Farewell Cunard - from us :(

[bazzaw]

Finally - all cruise refunds have come back to us - $30,000 AUD. It took  3 months from date of the 1st cruise and 5&1/2 months from date of the 1st cancellation by  Cunard in mid-February. Our 1st cruise was meant to be a 35 day from Yokohama to Vancouver on QE - with about 10 days each in Japanese and Canadian ports . That was cancelled very early in the Coronavirus situation - long before it metastasized across the World from China. As the situation developed in China, in late January it became plainly obvious to us that QE's cruises from the end of it's Australian cruise season was looking problematic and we knew that something was going to have to happen. So, although it took them a while to make a decision, Cunard finally cancelled our cruise and put out some ridiculously low priced fares for a cruise direct to Vancouver from Sydney via Honolulu . We very quickly  jumped on the opportunity to experience 25 nights in a Q4  Penthouse Suite- something that would normally be WAAAY outside of our financial capacity 🙂 But alas- it was not to be!!! 😞  Now - who knows what the future holds.? I don't believe that we will see Cunard ships in Australian waters for some years now - and any future Cunard cruises for us would require International flights - which I also think will not be viable for a few years either. But it has been great while it lasted - with two "3 Queens " cruises including the one starting at Southampton during Her Majesty's Silver Jubilee - and the last one with a Trans-Atlantic to New York on QM2 and a trip to the Norwegian Fjords. We also did a long cruise on QE from San Francisco to Sydney via many South Pacific ports and our very first Cunard cruise was on QM2 from Sydney to Auckland, That was only a short 4 day crossing - but we had previously witnessed QM2 for our first time enter Sydney Harbour in the early morning 10 years ago and it was a spectacle to behold - some years later we also saw her berthed in Southampton as we put-putted past her on the Hythe Ferry. We never ever dreamed then that we would eventually have 3 cruises on her - she is by far our favourite !!!!! 

[drsel]

You are indeed very fortunate to have had so much money refunded, considering all Cruise lines have zero income right now

 

 

[By The Bay]

The wait was worth it. Time to celebrate. 🥂

[NSWP]

Bingo ! Barry. Now take that tux down to Vinnies or Salvos, you wont need it anymore. Go buy yourself a new automobile with the 30k refund.🚘

[drsel]

Instead of buying a liability, invest that money and use the returns to book future Cruises

[Kiwi Kruzer]

The only liability is age . 😉

Enjoy life , if you don’t spend it ,someone else will,

If cruising is not on the horizon, get a nice set of wheels and get off now and again , for a night or two in a hotel .

Book a dinner bed and breakfast deal ,take your glad rags and look on it like a cruise .

Good deals are around if you phone direct and make them aware you are local , not a rich overseas tourist .

[NSWP]

4 hours ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

The only liability is age . 😉

Enjoy life , if you don’t spend it ,someone else will,

If cruising is not on the horizon, get a nice set of wheels and get off now and again , for a night or two in a hotel .

Book a dinner bed and breakfast deal ,take your glad rags and look on it like a cruise .

Good deals are around if you phone direct and make them aware you are local , not a rich overseas tourist .

Good advice David, that is what I am doing now, solo.  1 week every month I head out for a mini road trip, injecting some money into the local economy, I just have to be careful I don't tear my inner mouth to bits, like last week at Mudgee.

 

SKI - Spend Kids Inheritance.

Edited August 2, 2020 by NSWP

[Witchymob]

Hi Baz,

Don't throw out the tux just yet.  Fremantle port page has an entry for QM2 in Feb 2021

& March 2022.  So far I have only gazed from afar but still hope to get aboard one day!

[NSWP]

So back on topic...Cunard farewell from our Barry Bazzaw and wild rumours of a Cunard sale. Now would we see a great sailaway Carnival style on revamped QM2, QE and QV...This would really stir up the dedicated Cunarders...

Edited August 2, 2020 by NSWP

[NSWP]

5 minutes ago, Witchymob said:

Hi Baz,

Don't throw out the tux just yet.  Fremantle port page has an entry for QM2 in Feb 2021

& March 2022.  So far I have only gazed from afar but still hope to get aboard one day!

QM2 Worldie Southampton to Southampton.