Beware Cunard Transfers from Red Hook...

[lansonlady]

We were on the Rio to New York QM2 Cruise arriving at Red Hook on 15th April.

 

We recieved a letter in our cabin a few days before disembarkation notifying us that we wouldn't be disembarking at Manhattan but rather at the brand new Red Hook Terminal.

 

We went to enquire about the anticipated provision of taxis to transport passengers to their New York Hotels/Airports.

 

We were referred immediately to the Tour Staff. We were told by them that Cunard had no idea what the provision of taxis would be as it was their first time in the terminal. I asked if Cunard had contracted with any Taxi companies and was told they hadn't. We were told that Cunard were not happy with the change of location but that the New York Authorities had insisted on the change due to the threat of a large ship being bombed.

 

They asked about the size of our party (4) and said that they didn't think there would be any yellow cabs but there may be some black cabs (?) They added that the back cabs were not as big as the yellow ones and they doubted one cab would accomodate all our party and luggage.

 

We enquired about Cunard Transfers. We were told that the most cost effective way of transferring to our hotel was by bus at a cost of $19 per person. I asked if we would be taken to our hotel and was told that they weren't sure. They said that it might be that the bus would drop us in Manhattan, somewhere close to the hotels, and we may then need to take a cab to our hotel.

 

We were not impressed.

 

It was our first time in New York, with two children, 4 suitcases, 4 heavy pieces of hand luggage, 1 laptop and a handbag! - we paid the $76 and decided to take our chances with Cunard.

 

We were told we would be called to disembark at 9.50am. It was approx 10.40am when we set foot on the ground. We were amongst the last passengers to disembark and when we entered the terminal building our 4 cases stood lonely waiting for us, so no problems there. We walked straight through immigration with a cheery smile from the official and a warm welcome from all the staff ushering passengers through the building.

 

When we got outside there was confusion, anxiety and... wet paint! Passengers were wandering around trying to find Cunard buses and people we had met on the ship were stood around becoming very anxious about where they should go.

 

That said - we found our bus without too much hassle and boarded no later than 11.15am. We then sat and waited, and waited, and waited...

 

Eventually a Cunard representative boarded the bus an delivered a luke warm apology for our delay. He then tried to confirm the drop off points for everyone on the bus. At least 4 hotels were missing from the list and our driver, Fitz, was getting more irritated by the minute. (He had been there waiting with his bus from 6.30am that morning)

 

When the Cunard Rep retreated (with great haste) Fitz was left to deal with the problem. He apologised in advance for the fact that none of the luggage had been put on the bus in any kind of order which meant at each drop off he would have to search the luggage hold which might take quite a bit of time. He told his he knew NY pretty well, but that even he might struggle to find everyones hotel and asked us all to stop him when he reached the vicinity of our hotels ( The rumble through the bus was - How on earth are we expected to know where our hotels are????)

 

We reached our hotel at 2.40pm - some 4 hours after leaving the ship - With no toilet stops!!!

 

When we got off the bus there were still about 8 people to drop off...

[guernseyguy]

We were told that Cunard were not happy with the change of location but that the New York Authorities had insisted on the change due to the threat of a large ship being bombed.

 

Oh well, Cunard Cruise Travel rep clueless.....no change there then......so I guess the New York Authorities are happy to have NCL or HAL ships bombed.......:rolleyes:

 

Sorry about the trouble with your transfer - and whatever Cunard say about the reasons for moving to Brooklyn - Cunard transfers are Cunard's responsibility........

 

Peter

[smeyer418]

The QM 2 is a much bigger target(pardon the pun). Its also very British our one stauch partner in Iraq. So they have reason to be concerned about it. RC left voluntarily for Bayonne because Manhattan was such a hassle. I do think that once the renovation(to the Manhattan cruise terminal) is complete some of the ships will move back but not the Queen Mary.

 

I am sorry for the problems. There almost always are when something new opens(remember the Denver Airport and DFW when it opened). I expect you will see improvement in operations over the next few months.

 

Also NY cabs can carry four people but have little luggage space.

[mufi]

Why would she be less of a target at Red Hook than in Manhattan?

 

David.

[smeyer418]

Its a more secure area and bcause governors Island is accross the way, its easier to block the channel for boats coming at her. This is especially true since her butt stuck out into the harbor in Manhattan. I do think the alure of a new pier which Cunard would be almost the only one had something to do with it. Finally the British won the Battle of Long Island(which Brooklyn is the western most part) has something to do with it---what exactly I don't know...

[Glenndale]

Hello there Lansonlady.

We were obviously luckier than you being the second drop off. As you say, the driver didn't have any route worked out, presumably due to lack of information from Cunard - and as to us knowing where the hotels were - fat chance! We did our best with the co-ordinates but he had a lot to put up with.

We're only glad we changed from the Hudson Hotel, otherwise we would still have been on the bus at 3pm!

We were able to check in straight away and after a quick freshen up in the hotel, hit the streets of New York, so much to see - so little time.

As we were walking up 5th Avenue we saw our bus dropping people off, this was around 2:10pm so you must still have been on the bus at this point, sitting with legs tightly crossed no doubt!

Total shambles is an understatement - if only we'd carried our own luggage off.

We really enjoyed our time in New York and will have to find time for another visit to see all that we couldn't fit in.

I noticed on another thread that you are writing to Cunard again re the changes - keep us up to speed with your progress please.

My skin is flaking off big time at the moment and the 'toasted' bits are itching like crazy - that'll teach me!

Take care and keep posting.

[travel-to-go]

My skin is flaking off big time at the moment and the 'toasted' bits are itching like crazy - that'll teach me!

Take care and keep posting.

 

Glenndale-

<LOL> you have my sympathy- I put off seeing a doctor for winter dry skin, feeling I was being silly. Until I scratched myself to bleeding. Now I'm on (ugh) prednisone and prescription cortico-steroids and antibiotics. That'll teach ME!)

 

WEAR MITTENS!

Or if you feel silly doing that, get Eucerin creme. It's expensive, but slathers on thick. Get some cortaid or something for the itching. The Eucerin is specially formulated with no perfumes or anything, It feels cooling- If you are burning you also might try something like noxcema. Anything with menthol or anything like that in it should work to numb the itching. Gold Bond medicated cream works particularly well for that. Use it often to keep from scratching. It is amazing an only takes a minute or two to start working.

 

You need to keep that color so you can show off to all your friends back home! It doesn't do any good if you scratch all the newly colored skin off! <G>

 

Karie,

Who knows whereof she speaks! Good luck.

 

P.S. Lanson lady- Still looking to find Lanson Champagne here!

I'll toast to you when I find it! Heck, maybe I'll toast your trip and you health over my (cheap) St Hilaire! Which I understand Robert Parker (Which happens to be my father's name) recommends heartily!

[Bollinge]

Of course there is no more "bomb risk" in Red Hook than on on the West Side piers where Cunard have been berthing for centuries. Carnival have moved to Brooklyn cause it's cheaper and they bought the piers.

 

This is all part of the nationwide post- "9/11" paranoia which has pervaded the USA ever since.

 

It is akin to the mentality in Britain during the Second World War (when we really were at war), whereby every shortcoming and deficiency in everyday life could be explained away by the glib remark "Don't you know there is a war on?"

 

Now every liberty is surrendered on the altar of 9/11, down to the fingerprinting and biometric scanning of your guests, yet you acknowledge you have at least 12 million illegal immigrants all due for a green card. Do any of them have terrorist aspirations?

 

Some for sure.

[berry22192]

Now every liberty is surrendered on the altar of 9/11, down to the fingerprinting and biometric scanning of your guests, yet you acknowledge you have at least 12 million illegal immigrants all due for a green card. Do any of them have terrorist aspirations?

.

 

Not every liberty has been surrendered on the altar of 9/11. It's bad but not that bad. The fingerprinting and biometric scanning of our guests is done, at least, in the open and with forewarning. The bigger worry is the warrant-less monitoring of citizen's phone conversations and internet traffic (and who knows what else).

 

Chris (who would love a little judicial review and legislative oversight right now).

[greatam]

The bigger worry is the warrant-less monitoring of citizen's phone conversations and internet traffic (and who knows what else).

 

Chris (who would love a little judicial review and legislative oversight right now).

 

PLEEEEAZE!!!

 

Do you really think anyone cares about your phone call to Aunt Tillie? Or someone calling their mistress???

 

The latest apprehensions of terrorists have been AMERICAN born or naturalized US citizens. Fresno, Modesto, state of Georgia, Florida.

 

Do you really think a warrant will do any good to monitor phone traffic? With throw away cell phones, purchased at any convenience store, getting a warrant to monitor those calls is pointless. Do you really think they are calling from a home phone or cell phone registered in their name??? Not much of a chance. If they are, an episode of "America's Dumbest Criminals" is in order.

 

Further legislative oversight will just prove that all who are calling for such oversight will only have to "come clean" with the FACT that THEY knew this was happening and OK'd it.

 

Bollinge is correct. It boiled down pure and simply to MONEY. Carnival got LARGE tax breaks moving to Brooklyn. And they got cheap (by NYC standards) property.

[LunchCompanion]

I'll add more to the rumor mill here.

I was on the QM2 last year and was told the muck at Pier 88-92 was too difficult to keep dredged and the QM2 often had to settle into it while it waited to disembark and embark guests. The Brooklyn dock had been dredged clean many times for ships of the draft of the QM2.

I further heard that Carnival had wanted to build a new port in Brooklyn for the QM2 debut in 2004, but previous New York City administrations had turned Carnival down.

A settlement apparently was reached after Carnival bought Princess and Princess designers found a cheaper, and quicker, alternative to a new port by refurbishing and putting a new facade on Pier 12 in Brooklyn. The Princess design solved the muck dilemma and would be built in time for the Crown Princess debut this June.

Bloomberg felt forced into the Princess design because of the sucess of the Cape Liberty Cruise Port across New York Bay in New Jersey. Bloomberg didnt want any more business leaving New York and going to New Jersey.

[travel-to-go]

PLEEEEAZE!!!

 

Do you really think anyone cares about your phone call to Aunt Tillie? Or someone calling their mistress???

 

Do you really think a warrant will do any good to monitor phone traffic? With throw away cell phones, purchased at any convenience store, getting a warrant to monitor those calls is pointless. Do you really think they are calling from a home phone or cell phone registered in their name??? Not much of a chance. If they are, an episode of "America's Dumbest Criminals" is in order.

 

Are you saying that it has never happened that someone in US government service has used their (secret, or warrantless) abilities to do something that is no quite kosher? Such as spy on a political rival, or some of the excesses of the VietNam War era? That never will it happen that someone might take their new-found powers and use them for more-than their intended purposes? Heck, we've had several recent cases of authorities- Bad cops or what-have-you, stalking ex-girlfreinds, using NCIC computers to find out whose car was parked in front of their ex-wives' houses and then harrass them. We have recently had several incidents of state troopers who stalked and killed someone. And no, our state troopers aren't any worse than anyone else's authorities. No one knows if someone previously upstanding may snap in a fit of jealousy.

 

And as for the "Throw-away cell phones." I have had to track some of those throw-aways when they have made 911 calls or other situations. I've tracked a potential suicide, (and got help to him, I might add- got him to the hospital) and someone who threatened a judge. It could just as well have been something more nefarious and far-ranging.

 

Karie,

who no longer believes that government always has our best interests at heart, and that even if they did, sometimes people believe things wrongly, or are misguided.

[greatam]

Are you saying that it has never happened that someone in US government service has used their (secret, or warrantless) abilities to do something that is no quite kosher?

Never said that. But I truly don't believe that warrantless "eavesdropping" of phones by NSA is directed at Mom and Pop America. And I really would like to hear another option.

 

Let's see

1. Go to the FISA court-hmmm-FISA cannot act fast enough to get the warrant "while the crime is being committed". If it is just a single conversation, on one throw away phone, you have just lost the information by going to FISA.

2. Depend on the FBI-the powers that be don't even listen to their own senior agents-RE:Collen Rowley

http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101020603/memo.html

 

3. We really have very few ways to inflitrate terrorist "cells" operating in the US. White Americans just don't fit into the program. Not like infiltrating bikers, gang bangers, or white collar criminals. It is highly unlikely that the two arrested out of Georgia were hanging around with your average, everyday white American. So intercepted phone calls would be one of the FEW ways to capture them. Getting a warrant on "lightweight" evidence would never get through FISA. FISA can only see fit to issue warrants for "big fish/big deals". I am NOT saying that these two were arrested as a result of intercepted phone calls, but there are few other possibilities. If the second one hadn't ratted on the first one, neither would probably be in custody. http//www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/21/AR2006042101746.html

Such as spy on a political rival, or some of the excesses of the VietNam War era?

As one who was heavily involved, both pro and con, during the Vietnam War, you can blame that on J Edgar

And as for the "Throw-away cell phones."

I have had to track some of those throw-aways when they have made 911 calls or other situations.

The whole point of a throw away phone is to THROW IT AWAY, especially if you are using it for criminal or terrorist purposes. Again, if the wrondoer keeps the phone, please sign them up for "America's Dumbest Criminals"

that even if they did, sometimes people believe things wrongly, or are misguided.

 

I do not "believe things wrongly" and I certainly am not "misguided". I believe strongly that in a lot of circumstances, you can only catch criminals/terrorists with "under the table" actions. I applaud those actions whole heartedly. Wow, did we drag this thread far afield. Sorry, everyone.

[travel-to-go]

 

As one who was heavily involved, both pro and con, during the Vietnam War, you can blame that on J Edgar

But do you think he would have worn denim on formal night? Or would he have worn a full length gown <snicker>

I do not "believe things wrongly" and I certainly am not "misguided". I believe strongly that in a lot of circumstances, you can only catch criminals/terrorists with "under the table" actions. I applaud those actions whole heartedly. Wow, did we drag this thread far afield. Sorry, everyone.

 

I am sorry, Greatam,

I do respect your opinions, though we sometimes disagree. I was not referring to you here. I was trying to say nicely (without getting into political battles) that there are political figures that I think have their heads up their....um, ideologies. While many folks cling strongly to a particular ideology, for whatever reason (some good, some selfish or bad) we certainly do not all agree, and there are those who might have a particular agenda, which they think is very important and right, and which they feel warrants certain actions, which others might strongly and righfully vehemently oppose. By the same token, I am most certain there are many people out there who think that the things that I think are important, relevant, moral and right, are quite the opposite, and might go to some length to fight against those who feel as I do on certain subjects.

But I apologize, I did not mean to, in any way, makes it seem I was talking about you. Not at all.

 

Karie,

who is opening her mouth right now to change feet!

[alfiemom]

Well, politics aside......

 

We purchased Cunard transfers from the airport TO Red Hook and thought is was very poorly handled.

 

We were told that we MUST arrive at LaGuardia before 11 am for the transfer. So, up at 4:30 am to get the 8:00 am flight out of O'Hare. We arrived on time, claimed our luggage and began the search for "Cunard."

 

Fortunately, I saw the luggage tags on someone's suitcase who was sitting with a group of 20+ people. Still no "Cunard" sign or anything. Finally, from the seats come a lady who is carrying the sign. She knows nothing, only that we should wait there with the others. After 15 minutes, are REAL Cunard perosn comes to tell us that the bus has arrived, but there is not room for all of us and he's taking the one "tour" group from Japan. OUR bus would arrive in a few minutes.

 

Needless to say that we were upset when, after 1 hour, nothing came. The Cunard lady knew nothing, either, as she explained that she was a temp called at 4:30 that morning to work the airport. Something she had never done.

 

Before the bus arrived, another couple came off of a Chicago plane. It was well after 11 am. They weren't told to be there early and didn't have to get up while it was dark.

 

The bus finally arrived and we were herded on. The parting words of the Cunard rep to the bus drivers was "...and you have your map, right?" Comforting.

 

We were in a school bus...yes, school bus, with non school colors painted on it. The ride, however, was very school bus, not tour bus-like. We made it to Brooklyn and, fortunately, saw the blue signs to the Brooklyn Pier. In fact, we saw them, the driver didn't and a group of passengers had to direct him.

 

Once we finally got to the pier, it was a breeze....on in less than 1/2 hour.

 

Cunard should have their acts together even under Carnival. Their California reps don't know that first thing about what is happening on or around the ships.

 

Southampton arrival was a treat and the ride to Heathrow very nice. Fortunately, we didn't listen to the Cunard rep who called our TA 2 days before we left saying that they wouldn't honor our transfers since our plane left at 3:40 pm. This person actually said that the buses don't get to Heathrow until 4 PM. Well, now only were we 2 hours early getting to Southampton, but we were off the ship and in our bus by 10 am. Actually, we were at Heathrow and through security by 11:50 am.

 

Someone in California better get their hats on straight. No one there knows what's happening.

[lansonlady]

Hello there Lansonlady.

Total shambles is an understatement - if only we'd carried our own luggage off.

We really enjoyed our time in New York and will have to find time for another visit to see all that we couldn't fit in.

I noticed on another thread that you are writing to Cunard again re the changes - keep us up to speed with your progress please.

 

Hi Again Glendale - Sorry to have taken such a long time to reply but I am still catching up on the laundry, work and showing off my tan to anyone who shows any interest and will listen to my holiday stories!!!!! My computer is on the blink and our photographs won't download, so unfortunately (or fortunately) I can't bore all my friends with the 240 (!!!!!!!!!) images we managed to capture on our Brazilian, QM2, New York adventure!

 

Too right about the Cunard transfer - If only we had just gone it alone as we had planned to! Our problems just got worse when we got to the hotel (- Crowne Plaza Time Square!) We went to check in and were greeted by a very beautiful receptionist with a beaming smile and a lovely New York welcome...but her smile vapourised before our eyes when she checked our booking. There wasn't a room for us!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The Reservations Manager Micheal, explained at great length what the problem was and presented his suggested solution. However - he didn't know that we had just spent the best part of 4 hours on a coach riding round and round the same streets trying to find an assortment of hotels for fellow QM2'ers. We were very grumpy and in no mood for getting a cab and moving to another hotel for the night....but we had no choice, unless we wanted to sleep in the lobby! So we were off again - luggage, and kids crammed into a yellow cab and off to the Roosevelt hotel!

 

When we returned to the Plaza the next morning we were treated like royalty with excellent 'service' - I must give it to the Americans - they know how to put a smile on customers faces! and I'm not easily won over! - they let us keep our suite until 6pm on our last day so we got some of our lost time back to enjoy the city. What an amazing place New York is. I relived every American TV programme that I have grown up with. My Husband never stopped smiling for the whole of our visit and the kids - well, - THEY HAD A BALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Did you meet Dorothy (Dotty) the New Yorker on board? She was absolutely delightful and quite a character, I sat with her for breakfast one morning in Brittania - You will know who I mean as she had quite a distictive hairstyle (tall hair, very tall hair) - well- anyway, she had given me lots of 'insider' information on what to do and where to shop etc etc but we just ran out of time. I will be scouring the internet in the coming weeks for NY Flight bargins as we want to go back as soon as we can. My Husband, (a retired Firefighter) really wanted to visit and speak to some of the NYFD Heros but we didn't manage it, and I didn't get to go to Maceys - We could have... if Cunard had cocked up!

 

I had better go as you will be getting bored with my ramblings. I didn't realize that you were on our transfer coach until my Husband spotted you getting off - I did try to catch you but you were away - and who could blame you!

 

I'll post an email address on the Rio cruise thread later if you would like to keep in touch about our Cunard Complaint.

 

Bye for now - I wish we had all had more time to get to know each other but - so much to do on the QM2 and so little time to do it in! - MMMmmm theres a thought, perhaps we could take a QM2 Crossing to New York rather than flying there............What a glorious idea!

 

Jackie x

[lansonlady]

Glenndale-

<I

P.S. Lanson lady- Still looking to find Lanson Champagne here!

I'll toast to you when I find it! Heck, maybe I'll toast your trip and you health over my (cheap) St Hilaire! Which I understand Robert Parker (Which happens to be my father's name) recommends heartily!

 

Hi Karie - this is a quickie as I have to go and pick up my Son from Cricket -

 

I had the Best time on the QM2! YOU WERE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT - she is absolutely magnificent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I didn't want to get off and I want to get back on a Cruise Ship as soon as I can. I haven't got time know to tell you about my adventure but I'd like to think our paths will meet on a cruise ship in the future and we can share that bottle of Lanson!

 

Jackie x

 

PS - Whilst I was waiting to embark at the side of the ship I felt a tap on my arm. I turned round and was greeted with a warm smile from a group of 4 passengers waiting just behind us.

 

"Excuse me, the Lady said, but have you by any chance been posting on the internet about this cruise?"-

 

"Yes" I replied in amazement - (with two bottles of Lanson in my arms)

 

"Are you Lansonlady" was her reply!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Blue Skies]

Hello Lanson Lady!!!!!

[travel-to-go]

LansonLady!!!!

 

How marvelous that you had such a great time The New York fiasco only made the rest more special! And the price of the night at the Roosevelt got you the marvelous suite at the Crowne Plaze (Just tell everyone you stayed at the PLAZA SUITE IN NEW YORK! <VVVBG!!!>

 

I am so happy for you, and glad you ddid not decide to cancel due to our incessant, spoiled whining! You see, we are all so used to the best, that we expect nothing less!

 

That is marvelous having someone recognize you! I am going to Maine this weekend, but Marc would leave me if I didn't get a hotel room with free internet! So I will be online at some point!

 

I can't wait to hear the rest! We WILL meet. Even if I have to get a job as a waitress on board! (Somehow I don't think I could stand up to the rigors, and they probably wouldn't let me go off late evenings to the Commodore, now would they? <G>)

 

Karie,

who is SO living vicariously through all y'all!

[NorthernNeighbour]

After reading about the bus transfer nightmares from Red Hook (four hour bus rides with no toilet), I want to book a limo to pick us up.

 

However, very difficult to know what time we will be allowed to dis-embark and I don't want to have the limo waiting around for 6 hours while we are on the ship.

 

Has anyone else booked a limo before for a transfer from Red Hook to your Manhattan hotel? If so, how did you handle getting the limo there close to the time of your dis-embarking?

[smeyer418]

After reading about the bus transfer nightmares from Red Hook (four hour bus rides with no toilet), I want to book a limo to pick us up.

 

However, very difficult to know what time we will be allowed to dis-embark and I don't want to have the limo waiting around for 6 hours while we are on the ship.

 

Has anyone else booked a limo before for a transfer from Red Hook to your Manhattan hotel? If so, how did you handle getting the limo there close to the time of your dis-embarking?

 

If you have a cell phone you can call when getting off. That is the best way. Pre-arrange and tell them you'll call about 1/2 hour before you get off. Also there is a line to catch limos that are not prereserved. You can get off and just take one of those on that line. They are about 25% more expensive than the yellow taxis.

[Bollinge]

Hey Lanson!

 

Where were you?

 

I thought I spotted you with two kids and hubby at the sailaway in Rio, drinking Champagne (Veuve Clicquot). I didn't feel brave enough to say Hi, but next day I saw you again by the Pavilion pool.

 

I approached the English lady in question and asked her:

 

"Are you Jackie?"

"No"

 

Shot down in flames!

 

I think I saw you several times subsequently, there being very few English mothers of fifteen year old boys on board.

 

It is unfortunate that our proposed meeting in the Chart Room clashed with Carol Thatcher, and I missed the subsequent Cruise Critic meeting advertised in the daily programme.

 

However, I was very sorry to read of the problems with the buses. As I posted earlier, we hand carried our gear off and went straight to a big black limousine - there were dozens of them - to whisk us to our mid town Manhattan hotel for $44.50.

 

But the power of Cruise Critic is incredible. We got the upper deck seats on Air France from CDG-RIO, as advised by Scruffy Derek, and unbelievably the lady sat next to me turned out to be an enthusiastic "lurker" on Cruise Critic.

 

"You are Bollinger!" she incorrectly declared, and proceded to give me my life story as posted on Cruise Critic. She was a fine travelling companion and the 11 hour flight passed rapidly, assisted by the open bar and Champagne Jacquart.

 

We then sat down to dinner the first night in the Britannia restaurant. Our table mate was again an avid lurker, but she had not had the temerity to post anything on Cruise Critic. She had followed the whole QM2 Rio threads in great detail.

 

She and her Hubby (Beryl, you know who you are!) were fine travelling companions. Lurkers: Come out and declare yourselves!

[GRIFFITH1]

I Am Shocked After Reading This Thread That Cunard Is Using A School Bus For The Transfers . How Cheap Is That ?

I Wonder , Is That Going To Be A Permanent Or Temporary Transportation For Cunard To Use . They Are Charging $40. Pp . We (4 Of Us ) Have Requested And Paid For Transfers In July . If That Is What They Intend For Us , I Believe We Will Need To Make Other Arrangements . It's Sounds Like Things Are Very Unorganized At The Airport Also .

 

Thanks For The Info .

[Bollinge]

Did you meet Dorothy (Dotty) the New Yorker on board? She was absolutely delightful and quite a character, I sat with her for breakfast one morning in Brittania - You will know who I mean as she had quite a distictive hairstyle (tall hair, very tall hair)

 

Jackie x

Did you mean this lady? http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/re.vision@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=3dd5re2&.dnm=9211re2.jpg

[lansonlady]

Did you mean this lady? http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/re.vision@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=3dd5re2&.dnm=9211re2.jpg

 

Good Morning Bollinge,

 

Another ace detective amongst the CC Cool Cruisers! You and Jersey Fearnly would make a good team - That is indeed my new New Yorker friend - what a lovely lady she is and she has had such an interesting life! - I would have loved to have had more time to talk to her - my kids were spell bound listening to her stories and she gave them quite a bit of excellent 'life advise' - The very best part of holidays are the new people you meet and friends you collect - don't you think...

 

I looked for you on the flight out - but unfortunately for me I didn't have too many clues as to your physical identity! As I struggled down the ailse on the plane followed by my teenagers it occured to me that I would be fairly easy to pick out. I scanned the rows either side of me as I knocked everyones legs with my LARGE amount of 12 kg hand luggage. Many passengers gave me eye contact and when any of the men smiled at me I beamed back! They must have thought I was on the pull!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought that one of them must be you and that you would note where I sat and would be sure to come and introduce yourself! I now know you weren't even on that level of the plane! Thankfully none of the other men came to introduce themselves!!!!!

 

We didn't go to the sailaway at Rio - we did drink champange together in a quiet corner of the ship - I doubt it was us that you saw. There was another Lady with long blonde hair (mine is shoulder length) who had a 15 year old but she was the only one I spotted. It may have been her that you noted?

 

You may have seen my husband - he was the pollywog who wore white overalls and a bow tie at the Equator ceremony? He was discussed quite a bit on the tv in the morning?- Well, anyway - if I get my wish we will be cruising again - so who knows we might still get to meet one day!

 

The CC meeting arranged for the Queens Room was a bit 'unusual' actually. Pirate Q and Jersey Fearnley had arranged for a couple of tables on the port side balcony to be reserved for our use. My family got there a few minutes late to find the whole of the port side balcony crammed full of people. The CC cruisers that I recognised couldn't find seats and we all moved forward together into seats nearer the dance floor. I hadn't been to the Queens before for afternoon tea so I assumed that it was probably always that busy and that tea was actually served on the portside balcony.

 

After about 30minutes, an American couple came over to Pirate Q and I and asked if we were facilitating the Cruise Critic meeting. We said we were and welcomed them to join us.They then started to unload their 'issues' about the cruise? Puzzeled, it took us a little while to work out that other passengers had read the Cruise Critic Meeting posted in the ships daily paper and thought it was a forum to share each others complaints!!!!!!!!!!!!! They wanted to know what our complaints were and how were we going to deal with Cunard!!!!!!!! They took our email adresses and left.

 

Some minutes later we realised that the hoards of people that filled the port side balcony hadn't stolen our reserved seats they were actually waiting to join in the 'Cruise Complaints Forum'.

 

When we looked back to the balcony the place had started to empty as presumably the people waiting had got tired of waiting for something to happen!

 

There were a lot of grumpy Cruisers on that ship! and a lot of them got on at Los Angeles, I bet Cunard are inundated with letters of complaint.

 

On my way to the laundry later the same day I was stopped by a lady who had got on at Los Angeles and had been avidly reading the CC boards whilst cruising. She had gone to the meeting too but of course she didn't know who the Cool Cruisers were - she knew all our names but couldn't identify anyone at the meeting. She had major complaints and was extremely disappointed with Cunard over a range of issues. We are in contact by email and she is keen to share information with anyone who is similarly disappointed with Cunard. She is about to start legal action.

 

Well I must go as my responsiblities call - no, they SHOUT!

 

Happy posting - I need tips on 'where to get the best cruising deals' now.... Perhaps I should start a thread?

 

Post you soon - Jackie x