TheOldBear

We have done three transatlantic round trips so far, with a fourth booked for next October.

Cunard offers a variety of scheduled round trip crossings on the Queen Mary 2, with different length 'side trip' cruises scheduled after the initial Southampton arrival.

The basic round trip crossing includes a one day visit to Southampton, with the return crossing starting the same day last the eastbound crossing ends.

There are also options with cruises to Norway, Hamburg, or even Mediterranean ports between the crossings.

Last year we had one of the longer options - 26 nights including a 12 night Norway sailing between the two crossings.

Other options that are sometimes discussed on this forum are some combination of a repositioning cruise, a land tour and perhaps a QM2 crossing - but we prefer the option of unpacking *once* for our entire vacation.

3 hours ago, tashaaa said:

Our NCL Cruise will end in Tromso. I can't see which docking the ship will use. Can anyone help, where to get this info?

I guess the one which is further away, but still hope, it will be the one in downtown, because it's more convinient.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One source is the Port of Tromso web site https://tromso.havn.no/en/traffic/cruise-calls/

I believe that "Kai 8" is the pier for smaller ships [e.g. MS Maud] downtown, while "Kai 21" is the one north of town [the "Breivika Cruise Havneterminal" ]

1 hour ago, GeezerCouple said:

[emphasis added]

 

I don't think the "separate folio" bit is involved in requiring "clearing/zeroing the ship".

 

I thought there are some cruises (not in the USA) where different passengers embark and disembark at different ports.

Each of those passengers will have a "folio" for their trip (under phrasing "folio" or some other wording).  And there's no need to "clear the ship" in order to have each of the departing passengers get their accounts settled.

 

GC

I've booked our upcoming sailing as a NYC round trip - but passengers will be leaving or joining at several ports each marking the endpoint of a segment that may be booked as its own sailing - NY, Southampton, Hamburg, Southampton again, LeHavre France and finally back in NY where we disembark. 

There is no special obligation for in-transit passengers to do anything while other folks leave and arrive - we can even have room service breakfast delivered [not an option for disembarking passengers].

The ship will have been 'zeroed out' in NY before we embark, and again as we disembark. 

The details will vary slightly with the ship's schedule.

For example, Cunard's QM2 will typically have an overnight in Quebec city, and 'in transit' passengers [the folks making a round trip from NY] can come and go freely while the ship is docked.

Last year, 26 nights [eastbound crossing , Norway, westbound crossing] it was one allocation - and Mrs Bear's WC credit went unused.

Sometimes you have port calls where a passport is required - that will be posted in the ship's newsletter. This also changes with time.

As an example in 2017 my passport acquired stamps from the UK border force, arriving and leaving LeHavre on a shore excursion, and again in Brooklyn when disembarking. Passport stamps were a bottleneck in LeHavre as there was only one port official stamping passports.

In 2019 all the 'stamps' were electronic - and no one at LeHavre was interested in passports, the ship's card was sufficient when arriving with the folks from a tour.

2 hours ago, Queenvee said:

Since OP specifically mentioned a winter crossing, I'll contribute my thoughts since I just disembarked from QM2 yesterday in Brooklyn.  Jeans are not considered "Smart Attire"; I heard staff in the Chart Room and Commodore Club suggest to two patrons who's attire did not fit the dress code that they might be more comfortable in the Golden Lion pub (one man was wearing neat jeans and the other time a man was wearing a polo shirt, e.g. a short sleeved shirt with a collar and several buttons).  In general, I thought the women were much dressier than normal every night - on Smart Attire evenings a lot of women wore some sparkle, lace or chiffon in a knee length outfit.  Very nice to see!  Not a lot of floor length gowns on Gala nights but if not floor length, the overwhelming majority were dressy w sparkles, etc.

Last November on a couple of 'smart attire' nights, I wore black jeans, with a dress shirt, vest [waistcoat], and tie - that seemed to pass muster with the fashion police 😉

If you are planning on using the spa 'thermal suite', I was wondering if they have fixed the locker room shower drains. [yes I know, I keep repeating the request 🙂 ]

2 hours ago, gumshoe958 said:

If there’s anything specific you’re interested in seeing let me know and I can try and take a picture today.

Spa area - including if the locker room showers drain [no need for locker room photos 😉 ]

Illuminations - have the seats been upgraded, replaced?

On eastbound crossings, there is a five hour time difference between NYC and Southampton.

On QM2, five of the crossing days are shortened by an hour at noon [the afternoon is an hour shorter] allowing for a normal night's sleep & wakeup time.

Crossings are a good way to arrive _without_ jet lag, as you will have had a week [or more for repositioning cruises] to adjust to the time change - not all at once as your plane lands.

57 minutes ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

Good idea. Regarding the "login" link, I may have been remembering excursions to the GB-en site.

There was briefly a 'login' link on the US site. It was picky about credentials, requiring a strong password.

Once you signed in - all you could do was update your marketing preferences. No World Club / Past voyages functionality.

1 hour ago, ClipperinSFO said:

 

When was the last time you sailed on her?  We were last on in December of ‘22 and she didn’t look all that worse for wear.  Maybe I always see QM2 through rose colored (or Cunard red in this case) glasses.  

We we last onward November 2022 [and have commented on previous 'wish list' threads for this past availability].

What I would be please to see on post refit reports would include:

 - Illuminations seating replaced [so all the reclining planetarium section seats work]

 - Spa locker room shower drains actually draining 

 - A few of the deck 2 leaky windows [by voyage sales, and port side Britannia] re sealed (it looked to me like welding was needed, not just sealants)

2 hours ago, watsonbeau said:

How does it work on QM2 if booked as one 26 nt cruise but comprises - Southampton via New York - Caribbean-NYork - Southampton  ? Do you get 3x$80 (so $80 per “sector”) if Platinum ? 
can’t find anything about this.  Thank you 

Under the pre lockdown, minute by minute, plan I've received a fresh allocation at any separately bookable segment [nyc-sou; sou-ham; ham-sou; sou-lehavre-nyc in 2019]

Last year, the entire multi segment 26 night cruise was a single allocation - and buying for the 'entire cruise' meant that only on WC credit could be applied.

1 minute ago, SoloAlaska said:

Many if not most TAs have a several ports of call along the way.  

One of the differences between a 'crossing' and a 'repositioning cruise' 

One trouble with applying wold club credits - if you buy the package, only one set of credits can be applied [not both passengers in the room]

We will use some sort of [bugsBunny]stragety[/bugsBunny] to optimize applying our CEC credit to day by day purchases

QM2 crossings typically have no stops between Southampton and Brooklyn

There are exceptions - I understand that 2025 has a crossing where the North American landfall is Halifax, and there are the occasional crossings from LeHavre in Normandy.

Apps like FaceTime are not peer to peer - they need to connect to one of Apple's iCloud servers to at least start the call.

There is a corkage charge for wine brought to a dining room. [same charge for bottles, magnums and even a double magnum 😉 ]

Your cabin steward will provide appropriate glasses when requested - no corkage charge for in room consumption.

When we board in Brooklyn, my carry on rolls along filled with wine bottles padded with socks and underwear.

As mentioned, layers - one of them something windproof and water resistant.

Deck 7 access to the promenade may be closed [along with access to 'the Lookout' & the Observation Deck], but usually there is an attempt to put the wind on the bow where possible. Hardy souls are seen on the promenade, as the deck 8 & deck 6 access by the pools is available [with some hardy souls attempting the hot tubs]

10 hours ago, rmsEtruria said:

re: hiring a porter for disembarkation at Brooklyn. When, where, and how (and how much)?

You meet them in the luggage hall - they are displaying credentials, and will have a luggage cart.

Since we are over-packers we tend to tip generously [$50-60 ]

2 hours ago, Nhsaltshaker said:

My nephew wants to go with us on a family cruise.  He is active in the US military.  I'm having a difficult time trying to find an insurance plan for him if he has to cancel because of his duties.

 

Does anyone know of a plan/company that covers that?

The policy [Travel Insured SE] purchased via the Trip Insurance store contains under 'cancelation':

I think that USAA sells the same policy, or at least one with similar terms and names [Travel Guard vs Travel Insured]

Check with the Trip Insurance Store - call and speak with them.

52 minutes ago, buncosquad said:

Will be disembarking QM2 in Brooklyn following a transatlantic crossing. Will be in the Queen Mary Suite/Q2 and looking for what to expect.

My most recent experience is November 2022 - from a deck 5 Britannia cabin - things may be different later this year and next.

52 minutes ago, buncosquad said:

 

My Cunard booking details do not state arrival time (or even Southampton embarkation time, for that matter), rather only departure and arrival dates.

Typically arrival time pier side is before 0700, with self disembarkation available before 8. (subject to change due to port / weather conditions.)

52 minutes ago, buncosquad said:

 

I want to book private car service to JFK from Brooklyn Port with ideal reserved pick up time.

 

Would prefer last breakfast in suite then depart suite and ship straight to my ride. How does this work?

Britannia passengers do not have room service breakfast available on disembarkation day. Grills folks _might_ have room service available, but I don't recall seeing this as an option. Breakfast in served earlier than normal in the dining rooms on disembarkation days.

52 minutes ago, buncosquad said:

 

Do we queue up with others by deck, and in some meeting area on the ship, then line up to walk off?

What is supposed to happen is you wait in your room/suite until a designated time, then walk off with your cary-on luggage.

Assigned times are from the top down, with exceptions to meet Cunard arranged transfers. [In transit folks going on shore excursions are also mixed in]

If all goes well, there are no lines (ha!). What experienced last year was a long line, plus a wait [about 90 minutes worth] in the Golden Lion for the stalled line to start moving. I don't know if any Grills pax were in the line. 

52 minutes ago, buncosquad said:

 

Is luggage easy to find in the terminal on the way to CBP lane?

Luggage is grouped by tag color and room - we have not had problems finding ours. We do engage a porter to help with the luggage (Mrs Bear has mobility problems) and to get a faster pass through customs/immigration.

52 minutes ago, buncosquad said:

 

Is there a best time to leave the ship when all lines are minimal?

 

Any experience or thought on said process would be welcome.

QM2 - M432B 4-25 October NYC roundtrip to Hamburg

7 Oct - Red & Gold
11 Oct - Masquerade
14 Oct - Gala (Optional)
19 Oct - Black and White
23 Oct - Roaring 20's

We had last year's Norway sailing changed in mid cruise, due to predicted inclement weather [sleet] in Stavanger and Alesund - we had a extra sea day then a Zeebruge port visit

3 hours ago, sogne said:

There was a recent post that indicated that the seats would be repaired. The original manufacturer is no longer in business and like many other things today the problem has been finding a company who can make them to a somewhat unique specification.

I was told [November 2022] that the work was originally planned for an availability scheduled [2020?] during what turned into the COVID lockdown - and since that availability was canceled, the selected vendor went out of business.  I believe that all Illuminations seats are to be replaced - not just the reclining planetarium seats.