SEFlyer

We have paid full freight for dinner in the QM2 Verandah and used our Diamond ‘free lunch’ as a credit against dinner.  I find the lunch menu limited and uninspiring but the dinner menu is great.

We go to enjoy great steaks, good wine and good conversation and wouldn’t go to dance.  The Queen’s Room is for dancing.

Our last two visits to the Verandah were last fall between Quebec and New York and both times the restaurant was two thirds to three quarters full, not empty.  We found the staff just fine.

The Verandah on QM2 is excellent!  The food is superb and the service is very good.  QM2’s Verandah food is much better than what I experienced in the Verandah on the QE.  I’ll be back to the QM2 Verandah a couple of times on our February Cape Town to Fremantle voyage.

1 hour ago, safarigal said:

We will be boarding in Cape Town on April 7th this year and received an email that said we would be checking in at the Mount Nelson Hotel, and then would be transported to the ship.

 

I think that on previous occasions passengers have checked in at the port, so it is difficult to say this far out where boarding will be.

 

Thanks.  What time of day do they want to check in at the Mount Nelson?

Can anyone share their experience boarding QM2 for a voyage in Cape Town.  I’m trying to plan some accommodation prior to boarding QM2 next February 1 for a cruise to Fremantle.  Where do we check in and board QM2?  What time is usual for checkin?  What time for boarding?  Would appreciate info from others who have boarded in Cape Town.

Thank you, that is helpful.  Now I hope some-one can tell me if there is self-disembarkation and how long customs formalities take?

We are booked on a voyage next year arriving in Hamburg on a Sunday morning.  We’re trying to arrange a flight(s) to Warsaw from there and the options don’t seem great, maybe because it’s a weekend.  

Can cc members advise what time QM2 usually arrives in Hamburg?  Is self-disembarkation permitted?  Are customs, etc, procedures quick or slow?  Would we be able to catch a 10 a.m. flight?

On 8/27/2020 at 2:08 PM, Jack E Dawson said:

 

 

2.    The health experts, who are advising Cunard on this pandemic, must be telling them that this thing is not going to be over in the Spring, even with a vaccine, and that South America, in particular, is going to be problematic for some time. 

 

What health experts could be advising them that South America is going to be problematic into 2022 but sailing into the USA in the spring of 2021 is not problematic, or at least not problematic enough to cancel Transatlantic crossings?  The QM2 South America cancellation was a pure $$$ decision, not a health one.  I would be less upset by it if not for Palethorpe's offensive video announcing it and Cunard's abominable treatment of those of us who paid deposits on South America in good faith.

19 hours ago, latserrof said:

Also quite possible that no one will ever sail Cunard again.

If Cunard keep treating customers the way they treated passengers booked for the QM2 South American voyages there  certainly will be a lot less people sailing on them in future.

I've seen enough of the 2022 QM2 WC plans revealed.  Our South American segment booking is worthless, dumped by Cunard!  

Disappointment is too charitable a word to describe my reaction to Mr Palethorpe's video announcing these changes.  He  "recognizes" the "immense disappointment" of those who booked to take QM2 to Australia in 2021.  But there is not a word of recognition for the disappointment of passengers booked on QM2  to/from South America in 2022 whom he just dumped.

He is "delighted"  to announce QM2  will do a WC to Australia in 2022 and,  by his silence, presumably equally "delighted" to tell customers booked for SouthAmerica in 2022 that they can get lost, their bookings are just dumped.

This could  be a class case study in business school or how to tell one group  of customers they are immensely valued and tell another they are worthless.

Time may diminish my reaction to this appalling approach to customer relations but at this point it seems quite possible these Diamond Members will never sail Cunard again.  

Don't give up!  We have the same love of QM2 as you and are still booked on a Montevideo -  New York WC leg in 2022.  We  had a spring TA cancelled and we took the credit....we're thinking of using it for an upgrade of the 3 week WC leg.

I'm optimistic.  A vaccine in 2021 and things back to a more familiar but  'new' normal in 2022.  Let's hope.

On 4/19/2020 at 2:39 PM, BigMac1953 said:

The ships' home port is Hamilton, Bermuda, and that's not going to change anytime soon.

 

I've never understood why Cunard didn't "persuade" the Bermudan government to open a ship registration office in Southampton, Bermuda. 

On 4/19/2020 at 4:34 PM, North West Newbie said:

 

Manchester Airport serves the US very well and it is closer to Liverpool than Southampton is to Heathrow.

Manchester's service to North America pales in comparison to Heathrow.  It's not even close in terms of diversity of cities served and frequency of North American air service.

We were booked on the May 6 crossing on QM2.  We  will just sit tight and take the 125% credit.  The money was budgeted and has been spent so a 25% return for a future voyage seems like a good deal.

Yes, there's some risk but it's a gamble we can afford to lose.  I think the cruise companies will get bailed out and Carnival Corp and Cunard will survive.  And I think there will be some amazing deals on the other side of this shutdown.

If we don't book something for 2021 Cunard's 'use it' dates very conveniently will let us apply the credit to a February 21, 2022, voyage on QM2 from Montevideo to New York which we have already booked.

On 3/25/2020 at 7:49 PM, navybankerteacher said:

So back to my original point:  some of those who insisted that they could not fly and thus must stay on board were likely simply bloody minded and determined to finish their cruise.

 

There are always some “special cases” for whom reasonable protocols must be waived.

Which part of the Channel tunnel do you not get?  Anybody in Western Europe can easily take a train to London and on to Southampton so the non UK/US passengers could be from half a dozen or more countries in Western Europe.  And it is possible for Canadians in the Eastern part of the country to easily travel to New York without flying.  They, too, would qualify as non UK/US.  The world doesn't totally revolve around the US and UK and those fortunate enough not to originate in either are not all bloody minded.

On 4/10/2019 at 11:00 PM, Chandris81 said:

We also booked Jurys.  Any opinions from someone who has stayed there?

We've stayed at the Jury's Inn on our last 2 stays.  We stayed there because we got a great rate on Expedia.  It could best be described as cheap and cheerful.  It's at best a 3 star hotel with smallish, basic rooms but they are clean and quite adequate for one night.  The breakfast buffet is also fine.

The hotel is a short, cheap Uber ride from the railway station and to the Ocean Terminal.  It is also a very short, pleasant walk through the park to the main shopping streets and the mall for any last minute purchases.

We'd stay there again and use the money saved for a few Kir royales the Chart Room. 

Do any men wear a tuxedo on Gala nights on Holland America?

Does anyone have a source for the specific dates for the 2020 world cruises? I'm especially interested in QM2 dates in SE Asia as we may be there and have a chance to do a segment.

Thanks for posting the link. There was caviar on the a la carte menu a couple of years ago, now I see it is only available as part of a cocktail.

 

That's a pity - it was great to start each meal with caviar and a glass of bubbly, but alas those days seem to be over :(

I couldn't agree more. On our one crossing in QG we enjoyed caviar to start each dinner. We washed it down with chilled vodka served in a glass set in shaved ice in a silver dish.

It was wonderful. If that's no longer available, it's very sad.

Cunard has finally posted information available to us in Canada. I have made a chart of minimum fares for two of the 10-day Alaska cruises. As I feared, this does not appear neatly when posted. Sorry, I have to go out and can't fiddle with it any more.

 

31 May 10 June

Inside: $2159 $2039

Outside: $2699 $2519

Balcony: $3959 $3599

Club Balcony: $5159 $4799

Princess Grill: $8399 $8039

Queen’s Grill: $11399 $11039

Thanks very much. The info is very helpful. Those are very expensive fares on a per diem basis. I will visit the future cruise office as we return home on the Nov 19 TA.

Cunard had been saying that itineraries would be available for viewing as of 8:00 a.m. (ET) yet when I click on "round-trip cruises from Vancouver" it says "no cruises found." Perhaps this is because I am in Canada. From a previous posting it seems information is available in the U.S.

 

Thanks, Cruiser1955, for posting the itineraries. I note that Glacier Bay is not included on any of the four cruises. This is, to many people, the highlight of an Alaska cruise.

David, I would be grateful if you could post some Canadian prices when they appear. I am out of the country so I'm getting UK prices on the internet. My return home is on a TA from Southampton on Nov 19 and I'd be interested in knowing Cdn prices before discussing a future cruise deposit on board.

I've since read that they'll release the Alaska itineraries at the end of October. Open to booking for past passengers on 30 October and generally available on 31 October.

Trick or Treat marketing. :D

Next March is only a little over a year out from the cruise dates. Seems a bit late. I wonder if there is a member(s) of this board currently on one of the Queens who could ask the future cruise office on board and let us know here what answer is received???

It's nice to know there is the choice to book directly with Cunard in US$. I, too, would probably use my travel agent, I understand if you insist on paying an Ontario travel agent in US$ you will not be covered by the TICO travel protection measures. But the risk of Cunard or Carnival going bust would seem slight.

Canadian travel agents can quote and book in US $. I suppose anyone wanting to book without a travel agent could phone Cunard and book directly. It's just on-line that we in Canada automatically get Canadian rates.

But will Cunard let you pay directly at the US$ price if you have a Canadian address and a Canadian credit card?