Victoria2

All the [British] hotels we stay in, have fully functioning air con and heating,

We were on the same cruise and through our agent, booked the flights to Singapore through Cunard and dictated the date of travel, the airline, which flight of the day to take, the class of travel and of course, chose our seats when the flight details were released, just as we always did when flying out to meet the ship. No problems at all. Total flexibility. No idea if it was cheaper or more expensive than booking directly with the airline but it gave us peace of mind should the itinerary be changed.

Having cruised B.I. May/June/July and August, having children onboard during the summer holidays would bring the average age down, but there were still more older passengers than usual. The on dit pre Covid being apparently, if illness strikes, it's easier to leave the ship and thus insurance isn't quite the issue it could be say, in the Med. We have experienced sleet [May] hail, fog, sweltering heat, brilliant sunshine, lightening and torrential rain. No wonder the British past time inconsequential chat is often weather related.🙂 edit Nationalitles Americans and other nationalities, of course but not necessarily 'more' Americans as many of our QV cruises have had a good number of visitors from across 'the pond'.

Can't say we noticed more US passengers but then we didn't look out for them. What I would say is noticeable, is the average age of the passengers is higher than some other itineraries.

We have many Cunard British Isles' cruises to out name and I would say the one you're looking at doesn't have a very interesting itinerary.

Unfortunately, the only way REALLY good agents can be recommended [and ours does not feature on the CC list] is through personal recommendations from folk you trust know what they're talking about. If cost is the bottom line, then shopping around yourselves is a good idea, If service is an issue and unusual/very personal booking requests such as mentioned by tacticalbanjo and space oddity, and ourselves who have specific cabins in mind when there are only a couple available, then that is where an agent, a really great agent, is worth their weight in gold. There are many great agents but only experience will sort out the really great ones. Good luck and if we're ever on the same itinerary, I'll give you the name of ours. 🙂

Well I will let you know. I don't pull my punches and I was most sceptical initially to the point of no way Jose but QE is down under QV will be wowing the Med and we're not flying yet and I'm not a fan of QM2 so we're left with little choice. I promise to be both objective, and subjective at the same time. Promise.👍

I completely agree with you but those who don't want to cover all bases, won't 'see' however many explanations are given. That's fine, their prerogative just as it's ours to try and explain. However, there comes a point when an issue isn't worth explaining any more.

Oh I completely trust my own capabilities but I have no desire to hang around waiting whilst trying to speak to anyone up the chain of responsibility who can actually help any issues I might have. I also completely trust my agent to suss out who immediately to speak to in order to help their client. Horses for courses. You can phone but I'll let my agent do the phoning around. edit and again, there are agents and then there are agents. Mine doesn't 'do' his own time. My agent 'does' things for his client in asap time.

If that's the reason not to book through an agent, then that's your choice. I have edited as I have said my piece and those not inclined to use an agent will book direct. Those who have a great Cruise Agent will know how I feel about not booking direct, Each to their own but no one should assume using an agent is because of 'nervousness' or needing 'hand holding'.

When Covid cancelled around seven of our booked cruises, I read about all the hassle folk were having in getting their money back when their agents were dragging their heels. We got ours back as soon as Cunard released it because we don't pay our agent, we pay Cunard through our agent. Subtle difference. correction We could have got ours back but let the deposits roll on against future bookings and chose to take the added Cunard percentage.

No one is more a control freak than I as far as holiday arrangements are concerned. I want and need everything to be to our dictate. I also want a professional in our corner who replies to emails if not immediately, within an hour or two and not days. No hanging around on the phone listening to musak. If I leave a voicemail message, I know it will be picked up and the call returned asap. If flying, we choose the dates of travel, the airline and our seat numbers on the plane. We also choose the specific cabin on the ship, the [cheapest] hotel which comes with a Cunard booking and anything else left to choose and our agent bundles it all up, does the legwork and books it. The only thing we do ourselves is to ditch whatever hotel we have included in a Cunard package [following UK package guides] and book our own hotel and room, again, control freak'ness at work. When Covid cancelled around seven of our booked cruises, I read about all the hassle folk were having in getting their money back when their agents were dragging their heels. We got ours back as soon as Cunard released it because we don't pay our agent, we pay Cunard through our agent. Subtle difference. When there are only a couple of cabins we want to book, and those cabins are very popular on certain itineraries, an agent who can get through to Cunard booking the second [ish] bookings go live and grab one of two cabins in the category we want, is worth their weight in gold and diamonds because no cabin, no cruise. So for those who say it's far better to book direct, my reply would be, they haven't found their own Cruise Agent Angel. We have.

It has nothing to do with 'nervous, Zeg I have no intention of listing the occasions when our agent has negotiated with Cunard on our behalf, or how he helped non clients [some of whom became clients] when Covid cancellations became apparent and has nothing to do with needing hand holding [patronising comments not needed] or needing any sort of comfort foodsvcmgr when booking especially when one is used to travelling the world over the past four decades. All our cruises are booked within a minute/s of the itineraries going live. Cabins we specify and when travelling on World cruise segments, our flight arrangements to our specification and bundled all together with the cruise. Utilising a cruise agent is an extra level of travel insurance as far as we are concerned and as with all insurance, you never know you need it until you do. edit Sadly I can't name our agent on this site but everyone I have recommended him to, has become a client of his.

Christmas is for family and friends around a crowded table for us but if we didn’t have family etc, I think a Christmas aboard Queen Victoria would be a great idea.

Speaking as a UK resident, I wouldn’t dream of booking direct and having been lucky enough to find one of the best cruise agents in the country, we always book with him. There are loads of agents who will be able to book cruises and will do so with no problem and might even offer an extra slight discount, but I have often said, it’s when the chips are down that a great agent shows his/ her stripes.

As has been said, you don't need to tip extra but if you wish to tip personally, you can order US$$ or use Euros if you wish but why bother with any exchange rate. GBP will be absolutely fine. My advice though is if you do want to utilise other currency, don't use the Front Desk as an exchange facility. Their rates are favourable to Cunard and not the passenger.

My husband would be in the same boat as it were. A suit needs an appropriate shirt and most definitely needs a tie. As usual, this dress for chaps issue is a minefield and I think any newbie asking a question should be aware of the differing attitudes members have to this vexing issue. From the utterly conservative approach to the relaxed but compliant, the only true way of realising what chaps wear is to bite the bullet, pack differing articles of clothes and experience the Cunard way of life themselves because what is often stipulated as fact on this board does not necessarily, right or wrong, translate to reality.

I know you did. I was being contrary...just for a change!! 😀 Good to know there's another occasional woolly brain out there though! 👍

Some may say my brain is full of cotton wool but not sure what else I can make of this reply to me!😄

techteach, I think with a jacket, for a non Gala evening on Cunard it beats some of the non jacketed chaps' wear I've seen but then I think I must be a scruff nut in many eyes 😄 so what do I know!!!😁

I don't understand your reply

We have seen the Ents staff help with tours and occasionally, being the staff member on a tour bus.

I would choose for three reasons an eastbound passage, which I know is the minority position on this forum. First, flying over to Europe is tougher than flying back home. I completely agree with you rj1227, I would also to cruise east and fly west. Jet lag gets worse the older I get and flying east can be a killer of a jet lag issue. edit Just make sure if you cross [fly] the International date line, you set your alarm to wake you up local time [Tahiti for us] and not the afternoon which throws your body clock totally out of flunter! 🙃

You and many others. Either that or a Lewis Carroll character. 😀