jean's friend

Thank you all for taking the time to reply.

I think we will book with TA, pay the initial deposit and wait till last minute for final payment, to hedge against price reduction. If anyone see flaw in my logic, please be so kind as mention. thank you all - you are very kind.

If you're in the US this is the best strategy. May can be a popular time for crossing, we know from personal experience. WE didn't realize the ship started off in Hamburg and it was getting booked up first. We had to take what was left for cabins.

Whether you choose to use a TA or not, make it your business to check for lower fares. Get on Cunard's email list for any special offers. Go on the website yourself and run through a booking to check out the fares every once in awhile. People here on the forum will sometimes 'break the news' of lower fares as well.

Again if you're in the US you can change your booking (for a lower fare) anytime before your final deposit without penalty. You keep the same room just get the lower price, we do it all the time.

For 2017 you can take the Queen Elizabeth down to Sydney from California (Feb), have two weeks in AUstralia and then take the queen Victoria back to California(March). I believe one or both stop in New Zealand as well.

Sorry...this is Cunard line in case you don't know the ships. Check out their website.

Thank you for your help.

Did you have to take government issued photo ID with you? e.g. passport, or drivers licence?

I honestly don't recall. If the ship suggested we have our passports with us, then we would have done it. I always have a copy of my passport on me if needed it regardless and I always carry my driver's license just in case I'm in an accident or something and need to be identified.

Of course I have my ship's ID with me as well.

Thanks for your comments.

Where did the shuttle from the ship drop you in Picton? Was it near the Interisland Ferry Terminal?

Do you remember how long on the shuttle?

Hopefully the person you asked will answer as well but since we took the shuttle in Picton as well I thought I would answer as well.

The Cunard shuttle dropped us downtown, a couple of easy blocks (if that) from the ferry. It was met by the local travel office people who will direct you.

It was maybe 5 minutes on the bus itself. It actually would have been walkable had we not docked in a lumber yard! I assume all the lumber was waiting for a ship to carry it out. With all the blind corners it would not have been safe to walk. The port area did have a gate with guards as well.

We used whitestar in LA this past year. We put the shipping labels on and left them outside the door. When we got off the ship we couldn't find our whitestar luggage with our other pieces and had to ask a Cunard rep. We found out that all the Whitestar luggage had been gathered up and put in the bin for us already. Convenient for us but it would have been nice to know in advance. The Purser's office had told us we would have to take them through customs.

The problem is, this is probably not the procedure everywhere. We had been out of the country on the QV, but the stop just before LA was in Hawaii, so we had already gone through US customs (such as it was). When we got to LA, there were no Custom folks there, we just handed our declaration form to a Cunard rep and we were out of there.

I understand your question though. You're wondering...if I have to pick up my luggage and carry it through customs, how will it be with my other pieces if I don't have my regular luggage tags with them.

Unfortunately, you can't count on the Purser's office to help with this since they don't seem to know what the procedure will be once you're off the ship (see above).

If I were you, I would include both on my luggage. The regular labels to make sure they are with your other bags (and you can locate them) and the shipping labels so they know they are Whitestar.

We were diverted to Picton this past year after Cyclone Pam didn't allow us to go to our scheduled port.

We also are not interested in wine so none of the shore excursions appealed to us. Cunard ran a shuttle into town and people working for the tourist office were waiting and were very helpful. A web search for the tourist office would probably let you know what they offered. I know some people from our ship did do trips with them.

We did some hiking in the area out to Bob's Harbor (or maybe it was bob's cove). Anyway it was nice to stretch our legs and see the area. The town is small. We did try hokey pokey ice cream and it was delicious you have to try this New Zealand ice cream flavor using honeycomb.

I think the OP is boarding in Quebec not NYC and there are many hotels available in the old town area of Quebec, very close to the waterfront. I would check tripadvisor for Quebec.

Check out this discussion on tripadvisor. Plenty of places in Hong Kong named for toiletries.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294217-i1496-k6841247-Buying_toiletries-Hong_Kong.html

We didn't use a private guide in Auckland ourselves but the link below is from tripadvisor...reviews of various tours offered there.

In the past I have found private tour guides through this website (for venice, Sydney, Hawaii, etc) and had good luck each time.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g255106-Activities-Auckland_North_Island.html#TtD

I have just got off QM2 and stayed in 4095. Didn't hear a thing!!!

Wow! thanks for the input, I'll pass it along to my DH...he'll be thrilled.

Thanks for the feedback.

I think we'll stick with the assigned room near our friends on deck 4.

We were in 4088 and it was extremely quiet...if that helps.

Hi Kendon, thanks for your reply. In looking at the deck plan it looks like there's an opening of some type right across from 4090 or so that might go to the atrium elevator or someplace else. Is that right?

It's hard to tell from the plan if there's a door there or not, but it does show a gap of some kind.

Hi,

I've been 'stalking' this forum for awhile and found all kinds of useful information, so thank you all for that.

We're looking at some transatlantics for next year and we're wondering about noise issues from deck 3 when you're staying on deck 4. We love the location of deck 4, it looks so close to everything, but we wouldn't want to hear any noise.

Specifically, I'm wondering about being above the Veuve Clicquot Champagne Bar in rooms roughly from 4099 to 4089 (4095 to be even more specific). Has anyone stayed in these, are they quiet?

Thanks.