Happy Cruisers 67

Whilst I agree with David's comments re the cost of cruising reducing in real terms, this is almost certainly the case with other cruise lines as well, especially those owned by Carnival corporation.  

Last November I sailed on QM2 transatlantic and purchased several bottles of wine.  One in particular stands out.  It was a Corney & Barrow St Emilion. The price for this bottle was $62.10 including gratuity.  Whilst tidying out some paperwork, i found the receipt this morning.

Last week I sailed on P&O Britannia and as coincidence would have it,  I bought the exact same bottle of wine. The cost was £25.95. At todays exchange rate (1.31), this is $34.00.

Both Cunard and P&O are owned by carnival corporation who presumably purchase the wine in bulk for all of their subsidiaries. So can anyone explain why the same bottle costs $28.10 more on Cunard than P&O unless they are charging "what the market will take" and overcharging  Cunard passengers. 

We were in a Q5 in November and there was no problem getting real ale instead of lager.  Our butler supplied my choice of Doom Bar and replaced as and when necessary.  As far as wine and spirits are  concerned,  you will be given a fairly extensive  list from which you both will have a choice. Mixers are also supplied and will be replenished when required. Canapes are provided but if you want extra (for a party) or hot canapes let your butler know 24 hours before. Not sure about the dining, probably best to speak to the QG maitre'd once on board 

We travel queens grill at least once a year. Congratulations on a well balanced report.

Hi guys just joined forum as we are cruise virgins. We have booked Britannia Suite D102 and just wondering if anyone has had any issues with this corner cabin at the front of the ship

Which cruise are you sailing on?. We have booked D101 for the 29 March 2019 cruise. We've sailed on Britannia once before but in one of the aft suites. If you are sailing before us i would be interested in your opinion.

Which makes the lack of a US email address all the more bothersome.

 

http://www.carnivalcorp.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=140690&p=irol-sharebenefit

In the uk on the shareholders benefits info we get the same info as you - we are given a fax number an mailing address, no e mail address. However buried in the FAQ pages on the uk Cunard site i managed to find the e mail address mentioned by Host Hattie. We have used this for the past few cruises with no problem. It may be worth seeing if there is similar advice on the US site.

Hi. I did check Lisbon Port of Call board, and it looks like Cunard offers shuttles to down town Lisbon...or did at one time.

Does anyone know whether this is still the case, and if there is a particular dock they use?

Thanks.

We visited lisbon in April this year on QV and docked close to the city (not by the bridge). Cunard provided a shuttle bus to the city centre. However if you enjoy a walk it can be quicker in rush hour to walk than catch the bus.

There are 2 types of sauna on board. The first is actually in the male and female changing rooms, a seperate one in each. These are single sex as they arre actually within the changing rooms. I have seen people in these clothed and unclothed. These are the free saunas

The second is in the Royal bath house. These are clothed and mixed. These are not free and a per day fee applies as per Host Hatties post.

Both brian1 and Host Hattie are correct. As Brian1 said QV has a free sauna in the changing rooms (or it did in April this year). There is no steam room . There is also the Royal bath house where there is a sauna, steam room and thelasotherapy pool. These need to be paid for as per Host Hatties post.

Sorry, should have asked at the same time - what does the dividend work out at? Just wondering if it is worth a punt.

At todays rate for shares (£47 per share) our dividend received in the past 12 months worked out at approx 3% p/annum.

It's also worth remembering that the onboard credit does not only apply to P&O , but all Carnival brands, ie Carnival, Princess, Holland America, Seabourn, Cunard, Costa, Aida and of course P&O

The onboard credit is paid in the onboard currency of the particular line. For ships that use US$ the rates are $250, $100, $50. The ones in £ they are £150, £60, £30. The ones in € are €200, €75, €40. And the ones in Aus$ , aus$ 200, aus$ 100, aus$ 50. All of the above are based on 14 days plus, 7- 13 days and 6 days or less.

The onboard credit also appears to be combinable with any other onboard credit offers and is irrespective of whether a saver fare or select price is booked.

The onboard credit is in addition to any dividend received, so if you cruised on P&O for 14 nights per year, you would be in fact receiving over 6% return on your money, which is far better than any uk savings.

Although I am a share holder, i am not a financial adviser and would recommend that anyone considering purchasing shares seek financial advice to ensure that they are suitable for you.

Thanks for all the replies everyone - my mind is definitely rested!

 

Very much looking forward to our first TA, only 39 days to go [emoji16]

 

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KazLP

We are also on this crossing - sailing from Southampton on 4th November. As this is your first TA with Cunard, you may wish to join the roll call for this crossing and get tips from fellow passengers who have done it often. Hope to see you on board. Charles & Janet

I do possess infallibility in all questions that concern the most blessed sacrament of afternoon tea. Therefore I rule once and for all time that the Devonians are heretics whose false and evil teachings shall not be followed. It is JAM before CREAM.The sacred name of the baked goods of the lord is pronounced SKON.

 

 

Selkie74 is probably right. If jam or cream first had been the question of the last referendum, there would have been a fourth English Civil War. Oh, and cut the scones with the knife, its more preactical and elegant (and no heresy in my view).

Unfortunately I have to disagree. In June my wife and I were invited to attend the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham palace. The scones were served with cream followed by jam. If it's good enough for the Queen, who are we to disagree?

Please see attached link to all drinks packages available

https://ask.cunard.com/help/cunard/life-on-board/drinks_package

And what were the equivalent fares at the time ?

When we started cruising in 1992 on QE2 the cost for an inside cabin Southampton to Southampton was approx £100 per person per night. Using government inflation factors, this would now be £191 per night. A cruise on QE about the same time this year is approx £100 per person per night for an inside cabin. For both cruises you would still have to pay for drinks and tips. Port shuttles were included in 1992. Even taking into account economies of scale, cruising provides a luxury holiday at a good price, however the cruise company has a bottom line and is responsible to its shareholders.

As can be seen from the above per night costs, Cunard have to make up the revenue somewhere. The drinks may not give the same value for money as they did 26 years ago but you have the option how you spend on board and cruising is still excellent value for money as compared to a land based holiday of the same quality.

Last year we too had a suite on Britannia Transatlantic to Barbados and took the free airport coach to Southampton but from Manchester. We like you were told that we were on the first coach at 8:00 am as we had priority check in. We even rang P&O who assured us we would be on the first coach. We arrived at the coach station at 7:20 to find out that we were allocated to coach 12 as passengers had been there since 6:00am we told intercruises that we had been allocated to the first coach but they weren't interested and said that coaches were on a first come first served basis. This resulted in us arriving at Southampton at 13:30 rather than 12:00. Never again! We'll make our own way in future!

As you are dining in the Queens Grill you will get a very extensive breakfast menu and will be served at the same table by the same waiters that you have for dinner. They quickly become aware of your requirements. If you want a quick breakfast or lunch they will accommodate you. Also for lunch you have the opportunity to eat al fresco in the courtyard with full Queens Grill menu (weather permitting). As an alternative your butler will serve you any meal, breakfast, lunch or dinner in your suite

This 007 anorak can! The film was Diamonds are Forever and the ship was the SS Canberra.

Take the free bus to the port drop off point and as you leave, walk down the sea front keeping the sea on your right hand side. The train station is approx 20 minutes walk. When you get there ask for a "BIRG" ticket which covers your return train travel on local trains to Rome and unlimited underground (metro) use in Rome for the day. If you are doing this do not forget to authorise your ticket at one of the machines on the platform before boarding. You can either get off the train at the stop for st Peter's which is close to the Vatican and st Peter's basilica, or carry on to Rome terminali. If you dont want to use the underground there are tour busses available at the terminali station. If you enjoy walking and the weather is not too hot, you can walk to most of the sights. The train journey is just over an hour each way so we would recommend this if you have a long time in port.

Whilst we can't coment on a comparison between Celebrity and Cunard, we have just returned from a cruise on QV in Queens Grill.

General advice is do ask for what you want in the restaurant and suite but be reasonable and allow time. Each evening there is a menu of the day plus a la carte. Some items on the a la carte need to be ordered by lunchtime. If you ask for the evenings menu at breakfast and see nothing that takes your fancy or if you have a favourite dish, even if it isn't on th a la carte, give your head waiter enough notice and he will try his best to accommodate you.

In the suite the butler will do his best to accommodate your needs, just let him know what you needvand he will try his best. There is a concierge in the Grills lounge who can deal with routine enquiries but not to the same standard as we have received on Royal Caribbean.

If the concierge is not on duty, your butler may be able to help. Please remember butler service is only available until 9.pm

Whilst you eat in a separate restaurant with no sittings and have accessbto the Grills lounge and sunbathing area, there are no perks such as reserved seating in the theatre or complementary cocktail hour. However you do get a complementary bar set up in your suite.

Hope you have a wonderful time. We're boarding when you get off for the voyage to the Canaries. The last time we were on board like you was November 2016 ( same cruise in fact!). It will be nice to see QV after her refit.

Charles & Janet

I cant comment on the MDR but on our last cruise on Oceana in September there was an area in the buffet which only had gluten free options, so you will be well catered for.

I can't answer the question regarding being denied boarding. However from a conversation i had with a fellow passenger on a previous P&O cruise who could not understand why the doctor on board refused to accept her EHIC card, there is obviously a misunderstanding about reciprocal medical treatment in the EU. It may be useful for your relatives to know that the EHIC only covers treatment in state run medical facilities in the EU. More info can be found on the Gov.uk website. It does not cover medical treatment on a ship even if it is in EU waters as this is a private facility. Just something for your relatives to consider.

We're staying at the Crowne Plaza. Last time we stayed there we travelled by train and they picked us up at the station. The following is a quote from their website . "A complimentary shuttle bus runs to all terminals and the airport train station.

Charles

We are travelling on 27th Oct with a transfer from Manchester airport to Southampton and are encountering similar problems. P&O staff first told us coach details would be sent 60 days before travel.they then told us it would be on the e ticket however the e ticket only says P&O staff will be in the terminal. We've now been told details will be sent 30 days before travel.

We have booked a taxi to the airport and a hotel the night before as prices are rising the closer you get to the date.

You could book an on airport hotel with parking and the one we are staying at has a shuttle bus which will drop off and pick up at any terminal and train/coach station. Alternatively APH offer reasonable offsite parking to / from all terminals. Terminal 1 is fairly close to the train station.

We did this cruise from 7th to 14th Sept. There is a shop where you can buy spirits etc at the terminal but unfortunately as our flight arrived at lunchtime I can't confirm what time it closes. Enjoy your cruise

Does anyone know, if I buy a wine package before the cruise, do I get my Peninsular Club discount? If not, what about purchasing on board?

I can't confirm that they will apply the discount to the wine package because I haven't purchased one, but when I purchased a shore excursion through the cruise personaliser they did apply the discount.