Underwatr

I've had some Caribbean ports re-ordered and substituted to reduce the number of other ships we'd be sharing ports with. I never considered that to be a "complete" change of itinerary. Of course when the ports change the port charges assessed change as well. When it happens after embarkation (I've missed Antigua once or twice because the wind and waves were too high for safe tendering ashore), a reduction in port charges is paid back via refundable onboard credit but I think you have to be proactive and request a refund - or simply increase your onboard spending an appropriate amount.

Since they terminate the old passport with no time added on to the new one there is a bit of a downside to renewing "too early." In contrast, when I renew my driver's license its expiration is four years after the expiration of the old one, not four years after its renewal.

I'll be on for 12 days beginning Nov 26 so I can address any remaining questions after folks disembark after the 16th.

Lots of chips on shoulders in this thread. And this is coming from someone whos' generally on-time, just happy to see the people who arrive a few minutes after I do.

Cunard posts a "final orders" time somewhere - in their daily program or something. It's something like 20 minutes after the start of service. I'm never in so much of a hurry at dinner that I can't wait five or ten minutes for my table mates to make their way in. It hasn't been a problem in 10+ years of cruses. Bread is at the tables, we're looking at menus and chatting about the day with others who aren't delayed. On one cruise we were near a 2-top at which the couple typically arrived 30-45 minutes after the start of service. Even though they weren't delaying other diners and probably felt like their dining time was flexible as long as they were finished in time for second seating, in reality their waitstaff needed to adjust their service to accommodate their late arrival. I consider that a more egregious violation of fixed dining expectations than a couple who regularly arrive 10 minutes late at my table.

I think five minutes late is no problem - you're coming in just after the people that queue up in front of the closed MDR doors. However you should be prepared to make your orders at the same time as the others who arrived as soon as seating opened. Typically you can find the evening menus early, either posted outside of the dining room, in the ship's app, or in a binder at the maitre d's desk at breakfast or lunch. So have some familiarity with the evening's offerings so you don't delay others making their orders or make the waiter come twice.

I get the feeling that we've given up on Cunard ever repairing the reclining seats in Illuminations (or have they been fixed??).

There are two interpretations of a "Can I wear XXX" question. 1. Is it appropriate? - will I fit in? 2. Can I get away with it? - will the dress code be enforced to the extent that I might be turned awy from a particular venue? I have seen someone turned away from Britannia for not wearing a jacket on a gala night but I think it was 8 or 10 years ago. I don't think someone wearing a polo shirt on a non-Gala night would be bothered at all. Personally I'd rather see someone wearing a black collarless shirt under a jacket than a polo but I know that more traditionalists think the minimum standard is a woven dress shirt (with a collar, obviously). Cunard now punts the question. The "What to Pack" section of the website says "This doesn’t mean you’ll be expected to wear a gown or dinner jacket each evening. Smart attire simply means a dress shirt and trousers, skirt and a top, or a cocktail dress. Essentially, choose something along the same vein as you’d wear to a stylish restaurant or the theater on a special occasion." Next to that block of text is this photo: Edit - Oh, interesting! The above is the photo on the US version of the site. Here's what the UK version of the website shows next to the same text: Hmmm.....

Back around April 1 there were photos of QM2 painted Caronia green. 🙂

I believe the letters themselves are actually welded onto the face of the prow (and then painted a contrasting color). They could be ground off but I don't think they'd just paint the new font over the old metal, (I'm struggling to remember what they did when the rear changed from SOUTHAMPTON to HAMILTON - just paint or metalwork.)

Last time through Southampton (on the way to Hamburg) we rented a car and drove to Corfe Castle on the other side of Bournemouth from Southampton. We got back with a little time to spare. A bit of traffic, a bit of difficulty getting the Uber driver to our location. Maybe it was too ambitious and I would have liked to spend more time exploring the town and the castle ruin.

I tip a dollar or two (more on Christmas day) but it's definitely not required. $5/10 for breakfast? Definitely not required.

Might I suggest you contact a US-based travel agent via a non-800 number rather than forego a voyage.

Paint and carpets is plenty (Hoping for the corridor carpets to go back to a non-fade design)

Post-it notes on the mirror over the fridge can do wonders.

After a few Cunard cruises we cruised on Caribbean Princess. The library had maybe 100 books and was in an alcove off the lobby atrium. A few years later we cruised on Carnival Pride and saw maybe 35 books in her library. Carnival could make those libraries go away and I don't think anyone would notice. On the other hand the libraries on the Cunard ships are included in the marketing materials hyping how Cunard is different ("the largest library at sea!"). Cunard libraries are safe although there's no guarantee that they'll be prioritized for funding to maintain or add to the collections (Queen Anne being an exception for initial stocking).

US passengers can (could) buy Cunard FCDs? I had understood that our option was to buy a specific itinerary (which can be canceled and rebooked). I've changed a future booking to a different itinerary and the onboard booking perks have transferred to the new booking although the special offers that were in effect when I originally booked went away, replaced by other special offers in effect at the time of rebooking. But shareholder OBC has always been given. I frequently book a specific itinerary during a voyage, and my TA will reprice that booking applying his customary discount when the booking is automatically referred to him (since he had booked the voyage I was on Cunard refers the booking to that TA by default). Never failed to get OBC from this 'discounted' booking. I understand that there are special TA rates not available to the general public but I believe that what the agency I use does is rebate a portion of their commission back to me (which Cunard allows (US) travel agencies to do), not give me access to TA fares. I ran into a different issue this year - at my financial advisor's recommendation I redirected the holdings in one of my investment accounts, only later realizing that the holdings in that account include the Carnival shares that I had been using to qualify for shareholder credit. Oops.

As long as we're discussing distinctions, here are the US terms per government regulation Light cream: 18-30% milkfat Light whipping cream: 30-36% milkfat Heavy whipping cream: at least 36% milkfat Half and half: 10.5-18% milkfat

Interestingly, the stateroom doors (at least down on Decks 5 and 11) are much less capable of holding a magnet than the walls.

Thanks. You sent me looking for a photo of the Britannia bathroom in my own photos. Turns out I took more of the shelterred balcony but I did find one online. Is the layout the same? Our preferred statroom layout put the bed to the right as you enter the room and I believe your bathroom layout is the opposite configuration from what I'm used to. Definitely looks more up-to-date than the original furnishing.

We were in Quebec for a few nights starting last Saturday when QM2 was still in port. We plan to be aboard during the late November Caribbean trip so it was nice to point out some features of the ship to my friend who will be with me.,

I understand that the newer Britannia Club staterooms on 13 have glass shower doors but they are otherwise essentially identical to Britannis staterooms on lower floors. They did have the advantage of building them into the new staerooms rather than adding them later.

With COVID my last Cunard trip was prior to the app. Good to hear it's been improved.

I recommend having a printed copy of the confirmation showing the onboard credit. A day or two into your voyage visit the purser's desk and confirm that your onobard account shows the appropriate amount. I had a discrepancy once, complicated somewhat by it being discovered on December 23. A quick visit to the desk and an email to my travel agent and they worked it out satisfactorily from both ends.

My cellular plan gives me free data (sluggish, but free) outside the US so on my upcoming 12-night Caribbean trip it's still cheaper to pay $24 per day day for the six sea days than to pay the $15 per day for the whole cruise price including port days when I have connectivity anyway. In the past I've had service from the islands during the overnight transits between ports so there's been no need to pay either by the minute or by the day once among the islands.