Not-quite-Live < limited > cruise journal: QE (Q427) Alaska cruise: 10 night, 30 Aug – 9 Sep 2024 plus Vancouver pre & post

[Sugar Magnolia]

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

setting up a new & different eSim from GigSky that's reported to be compatible with RC ships - Cellular At Sea branding, ring a bell for you ?

 

I plan to try GigSky on the Sky. Couldn't be any worse than NCL WiFi.

 

[dexddd]

18 hours ago, exlondoner said:

Thank you so much for going to all this trouble.

 

I think an excuse that any form of potatoes is to source is really scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Well, how about constant dropping ports or reducing port times, after final payment, for environmental reasons, no joke.  Yet, for environmental reasons, Luna got announced yesterday.

[dexddd]

Other lower 48 news since you have to renew, option to do online passport renewal - not sure if live.

[JIMESOPUS]

19 minutes ago, dexddd said:

Well, how about constant dropping ports or reducing port times, after final payment, for environmental reasons, no joke.  Yet, for environmental reasons, Luna got announced yesterday.

Prima TA in April just made several changes

 

[mking8288]

What matters most with our "home" away from home for 10 nights ... onboard the QE: 

Housekeeping - Cunard's steward that serviced us gets an A for job well-done. Assigned and responsible for 17 cabins, all balconies or higher - servicing twice a day (unlike NCL) - ours cleaned by mid/late morning, especially when we are out & about for breakfast somewhere (or gone ashore, etc.)  Remembered to insert the "card" outside in the door/key slot to "clean or service our stateroom"

 

 

On both sea and port days, where we spend little to almost no time inside our stateroom between the major cabin servicing in the morning and evening, we declined and informed our steward to skip our cabin for turndown services ... but, he would still duck in - upon seeing us leave for late dinner downstairs - to place the Daily Programme & chocolate on the bed/pillow for us.  

 

Whenever towels were used and when he's in the cabin, replace & exchange them, worthy of extra recognition directly from us to say thanks.  Towel animals aren't common onboard Cunard, not something we expect or ask for either and we are fine with that.  

 

We leave plates, cups, utensils & dishes from Room Service in our cabin and he would take care of removing them  - not expected to leave them outside in the hallway or to call for someone from Room Service to come & clear them.  

 

The mini-refrigerator is larger, taller than the ones used by NCL, although they looked nearly identicial but clearly its capacity is bigger.  Room Services is free & complimentary, available 24/7 and a quick call away - and of course, morning hot/continental breakfast options by using the "Door Tag" hanger, leaving them outside the cabin by 1 AM.  With the water kettle, tea bags & instant powdered coffee, including decaf can be readily made ... plus 3 or 4 "tea biscuits" for those middle-of-the night "hunger"  About the item that we could've asked for, a daily bucket of ice but never saw the need for it - we did bring onboard several cans of soda & bottled water, purchased during our pre-cruise stay in Richmond/Vancouver, BC.

Feeling special for sure, even the twin nieces staying in the over-sized Inside cabin has bath robes & slippers in the closet, waiting for them ... and they had plenty of room, each in their own bed (split apart, not pushed together, as requested)  

 

As far as we are concerned, Cunard's "steerage" class is fine for frugal world travelers like us.  Looking at "last" minute QM2 TA crossing leaving from NY later this year ... the total prices aren't bad, not at all vs. flying sardine-like in a narrow & tight aluminum tin can with 2 engines. Checked !   @dexddd ... will have to renew my passport next month first, great if I can easily do it online, otherwise - the old fashion way.  

Edited September 21 by mking8288

[mking8288]

20 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

I plan to try GigSky on the Sky. Couldn't be any worse than NCL WiFi.

Always good to have an alternative in addition to the standard backup option ... while the Red Bull Mobile Data was good & worked onboard Cunard's QE, as it is listed among the 200 ships with coverage ... NCL and RCL ships aren't ... then, I stumbled upon GigSky, which is said to work at sea (as "cellular" roaming) and compatible.  There is a free 100 MB trial, similar to RedBull - going to try GigSky next week once we are at sea and/or - indirectly - connected to Rogers, Bell or other Canadian providers via ship's "connection" - possibly dividing usage between Voom onboad (day pass ??) and GS (a good "lifeline" ashore since Voom isn't good when out-of-range from the ship)

 

I put the eSim on the Google Pixel 7 Pro instead of the Samsung Galaxy S24, as P7P's chipset allows for hotspot/tethering, not an option for Susan's S22's or my newest S24.  Now that I have the iPhone on iOS 18, maybe will add GS's eSim to it.   Verified that my Visa Signature Card qualifies for 20% discount with any data plan so that's cool.  

 

RC just updated their prohibited rules banning the use of extension/adapter with multi-outlets (nothing to do with surge-suppressor) - very recently - going to leave those behind, with 3 usable outlet including one for 220V - I think we can manage fine, using higher output, fast USB charger.   

 

Going to leave the Sony Vaio NB computer home and take the Lenovo Chromebook (touchscreen) next week - HDMI output for "playing" - should result in a trimmer & lighter backpack for Station Zebra maritime use.  

 

 

16 hours ago, JIMESOPUS said:

Prima TA in April just made several changes

And, that is not the only Prima sailing with changes ... looked up the Prima NY-TX 15 days repo next January and ports getting dropped & times changed.  Then, those Bermuda stops being ... pom poms still getting waived, NCL can't do no wrong ... what more can we say over there.  Vote with the credit card, wallet and cash on putting down deposits, bookings - in how & where we spend our cruise dollars ...  

 

Near term, eyes on hurricane forecast & maritime storm systems ahead ... looks like rain gears are called for, oh well.  Unlikely that RC will repeat our NCL 2023 Fall cruise by dropping anchor off Staten Island to ride out the storm for 3 nights before returning to the Manhattan pier, one can hope for changes, right.  

Edited September 21 by mking8288

[JIMESOPUS]

@mking8288 FYI, Bon Voyage again !!!

[Sugar Magnolia]

26 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

RC just updated their prohibited rules banning the use of extension/adapter with multi-outlets (nothing to do with surge-suppressor)

 

I read about RC's multi-plug outlet ban and wondered whether NCL will follow. I know on the Sky there is one 110v outlet and one 220v outlet, so if NCL bans multi-plug outlets, there could be some fighting amongst family members or cabin mates for precious charging time. 😅

 

52 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Near term, eyes on hurricane forecast & maritime storm systems ahead ...Unlikely that RC will repeat our NCL 2023 Fall cruise by dropping anchor off Staten Island to ride out the storm for 3 nights before returning to the Manhattan pier, one can hope for changes, right.  

 

I remember when you were stranded off Staten Island but had forgotten that it was 3 nights. You took it in stride.

 

[mking8288]

There was a question about QE's casino, which according to SIL, has fewer than 75, maybe 50 slot machines at most ... and about 5 different, basic table games. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mking8288]

Behind the scene tour - Cunard does that too, $120 per person and lasting 3 hours, including the bridge ... less than NCL's prices for newer ships ($149 for the Prima) 

 

[mking8288]

Now that it is "T" minus 3 days and the QE is in the rear review mirror ... we are looking forward to our next cruise on Royal Caribbean.  

 

(Photo taken ... not photoshop'ed - in Juneau, AK while on a shared, private bus tour ... and the other ship happened to be a Royal Caribbean ship docked at the berth while QE was moved to anchorage in the harbor, returning passengers taking tendering lifeboats to board her.)

 

Just started the "Semi-Live or not ... Return to RC after 10+ years" report/blog over at the Royal board, link is below - in case some of you wish to read, follow and take a look later on.  This will form a triology causal comparative review between NCL, Cunard and Royal Caribbean ... and help chart and/or adjust - realign our future cruising plans - with another RC cruise booked next January and NCL next March (and, also in the Fall)   Had a long discussions with another niece's family plus the nephew.  

 

 

 

Edited Monday at 06:13 PM by mking8288

[cruiseny4life]

26 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Just started the "Semi-Live or not ... Return to RC after 10+ years" report/blog over at the Royal board,

Gosh, finally!!! I've been looking constantly to see if you had started it. I'm glad you to see you did...but I hope you know that even the fantastic @mking8288 (wheel of death, no tag) is allowed to take a break and just enjoy his cruise! 

[mking8288]

3 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Gosh, finally!!!  ... even the fantastic @mking8288 (wheel of death, no tag) is allowed to take a break and just enjoy his cruise! 

Hahaha ... aren't you 2 about to go cross-country.  Going to try ... yeah, been on pause b/c one of the other bro-in-law was in the ER last Monday, almost life-threatening & was finally discharged last night, sense of calm returning to the extended family circles (trust me, it is huge).  Meanwhile, other niece gave us insider's tips about RC to better prepare ... and something about their seafood buffet night & lobster tail in the MDR, complimentary - but we don't cruise for fine seafood & steakhouse dining at sea.  

 

And, for Jim on the Hudson, did you read about Carnival confiscating a Y-Tuber's mobile Starlink used as sea ... so much for that idea, huh.  But, I came across another backup plan to be "connected" at sea vs. just paying for Voom - wait & see.  

 

Maybe, I will just post 95% pictures and write as few as possible with the RC report, that'll be fun and leave the rest of you to comment and make things up ... I mean, CC'er fill in the missing info, haha.  

[Sugar Magnolia]

@mking8288 can you please post pics of your fastest and slowest speed tests from the QE. I plan to use them as discussion pieces with the nice folks at NCL's internet cafe. 

 

[mking8288]

1 hour ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

@mking8288 ... I plan to use them as discussion pieces with the nice folks at NCL's internet cafe. 

Oh 😯  you sure you want to take on that mission without backup ... careful about slippery floors, etc.

 

One set of results from the Epic, April's 2023 TA withOUT Starlink over WiFi

Edited Tuesday at 07:32 PM by mking8288

[Sugar Magnolia]

5 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Oh 😯  you sure you want to take on that mission without backup ... careful about slippery floors, etc.

 

 

 

One set of results from the Epic, April's 2023 TA withOUT Starlink over WiFi

 

Are these all NCL? I have plenty of those. I need the speed tests for QE to show what is possible. Thanks. 
 

[mking8288]

@Sugar Magnolia  One set with the Epic are NCL's numbers without Starlink ... the rest (triple & double pix) from Cunard's Queen Elizabeth recent cruise with Starlink onboard, somewhere over Alaska (user/server location misleading as we all know) tested from the Google Pixel 7 Pro.

 

I have 1 set of results from iPhone SE 2022 and more from the Samsung Galaxy S24 (2024) ... hold on as I get them "lined" up for your mission.

 

 

This is from the iPhone SE 2022 ... part of that complex calculus is the hardware in use ... results from Cunard's QE on Starlink WiFi

Edited Tuesday at 07:45 PM by mking8288

[mking8288]

Here are results from the Samsung Galaxy S24 - 

 

 

P.S.  -  Speedtest ID # showing on a number of them - if you reference & look them up, the full details including IP addresses, etc. are there, try to include as much as possible doing the screenshot imaging.  

 

One of the tab screen showing multiple test results, matching the details ... there are other test data - including test runs at the B&B, T-Mobile and Fios.  

 

AND, by this / next weekend with the RC cruise being taken ... will have Voom results as well for further comparison.  Keep in mind, these are for the basic unlimited/day plan and not the "premium, streaming plan or results against NCL"   Epic's non-Starlink speed (EMC as the satellite provider then) was actually "faster" which I found to be true also on the Joy, and Escape last year.  Prima's data connectivity with Starlink ... unacceptable, IMHO.  

Edited Tuesday at 08:01 PM by mking8288