Queen Elizabeth cruises for UK residents

[downsmead]

With regards to insurance for the U.K. sailings, most policies do not cover any medical expenses incurred whilst on board! The Holiday Extras one is not the 

’perfect solution’ the cruise companies seem to think it is. However if it is their ‘preferred’ one, one would presume they cannot refuse you boarding if your policy is with them.

[8611202]

Having phoned Cunard immediately the booking lines opened this morning, all my preferred cabins for the voyages I had selected had already been booked. Very disappointing. So the ability to preregister with a travel agent, although this is denied by Cunard, obviously takes place. Or am I missing something? Also Cunard has technical difficulties on its website and you are unable to make bookings via the website.

Edited March 31, 2021 by 8611202

[LadyL1]

On 3/27/2021 at 5:23 PM, Bell Boy said:

Hello LadyL1 ..By the way, you and I know each other ( from previous cruises) 

I can't believe you are wasting time phoning Cunard . Get onto one of the leading 'CUNARD' cruise specialists/TA . They are accepting pre registrations as I speak ! ... As I'm unable to mention my preferred Cunard cruise specialist ..google or check out the rear pages of the Saturday Daily  Mail. 😉  

Bell Boy

I think my memory might be fading! I know we have been on a ship at the same time, but cannot remember meeting.🤔 

This morning, I booked a P2 cabin via a new TA. Not one of our preferred cabins but sure it will be fine; apparently pre-registration of bookings was stopped a few days ago. 

Roll on September 3rd!

[DaisyDancer]

I've booked the 4 night scenic cruise on the QE on 26 July! Phoned at 10 this morning and got through after being on hold for about 20 minutes. We got the cabins we wanted.🥳🙂

[DaisyUK]

I've booked the 4 night on 19th July - no problems getting the suite I wanted 😊

[teabear]

5 hours ago, DaisyDancer said:

I've booked the 4 night scenic cruise on the QE on 26 July! Phoned at 10 this morning and got through after being on hold for about 20 minutes. We got the cabins we wanted.🥳🙂

Me too - not sure whats been happening with all the panic etc - got through within 10 minutes and got exactly what I wanted - same thing happened when I did my Brittania booking - no problem at all and both customer service reps were most pleasant and helpful

[Minnie29]

I had the same experience this morning. Phoned through at 10am on the dot, got straight through without a wait and got a P2 cabin for August 20th cruise. 
I asked for a cabin on Deck 6 and was allocated the last one so I would assume TA’s had got through prior to us regular Cunard customers. 
I asked what the capacity would be on board but the rep was unsure. 

[DaisyUK]

I asked about capacity also and was told around 70% 

[Ray66]

I notice that prices have gone up already since yesterday on a TA website.

[Windsurfboy]

Looking at prices, much more than I'd pay for going nowhere.  The cost per night for QG is equivalent to a 2 Michelin star hotel and restaurant gourmet  night including wine, it's an hour away somewhere we go to as a very rare treat .

[Victoria2]

2 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

Looking at prices, much more than I'd pay for going nowhere.  The cost per night for QG is equivalent to a 2 Michelin star hotel and restaurant gourmet  night including wine, it's an hour away somewhere we go to as a very rare treat .

Curiosity got the better of me and I looked at the prices and I thought the QG prices looked reasonable. Others must have thought so to judging by the lack of availability on July and August seven nighters. QG suites availability on some cruises are scarce, Q2 and Q1 and if available  have increased in price.

Good for Cunard. They seem to have pitched it rather well.

Edited April 1, 2021 by Victoria2

[Solent Richard]

Whatever the price it certainly appears on the various specialist Cunard facebook groups that both Cunard and P&O UK 'Section' cruises - I hesitate to say voyages - are telling like hot cakes.

 

Interestingly as well, there are less complaints and moaning about costs as there are on the various cruise forums. 

[Windsurfboy]

14 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Curiosity got the better of me and I looked at the prices and I thought the QG prices looked reasonable. Others must have thought so to judging by the lack of availability on July and August seven nighters. QG suites availability on some cruises are scarce, Q2 and Q1 and if available  have increased in price.

Good for Cunard. They seem to have pitched it rather well.

 

Clearly Cunard have pitched it well, I'm  sure they could have got more. I started off by saying this is is more than I'D pay for GOING NOWHERE , for half the experience , not more than I'd pay for a normal cruise. 

 

But to me a cruise experience is made up of two aspects the ship and the ports. Added together make a great vacation.  Its not Cunard's fault they can only offer half the experience. The price per night seems to be same as a normal cruise with ports, this I understand  as no ports doesn't save much and Cunard have other costs.

 

Clearly many people love ships  and are more than happy to be back on a Cunard ship, and for them the ship is enough. I'm in the other camp where the ship and ports together are needed to make the vacation 

 

  But if you think of it as Hotel and restaurant, then by 5 star standards even QG  would be classed as average rooms, and food not in the very top restaurant class, and you can leave the grounds. But hotels don't  tour the world.

 

Of course  a TA or for me Capetown to UK where I  don't get  off the ship is different as that is a very comfortable way of getting from A to B, and the comparison is to an expensive tube in the air

[Ray66]

They're not all going nowhere though. Five of the cruises have port stops such as Liverpool, Holyhead, Glasgow, Invergordon, Belfast and Newcastle.

[LadyL1]

Even more problems now with the ban on travel from the Philippines just announced! A huge number of the crew reside in these islands.

[Bertie Doe]

11 minutes ago, LadyL1 said:

Even more problems now with the ban on travel from the Philippines just announced! A huge number of the crew reside in these islands.

Yes, I wonder how cruise companies will get around that? I guess it'll be cheaper for the ship to pick them up, rather than rely on air travel. That's assuming the Authorities allow unvaccinated folk to leave.

 

This old article suggests that crew are not in the top five priority groups - which is understandable https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/timeline-philippines-2021-covid-19-vaccination-plan 

 

 

 

[Victoria2]

2 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

 

 

  But if you think of it as Hotel and restaurant, then by 5 star standards even QG  would be classed as average rooms, and food not in the very top restaurant class, and you can leave the grounds. But hotels don't  tour the world.

 

Of course  a TA or for me Capetown to UK where I  don't get  off the ship is different as that is a very comfortable way of getting from A to B, and the comparison is to an expensive tube in the air

The only 5* hotel with two Michelin stars I have knowledge of comes in at the moment at over £1k a night, D,B&B. Not stayed there but have eaten in the restaurant. Cunard is not in that bracket unless you choose Q1or Q2, the 2 being one of our preferred choices, irrespective of 'tired' rooms and bathrooms. Hotel with one star restaurant came in at over £600 a night D,B&B and that was a few years ago. QV dinners might not have a Michelin, but they're pretty good.

 

Forget ratings. Those who have travelled QG regularly over the years and for many nights a year, do so irrespective of star rating. It suits and that's the bottom line.

Horses for courses and the horses obviously like the course this summer. 🙂

 

I wish those on the Cruises to Nowhere, bon voyage. It should be a great way of spending a relaxing week.

 

Edited April 2, 2021 by Victoria2

[Windsurfboy]

QG is about £850 a night, and Q1 and Q2s about £1500 a night which is normal going somewhere cruise prices. 

 

I'm  very happy for Cunard that people want to pay these prices  and if you love a ship experience and can afford it , go for it ,  and enjoy it.

 

My comment  centered on the going nowhere aspect.  Not on general cunard cruising and the QG experience. I have two cruises booked and waiting for 2023 to come out.  To me a cruise that doesn't  visit  anywhere is only half a cruise. It's my opinion, you can disagree,  but not cancel it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Victoria2]

33 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

QG is about £850 a night, and Q1 and Q2s about £1500 a night which is normal going somewhere cruise prices. 

 

I'm  very happy for Cunard that people want to pay these prices  and if you love a ship experience and can afford it , go for it ,  and enjoy it.

 

My comment  centered on the going nowhere aspect.  Not on general cunard cruising and the QG experience. I have two cruises booked and waiting for 2023 to come out.  To me a cruise that doesn't  visit  anywhere is only half a cruise. It's my opinion, you can disagree,  but not cancel it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Granted they may seem half a cruise to some, but on release, a  Q6 on a 7 night sun cruise to nowhere was around £650 per cabin per night. 

 

Factor in all meals, Covid safe entertainment and general 'thank goodness I'm not at home' ambiance and that's why I think the Cunard summer offerings are, or were as they've seem to have been snapped up,  reasonable. 

I will cross my fingers, the Captain will be able to find some fine weather for the sun cruises to nowhere in particular for those onboard.

edit

Just looked at my screen shot and actual Q6 price was £685 per night. Q2 was

£1285 which is a darned sight less per night than an invoice I have for a future  normal Q2 booking. 

Don't want to be awkward, just saying.  The prices are reasonable compared to 'normal' cruises.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2021 by Victoria2

[Nick&Simon]

I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere else and have scanned the relevant Cunard sites... does anyone know if the Casino's will be open on the British Isles cruises?

 

We are booked QE on 19th July and 27th August, and a couple of 7 nights on Regal Princess and 7 nights on Celebrity, and I will really miss my casino time if they are closed.

 

 

[Minnie29]

Booked a P2 cabin for one of the August cruises.

Does anyone know if the Grills restaurants are going to be bookings only for these UK cruises?

thank you

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, Minnie29 said:

Booked a P2 cabin for one of the August cruises.

Does anyone know if the Grills restaurants are going to be bookings only for these UK cruises?

thank you

As normal anytime between 6-30pm and 9pm

[Ray66]

It was Cunard's busiest booking day for a decade according to Cruise News in the Daily Mail today.

[englebert]

Greetings,

 

I also managed to make a booking last Wednesday, through our TA, fore a Balcony Cabin. The Category I wanted was available and the TA asked which Cabin I wanted from a list that she proceeded to read out and added that On Board Credit was available (Select Fare). As normal when I make a booking I asked about the additional Military Benefit. The TA said they would get back to me.

The reply received stated

 Cunard will not be offering any Military On Board Crediton their 'staycation' summer 21 cruises.

I am aware that Shareholders normally receive additional benefits when booking a cruise. Can any Shareholder who has booked a 'staycation' cruise received their additional on Board Credit?

 

Regards

 

 

[Nick&Simon]

@englebert I have had Shareholder OBC credited for Cunard and Princess Seacations. Well to be more precise, I have had a confirmation email from Carnival that it has been done.