Bell Boy

1 hour ago, TowandaUK said:

Thanks for posting these pictures. I noticed on vlogs in club rooms that they have a coffee machine. Is there one in a Britannia room?  

There are no coffee machines in the Britannia Category, only in Grills & Britannia Club.

  Coffee machine facilities are part of the 'enhanced amenities' in Grills/Club only.  

 Thank You , Keep em coming Solent Richard 👍

The first procedure you'll need to do 'on the morning of arrival into Southampton' will be to collect NEW replacement stateroom keys ( even if you are still occupying your original stateroom)

If you decide to disembark in Southampton to explore you will Swipe OUT at the gangway with the old card, and swipe IN on your return with your new key card. You will be able to embark back on the ship only when the embarkation procedures are underway ( You by-pass the check-in desks and show your key card to the terminal agent - you mention you are In -Transit.

Re your concerns about seasickness , Queen Mary 2 is poles apart from a cruise ship Silversea, you are sailing on a Transatlantic  Ocean Liner, built for the itinerary you have chosen .    

2 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

And she has slipped another 15 minutes to 20.00.

 Gosh it's going to be dark before I end up driving home.  🥲

50 minutes ago, buchanan101 said:

How does that work? Is she still moving when you go onboard? How many people?

 

s

As Solent Richard says , We can't give toooo much away 🤫 , however, watch this space 😉

4 hours ago, MylesS said:

I think you may be confusing the dates of the 400th crossing, as that is also a Eastbound crossing, but it departs on the 23rd of August.

Ooops you are Correct. 🤭 Didn't read 'the date' of original post correctly 

Thanks for the correction . 👍

5 hours ago, WorldSchoolFamilyUSA said:

Is there a way to find out who the speakers are on our ship ahead of time ? I've looked everywhere online and cannot find this ?

 

Eastbound Transatlantic Crossing
New York, NY, USA to Southampton, England, UK
Queen Mary 2
May 23, 2024

 

The speakers are ; Bill Miller ( Mr Ocean Liner) an amazing speaker, well known to Cunard (QM2) Seasoned guests. You don't want to miss his professional presentation/s  

Stephen Payne OBE ( chief designer of QM2)

Jonathan Quayle (Ocean Liner enthusiast ) 

I'm also onboard this 'Themed Voyage'  we will be celebrating the 400th transatlantic crossing 

Yes balcony cabins have dividers that can be opened, you need to contact your stateroom steward who will arrange for it to be open.

Opening the divider doesn't make much of a difference to the size of a balcony as 'half of the divider swings open and across to a static divider', however, what it will give you is full access to the balcony next door. 

31 minutes ago, wetterthanwater said:

How does that work? Surely they don't have UK Visas and Immigration officers onboard? Quite the gig if they do! 

They do, yes and it's quite a gig for them.  Fly out to JFK,  board QM2 and don't do anything for the first three days, enjoying leisure time below deck and crew bar 😅   then on duty for a couple of hours over two days just looking through passports - and waving our American cousins through without any hassle .😉  

On 4/12/2024 at 10:54 PM, BellaAnna said:

I have just called customer service about the lovely “Your Ocean Awaits” booklets.  She told me they are no longer sent. What a wonderful souvenir that we will no longer receive.

 

 Just resurrected your post BellaAnna , hopefully by now you will have received the booklet  (Your Ocean Awaits) I and many others have received a copy this morning for the Maiden itinerary May 3rd.

About time some of these agents at customer service took a crash course in Cunard corporate awareness .  

3 hours ago, Mudhen said:

I can't advise about air travel and luggage tags, but those tags are a gripe with me.

Most definitely a first world problem, but it annoys me.

Spent a gazillion dollars on a grill cabin and we have to print our own, paper tags?

Bring a stapler? tape? ugh. And we shouldn't be forced to track down and buy the little holders!

Even the most mundane of cruise lines, give you actual plastic tags, usually with your name and cabin number!

Yeah, I know, cost cutting, but it annoys me and now I'm done with my rant.....(giggle!)

Sail Seabourn or Silversea -  just the same as I've experience recently .

Enjoy the rest of your day.  

3 hours ago, RK-NC said:

Will we disembark in Southampton after the eastbound crossing? Go through immigration? Thank you! We just returned from a Southern Caribbean cruise from Port Everglades where they use facial recognition and disembarkation was very easy. 

Immigration procedures on Cunard ( East Bound crossing) are  hassle free - It takes place over two days in a venue whilst onboard the crossing  .  American nationals Just pass through and wave their passport. 😉 

Bright Lights is a completely new concept on Cunard Line , Cunard have been very quiet on providing us with more information relating to this venue. What we understand is, there probably will be a need to book 'a table' for the early evenings performances we understand it's a sort of supper club ?  however, after the performance is over the venue is open to all for late night dancing.

Re; booking for some Theatre productions , I expect Cunard are referring to one-off  famous entertainers such as Russell Watson.(May 3rd)  I believe we will need to collect a ticket for whichever performance we opt to attend. Very much the same as some other famous entertainers I've had the opportunity experience over the years on QM2 ( Sting, Carly Simon, James Taylor to name a few)    

On 3/31/2024 at 12:59 PM, Isr45 said:

I have a large onboard credit and wish to purchase the drinks packages. Can I book online to obtain the 10% discount and then have the payment reversed and charged to my OBC once onboard? Used to doing this on Seabourn for services booked in advance 😀

No, Cunard Onboard Credit is what it is  - For use onboard .  

8 hours ago, seacruise9 said:

Hi, 

 

Thanks for the information. Similar to the original poster, I am booked on the Queen Anne's world cruise and then transferring to the QM2 in Southampton for the crossing back to New York. I am doing this so that I have a complete world circumnavigation round trip from New York. This sounds like an easy process. 

 

Chuck

It's all very easy transferring from one Cunard ship to another, no hassle at all . You'll find that you are not the only QA guest doing the same .

13 minutes ago, david63 said:

I thought that normally the crew muster drill on embarkation day was mainly for the new crew who had just joined the ship that day.

On Cunard Line not necessarily, which could mean 'Any crew member' is rostered to keep up-to date with the exercise. 

The crew safety exercise for either newbies or those already on their contracts will take place at any opportunity  - for our safety  😉    

4 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Not at all clear which drill he was referring to as staff and crew took part in passenger muster, when facilities were on hold for the duration so my post stands as information, if needed.

Although You & I don't have to take part in a muster drill ( post covid) There is still a muster drill & exercise for certain 'Crew Members' the afternoon before departure .   The Captain will still  make the announcements throughout all staterooms & public areas ( also sounds those long blasts that in the event of an emergency calls us to our muster stations)

My post above refers to Food stations & Bars which  will be temporary closed or very limited service whilst this mandatory exercise is carried out. 

Also stands as information too for any newbies on this board.    

I believe BklynBoy8 is referring to  'Crew' Muster Drills.  Limited service in all public venues for approximately 30/40 minutes. 

8 hours ago, bananavan said:

We are sailing on the Queen Anne Maiden World Voyage. 
We return to Southampton on April 27. 2025
We are considering booking QM2 to return to NYC on the same day. 
Does anyone have any experience with the transferring of luggage between two ships? 

Transferring from Cunard ship to another  ON THE SAME DAY -  You will receive  luggage labels specific for your 'Onward Voyage'.

Luggage is put outside your stateroom in the usual procedure. You'll collect your luggage from the baggage area and take it to 'dedicated Cunard transport' ( you be directed from  Cunard representative) you can either travel with your luggage to the cruise terminal for your onward voyage  OR  you can make your own way later in the morning. ( after an hour or two in Southampton ?) 

On arrival at the cruise terminal you identify your luggage and agree for a porter to put it through the hole in the wall .

You check-in as normal .

I've experienced this on two occasions over the years - from  East bound QM2 to Queen Victoria .

No problems.  

7 minutes ago, sogne said:

No only guess is she is loading up various bits and pieces.

I believe that is correct as my reliable source ( who is onboard)   has 'more or less' confirmed this is the reason .  

If your particular Cruise Travel insurance covers "Repatriation' - ie from ship to shore , to hospital , to home then that is all you need . 

When choosing travel insurance one needs to be looking at CRUISE specific. 

On 4/10/2024 at 7:59 PM, Catchum said:

Princess plus is $60 per day per person  which includes all tips/gratuities/service charges. Unlimited WiFi for one device, Unlimited sodas, premium teas and coffee. Room service and 15 alcoholic drinks a day (covers most drinks and if you want something not covered then you only pay the difference- so an Irish coffee is covered but an expresso martini will be $3 ish). If you plan on paying your gratuities anyway and drink more than four drinks, alcoholic or nice coffee then basically you get free WiFi room service and one or two other bits and pieces. If like us you enjoy a couple of coffees or decadent hot chocolate in the morning, a beer at lunch, wine with dinner and maybe a nightcap then they are definitely worth it. 

Cunard offers similar to that, it's referred to as a Drinks package. The majority of Cunard seasoned guests have loyalty levels which enables them to take advantage of a WIFI deal , Room service is free on Cunard (unless ordering Caviar) The only plus I see from the above is the paid gratuities.  

2 hours ago, buchanan101 said:

that's just weird, that you can transfer a booking to a TA after you've booked...

 

surprised Cunard allow it - nothing in it for them as they've already made the sale and the prime value of a TA to Cunard is a sales outlet...TAs may save Cunard a tiny bit of admin, but...

 

both my current bookings were made early enough to get 5% and 10% Cunard early bird discounts respectively before the TA discount but in those cases the TA actually made the sale..

 I've been going through this procedure for YEARS . More often than not will book onboard to take advantage of low deposit plus a good amount of OBC and it automatically is transferred to my preferred cruise specialist ( which incidentally is Cunard's UK Top cruise agent) where I receive  an additional % discount off the original invoice -  and occasionally receive a bottle of Fizz on arrival to the stateroom compliments of the TA. 

14 minutes ago, MylesS said:

That's interesting, as in our check-in email it was mentioned that Cunard will not be able to offer priority check-in due to the large amount of Diamond & Platinum members.

Are you travelling Queens Grill? That could explain why your boarding pass mentions priority.

Yes I understand that , I received the same email which is for the May 3rd itinerary only,   however, the wrong information I was given 'way back in January' related to this perk being removed altogether. 

On 4/12/2024 at 10:54 PM, BellaAnna said:

I have just called customer service about the lovely “Your Ocean Awaits” booklets.  She told me they are no longer sent. What a wonderful souvenir that we will no longer receive.

 

You probably spoke to a part time Saturday girl, as usual giving out the wrong information. 

Whilst I didn't receive the booklet ( Your Ocean Awaits) for May 3rd , I have just received one for a later itinerary I'm also booked on departing 12th May (2024)

Probably the same agent at Customer services who told me in January that Diamond / Platinum are now no longer eligible for a priority check-in - Either that or my arrivals/boarding card I've just printed off for the May 3rd (2024) departure is incorrect - it has. 'Diamond Priority' printed across it    😉