Queen Elizabeth Voyages: COVID Restrictions

[RJChatsworth]

We have this morning disembarked QE after a Round GB Voyage that departed Southampton on 1st October.  We were also on the first voyage after the pandemic on 13th August.  We were told then there was 65% occupancy.  On the one we have just got off we were told it was about 75% occupancy.  We were separately told there were 1320 passengers but I haven’t done the maths.  I believe they are ramping up the occupancy to 90% by the end of November.

 

 The most noticeable difference between the two voyages was getting in the lifts on this cruise with enhanced passenger numbers, still 4 only at a time. This morning they had removed the ‘4 limit’ and now the maximum per lift is back to 18 (it would be a miracle if you could get that number in standing!).  I was told today that the restricted numbers in the theatre was being lifted from today.  That’ll provide a one-third more seats but masks will continue to be worn.

 

During the last voyage masks had to be worn, but in public areas like the Queen’s Room, bars, restaurants and Garden Lounge (originally the Winter Gardens, I think) they could be taken off when sitting down.  This didn’t apply in the theatre.

 

We we’re not allowed off in ports without going on an a Cunard organised trip but I’m sure I have read this all changes from today although our Maitre d’ seemed unaware of it as of yesterday.

 

I understand Queen Victoria is being used for crew quarantining.

 

Round GB was a great voyage with very good weather except in Belfast and Greenock.  It was a shame we couldn’t go to Holyhead so missed going up Snowden on the railway.  Instead we cruised the south coasts of Cornwall and Devon passing close to the Eddystone Lighthouse.  For October, I was surprised to be able to spend so much time on the balcony in British waters.

[BigMac1953]

Is QG back to normal, or is it still the system of booking a table for dinner every night?

 

(We're on the 1 November trip.)

 

Stewart

[RJChatsworth]

It never was.  We were in QG in August and PG just now and on both occasions had our own table for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The only difference is on the first day.  Lunch isn’t served on the first day, but you go into your respective restaurant for afternoon tea between about 1pm and 4pm.  I wonder whether lunch will ever be served again on the first day in QG and PG!

[turnip eater]

When we were on the November 10th Southampton-Liverpool-Southampton. We had our own table.

[turnip eater]

1 minute ago, RJChatsworth said:

It never was.  We were in QG in August and PG just now and on both occasions had our own table for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The only difference is on the first day.  Lunch isn’t served on the first day, but you go into your respective restaurant for afternoon tea between about 1pm and 4pm.  I wonder whether lunch will ever be served again on the first day in QG and PG!

True. We were famished and the afternoon tea was welcomed.🥟🍰🫖

[BigMac1953]

That's good news. Thanks.

[RJChatsworth]

Which year are you talking about, Turnip Eater?  There was talk that when Cunard re-started after the Pandemic there might be a booking system in QG and PG but it never transpired.  I don’t think there was one in Club Balcony either.  In Britannia there seemed to be a mixture for dinner.  1st sitting was the normal Formal dining with own table and then 2nd sitting seemed to be a booking/ open seating system. There was afternoon tea in Britannia between 3pm and 4pm each day.

[Host Hattie]

Thanks for reporting back, it's good to hear how things are onboard.

[turnip eater]

29 minutes ago, RJChatsworth said:

Which year are you talking about, Turnip Eater?  There was talk that when Cunard re-started after the Pandemic there might be a booking system in QG and PG but it never transpired.  I don’t think there was one in Club Balcony either.  In Britannia there seemed to be a mixture for dinner.  1st sitting was the normal Formal dining with own table and then 2nd sitting seemed to be a booking/ open seating system. There was afternoon tea in Britannia between 3pm and 4pm each day.

September 2021…..whooops, sorry 😳

[mklions]

We are also booked on the QE 6th Jan 2022 cruise to the canaries.

 

Had a email from our TA two weeks ago stating that Cunard are not requesting full payment for this cruise at the moment. I find that quite strange as they are normally very prompt in asking for the final balance.

We are in a QG cabin for this sailing and got a resonably good deal at the time of booking. We have paid our deposit, so hopefully everything is still ok.

Mklions.

 

[seapals2]

10 hours ago, turnip eater said:

True. We were famished and the afternoon tea was welcomed.🥟🍰🫖

Bit off topic but do you get complementary bottled water in PG cabin? 
thanks 😊 

[sogne]

14 hours ago, mklions said:

We are also booked on the QE 6th Jan 2022 cruise to the canaries.

 

Had a email from our TA two weeks ago stating that Cunard are not requesting full payment for this cruise at the moment. I find that quite strange as they are normally very prompt in asking for the final balance.

We are in a QG cabin for this sailing and got a resonably good deal at the time of booking. We have paid our deposit, so hopefully everything is still ok.

Mklions.

 

Cunard have relaxed balance payments until 30 days before sailing: we have Dec 8th for our QM2 Jan 14th cruise

[RJChatsworth]

8 hours ago, seapals2 said:

Bit off topic but do you get complementary bottled water in PG cabin? 
thanks 😊 

Yes.

[bbtablet]

Hmmmm - our TA forced final payment from us for the same cruise (QM Jan 14th 2022) two weeks earlier than the original 90 days deadline on threat of late payment fines, so we have been unable to benefit from the Cunard payment date change which came after we had paid.

 

They also refused to give the final payment back to us for the intervening 2 months, despite saying that they are agents for Cunard in all their messaging.

[RJChatsworth]

50 minutes ago, bbtablet said:

Hmmmm - our TA forced final payment from us for the same cruise (QM Jan 14th 2022) two weeks earlier than the original 90 days deadline on threat of late payment fines, so we have been unable to benefit from the Cunard payment date change which came after we had paid.

 

They also refused to give the final payment back to us for the intervening 2 months, despite saying that they are agents for Cunard in all their messaging.

This is interesting.  I stopped using TA’s a long time ago for reasons like they stopped me talking directly to the Cunard Flight Department to talk about flights on different dates, with different airlines and cost comparisons.  Too time consuming on this and other matters because one answer can generate another question.  I want to be able to talk to the horse’s mouth.  Our contact in Cunard is brilliant, always accessible and with all the answers.  I wouldn’t wish to change anything.

[sogne]

1 hour ago, bbtablet said:

Hmmmm - our TA forced final payment from us for the same cruise (QM Jan 14th 2022) two weeks earlier than the original 90 days deadline on threat of late payment fines, so we have been unable to benefit from the Cunard payment date change which came after we had paid.

 

They also refused to give the final payment back to us for the intervening 2 months, despite saying that they are agents for Cunard in all their messaging.

you are unlucky then our TA has dealt with 8 cancelled cruises and all the FCC etc faultlessly 

[majortom10]

1 minute ago, sogne said:

you are unlucky then our TA has dealt with 8 cancelled cruises and all the FCC etc faultlessly 

You were very lucky then because there are some good cruise TA specialists out there but there are also some very poor ones. Unfortunately I am dealing with one who hasnt paid my final balance to Cunard so therefore Cunard will not release e-tickets and luggage labels. I paid my final balance on 2nd Sept and we go on 1st Nov and I am very concerned.

[bbtablet]

What! - that is so unprofessional and entirely unacceptable.  I suggest the TA must now give you full details of what they are doing, with dates.

 

If you can get through to your TA a good shout might get results!

[RJChatsworth]

I note we are all writing here about TAs in respect of deposits, final payments and refunds/FCAs.  It is a given that Cunard and TAs should be in-step.  It appears that's not the case.  When our Southampton to Fort Lauderdale voyage in January was cancelled I immediately requested a refund directly and I later found out it was paid into my Amex account, going by the dates on my statement,  within three days.

 

However,  my main reason for dealing with Cunard directly is other than money.  For instance we wanted to book back-to-back voyages and the same cabin was not available for both voyages in a particular cabin category.  Our Cunard agent asked us to hold on whilst they talked to 'berthing'.  They were able to make a re-arrangement (I think because all cabins are not all released at the same time} and we got the same cabin for both voyages.  A small thing but most agents, I am sure, would have said no availability as shown on the Cunard website and would probably never have heard of the berthing department or any access to it.

[sogne]

our TA knows about it as they have done exactly as you describe more than once

[Solent Richard]

Good to know that the Yacht Club on Queen Elizabeth opened for dancing yesterday evening...

 

[RJChatsworth]

Thanks Solent Richard.  I wonder whether there are more changes on your cruise compared with those I highlighted earlier in this thread.  It would be interesting to know the current passenger occupancy percentage.

 

On masks our Maitre D’ said he could foresee a time when passengers would no longer be required to wear masks, but for the crew he said it could be a long time, siting for example waiters who may be in close proximity to 800 or more passengers a day!

[Cathygh]

On 10/14/2021 at 9:34 AM, bbtablet said:

Hmmmm - our TA forced final payment from us for the same cruise (QM Jan 14th 2022) two weeks earlier than the original 90 days deadline on threat of late payment fines, so we have been unable to benefit from the Cunard payment date change which came after we had paid.

 

They also refused to give the final payment back to us for the intervening 2 months, despite saying that they are agents for Cunard in all their messaging.

We are in a similar position but our TA is not being awkward-Cunard is.  They say by the time we get our refund it will be time to pay again. I am very annoyed with Cunard as they seem to have delayed the announcement till the last possible minute. They could have at least given us a bit of obc . After all we are helping them out by leaving our funds with them. Has anyone had any luck getting Cunard to be a bit more accommodating? 

[david,Mississauga]

There is an advantage to having an experienced travel agent who knows Cunard well and has made connections over the years.

 

I will briefly mention just two examples. In 2008 we wanted to take one of the last crossings of the QE2. Our TA contacted Cunard and was told it was sold out with a long waiting list so no more names would be added. Most people would accept that, but not our TA. He went "up the ladder" as he put it and within 10 minutes we had a guarantee for a Caronia-class cabin.

 

Another time we wanted to disembark a w/b crossing in Halifax rather than go on to New York. Cunard said to the TA it can't be done. This has been discussed a while back so I will cut to the end. The TA went up the ladder and our itinerary was amended. 

 

These two incidents alone would dissuade me from booking direct. I appreciate that other people have different experiences.

[renji]

On 10/13/2021 at 7:58 AM, RJChatsworth said:

We have this morning disembarked QE after a Round GB Voyage that departed Southampton on 1st October.  We were also on the first voyage after the pandemic on 13th August.  We were told then there was 65% occupancy.  On the one we have just got off we were told it was about 75% occupancy.  We were separately told there were 1320 passengers but I haven’t done the maths.  I believe they are ramping up the occupancy to 90% by the end of November.

 

 The most noticeable difference between the two voyages was getting in the lifts on this cruise with enhanced passenger numbers, still 4 only at a time. This morning they had removed the ‘4 limit’ and now the maximum per lift is back to 18 (it would be a miracle if you could get that number in standing!).  I was told today that the restricted numbers in the theatre was being lifted from today.  That’ll provide a one-third more seats but masks will continue to be worn.

 

During the last voyage masks had to be worn, but in public areas like the Queen’s Room, bars, restaurants and Garden Lounge (originally the Winter Gardens, I think) they could be taken off when sitting down.  This didn’t apply in the theatre.

 

We we’re not allowed off in ports without going on an a Cunard organised trip but I’m sure I have read this all changes from today although our Maitre d’ seemed unaware of it as of yesterday.

 

I understand Queen Victoria is being used for crew quarantining.

 

Round GB was a great voyage with very good weather except in Belfast and Greenock.  It was a shame we couldn’t go to Holyhead so missed going up Snowden on the railway.  Instead we cruised the south coasts of Cornwall and Devon passing close to the Eddystone Lighthouse.  For October, I was surprised to be able to spend so much time on the balcony in British waters.

One comment above caught my attention,  Does anyone know if it is still the case that we are only allowed off on a Cunard organized tour?  I ask because we are on the November 1 Canary Islands cruise which stops at Cadiz, and it seems a P&O passenger without COVID was removed and quarantined at a miserable Cadiz hotel because someone they had contact with (I believe at a dinner table) tested positive.  So we ought to avoid excursions and meals with other passengers given that the QE voyage stops in Cadiz and Lisbon?  We are trying to be very careful, will have boosters, I believe we get a table for two in PG and we will take a private car to Southampton, but I imagine any excursions in the prior stops could create an issue if someone else we had contact with tests positive.  I see very few outdoor or private excursions.  
 

I just checked the ports of call info on the Cunard website and it looked like only Lisbon requires a Cunard shore excursion, and neither Lisbon nor Spain requires a COVID test from vaccinated passengers. I am not entirely sure how to evaluate the risk of Cunard excursions given that other passenger’s experience.  Since Lisbon is the last stop, we seem at lower risk to take on excursion there…