QV charter flight

[exlondoner]

23 minutes ago, Big N said:

Is that good or bad?

[rog747]

FYI

BIG N

flights on sale with Jet2 
Rome FCO to BHX (Brum)  Flight Times - Mon 22 July 2024
Departs 12:25
Arrives 14:15    
Fares from just EUR 126 + baggage ( + seats + meals if required)

Perfect times for disembarking QV at Civitavecchia   

Edited June 12 by rog747

[Big N]

Thanks rog747 - perhaps Cunard could change us to that ? I’ll ask.

 

[D&N]

1 hour ago, Big N said:

 

No - it never crossed my mind they would entertain it! I told my TA and made my displeasure known but he never replied!

Perhaps I should ask him to check with Cunard and see if this is possible. (I won’t hold my breath but many thanks for the suggestion. Why didn’t I think of that?!)

Sounds as if you need to change your agent!

It's a shame you are not allowed to name agents here, as it would then let others know to avoid him. Not much point having an agent if they don't reply.

[Big N]

Oh it gets better! I chased him to contact Cunard earlier this afternoon, only to get an out of office until 30th June! Apparently, colleagues will pick it up but I’ve now gone direct to Cunard. “Can’t be doing with this messing around!”

[rog747]

14 hours ago, Big N said:

Oh it gets better! I chased him to contact Cunard earlier this afternoon, only to get an out of office until 30th June! Apparently, colleagues will pick it up but I’ve now gone direct to Cunard. “Can’t be doing with this messing around!”

Oh, in which case you thus need to speak to the Cunard 'flights Dept' ASAP to explain your predicament, and mention that your TA is away now for the rest of June.

Re the Jet2 FCO-BHX option 22/07 - this flight home works for you.

You could ask them to book you on Jet2 both ways as Jet2's flights times BHX-FCO-BHX work well for this cruise,

but I note you have booked a hotel at LGW the night before (is that cancellable and refundable ?) 

Birmingham Rome Round trip Economy Jet2

£578 for 2 persons (+ luggage + seats)
Mon, Jul 8 8:00 AM – 11:40 AM Jet2 BHX–FCO

Mon, Jul 22 12:25 PM – 2:15 PM Jet2 FCO–BHX

QV sails from Civitavecchia Port at 19.00
QV arrives at Civitavecchia around 05.30

Edited June 13 by rog747

[Big N]

Thank you for this. You have worked hard on this rog747 and I am very grateful.

I have now been in touch with Cunard Flight Department and I’m waiting for a response. (I’m travelling back from Spain today so communication with them may be a little disjointed!)

[Victoria2]

On 6/10/2024 at 11:03 PM, Big N said:

This is for QV from and to “Rome” on 8th to 22nd July.

I appreciate Poole Boy’s reasoning for the departure and arrival airports being different but I expect an organisation the size of Cunard to be able to organise these things rather better. There are a number of flights from Rome to Gatwick after 11:00am on 22nd July ( at least 15). I suspect the reason they have not been used is cost pure and simple.

So, lesson learned for those of us who don’t live near London (I’m in Warwickshire) - never again; I’ll make my own flight arrangements next time.

If you still want to keep the Cunard fly/cruise option but don't like the included flights, choose your own scheduling but have it bundled in with your cruise on the same booking. That's what we do if flying to meet the ship.

More expensive obviously than having a flight booking and the separate cruise booking but it keeps the fly/cruise element.

[Big N]

Update on my the absurdity of my departure flights from Gatwick and arrival flights into Heathrow:

 

In response to being asked about a more sensible routing for our flights, my TA was offered flights to and from Birmingham to Rome at a supplement of £235 each, which - taking into account what we had already paid - would mean paying Cunard £868 (£434 each) for return flights to and from Rome! 

I have politely declined and now oragnised a private transfer from LHR to LGW on our return for £85.

The lesson for me is, don't finalise your booking based on "London" being the flight departure and arrival point. On that basis, you could be leaving from Gatwick and coming back possibly to Luton or Stansted - both 72 miles away!  That would make the 40 odd mile distance between my deparfture and arrival points on thios ocassion look positively acceptable!