Keuka Lake Sailor

I have told my story, but talk of luggage brought back another memory - for years in the antic was the trunk we sailed with with all the Cunard labels on it.    I am sure it was not in that small cabin with us and can't imagine why mom had it.......guess it was the thing to do in those days.....

I sailed on the original Queen Mary round trip departing NY  August 52 and returning Feb 53.  My mom was a war bride and sailed to the states on  the lst trip of war brides on the Queen Mary  in Jan/Feb 1946.  I do not remember much about this trip but when the cab pulled into the dock, the ship looked so enormous. I  clearly remember how rough the return voyage was and how the ship rocked and rolled, almost impossible to walk.............I was seasick, cabin steward brought me a bloody roast beef sandwich to eat - I thought it was delicious but the sight of it made my mom ill.....family joke after that...........we visited my grandparents again in the summer of l962.......although still in tourist class, I was enchanted-, the small cabin with just a sink , I had top bunk of course, worried I would use the wrong silverware in the dining room, swimming in salt water in the lst class pool, going to church that was held in the first class lounge, FREE movies, assigned deck chairs.........seemingly constantly changing clothes, the great service, kids parties....sailing on the Queen Mary was  a  highlight of my childhood.  ...I did not sail again till the QM2 - now 20 sailings........booked again Dec 2022............

Thanks so much Bluemarble - just what I was looking for...…………...

I am sailing with two newbies on 11/19/19 on the QM2 who are grape growers here in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State.  They grow many varieties and are very active in promoting the local wines.  They asked me this weekend about wine seminars on board the QM2 and even though I have sailed on the ship many times I have not paid attention to the wine seminars.  They mentioned they attended  a wine event on a Princess ship which  was very disappointing...…..I do remember a tablemate a few years back very happy with an afternoon wine event on board......…..  Would welcome an over view of what to expect, costs...........Thanks.

I am booked on the QM2 on the November 19th sailing from Southampton to NY.   At the time, Cunard was offering a 3 day stay in London at the St Ermins hotel before the voyage at a pretty good price, so I booked it.  I just bought a  ticket to "Mary Poppins" playing at the Prince Edward theater.  My question:  Is it feasible to walk to the theater and back to the hotel as it is less than 2 miles?   I know I could get a taxi  from the hotel to the theater easily  but how to get a taxi after the theater?   Somewhat of a nervous nelly here and would appreciate any advice...……….

All went well, but its a VERY LONG day returning to the USA after sailing eastbound to Southampton on the QM2.  The ship docked an hour late but was no problem.    I took a transfer from the ship to Heathrow and arrived at 11am - flight to USA scheduled for a 4 pm departure.    I was annoyed that gate assignment was not posted till 3pm.   With time change, I arrived at JFK at 8 pm.  Flight back to Rochester NY left at 10pm and after a 90 minute drive, I arrived home at one in the morning.  Its true that its no picnic flying over and sailing back but works much better for me...…………….

I have been on the new website twice, and so far it seems really AWFUL.   HELP!!!    No doubt  I will get use to it but seems hard to navigate.   Biggest change so far is the ability to pick your own cabin.  It seems they pick one to begin with that you can change but for example, hard to move from aft to midship, hard to change decks, pricing for different categories can't be found (at least , not easily or by me). Each itinerary features a huge map of exactly where you are going (nice)  but only a few voyages are featured on a page.  I will be looking forward to others comments to help me figure out what I am missing.  As far as I can see right now,  someone should be hauled on the red carpet.   Thanks goodness, we have already  booked a voyage for next November - got a very attractive offer from Cunard to spend three nights in London before sailing. 

I just did the Nov 4th 2018 crossing, Southampton to NYC, and found the food in the Britannia to be just great.  I ordered the steak off menu one night and it was out of this world...……..my tablemates were somewhat more difficult - fussy - than I had experienced on other crossings:  "I need a large print menu"   " I want extra vegetables"  " I want extra green vegetables"   " I want hot mustard" " I want two lobster tails for my starter."  However, lovely people all and I had a good time with them.  The waiters satisfied every request, no problem...………..They disagreed one night on the scones at afternoon tea, one days offering better than another, I could not see any difference.  Kings Court great too!!!

For the past 12 years, I have sailed many times on the QM2, about half the time as a solo. I, too, have many times received a greatly reduced single supplement and an upgrade to a sheltered balcony...….My feeling is that Cunard only offers a select amount of cabins if a sailing is really hurting for bookings. Since the refit, it seems to me that business is very good for the QM2 thus no need to offer single supplements. I have a couple of friends who email me every promo they get from Cunard (I tend to get very few) and in May there was an offering for reduced single supplements for late year sailings. Most were at a 50% supplement but the 11/4 sailing was only 10% so I booked. This was offered for the IC category rather than the cheapest inside, but I normally upgrade a little if sailing in winter so it was ok with me. Paid $1200. The price of the IC category has since been reduced, but I am still ahead of the game with the regular single supplement back in place. That slow to sell voyage is now sold out with the exception of three inside categories so for sure no upgrade but happy to be on deck 6, midship...…………..to be honest, really happy just to be sailing on the QM2 again...………..

I often travel solo on the QM2 and getting a single supplement "bargain" is hard to find. But last May, a friend sent me a Cunard email promotion (I did not receive) offering reduced single supplements on year end sailings. Most were not much of savings off the usual 75% but the 11/4/18 was only a 10% supplement based on the inside IC category -$1198. Although the email said it was available only to whom it was sent, I called my travel agent and got the deal. I also booked air thru Cunard, JFK to Heathrow for $297. ……………..It use to be I always got a good deal on the 12/15 sailings but the insides on this year's 12/15 sailings have been sold out for a couple of weeks. Cunard's website does not show a reduced single supplement. You can do a dummy booking on Cunard's website and if you find a voyage sailing soon with lots of availability and deeply discounted, call Cunard.

I was also taken somewhat back last December when the Cunard transfer from Heathrow to Southampton was raised to $80. My flight from JFK arrived at 6:30 am and I walked out of the baggage area just before 8 to find the Cunard reps to greet me and 6 other passengers. We were soon on our way to the QM2 - I was surprised we did not have to wait for later arrivals to make the journey more cost effective. At the terminal, there had been a delay in disembarking that morning and they were not prepared to take our luggage so our driver went to a parking lot to wait. After about 20 minutes, we were allowed to drop off the baggage and we were in the terminal by 11 am. I was processed at noon(diamond member) and soon on the ship. So I consider the $80 well spent.

Video footage from the premiere on the QM2 now posted on YouTube.

I did this voyage a few years ago. There was a special Christmas show in the Royal Court Theater on Christmas Eve. I dislike the song the "12 days of Christmas" but they had an absolutely wonderful arrangement of the song. Also they danced to " The Christmas Waltz" I also remember the cruise director reading "The Night Before Christmas." Also many religious services late at night.......We learned that Santa visits the children at sea on Christmas morning -there were various announcements of seeing him off in the distance and getting closer and finally landing on the ship. Santa and the children then marched thru the ship with a small band - I was positioned in the Kings Court. They made their way down to the ballroom where Santa and helpers gave out nice age appropriate gifts for the kids. I tried to pass as a 12 year old, but failed - Santa just too smart. There were many more children on board than usual, but all were very well behaved. It was also a great New Year's Eve, with the band, balloon drop, champagne at midnight. The whole thing was just great, a marvelous way to celebrate the holidays. I would like to repeat the voyage someday but I am on the lst segment this year , Southampton to NY thanks to a great promotion one weekend with only a 20% single supplement off an already greatly reduced fare and a $267 airfare JFK to Heathrow. Have a wonderful time.................

As of Wednesday morning Oct 18th, this sale/promotion of a reduced single supplement ended and the supplement is back up to 100%.

Stateside, Cunard has reduced the single supplement on many end of the year voyages on the QM2. Saw promotion on line but went thru my travel agent. Just booked Dec 15th sailing, Southampton to NY for $811, cheapest inside - only a 24% single supplement. Airfare thru Cunard Air, JFK to Southampton, $267. I always like to do this sailing, love being on board with the ship in full Christmas decoration....................

End of story: got my booking confirmation on August 9th from Cunard thru my travel agent with cabin assignment, e ticket and luggage tags available the next morning. No upgrade except assigned a handicapped cabin which are much larger than the normal insides and in a satisfactory location. Sail tomorrow, the 12th, on the QM2. Thanks to all who said not to worry, helped a lot ...................................

Good news in that late this afternoon my travel agent sent me a copy of a booking confirmation with cabin number assigned. Hooray! I have read on these boards that the Voyage Personaliser updates overnight so expecting the e ticket to be there in the morning. No upgrade but a location I am more than satisfied with.........thanks for the words of encouragement from all from this post and a couple of other threads I was gripping on also...................

No, Hattie, I have nothing at all..............this was mentioned on a previous post but Cunard here in the US seems not to be aware of anything like it. Will of course take all documentation I have to include payment receipts.

I sail on the QM2 on Saturday and still no cabin assignment so no e tickets, luggage tags. Not so concerned about not getting on the ship, but my 3 flights are thru Cunard Air which would also be on the e ticket. I did find the flights on Detla's website to include the international flight on Virgin Atlantic back to JFK so it seems all is ok. Still, a shabby way to treat customers - could not find on Cunard's website "what to do if you do not receive an e ticket?" Guess if I have problems boarding the flight from Rochester NY to NYC early Saturday morning, that will be my first clue things are not going to go well...........Calls to Cunard by my travel agent and myself result in the response that there is nothing they can do and are also frustrated....these details are handled by UK office.........

I booked an inside cabin on the August 12th QM2 voyage about 6 weeks (NY to Southampton) ago thru my travel agent and was told it had to be a guaranteed cabin. I was not happy especially when I did a dummy booking the next day on my computer and could have picked a cabin - they were not great choices but would have preferred Deck 13 over the insides on Deck 6 that are in front of Stairwell A. This morning my e ticket is still not available because of no cabin assignment. I have done a little research but could not find any info real current - it seems Cunard sometimes issues an e ticket with no cabin assigned but what about luggage tags?. Although I have sailed many times on the QM2, my memory fails me - it seems to me that in Southampton I had to show my e ticket before I could enter the terminal and had to show it inside the terminal in Brooklyn before I could go thru security. It appears that talking to my travel agent or calling Cunard direct will not help much but will do so in a few more days. First I thought I would for ask for advice here...................THANKS

Correction: Should have said promotion is valid in the Queen Grills cabins...............

A friend just forwarded a copy of a promotional email from Cunard - offering free drinks ($12 and under) and reduced deposit on selected sailings in 2018 for balcony and above. Could not understand what they were saying about the gratuity in the fine print - its included but do not know if you have to pay for it. You are billed for the drinks and then credited back in the night. If you buy a drink above the $12, you pay for all of it.............not good for room service................Looks like opening fares did not go out of sight - at least on transatlantics..........Can't drink anymore and insides only for me these days, but wondering if Cunard has raised prices to make many drinks out of bounds.......but hoping this is good news for most of you.

I was awarded the $100 obc from the future cruise credit after my travel agent spent 50 minutes on the phone with three Cunard personnel, ending with upper management..........They argued I received outdated paperwork on the ship but their main argument was that I had booked a "flash fare." If I did, it was news to me, I have booked one in the past so am aware of the terms and conditions. My argument: flash fares are not published and I was paying the reduced price on their website.(since lowered) .............before I went to my travel agent, I called Cunard directly for details and no mention it was a flash fare from that rep -- I purchased Cunard Air and Cunard Care which are supposedly not available with a flash fare. They gave me my military obc. They forced me to take a guarantee without telling me if I paid more, I could pick a cabin - it its a flash fare, higher price should be available.. Paperwork from the future cruise credit should state all limitations. ....The most recent info I can find on Cunards policies on flash fares goes back to June 2009.................................from what others have posted, it sounds like future cruise credits are still policy and that is good news - although I am convinced after talking with my friend who was on the Victoria in January , that Cunard was trying to change policy.....

My FCC paperwork says: Effective Date: December 4 2016.............Sail by Date: December 3, 2020

Hi Salacia, Greetings and I hope all is well.................No, I should only get $100. Paperwork says on a 6 to 9 day cruise, its $100 PP Inside and Outside categories and in the fine print it says if traveling solo, only one payout and I am sailing alone this time ............I was very glad I was using a travel agent because if I had been told personally that I could not use the $300 towards the fare, I would have been very upset and not very polite , but agent remained calm and resolved the issue. The excuse that its too close to the sailing date seems so far fetched - you have to wonder what else the bean counters are going to decide in the future. Paperwork seems very straight forward and I cannot see how they can deny me the $100. Of course, I really cannot see why its an issue at all - I will post the outcome. .......Friend I was traveling with last December has been on the Victoria and QM2 this year - she tells me she was told on board that there is no longer any benefit to buying a FCC. No obc and does not count as a deposit. ...............I tried to see if there were any changes over night on the Cunard site about FCC, site is down again this morning..............