candle in the wind

I am here, will answer more next week, getting ready to evacuate in advance of hurricane IRMA, as per my daughter who is my transport.

 

Lynn aka jimsgirl

Good luck and stay safe.

I have been looking at prices of some cruises with Cunard for double occupancy and for solo occupancy. For example a cruise to the Norwegian Fiords in August, a cabin for double occupancy costs about US 2500. The same cabin for solo occupancy costs about US 4500.

 

This is the first time I see such solo supplements on a cruise line. Is this common practice now with Cunard?

I seem to have the same glitch on my Cunard online access, that is why, this time I ended up phoning them and speaking to an agent who gave me the correct prices. The price for two is shown as doubled EACH, so I take it with a grain of salt, until I really want to book. Hope it works out for you, travelling solo is so expensive, hotel room for one, full price, taxis same.

kac0426,

Have you considered using Cunard Air? We used it for the first time recently and were pleasantly surprised by the cost. We were met at Heathrow by Smiths and enjoyed a carefree time watching the countryside go by. They service Gatwick as well. If you have budgeted for Cunard's Complete Care that would also be a plan to give you peace of mind. Good luck!

Does anyone in North America take out Cunard Care? I looked into this year and was surprised to learn that it only covers the time onboard. I used one of the bigger companies and checked in person at the Sales Office and they confirmed it does not cover door-to-door which is what I had wanted. Has anybody else got some experience of this? It seems very strange.

Apart from layering clothes I would advise you to take a suitable shawl or jacket suitable to be worn over formal evening clothes, if you are a lady and will be participating in dressing formally. I just left the QM2 on 31st May and felt the cold, apart from the stateroom. Last week I believe it was shorts on deck, so you can never tell.

When I arrived at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal after a flight from the UK last November, I was on a Cunard coach transfer from JFK.

We were kept waiting, sat on the coach, whilst all our cases were retrieved from the luggage bays and loaded onto large trolleys. Only when this had been completed... were we allowed to leave the coach.

By time I got off, the guy pushing the last trolley was already half way to the terminal with no opportunity for me to tip him or even say "thank you".

Despite the fastest embarkation processing I think I've experienced, my cases were waiting for me when I got to my cabin :) .

That has been my experience, too, Pepper. The people handling our luggage in Brooklyn have been all business and you have to be quick if you want to tip as they are quickly off to help the next person. I can only speak of my experience there. At Fort Lauderdale my experience was completely different having been told in no uncertain terms by the person placing the luggage onto the cart which was going onto a cruise ship that he was responsible for making sure the luggage got onto the ship. No room for misinterpreting that threat.

Out of five sailings I have had four small upgrades. I like the suspense of not knowing until a couple of weeks before, yes, I probably live a very boring life. I am looking to do a Fall voyage and do not see the guarantee option on the Cunard site. This is the site available in Canada.

Thank you for your company and conversation in 2016 and happy sailing in 2017.

Happy New Year Host Hattie and all Three Queen fans!

Good Health in 2017!

It has been a long time since I wrote on Cruise Critic, Was on QM2 when a stroke ended my cruising days for good. Fortunately I had many cruises in my memories.

 

I lurk on here every day, my heart aches to "get under way"., but no company will accept me for travel ins, and limited mobility means I need a travel companion, which I do not have.

 

So I say DO THE MATHS. You must keep enough in savings for essentials, unexpected costs of health problems (pills can be expensive but sometimes we are misers only to leave a many dollars to or offspring who squander it in the blink of an eye, without even a thought.

 

Only this week I spent hours thinking about buying something selfish for myself, which was

stupid (only a couple of hundred dollars), only to hear from offspring how they were spending far more , going into debt without a thought , they are most certainly of the ME,ME,ME generation.

 

Think carefully what places do you feel you MUST see, perhaps you could part of a world cruise out overspending, you can enjoy XXX just as well in an inside cabin as in QG or PG. You can enjoy all the ship has to offer without buying that $60 bottle of wine at dinner.

 

Without being morbid also remember one day you may be a single instead of a couple , when memories mater more than dollars.

 

Best wishes.

 

Lynn

Good to hear from you Jimsgirl, I am very sorry you can no longer travel due to medical insurance issues. I am sure you have been missed on here by many, including myself. Wishing you all the best.

Well said. It's very good of Cunard to offer something tangible.

I agree, and in a perfect world all veterans and their families could get a break on Cunard.

Welcome back Mr. Toad, I hope things work out for you and Mrs. Toad this time.

I hope you don't mind me posting my very detailed review about my time on the Newly remastered QM2. Like many fellow forum members I had lots of questions about the remastering and attempted to answer as many as possible on my voyage. The review contains many images of the ship and compares and contrasts the remastered areas with the areas they have replaced. I hope some readers may find it a useful read.

 

https://cruisecritique.wordpress.com/2016/07/19/queen-mary-2-remastered-and-revisited/

Thank you for your in depth presentation. Everything looks very sophisticated. The food photographs are more than appealing. I can hardly contain my excitement for the Fall Voyage.

We watched a magnificent fireworks display on Sydney Harbour an hour ago - what a start to 2016. Our long awaited QV WC sector has just got a whole lot closer - it's 1 hour into January here in Aus which makes March seem just around the corner! The happiest of New Years to all.

Happy New Year and Good Health to enjoy more sailing.

Happy Thanksgiving to all in the U.S.

May we all stay optimistic and think of those having a hard time, wherever they are.

 

Have a safe and happy day!

Happy Thanksgiving to all our U.S. neighbours.

Can not understand why you put the Suite/room/cabin you occupied? If in the top suite or the bottom cabin we still all arrive at the same ports and eat the same food, perhaps is does your ego good.

Cunard certainly has it's work cut out with people like you and another potential guest this week asking if Cunard would really let his 8 year old sit apart from him at dinner time......I don't think he saw the point......Daddy! Would you and your bride let your children sit apart from you? You could have had one child/one adult, each, if there were adults available.

But don't let the thread be wasted on just one query. The follow up question about the casino put the icing on the cake.

I bless all Cunard workers, I am sure this is the tip of the iceberg.

Thank you for the blog, Kathi. It was sporting of you to take on such a huge job and keep it fresh and interesting.

I have received the brochure for 2015 entitled "Cruise Collection."

 

In other mailings for promotions, as well as on the website, the term "cruise" seems to have replaced "voyage" which earlier replaced "cruise."

 

The term "crossing" still remains.

 

I am wondering if the new marketing team has realized that the use of the term "voyage" tended to distance Cunard from what potential "guests" know as a "cruise."

 

I always thought the use of the word "voyage" was pompous. I recall Peter Shanks once saying in an interview, "We do voyages, not cruises."

 

Any thoughts on this subtle change or any others?

Very witty, user of the term "Nomenclature ", calling a "Voyage" pompous.

Write Cunard at Carnival House in UK directly and, when on board, share your feelings with the nice folks at the cruise booking office. That's what I do.

I think you have misunderstood the gist of the thread Classiccruiser. I was answering regarding a survey that is being offered by Cunard in the United Kingdom and I was stating that I would be interested in participating if offered to me. For instance, a question may be if I would be interested in more voyages from Liverpool or New York. I would willingly answer these questions, but realise that they might be too complex and time consuming for some. I don't rely on Cunard reading C.C. message boards to get my points across, I, like yourself, would prefer to ask in person or mail or survey.

I have no complaints about Cunard, in fact I wonder how they manage to deliver such a wonderful service at the price.

Has anyone not in the UK received this survey?

No, I haven't received the survey and I live in North America. I will definitely complete this survey if it is offered as I would like to be proactive in any possible changes in the future. A great opportunity, in my opinion, a bit like voting really, don't complain of any outcomes if you don't vote, but with no guarantees.

Does anyone have a suggestion for an engrossing mystery novel to read during the crossing? I've enjoyed Donna Leon, Elizabeth Peters, Martin Walker in the past. Ideas?

Louise Penny. Mysteries set in Canada, but make sure you start at the first one called Still Life.

On paying the Balance of my TA, I received a new Booking Conformation, which shows that for some reason my OBC has increased from the $80 I got when I booked (Solo Traveller Vantage Fair) to $155. This made me think when is this credit used? do they use it first then when it is gone, start adding the charges to your Credit/Debit Card of is it just taken of the final Bill ?

 

Thanks

Hello scifisteve,

Just over half will be taken off for your gratuities for the 7 night voyage and the remainder may be spent on various extras including soft drinks, alcohol, coffees, posters, books etc. Anything spent above the obc will automatically be charged to your credit card and during the night before disembarking you should receive a summary of your spending under your door and if all is in order a nil balance on your bill.

You may also want to consider reversing the order of your trip so that you fly to London and then take the QM2 back to New York. If we have to fly one way, we prefer to get the jet lag out of the way at the beginning rather than at the end of our trip. Because of the time zone changes, a Westbound crossings gives you several 25 hour days on board so you can sleep an extra hour if you wish and have no jet lag once you return to New York.

Agree with Southampton to New York. Fly to Heathrow, make your way to Southampton, spend a day or two there, not very expensive, and enjoy the extended days to NY. Would book a balcony stateroom, one reason being that you get the fresh air without having to venture too far and also, but a minimal concern, is that if there is an illness on board which could mean being restricted to your stateroom you can still venture to your balcony, therefore avoiding "cabin fever", a malady of those kept indoors for too long.

Please be aware that you can also book a "guaranteed balcony" which increases your chances of an upgraded room.

What I meant to say was that it isn't my place in a "table for two" thread to be contrary and try to convince anyone that a larger table is a god thing, but otherwise I'm not sure what part of my statement rubbed you the wrong way.[/quote

 

Thank you for your reply. I am glad you clarified that.

On our 6-top (we've been as many as 11 at a 10-top) we generally establish sort of a protocol on the first night - how many minutes to wait for stragglers, switch seats at the table nightly or not, etc.

 

I know I won't convince anyone in this thread but the gracious and interesting dinner companions are one of the special treats in a Cunard voyage.

Actually, Underwatr, you were beginning to reel me in with your first reasonable statement, then I read on and I think I'll stick to a table for two. Each to his own.