goodsailors

Not sure many English would be happy with a Scottish Queen as they don't currently seem to want to continue being part of the 'United Kingdom'!

Think you need to update your thoughts, the majority of Scots voted against separating from the UK and that figure is increasing everyday, so not sure many Scots would be happy with an English Queen. After all look how Cunard changed the name from Queen Elizabeth the Second very quickly after she was named by the Queen.

Names, names, names... for all the Queens England has had, you'd think there were a few more names to go around.

 

Queen Anne (Boleyn? Of Cleves? Of Bohemia? Neville? Of Denmark?)

 

Queen Catherine (of Aragon? Of Braganza? Of Valois? Howard? Parr?)

 

Plus there are three Marys, a couple if Margarets, and my personal favorite, Queen Gunhild of Wenden. She was married to Sweyn Forkbeard, who was King of England from Christmas Day 1013 till three days after New Year's in 1014. A brief reign, but a short one.

 

And let's not forget Queen Henrietta Maria, who married Charles I and had nine -- count 'em, nine -- children. She deserves to have something named for her, right?

 

Seriously, I love the suggestion of Queen Alexandra. I think that name would be a great addition to the Cunard fleet.

It doesn't just need to be named after a Queen of England, could be after a Queen of Great Britain or a Queen of Scotland. But after a Queen of Great Britain, regal or consort, would make most sense.

Afraid I must join up with those we question the sense of this design. Agree with all the comments re size, too any passengers, lack of promenade deck but also surprised no one has yet mentioned just how small the balconies are on this design of ship. Just look all the adverse comments on PandO and Princess boards about their ships of this design.

Can't see us ever sailing on this new ship. Just cannot share Cunard's excitement over this announcement.

We have found that if booked through a TA, Cunard send the info to the TA and you then depend on them passing them on to you.

My White Star experience wasn't a very happy one, our bags didn't make it onto the ship until 3 days into the cruise.

I am considering using one of the UK ones to take bags to Southampton and/or back from Barcelona. Does anyone have experience of any other companies ?

We have used a company called 'Carry My Luggage' in the UK a few times and found them very good. Our cases were picked up by DHL 2/3 days in advance of when we required them to be delivered at our Southampton hotel and in every case they were actually delivered the next day. You are able to track them every step of the way, so you always know where they are. For our return we drop our cases back at the hotel and they are picked up by DHL later that day and delivered to our home the following day.

We fly down to Southampton and as my wife is in a wheelchair it makes life so much easier not having to carry large suitcases. One point I would make is that you need to use a hotel in Southampton that is willing and able to store your cases until you arrive.

We looked at White Star Luggage to take two cases from Scotland to Southampton and return and was quoted over £500!! Admittedly that was to have them delivered straight to our cabin. However, Carry My Luggage was less than a fifth of that price albeit to have them delivered to the hotel. However, as we always go down the day before the cruise it is a no brainer which service to use and as the hotel package includes transport to and from the dock side it makes life so simple and a few pounds left over for a glass or two on the ship.

Hattie, hope this is helpful.

We have used the White Star Luggage service and have two comments,

1, it was very expensive.

2, we had to leave the cases unlocked for possible customs inspection.

Subsequently, we have used a commercial luggage carry company at a fraction of the White Start cost and was able to lock our cases with a combination lock padlock. The company stated they would only ask for the padlock combination number should there be a reason to open it. We also have the luggage delivered to our pre-cruise overnight hotel in Southampton.

********** web site states QV sailed 6 hours ago, guess this is wrong even although it states 'actual position' .

The trouble is that I reserved an automatic and need an automatic, and with my luck, they'd bring me a car with a standard transmission.

Equally no guarantee they will have an automatic at the airport, been there, done it, got the tshirt.sorry.

If you are counting the pennies get Avis to deliver the car to the docks at no charge. Problem solved.

Got to ask - how many people can eat two entrees? If people are just wanting to try the different options may be it is time for Princess to consider having a taster option made up of all the entrees that day.

Have to admit my thoughts too.

We shared a table on Star Princess with two US couples who regularly ordered two entrees and/or two desserts and there was always food left on their plates at the end of the meal.

I also worked with a guy from across the pond who was known as 'two courses' as he always ordered two entrees or desserts when we went out for dinner and there was always food left.

For those that do not peruse the other Carnival Forums

here is a document from poster insanemagnet of P&O Thread which apparently relates to Crew Contract and Pooled Tips for Princess Cruises.

I would imagine that this would be Policy on all ships relating to Carnival.

Although difficult to Police, Interestingly it is expected that Cash given in hand Is to be handed in and pooled .

Forget the part about the tips etc, am I reading this correctly that the '330' crew average 11 hours per day in a 30 day month and the '390' average 13 hours per day in a 30 day month? Does the 330 and 390 hours cover hours worked if so they deserve all they get including tips. I wonder how many passengers work 390 contracted hours in a 30 day month, and for 9 months solid as many of the crews contract length is. Although knowing this message board I guess there will be many!

Impossible to Police,

Remove the Gratuities, Cunard Pay. Give the Gratuties that would have been on your account to the staff in $ , Their happy, Your Happy because you have saved your self some dosh in extra tips. Cunard have paid. Cunard apparently Guarantee to make up the difference in their wages from Auto Tips. now Called Service Charge.

Cunard are not a charity so would assume that they will have estimated (based on past experience) how many will remove the Service Charge and add that on to the cost to the cruise for everyone. So we all pay so a few can, in your words, save some dosh in extra tips.

Why does removing the Service Charge sound such a cheapskate thing to do. Overheard some people talking on a cruise stating they had spent more than they had intended so would have the Auto Gratuity (as it was then) removed to lower the bill to an acceptable level.

From past threads on tipping/gratuities/service charge (call it what you will) I thought posters said that if you remove the daily charge the steward is advised of this and so must hand over any tip he gets in cash from that passenger so it can be divided among the staff as the daily charge would be. If you leave the daily charge on your account and make an additional tip to the steward then he/she is able to retain that to themselves.

Is this the case or not.

Have to say this subject gets a bit tiresome. When you book you know there is a daily charge and how much and that there is a service charge on drinks. If you don't like it don't book. If you want to give extra for a good service then do that, no one else needs to know.

We are returning from NY in September and Cunard have booked us on Flybe from Southampton to Manchester but the weight limit on Flybe is 20kg.

We usually use Flybe to travel from Scotland to Southampton, my recollection is that you can pay for additional weight in bands, (need to check the Flybe website to confirm what they are), so can have a case more than 20kg. Only thing is we book the flight and choose or luggage weight, not Cunard.

Amazing how a post on bath robes has ended up about the size of feet.

Some of the threads really do make you chuckle, I love it!

You will probably need to look at the Terms & Conditions of the particular cruise line you are looking at, if but from what I've read anything with a heating element on most lines (but not all) its a no. Have you thought of hanging it on the shower turning the hot water on and shutting the bathroom door for a few minutes. That often works well.

We did that, the problem was that when we opened the bathroom door to turn off the shower and retrieve the clothes the steam escaped from the bathroom into the cabin and set off the fire alarm! I have no idea who else heard it or if any other alarms went off but, within say no more than 30 seconds, we had a telephone call from the bridge asking what the problem was. I told them that steam from the shower had escaped into the bedroom which they accepted and switched off the alarm. Was too embarrassed to say why the bathroom was full of steam! Have never done it again, clothes with any wrinkles can stay wrinkled.

We do have a good laugh about it now as do others we relate the story to, but not at the time.

But I'd wager that the same sex marriage Reception in the Commodore Club would generate a few bob.

Does that mean our favourite watering hole on the three ships will be closed for wedding receptions, same sex or nor both sex? oh joy of joys. Have never seen a wedding there can only hope I never will.

Have just spent some time reading this thread. Sadly it is time in my life I will never get back. Can't every one, including the OP just accept that some things in life is not for everyone and leave it at that. As has been said lets move on to another adventure and finish with this thread.

Don't know about the Channel Islands but I know that at other tender ports the port authority give the ship co-ordinates of where it is to anchor, so the Captain has no choice in the matter.

Been on both as has been said before its a no brainer, QM2 every time

Not seen it on this board but sounds like one that is on the Cunard board today.

Just a thought, if Cunard up the prices to cover the credit card cost then that is hitting those of us who pay by debit card and currently don't pay a surcharge.

Also, from memory when booking a future cruise on board there is no surcharge applied to pay deposit by credit card, However, when paying the balance through our TA there is a surcharge, so this suggests that's it is the TA who is applying the surcharge not Cunard. Am open for correction on this one, my memory maybe not as good as I think on how we paid our deposit.

Surprised that Princess do the Tattoo from Greenock rather than South Queensferry (Edinburgh) considering that the journey time between Greenock and Edinburgh is 1 hour 40 minutes each way. Guess the reason is likely that as South Queensferry is a tender port they don't tender in darkness.

Also, would say it might seem to be similar to beating retreat but is so so different and would highly recommend it, in fact would say it should not be missed, it is quite an experience.

Couldn't agree more, we did a TA B2B and being able to stand in the sheltered balcony in our dressing gowns as we sailed into New York before dawn was just a wonderful experience. Would highly recommend them.

Hopefully, this will be loud enough, horn or no horn :)...When QE leaves Liverpool terminal on July 11 around 10 pm, fireworks are and music are planned. Story here: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/cunard-queen-elizabeth-visit-tomorrow-13311012

 

To those lucky enough to view the festivities, enjoy! Cheers, -S.

Sounds like it will be a fun night. Nice to see Liverpool taking a leaf out of Greenock's book, they have been putting on a fireworks display for some years when a Cunarder leaves the Clyde in the dark.