Questions about B2B crossings

[Ricardo_S]

With apologies in advance for possibly hi-jacking this thread (and double apologies as my questions must have been asked before; but I have searched and not found the answers).

 

I am considering a solo back-to-back TA on QM2, probably in the autumn/winter months (I like bad weather at sea!), and most likely Southampton - New York - Southampton. It's likely to be my first trip with Cunard (I do have a cruise booked on Queen Anne but have to cancel that due to a change in plans). 

 

1. What are the merits of a back-to-back booking vs two one-ways? I'm assuming that the b2b may be slightly cheaper, and perhaps more convenient re. US Immigration, luggage arrangements, etc?

2. On a back-to-back booking, is it ever possible to change cabins at the turn-around point? I'm thinking about a sheltered cabin, but trying to optimise for whatever sunshine might be available en-route!

 

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this board - it really is a wealth of knowledge and expertise!

 

[jazzyboom]

10 years ago we did a b2b from Southampton and it was very reasonably priced sheltered port side balcony 

 

On the return leg on departure from new york we asked about the possibility of upgrading and we were offered princess or queens grill

 

We opted for princess again at a very reasonable price to do. This was on the starboard side 

 

So we had a lot of sunshine on the port side and the starboard side 

 

It was an amazing journey because of these things 

 

[Host Hattie]

No need to apologise @Ricardo_S but I've moved your questions to a new thread. 

[Ricardo_S]

Thanks, @Host Hattie, much appreciated. 

[exlondoner]

I have never done this, but a couple of things.

 

Two separate bookings means you should get two lots of benefits, like obc.

I’m afraid it makes no difference to the tediousness of US immigration whatever you do.

 

 

[Winifred 22]

Price wise it may be cheaper to book 2 separate voyages that is only something you can find out if you do a dummy booking. I have lost the plot which crossings are 6/8 days as opposed to the standard 7/7 which may influence price. At the end of the day it would be down to cost and cabin availability. 

[Ricardo_S]

Thanks, @jazzyboom, that sounds like the ideal trip! And also thanks,  @exlondoner and @Winifred 22 - much appreciated.

 

As it happens, I am slowly losing the will to live with the Cunard web site right now... previously it gave me the price for a b2b TA just fine ... today, when I go to do the comparison between that and two one ways, the site prices up in $s, as if I'm in the USA (I'm not); and then when I proceed as if to make a cabin selection there's an odd looking error in the browser window, and I can't continue.

 

I've done the usual - closed the browser, waited and then tried again. Same thing. I love the internet, and think it's great. When it works. 

 

Sigh. 

 

I will try again later, and perhaps go via the travel agent I used to book my QA trip. I have yet to pay for that but now need to tell them I am cancelling. I know I will lose the booking deposit (except perhaps unless I rebook for a different Cunard trip; but even then I understand there is a one year limit, and I'm really only thinking of travelling at the back end of 2026).

 

Second sigh.

 

 

Edited Monday at 11:00 AM by Ricardo_S
added another thanks.

[exlondoner]

2 minutes ago, Ricardo_S said:

Thanks, @jazzyboom, that sounds like the ideal trip! And also thanks,  @exlondoner and @Winifred 22 - much appreciated.

 

As it happens, I am slowly losing the will to live with the Cunard web site right now... previously it gave me the price for a b2b TA just fine ... today, when I go to do the comparison between that and two one ways, the site prices up in $s, as if I'm in the USA (I'm not); and then when I proceed as if to make a cabin selection there's an odd looking error in the browser window, and I can't continue.

 

I've done the usual - closed the browser, waited and then tried again. Same thing. I love the internet, and think it's great. When it works. 

 

Sigh. 

 

I will try again later, and perhaps go via the travel agent I used to book my QA trip. I have yet to pay for that but now need to tell them I am cancelling. I know I will lose the booking deposit (except perhaps unless I rebook for a different Cunard trip; but even then I understand there is a one year limit, and I'm really only thinking of travelling at the back end of 2026).

 

Second sigh.

 

 

Might I suggest you definitely use a travel agent. It will save a lot of hassle in the long run. 😀

[Ricardo_S]

@exlondoner, You're right, of course. I was just hoping to talk to a TA feeling better informed. When I did the comparison earlier, I noticed that the Cunard fare was very slightly cheaper than the TA's for the same voyage; Cunard also wanted less by way of a deposit, which was also useful to know. That was ten days or so ago, and I wanted just to check if prices had changed any in the interim.

 

So, a call to the TA it is. But first, lunch.

 

🙂 

 

While we're here, another question, please: I've already booked and paid for specialty dining, a Wi-Fi package, etc. for my Queen Anne cruise - via myCunard. I assume that once I cancel the cruise itself via the TA, I will need to go back into myCunard to cancel those bookings and - I assume - get a refund. Does anyone know if that how this works? Or should I cancel the dining reservations first, then cancel the entire cruise?

 

Thoughts, etc., gratefully received!

 

[Winifred 22]

48 minutes ago, Ricardo_S said:

Thanks, @jazzyboom, that sounds like the ideal trip! And also thanks,  @exlondoner and @Winifred 22 - much appreciated.

 

As it happens, I am slowly losing the will to live with the Cunard web site right now... previously it gave me the price for a b2b TA just fine ... today, when I go to do the comparison between that and two one ways, the site prices up in $s, as if I'm in the USA (I'm not); and then when I proceed as if to make a cabin selection there's an odd looking error in the browser window, and I can't continue.

 

I've done the usual - closed the browser, waited and then tried again. Same thing. I love the internet, and think it's great. When it works. 

 

Sigh. 

 

I will try again later, and perhaps go via the travel agent I used to book my QA trip. I have yet to pay for that but now need to tell them I am cancelling. I know I will lose the booking deposit (except perhaps unless I rebook for a different Cunard trip; but even then I understand there is a one year limit, and I'm really only thinking of travelling at the back end of 2026).

 

Second sigh.

 

 

It’s one year from the original booking date not the date you try and move it. Don’t know if this helps. 

[Ricardo_S]

Oh, that is useful to know, thank you. 

 

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, Ricardo_S said:

@exlondoner, You're right, of course. I was just hoping to talk to a TA feeling better informed. When I did the comparison earlier, I noticed that the Cunard fare was very slightly cheaper than the TA's for the same voyage; Cunard also wanted less by way of a deposit, which was also useful to know. That was ten days or so ago, and I wanted just to check if prices had changed any in the interim.

 

So, a call to the TA it is. But first, lunch.

 

🙂 

 

While we're here, another question, please: I've already booked and paid for specialty dining, a Wi-Fi package, etc. for my Queen Anne cruise - via myCunard. I assume that once I cancel the cruise itself via the TA, I will need to go back into myCunard to cancel those bookings and - I assume - get a refund. Does anyone know if that how this works? Or should I cancel the dining reservations first, then cancel the entire cruise?

 

Thoughts, etc., gratefully received!

 

Get on to the TA, and get them to sort everything, including the cancellation and all its ramifications. And see if they’ll give you some extra obc because you are such a wonderful person. 🙂

[TheOldBear]

6 hours ago, Ricardo_S said:

With apologies in advance for possibly hi-jacking this thread (and double apologies as my questions must have been asked before; but I have searched and not found the answers).

 

I am considering a solo back-to-back TA on QM2, probably in the autumn/winter months (I like bad weather at sea!), and most likely Southampton - New York - Southampton. It's likely to be my first trip with Cunard (I do have a cruise booked on Queen Anne but have to cancel that due to a change in plans). 

 

1. What are the merits of a back-to-back booking vs two one-ways? I'm assuming that the b2b may be slightly cheaper, and perhaps more convenient re. US Immigration, luggage arrangements, etc?

We have done three round trip transatlantic sailings so far, with a fourth booked for this October.

 

It looks like most crossings only have one NYC 'turn around' day for in transit passengers (except for fourth of July and early autumn Canada side trips, and the november & new year's Caribbean side trips]. Sailing from NY we have had side trips to Hamburg, Norway, Normandy & Belgium [and have considered a western Med side trip] all as a single booking.

 

A round trip means a single 'voyage' - same booking number, stateroom [only unpack once, only pack once]. For World Club loyalty it only counts as a single booking. 

Two separate bookings would jump your WC tier - with some benefits [e.g. internet time] available on your *next* sailing. [your westbound cruise card will be 'red' indicating first timer, your westbound card will be 'silver' indicating at least one sailing]

Only Cunard's 'dynamic pricing engine' [and the upgrade fairy] would know if two bookings back to back or a single round trip booking would be cheaper [and today's prices might not be the same as next week's prices]. With 2 bookings you would have the option of two different room assignments [reports of assistance available for room changes vary]

 

The US DHS folks require the ship to be zeroed out before any eastbound passengers can embark - it does not matter if you are in transit [a rather spartan lounge space is set up in the terminal for passengers not wanting to venture into the city] but all passengers need to show a passport for 'arrival' paperwork [part of the 'zero out' tally].

 

 

6 hours ago, Ricardo_S said:

2. On a back-to-back booking, is it ever possible to change cabins at the turn-around point? I'm thinking about a sheltered cabin, but trying to optimise for whatever sunshine might be available en-route!

 

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this board - it really is a wealth of knowledge and expertise!

 

 

[ExArkie]

We booked a round trip QM2 transatlantic for December 2025 in PG going NY-UK-NY. The price booking it under a single reservation was about US$1,200 per person less than booking it as two one ways. Hence, our reason for booking the round trip. 

 

About ten years ago, we booked an eastbound TA on QE that was the last part of her world voyage. The trip was sold as a NY-UK crossing or as a FL-NY-UK crossing. It was not possible to book FL-NY, since that would have been a direct sailing between two US ports, but for the purpose of the World Cruise, it was counted as a separate segment.  
 

Booking from Fort Lauderdale to Southampton was three days longer and less than US$300 more expensive than booking from New York, so we did the longer version. 
 

For calculating World Club status, the two-legs-booked-as-one-trip counted as a single voyage. The Wi-Fi benefit, though, (at that time, a certain number of minutes was free for differing CWC levels) was reset in New York, such that for the purposes of that benefit, the trip counted as two voyages. 
 

This may have changed in the intervening years. 

Edited yesterday at 02:58 PM by ExArkie
Clarification

[Ricardo_S]

Thanks to all - including @TheOldBear and @ExArkie for sharing such useful information; it's much appreciated.

 

After a bit of back and forth with the TA, the conclusion was that rebooking for the same cruise on the QA in November next year seemed the best option. It's slightly more expensive, but at least I won't lose my deposit (the agent kindly waived the rebooking fee, although I suspect this might be general custom and practice). However, I seem to have secured some additional OBC, which is nice. I've been assured that whatever I've already paid for the wifi package, etc., for this year's voyage will be refunded automatically by Cunard.

 

The TA's advice on the trans-Atlantic two one-ways versus round trip was that the round trip was indeed the better option - "cheaper," they said, and, as pointed out above, it avoids the hassle of the additional check-out/check-in process. 

 

In any case, the info kindly provided by everyone on this thread has given me lots of ideas for future travel options - thank you all!