly Europeans most just wore a towel or were nnude. Perhaps on the ship you'll be on will have this option for you AUSSIE!!!

I haven't been on a cruise since before covid....Im also in my mid 60's & for the most part healthy. I finally decided to book the 4th of July cruise on QM2 - 7 days NYC - Boston & a few other ports...living in NYC it was easy - no flights etc. I had done a similar cruise many years ago on QE2 & found it a nice way to spend the 4th. On the day before I was to sail I received an email from Cunard stating there was Covid onboard the ship w quarentines in effect. They said call my TA & discuss my options. MY TA didnt know about the Cunard notice but said he would call me right back. 15 minutes later he did call & said Cunard would give me a FCC or a total refund if I cancelled....I chose to cancel w full refund. For me it just wasn't worth the risk of contracting covid especially since CUNARD took the initiative to send out the notice the day before the cruise. So hopefully this sheds a different perspective on the subject. i have travel insurance, wear a mask most places, avoid crowds... it may sound funny (or not) but its hard enough to get people to wash their hands after using a restroom....never mind wearing a mask & taking preventive measures w covid. there is a predicted uptick in covid cases for this fall...Im vaxed etc but have not booked anymore cruises for the foreseeable future - i miss being at sea...but my health comes first. Plus navigating all the vaccination & testing requirements for all the ports visited is time consuming & constantly changes. The cruise on QM2 had only USA & Canada requirements (& that was enough).

just as a PS I would of cancelled no matter what - it wasnt worth risking my health...just a personal choice....

The letter I received from Cunard stated the protocols were developed w the US CDC & UK Health Security... options were transfer, postpone or cancel my voyage. When I called the travel agent she said I had option of FCC or refund...I chose the refund to my credit card which she said should appear within 60 - 90 days.

Just as a followup guys.... I just had to literally at the last minute cancel a cruise due to covid concerns... I booked Queen Mary 2 NYC to Boston, Halifax & Bar Harbor 1 - 8 July 2022. I had all my documents completed & got the clearance from Cunard that I was ready to sail. Late afternoon on 30 June I received an email from the Health director / Dr from Cunard UK that there were Covid cases onboard w Quarantines. Masks were mandatory while inside the ship at all times except when eating or drinking. If I had any concerns I should call Cunard or my Travel agent. I called the tele # from Cunard - forget about that...the travel agent wasn't aware of the email or the situation onboard QM2. On 1 July about 11 am the Travel Agent called - I could cancel or reschedule..I opted to get a complete refund. it seems w covid cases increasing in Europe(Germany, where QM2 had just stopped prior to the start of a TA from Southampton has been reported as having a high rate of infection and this autumn it is predicted to be a very large surge in infections all over. I made a personal choice not to go & feel fortunate that I will / hopefully get the refund from Cunard( Carnival stock is in the dumpster now - so hopefully they will have the cash to send me). My point is - get insurance... I was looking forward to this cruise as I waited thinking the covid situation would be better by now.

anyone can catch it anywhere....but ive taken precautions like being vaccinated and boosted and wearing masks..... i was hoping that times would be better by now but why chance it when there already are cases onboard w quarantines, per the letter from Cunard. i do want to say that my mother passed away November 2020 in an assisted living facility that was in lock down during covid...her heart gave out...not one resident in that facility died or contracted covid during the entire time..i was grateful that she was well taken vare of even if it meant i was unable to see her in the last 4 months of her life. its all personal choice.

thanks, I was fortunate in having a good travel agent &they sent all correspondence w Cunard to me.... i understand these are tough time so I'll happily wait...tonite I'll go out for a very good diiner......

I was to sail today 1 July 2022 on QM2

The letter I received states.." Guests are REQUIRED" to wear masks indoors....

I cancelled this morning via my travel agent(they were not aware of the letter above or the current situation onboard QM2 presently. By noon today(1 July) i spoke w the TA & the cancellation went through cunard & I'll receive a full refund from Cunard in 60-90 days. For me it wasnt worth taking the chance of getting covid....now to unpack...

Hi Guys.... these TA / repo cruises are great.....I've done a TA on the old Prinsemdam & from NYC to Barcelona...it was a nice mix of sea day & ports... As far as pricing they tend to be quite reasonable.... and booking should be easy enough but pricing is a crap shoot...if the ship is large then pricing usually remains low - but this year (due to covid lockdown easing) it seems everyone wants to travel & the cruise lines are more relaxed / more willing to turn heads to get the ships back up and running. If you see the cruise & it has what you want then book it - you have plenty of time to cancel & then check pricing closer to sailing. I've put off a 6 month trip to italy due to covid - I just booked a MSC repo from genoa to NYC in November - its 17 days...I'll go to Italy in September & sail home - better thana any flight. Good luck ,,,,, keep us posted.

after many years of onboard ships & the need for more green mandates...do you believe the lines are doing their best to help the environment??? I don't see these new mega ships doing much in the lessening of reef destruction, plastic lessening, etc. During a 2 week cruise pre covid we sailed through a large patch of floating plastics in the sea - it was HUGE...I had read about these but never saw it...I was shocked... Any suggestions or thoughts???