resistk

My observation is that evening dress in the grills is usually more understated than in Britannia.  Pants and a jacket on non formal nights for dinner, no tie is necessary, you can wear a polo shirt and take off the jacket.  Formal night, pants, sport jacket and tie would be the minimum.  Lunch and breakfast, men can of course wear shorts and sports wear. Cross dressing is OK too.

I see for 2024, that cruise skips Newport and is just Halifax and Boston.  I think the overnights do not imply you will be able to get off the ship the next morning. Still assuming fair weather in 2024, could be a nice cruise.

I was PG on that cruise.  The atrocious and chaotic 4 hour wait to embark set the tone though I really felt bad for the disabled folks on walkers and canes who had to stand in line all that time.  The weather was ghastly fog exacerbated by smoke from Canadian fires.  Halifax is a nice port; the weather was overcast with some drizzle.  Ate a lobster at Saltys on the pier. Boston was overcast, foggy and hazy, the ship berthed and did not afford any view of the promised fireworks July 4, even from the top top deck, mainly due to fog and haze and the fireworks being nowhere near.  Additionally, the so called overnight in Boston was actually arriving at midnight the night before and then leaving at 2AM the next night. Newport was skipped due to supposed fog interfering with the tenders. Last sea day was good weather.  Food just so-so, did not seem to have properly provisioned the ship in New York. Princess Grill menu missing many prepandemic items.  Though we did make use of the flambé and cheese trolley frequently. Problem with the Grills drink package being credited, took a visit to the purser and twice to the concierge to get it right.  QM2 looking good for its age and holding up. 

On 1/14/2022 at 11:40 AM, harpy3 said:

Will anyone in authority with Cunard comment on the current quarantine policy on the QE if one tests positive while onboard.  Can one stay in their stateroom with person(s) they are booked with in that stateroom?    I find it quite annoying that management is not willing to be transparent about this very important concern for many of us.  I don't want to pay lots of money (we have booked 4 Queens Grills staterooms for a long postponed family reunion) and then, through likely no fault of mine,  test positive (I realize there is a risk) because I was "in contact with someone else" (who I may or may know) and be moved to a much less desirable stateroom--alone.

4 QG bookings is a big investment; better get insurance is all I can say.

Would be a pity if the booster is not required, there are plenty of people coming down with COVID now who have had both shots and have seen their immunity wane with time.  In my state (SC), the booster is available without waiting to anyone over 18 who deals with the public, has contact with high risk groups, or is in college housing etc. - or simply checks a box saying such. In other words, anyone. Unfortunately, the vax rate here is only 50%..

I wonder how much money Cunard has lost over the years with their rickety excuse for a website?  But in their defense, Crystal's doesn't work much better.

Well we were always satisified users of nursery and Fun Zone until the Paul Trotter affair but I know Cunard has upgraded its security since then.  Still, just because you are on a cruise ship one should never make assumptions or take risks one would not on land.  Personally, I would not leave the baby in the nursery for more than few hours at a time.  Also I would keep in mind how busy the Fun Zone or whatever they call it these days would be during that voyage.,

Was cancelled March 2020,  just got back all my money after intervention by New York Attorney General.

Ponant USA refunded in full after a little over one year:

"I am pleased to advise you that the company has agreed to our request to resolve your complaint.

Of course, if the company fails to keep their commitment, kindly write to notify me.

On behalf of Attorney General Letitia James, I am glad to have assisted you"

I've always just worn a bathrobe and flip flops to the pool and hot tubs and back on the QM2.  There are no changing facilities anyone uses.  Essentially no different than passengers with sweaty gymwear except I smell better.  If Cunard didn't want passengers in those facilities they would close them at 5PM. It's a glorified cruise ship not the Ritz tea room.

5 hours ago, Roger Ackroyd said:

Booked a Southampton to Sydney leg of 2023 world cruise. FCC was not showing on my account - some £4000 - but we paid the deposit assuming it will surface before final payment. Was disturbed to see that we were described as First Time Cruisers on the deposit receipt even though we are Platinum members.

Phoned up to double check what was going on. The guy I spoke with couldn’t find any of my details (name, world club number etc) in the computer. After 40 minutes, by which time he had roped in another person they finally located me in the system and had worked out what FCC I should have. I was hoping that a revised receipt of the booking might have arrived by now but all I got was a duplicate of the first receipt showing zero FCC.

It would appear I will have to call again to get some resolution to this. 

That sort of story does not inspire confidence in Cunard or the industry as a whole. Past loyalty status matters on a World Cruise unclear how they could just lose it? Can't keep track of past customers but are going to be able to manage a post pandemic world cruise successfully?

My Account sets up but appears to have zero functionality?

Meanwhile Princess has hi tech Medallion system; I don't understand the silo style of management at Carnival, which makes for an uneven product experience across lines.

On 2/25/2021 at 3:10 PM, keyboardjunkie said:

We have a Cunard TA booked in early June (Southampton to NYC).  We have read the 'opening' schedule the UK has published and it stated the next phase should be approximately May 17.  Right now, our plan is to be in Italy May 1 - 16, fly to the UK, take two RCCL cruises from there, and then sail the Cunard TA.  All of this is so dependent on Italy and/or the UK opening for tourism. 

 

We wonder how Cunard will manage the booking if we can not enter the country to sail?  I will add that we are Americans and have had both Moderna jabs.

 

Maddie

 

France and Belgium lagging at 7% vaccination of total population to date, Brazil and Russia at 4%, Netherland 6% - realistically those number have go to come up to 50% or more before outbreaks are under control? US, UK, UAE and Israel at the top of the list. https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2021/health/global-covid-vaccinations/

One thing in her favor is that she likely is not seaworthy so wouldn't make it to the scrappers in India like the Marco Polo, but fire or sinking is always a possibility,

Me too, to a back up email never used with Cunard, to someone with the first name "Joan" lol

On 2/17/2021 at 3:56 PM, 57eric said:

One of the least satisfactory cruise dining experiences I've had was on MSC YC, where my wife and I were assigned to a table for two.  (English speakers were a small minority.)  With difficulty, we were able to make some adjustments, but it wasn't fun.  For me, making new friends at dinner is one of the greatest joys of cruising.

 

Regarding my original post, I agree that arriving mid-meal is not so awkward.  I struggle more with the concept of leaving while others are eating (although probably preferable to sitting around an extra 45 minutes while they finish).  But if coming and going is standard procedure in these circumstances, I'm sure I can make the adjustment

MSC has one of the least consistent products out there, caveat emptor.

On 2/18/2021 at 9:28 AM, majortom10 said:

Whoever told you that were assigned a table for 2 was wrong as on booking they are classed as "not confirmed" if you look on your Cunard invoice. You will only know you are guaranteed a table for 2 when you get onboard.

The assistant maitre will usually accomodate requests.  They will try sometimes to squeeze tables too close in the Princess Grill but usually will back down if you protest the arrangement.

No telling what grills will be like post COVID.  But given the price charged any attempt economization should right be a deal breaker.

First WSJ said normalcy in April 2021 now they say 2024 for travel,  go figure:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/travels-covid-19-blues-are-likely-here-to-staypeople-will-go-out-of-business-11613912401

https://www.frommers.com/blogs/passportable/blog_posts/historic-queen-mary-is-in-dire-straits-as-operator-collapses

For those who like be wildly optimistic, the Wall Street Journal is predicting normalcy in the USA as soon as this April:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/well-have-herd-immunity-by-april-11613669731

Am reading in the MSM travel will not get back to normal until 2024 when they project everyone in the world will finally be vaccinated.  I can tell you that is optimistic given the feeble effort being made here in South Carolina which has one of the highest COVID rates in the world. USA has a third rate public health system and will take at least another 6-12 months IMO. You really want to cruise with face masks outside the cabin, social distancing and possibilities of lockdowns or port closures?

On 2/4/2021 at 2:43 PM, amyr said:

I'm booked on the August 13 cruise that you're being moved to, but it looks like Canada just cancelled its entire 2021 cruise season on both coasts.  I guess it won't be long before we hear this one is cancelled as well.  Not sure what a next move will be.  They're not refunding deposits as far as I know, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

 

The situation with Ponant not refunding cash has got to be addressed.

You can always have a chat with assistant maitre if you do not like the assigned table.  They will invariably move you but caveat emptor, you may end up in Siberia on the second level sternward.