Victoria2

I'm a bit surprised at any surprised reaction. If I'm on a ship for a month or more, I want to know the exact cabin position and I don't know if these booking restrictions apply across the board, but we've always had to wait until the cabins we want are released to us as segmenteers. Over the years, we've been lucky and always managed to get a Q3. As Roscoe said, only fair really the full Worldies, or those on more than our thirty-five/forty day holidays, get first bite at the cherry. So saying, we didn't have a go at the '23 World Cruise and as the pandemic eases into endemic, I'm quite glad not to be on a ship for forty nights and worry about being quarantined off the ship. Unless there's a mad frenzy to book the whole or most of the full whack, cabins grades will be released and if our choices have gone, then it wasn't meant to be.

As I have already posted on Hattie's new Q.A. thread ........................................................... Usual problem. The cabins we want are sold out, except they're not as they're available on longer portions of the cruise, but we can't select our cabin on those. As we like specific cabins, we can wait and if we end up not booking anything on the W.C., it's not the end of the world. ............................................................. The cabins will be released for selection at some stage.

Usual problem. The cabins we want are sold out, except they're not as they're available on longer portions of the cruise, but we can't select our cabin on those. As we like specific cabins, we can wait and if we end up not booking anything on the W.C., it's not the end of the world. 🙂

I don't know anything about Cunard offers or offering, but as part of our Cunard booking, we always specify our airline, scheduling and class of travel. As our bookings are usually made well in advance of airlines releasing their schedules, the booking is left open for the addition of the flight element. When the airline schedules are announced or if not that far in advance as soon as we book, we pay for the flight component of the booking so the seats are released and we can choose we we want to sit on the plane. We learnt through experience, leave paying for the flights until the whole balance is due, the choicest seats will have already been booked. Crucially, the flights and cruise will be on one booking reference, our extra insurance which is comforting, especially at the moment. It's also why we book our W.C. segments on one booking reference, irrespective of a possibly cheaper option by booking the segments separately. To repeat, one booking ref, and it's Cunard's problem to sort out any part breakdown of the whole. Book components separately and it's your problem if part of it breaks down.

@lindylooellalouise No problem with access for me either but with regards to Lloyds, we had appointments booked but after our successful test run online LFT experiences [UK and we each did one with different suppliers], we cancelled them. If I can do it, then anyone can! 🙂

We book flights as part of our Cunard booking and look upon it as extra insurance in case things go haywire. As I have said before, if your self booked flights go wonky and you miss your connection with the ship, it's your problem. If it's part of your booking, it's Cunard's.

We wouldn't dream of using any other but CPS. The convenience for us outweighs any potential price differential.

Excellent result. You shouldn't have had to have any angst over the protracted communication but you got there in the end. If there is a next time, use an agent. They can deal with your booking and also any enquiries you might have. Saves you wasting time trying to connect with someone who can help. 🙂

That's very poor service on the part of Cunard [Aust.].If the bookings are linked onto one booking ref., if one part fails [cancelled in your situation] then the whole will [should] be sorted out i.e. the Vancouver accommodation paid for or more .pertinently, the whole cancelled. In a similar scenario, that's why we have any long distance flights onto our booking ref. If one part of the booking fails eg flights out to join the ship, it becomes Cunard's problem to sort and not ours. More expensive but we look upon it as an insurance. As to hanging on the phone and getting nowhere fast, we have an agent and it's his job and area of expertise to manage our booking. Good luck.

Such good news for you and LOVE the wrangling term for a two year old. Why Mummy... Why Daddy... Why? Enjoy the Indian night. In fact, enjoy the whole experience.

We decided not to go either but it looks as if you and I are in the minority. I'm extremely glad for Cunard and very glad for any CC members who managed a booking.

We've had numerous cruises cancelled and had no trouble moving bookings to other dates. I don't see why that should be any different for you.

So do I Hattie. I'm wondering if the time of year and the itinerary, and I might be wrong of course, will put off quite a few. It certainly put us off. It will be interesting. Fingers crossed for all who do want to book.

Threads meander sometimes and I don't think there's any confusion at all. As has been said, there are enough threads and comments on these cancellations so we are aware of them. There are quite a few should haves and why nots regarding disrupted travel plans, and not just with Cunard. Yes ''they'' should have done this, no ''they'' shouldn't have done that but Force Majeure and all that? Do keep us updated on your quest but you might find for many travellers, it's not worth the angst.

Annabel50, truly, if you had an agent, they would do all this legwork for you. I just wish I could pass you on to my fabulous agent but I can't. I have heard they are having many enquiries about the new ship and I will come clean and say we have already been offered a QG cabin on the Maiden by Cunard, which we said thanks but no thanks as the timing just isn't right for us. I'm sure someone else took up the offer and I hope they enjoy the cruise.

I hope all of you who want to sail on the Maiden, get your chance and I look forward to all the reports.

There has always been table size request button on the My Cunard for QG and I suppose, PG too and so I am assuming as there is nothing pertaining to table size, a two top is the default at the moment.

I have just looked and can't see a CT to S'ton segment, but CT to H'burg is showing availability in all but PG and QG which will come available later on if not previously booked by longer segmenteers. This happened every year for us on the WC. We had to wait until Cunard released the cabins for our particular segments. Until then, they were shown as sold out on the website, even though we knew they weren't as they were showing available for W.C booking.

Cabins often initially have sold out on some W.C sectors for some categories. It's a blanket way of ensuring the worldies or long cruisers get the choices first and it's just easier to show sold out [when we know they're not as there's availability on other sectors] rather than the computers having to cherry pick cabins in various categories. I've never seen the whole ship blanked out, but then I've never sailed under present conditions.

Poor planning or scuppered planning? I have no idea.

Our agent has already put in our table requests for all our bookings and I have seen them for this year on my booking summery in the past but I can't see them now so you're not going loopy, or if you are. that's two of us! I have my fingers crossed. I am assuming two tops are the norm unless one asks to share.

I will be watching with interest. Maiden or not, Lisbon and back will not be on everyone's must do holiday list at this time of year.

Poor planning or scuppered planning because of world wide Covid regulations? I have no idea and I have a sneaking suspicion, many others have no idea either just as we have no idea what Cunard would have done in the same situation as Princess five years ago. We are approaching Cunard from different starting blocks. I am a committed and loyal Cunard client. We used to spend upwards of two and a half months at sea with them at various times of the year. You have no loyalty to the company and objectively see the proceedings in that light. Completely understandable. Whilst I'm aware the bottom line rules their business practices and some of their operational responses are less than consumer friendly to those negatively affected, I also recognise they are a business and not a charity and as I am more than happy for Cunard to stay afloat, literally, and whilst I don't or wouldn't like it, I understand their business actions. Crystal has no bearing in anything any more. A very much simplified version shows their situation was rooted in the bankruptcy of a company owned shipyard which resulted in the filing for liquidation of the parent company. Cunard will survive and thrive. Whilst many stalwarts rail against the changes being wrought, these tweaks will bring in those who hitherto were ready for the elegance of Cunard but not the stringent jacket wearing evening formality. The stiffly formal brigade may fall by the wayside but make no mistake, Cunard will continue to sail. Thank goodness. 🙂

Five years ago, travel companies were operating in a different world. It would be interesting to know if the same offer would be on the table today. Plus, ''their fault'' could be open to interpretation in this Covid, and I say Covid rather than post Covid as the world is still reeling, world. Having had countless Cunard bookings cancelled, I feel for those who are now in the same position. Not nice at all whatever the final reason for cancellation might be.

Yes, the Maiden. Why aren't we particularly excited? Ship is bit bigger with almost 1000 more passengers Strange QG restaurant and Grills lounge layout As we haven't seen the interior, I can't add any more apart from it's a gut feeling. That's not to say never, but we decided not to sail on the Maiden and will let others go and report back.