QM2, 2 - 9 June, 2024 - Complete Change of Itinerary

[Kynance]

I received a very interesting email from Cunard this morning - in a nutshell, it said the QM2 was no longer able to call at Oslo on 5 & 6 June and that after “careful review”, the impact of the change means the ship will also be unable to visit Skagen & Kristiansand as originally planned. The replacement ports are Skjolden, Olden & Zeebrugge. We’ve lost a port day - this seems to have been replaced by a “cruise by” of Hardangerfjord.  Cunard didn’t give a reason for the change so I don’t know whether it’s down to the same reason she is no longer able to call at Flam or Geiranger. They are offering each passenger $100 OBC as a goodwill gesture. Added to what we had already, that now makes $275 each for the week which isn’t bad I suppose. I did book this trip specifically for the Oslo overnighter so it’s a bit disappointing and Zeebrugge is a bit boring as a replacement but I guess these things happen and we are still going to Norway and on this ship, so at least it’s not the complete write off we had when we last intended to cruise to Norway - May 2020 was cancelled for obvious reasons. 
 

Anyway, I just thought I would share this info out of interest and ask the question - has anyone else ever booked a cruise with Cunard and then had a complete change of itinerary before sailing? I’m sure this must have happened before…

[Underwatr]

I've had some Caribbean ports re-ordered and substituted to reduce the number of other ships we'd be sharing ports with. I never considered that to be a "complete" change of itinerary.

Of course when the ports change the port charges assessed change as well. When it happens after embarkation (I've missed Antigua once or twice because the wind and waves were too high for safe tendering ashore), a reduction in port charges is paid back via refundable onboard credit but I think you have to be proactive and request a refund - or simply increase your onboard spending an appropriate amount.

[Ray66]

Apart from Zeebrugge, I think the other two ports are actually an improvement as they are the fjords proper which the original itinerary wasn't. There are also glaciers to be seen.

 

We've also had itinerary changes a few times both before and during cruises but not a complete cruise change.

[TheOldBear]

We had last year's Norway sailing changed in mid cruise, due to predicted inclement weather [sleet] in Stavanger and Alesund - we had a extra sea day then a Zeebruge port visit

[bluemarble]

4 hours ago, Kynance said:

Anyway, I just thought I would share this info out of interest and ask the question - has anyone else ever booked a cruise with Cunard and then had a complete change of itinerary before sailing? I’m sure this must have happened before…

 

There is one recent example of a completely changed itinerary before sailing I am aware of. Because of New Zealand's biosecurity regulations requiring a cleaning of QE's hull, QE's cruise to New Zealand this past February was changed to a cruise entirely within Australia instead. There was only a day or two advance notice of this itinerary change but it was made prior to sailing.

 

Here is the original itinerary.

14 Feb 2023 - Melbourne

17 Feb 2023 - Fiordland National Park

18 Feb 2023 - Dunedin

19 Feb 2023 - Christchurch (Lyttelton)

20 Feb 2023 - Wellington

22 Feb 2023 - Auckland

23 Feb 2023 - Bay of Islands

27 Feb 2023 - Melbourne

 

Here is the revised itinerary.

14 Feb 2023 - Melbourne
16 Feb 2023 - Eden
18 Feb 2023 - Brisbane
20 Feb 2023 - Port Douglas
21 Feb 2023 - Cairns
25 Feb 2023 - Sydney
27 Feb 2023 - Melbourne

[Kynance]

6 hours ago, Ray66 said:

Apart from Zeebrugge, I think the other two ports are actually an improvement as they are the fjords proper which the original itinerary wasn't. There are also glaciers to be seen.

 

We've also had itinerary changes a few times both before and during cruises but not a complete cruise change.

Yes, whilst I have been to Olden twice before I’m looking forward to trying out the sky lift ride and Skjolden will be new. I have been to Kristiansand before but not to Skagen. I do agree with you that we probably have two very scenic replacements with Zeebrugge making up the numbers a bit.  We are also there the day before we get back to Southampton and I would have preferred a relaxing sea day, but there we are, that’s really not much to complain about in the great scheme of things. 
 

Funnily enough - we all know how clunky Cunard’s website can be but when I checked last night they were still advertising the original itinerary - however, when you clicked on “list view” to see the ports, it showed you the revised schedule!

 

I’m still happy to have a trip booked for next year - not sure how others who booked this may be feeling - perhaps if they drop out the elusive upgrade fairy may visit and reward my patience and understanding! 😀🤣

[tacticalbanjo]

I'm also booked on this and a bit miffed.  Sure it might have been billed as a fjords cruise but it was the overnight in Oslo I booked for. I've been to Olden and Zeebrugge before (and Bruges more times than I can count) so it's a fairly boring itinerary for me now. 

 

I probably won't cancel because I don't want the hassle of finding another trip at that time of the year for the right price but I am disappointed.

[exlondoner]

If you haven’t been to Ghent, it is worth a visit from Zeebrugge.

[AussieVoyager]

10 hours ago, bluemarble said:

 

There is one recent example of a completely changed itinerary before sailing I am aware of. Because of New Zealand's biosecurity regulations requiring a cleaning of QE's hull, QE's cruise to New Zealand this past February was changed to a cruise entirely within Australia instead. There was only a day or two advance notice of this itinerary change but it was made prior to sailing.

 

Here is the original itinerary.

14 Feb 2023 - Melbourne

17 Feb 2023 - Fiordland National Park

18 Feb 2023 - Dunedin

19 Feb 2023 - Christchurch (Lyttelton)

20 Feb 2023 - Wellington

22 Feb 2023 - Auckland

23 Feb 2023 - Bay of Islands

27 Feb 2023 - Melbourne

 

Here is the revised itinerary.

14 Feb 2023 - Melbourne
16 Feb 2023 - Eden
18 Feb 2023 - Brisbane
20 Feb 2023 - Port Douglas
21 Feb 2023 - Cairns
25 Feb 2023 - Sydney
27 Feb 2023 - Melbourne

Yes, I was on this sailing. I received the notice of change about 1pm on the day before embarkation. 

[WantedOnVoyage]

We had a port substitution two weeks ago on QV from Mykonos to Iraklion which was done with 24 hours notice and very well handled I must say. This was for weather conditions. 

 

But... why on earth would "they" cancel an overnight call at Oslo of all places?? That would be a huge draw to me, too, if I were on this cruise and without it changes the character of it entirely.. well at least to me.  $100 OBC credit in lieu of?  Surely they are kidding. The approach to Oslo via the Oslo Fjord is simply wonderful and the city is utterly charming. A overnight there would have been delightful. 

 

I am glad I saw so much of Norway by ship in the 1980s and the last time was in QE2 in 1994.  It was still an relatively unspoilt cruising idyll.  

[Victoria2]

3 minutes ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

We had a port substitution two weeks ago on QV from Mykonos to Iraklion which was done with 24 hours notice and very well handled I must say. This was for weather conditions. 

 

But... why on earth would "they" cancel an overnight call at Oslo of all places?? That would be a huge draw to me, too, if I were on this cruise and without it changes the character of it entirely.. well at least to me.  $100 OBC credit in lieu of?  Surely they are kidding. The approach to Oslo via the Oslo Fjord is simply wonderful and the city is utterly charming. A overnight there would have been delightful. 

 

I am glad I saw so much of Norway by ship in the 1980s and the last time was in QE2 in 1994.  It was still an relatively unspoilt cruising idyll.  

It certainly is and I was up at five am on the balcony with my coffee, to watch, listen and yes, smell it all. The pine smell was fantastic.

[Kynance]

@tacticalbanjo - I suspect quite a few of us who booked this trip did so specifically for the overnight in Oslo, so appreciate your disappointment as I was looking forward to completing my set of Scandinavian capital cities and this seemed to be an ideal way to do that. I agree about the hassle of transferring to another booking - I got a good deal in the September sale so I’d probably lose the benefit of that if I looked for another sailing and if I recall, the options for Southampton round trips next year are fairly limited, unless you look  at the Queen Anne (I’ve decided to wait and see actual photos & the reviews before booking on her.) 

[WantedOnVoyage]

FYI

 

https://www.newsinenglish.no/2023/07/03/cruise-crackdown-gets-underway/

 

Alas, look for this to continue... and I cannot really blame them.  A far cry from VISTAFJORD docked in her homeport next to the Akerhus Castle back in May 1983 when I was aboard.

 

These monster ships are going to destroy themselves and cruising at this rate....

Edited October 27, 2023 by WantedOnVoyage

[kitkat343]

4 hours ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

FYI

 

https://www.newsinenglish.no/2023/07/03/cruise-crackdown-gets-underway/

 

Alas, look for this to continue... and I cannot really blame them.  A far cry from VISTAFJORD docked in her homeport next to the Akerhus Castle back in May 1983 when I was aboard.

 

These monster ships are going to destroy themselves and cruising at this rate....

I've sailed the coral princess twice and never noticed they played the love boat song!  I think we can definitely cut that if it is annoying people in port!

 

Also, to the people on this cruise, Olden is a great port - the Loen Skylift is amazing on a clear day, and we also did the Briskdal Glacier in the same day - the glacier has been hit hard by global warming, but there was a very scenic bus drive and hike to it, so if you are prepared for a very small glacier it will be quite lovely.  There are troll cars you can rent if you can't hike, which leave you with a short, flat hike to the glacier.  My 2 year old was surprisingly able to make it.  Olden Adventures did a great job of providing transportation to both attractions.

[tacticalbanjo]

5 hours ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

FYI

 

https://www.newsinenglish.no/2023/07/03/cruise-crackdown-gets-underway/

 

Alas, look for this to continue... and I cannot really blame them.  A far cry from VISTAFJORD docked in her homeport next to the Akerhus Castle back in May 1983 when I was aboard.

 

These monster ships are going to destroy themselves and cruising at this rate....

Cruise ships have been docking outside the city centre since June though (and calls presumably rearranged in advance of the 2023 season) so you'd have thought that Cunard would have known some time ago that they wouldn't be able to call at Oslo.

[sogne]

2 hours ago, tacticalbanjo said:

Cruise ships have been docking outside the city centre since June though (and calls presumably rearranged in advance of the 2023 season) so you'd have thought that Cunard would have known some time ago that they wouldn't be able to call at Oslo.

They have to find and confirm new ports  before any announcement.

[exlondoner]

What with avoiding Russia, avoiding the Black Sea, not being too keen on North Africa, being banished from Venice, and perhaps other ports, it must be getting harde and harder for the shipping companies to put together itineraries.

[WantedOnVoyage]

Copenhagen has done the same thing as Oslo... no more berthing right in the centre, indeed near the "LIttle Mermaid" statute. They put cruise ships way out of the city centre and it was an hour in each direct transfer (wait and journey time) in each direction on QV in May.

 

Cruising has completely changed in character, quantity and quality over the past 20 years and alas with increasing consequences for everyone be it Oslo, Copenhagen, Santorini or Venice.  I've been enjoying sea holidays since 1974 and have 65 cruises/crossings under my belt but like the residents of these "ports of call," appreciate their being fed up and share many of their turn offs with a product gone... mad. 

Edited October 27, 2023 by WantedOnVoyage

[tacticalbanjo]

1 hour ago, sogne said:

They have to find and confirm new ports  before any announcement.

Of course. But it still amounts to Cunard selling a product that it knew it could not fulfil if it has waited until it had a replacement itinerary before announcing the change. 

5 hours ago, kitkat343 said:

I've sailed the coral princess twice and never noticed they played the love boat song!  I think we can definitely cut that if it is annoying people in port!

 

Also, to the people on this cruise, Olden is a great port - the Loen Skylift is amazing on a clear day, and we also did the Briskdal Glacier in the same day - the glacier has been hit hard by global warming, but there was a very scenic bus drive and hike to it, so if you are prepared for a very small glacier it will be quite lovely.  There are troll cars you can rent if you can't hike, which leave you with a short, flat hike to the glacier.  My 2 year old was surprisingly able to make it.  Olden Adventures did a great job of providing transportation to both attractions.

Did Olden Adventures supply you with an appropriate child restraint? I'll have my 2 year old and I'm not keen on taking her on vehicles without a car seat. 

[sogne]

They have to find and confirm new ports  before any announcement.

Of course. But it still amounts to Cunard selling a product that it knew it could not fulfil if it has waited until it had a replacement itinerary before announcing the change.

 

 

this cruise went on sale Feb 22 and would have been planned sometime before that when Oslo was still an option and before any restrictions were  put in place. 

[Pushpit]

7 hours ago, exlondoner said:

What with avoiding Russia, avoiding the Black Sea, not being too keen on North Africa, being banished from Venice, and perhaps other ports, it must be getting harde and harder for the shipping companies to put together itineraries.

It's a good point, but I also see it as an opportunity. There must be places that Cunard could add, new places, but they just know that adding Venice or Oslo will simply sell tickets, so why bother? If no-one can go there, then it's time to do the hard work and market different places and new experiences. At the moment there is a fair charge of Cunard being somewhat formulaic in their schedules.

[exlondoner]

More Morocco ports would be a good start.

[Pushpit]

31 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

More Morocco ports would be a good start.

That indeed was one that went through my mind, plus Tunisia. Parts of Algeria are safe too, such as Annaba (formerly Bône).

[exlondoner]

2 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

That indeed was one that went through my mind, plus Tunisia. Parts of Algeria are safe too, such as Annaba (formerly Bône).

Where my father landed in 1942.

[Winifred 22]

4 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Where my father landed in 1942.

My mother was stationed in Algeria during the war. I would love to visit the places she talked about.