david,Mississauga

I have used a transfer to EWR and LGA a few times. It usually works out well. Our experience earlier this month wasn't so good. Those needing a wheelchair had an hour wait for disembarkation despite showing up at the appointed time at the Golden Lion. At least our luggage wasn't misplaced on the pier as it was the previous time and immigration was easy with preferred wickets for people with special needs. We were assured a bus for LGA would wait, but there wasn't enough room on the buses for everyone so there were about 15 waiting for what we hoped would be the last bus. It didn't come. We waited a full hour with no seating. My wife leaned on her stick and/or me for that time. Eventually, the 15 of us were put on a bus bound for mid-Manhattan hotels and it went to LGA first. The passengers who had been sitting on that bus for a long time took this news well. We booked this transfer on board at a cost of $60 pp. We should have taken a taxi or car service, but for peace of mind I prefer Cunard coach transfers which usually work well. As an aside, I should say we have used transfers far more in Southampton and never had a problem.

US and Canadian passengers can still book the future cruise deposits. I booked one on the QE in June then soon after I booked a cruise for 2023 with my TA. The usual terms applied: small deposit (about Can.$760 for two passengers), fully refundable and OBC which worked out to US$800 for us.

As I recall, the wine list I had a few weeks ago had the bin ends on the first page.

On our 10-day Alaska cruise on the QE we had the free bubbles one night, maybe two. On a more recent seven-day voyage on the QM2 there was nothing at all. I find it amusing that Cunard is fine with passengers sitting close together in some restaurants, the Queens Room at afternoon tea, on tenders, etc. but the parties were cancelled due to COVID. Some of the parties were crowded, but the senior officers party, in my experience, was always sparsely populated. Even if the senior officers do not attend - it can be renamed - it seems to me the only reason the receptions for the highest ranking loyal passengers are cancelled is to save money.

I should have said the voyage to which I was referring was a crossing a few years before the pandemic, not our recent Quebec - NY trip.

Although the question was about QG, I should add that we have appreciated the Verandah more when we have been travelling in Britannia than the Grills. We have had the occasional free lunch from the CWC on both the QM2 and the QE, but lately we haven't bothered. That is no reflection on the meals there, but mainly because we are trying to cut down on weight gain. Lunch is one meal we can sacrifice. The last time we had dinner (a gift to us from a friend) in the Verandah on the QM2 it was less enjoyable because of the adjacent open deck which is a designated smoking area. Despite a sign at the entrance to the restaurant asking people not to use it as a passageway to the outer deck many people did. There was no equivalent notice on the door leading from the deck to the restaurant, but it wouldn't have mattered. It was a cold and rainy night so those dining in the Verandah were treated to the sight of a long row of smokers huddled up against the glass. I suppose there were no curtains or else they were not being used. Frequently someone would enter the Verandah from outside, causing a blast of cold air and tobacco odour to enter the room. The Verandah on the smaller Queens is located in a more tranquil part of the ship.

I will not say yes or no, but I will tell you my experience. Our travel agent had given us a gift of a Verandah dinner on the QM2 so we graciously accepted it. I'm glad I hadn't paid for it. It was good, but I wasn't overwhelmed and thought the QG was much better. My reasons: the extensive QG menu plus à la carte options, flambée items and the lack of a trolley of raw meat being shown to us.

I have had an obstructed view cabin twice. Both were fairly far forward but we were able to choose one well in advance and had a partial view between lifeboats. I have no doubt that the QM2 is a very stable ship as most people will post, but it will bounce in rough seas. We also had a far forward PG cabin on Deck 10 once. We ran into heavy seas for one day on two of the voyages when we we were forward. I was almost thrown to the floor on one crossing and on another voyage my rib-cage made contact with the bathroom door one night. Fortunately no harm was done. But this will not deter us in the future as the chances are that the voyages will be mostly smooth. There have been only three nights on our total of 10 voyages on the QM2 (mostly crossings) when there has been uncomfortable motion.

I don't use wi-fi on ships. Fortunately on our two recent voyages both the QE and QM2 had computers, the former only in the library and the latter in the library and also the computer room on Deck 2. On the QM2 only three or occasionally four of the nine in the computer room were working. I was surprised that the speed of the internet was very good on the QM2, a little less so on the QE. I "paid" for the premium plan out of our CWC internet credit. On the seven-night QM2 voyage a package for the rest of the voyage was offered on day two: $90 standard and $120 premium.

Canada dropped its cruise ship rules as of the 1st of October. It is now up to the cruise lines. Cunard's requirements were even more strict than those of the Canadian government.

After reading all this rigmarole about testing I am so glad we were able to get a rapid test at a pharmacy for the two cruises we took from Canada: Vancouver and Québec. A detailed document was provided and the cost was a mere $40 or $50 with no tax. There were some temporary clinics near the terminal in Vancouver which charged $120 plus tax.

We used that laundrette a few months ago and I remember there were three of each - and they were all in working order.

On the QE in Princess Grill I was surprised we had a bottle of conditioner which I expected to have to request. But there was no bar of soap or the cotton balls and Q-tips. A sign in the bathrooms requests passengers leave the big bottles for the use of other passengers - just in case there was any doubt.

I have often thought that as well. I am used to it in restaurants in Canada, which is sad because we are officially a bilingual country. Looking at my menus from Cunard voyages in the last century they did not contain this silliness.

On the QM2 last week we ordered a French white wine from the bin ends page. Sorry, I don't recall the name, but it cost about $35.

As I mentioned a while back that is how Holland America was dealing with it on an Alaska cruise we took about six years ago. I found it amusing that a long queue would form outside the lower level every day about a half hour before opening time for dinner. Several people tried the open seating but soon transferred to the second sitting upstairs.

This seems to be a sudden change in policy. Just recently we have seen the same warning about dealing with insurance. At the time we booked and still at the time of final payment there was assurance that a full credit would be given if boarding was denied. It is rather sleazy for Cunard to have "moved the goalpost" after taking payment. We are presently on board the QM2, having boarded in Quebec. I admit we very nervous awaiting our test results the day before boarding.

This is no surprise as it has been rumoured for a while. There is a reference to the ending of restrictions for cruise ships. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/arrivecan-border-covid-end-1.6595710

According to some on-line comments, Halifax was spared the worst of it. On Sunday the "novascotiawebcams" showed a cruise ship docked at Pier 22. The sun was shining and the harbour was calm. As I type this (Monday morning) the webcam is showing Holland America's Zaandam pulling into Pier 22.

When we were in Skagway in early summer the locomotives used on all the trains we saw were the new ones. They are longer and painted mostly black. I suppose those older units are being kept in case some of the new ones get bad-ordered.

The spot for wheelchair assistance is not marked - or it wasn't as recently as June. It is on the lower level where vehicles drop off passengers. It is to the left of the baggage drop-off area. There are benches there and shore staff who will phone for a wheelchair and attendant if there isn't one waiting. From my experience the wait is short. On our June cruise aboard the Queen Elizabeth a person was waiting when we arrived at that spot. I can't guarantee if this works for other cruise lines, but with Cunard you can arrive well before the time on your ticket. I usually go down to the boarding area the day before (assuming there is a ship or two boarding) and ask the shore staff if the procedure has changed and have always been advised to bring my wife there between 10:30 and 11:00. The Vancouver terminal can be as bad as an airport, especially if there are two or three ships in. The attendants have been very friendly and will take you to check-in (which is on the upper level) then back down where you started, through security, then US border control and finally to the waiting area. They will stay with you until the ship boards. They can't go on board the ship, so someone from the ship will have to take you on board. Fortunately my wife can walk a reasonable distance so does not need further assistance once the worst is over.

I believe they all take at least part of the inside passage. The maps shown on the booking site are often inaccurate. I was told many years ago by a ship's officer that the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver Island and the mainline is not part of the inside passage, although many people consider it to be so. Ships departing Vancouver take this route north and also south if they are not stopping at Victoria. Many people prefer this route rather than being on the open Pacific. It appears that Seattle-based cruises always use the route to the west of Vancouver Island. In 2023 not all Cunard Alaska cruises are stopping at Victoria on the return. For the two Cunard cruises I have taken to Alaska the map on the booking site showed the QE taking the route on the Pacific both ways rather than the Strait of Georgia northbound. This was not true.

I don't know what amenities you get booking a suite on Princess Cruises, but the Grills experience on the QE was most enjoyable. The single sitting restaurants for both PG and QG - high up midships with huge windows - are for us the best reason for booking the Grills. The Grills lounge, although small, is very attractive. Also, there is ample deck space for the Grills. The only downside for PG, as mentioned in the previous post, is the stateroom: long, narrow and a tiny balcony. All PG rooms, however, are midships.

In June we purchased these on board the QE. The rep. confirmed that UK cruisers can no longer purchase these and that, understandably, they are not happy. Fortunately Canadians come under US rules.

I found that to be the case on a June cruise on the QE. I was interested only in internet use and nothing else. Because I had loads of OBC I took the premium after the first two days and it was just as bad as the basic plan. There was one advantage: I couldn't get on to Air Canada's site with the basic plan but it worked with premium.