Kiltboys

Reported minutes ago, after a 35 year career.

Thanks for the input. Here are the statements from Cunard's Q&A that caused me to ask the question:

 

*Substitutions can be made, however may incur a charge and the supply of selected items is subject to availability.

All items are replenished daily except Liquor or Wine which are replenished on request and charged to your shipboard account."

 

Thus I am confused. If you are planning to charge something to my shipboard account I think it is wrong to use the word "complimentary."

It's a standard corporate caveat that will prevent folks from demanding ultra premium brands for no up charge. Hence the verbiage "may incur a charge "…as in "not necessarily".

If you must have Grey Goose vodka or Dom or Billecart Salmon Rose champagne, then they will tell you a) if it is available on board and b)what, if anything, the up charge is, and you can decide if you want to pay it. No one will charge anything to your shipboard account without your express approval.

Helpful comments and discussion. We are looking at QV Q5 for 2016 World Voyage and trying to decide deck !

 

Anyone got links to video or photos past guests taken of Q5 on QV? Can only find done done on Elizabeth!

Hi there!

Question for you- why wouldn't you choose a Q6 instead? Perhaps you like the wraparound balcony of the Q5, which is great, but pls know that it comes at the expense of greatly reduced inside space.

We had 4191 (Q6) for the QV world voyage and had a look into our neighbour's Q5 (4189) and would not have traded. Just food for thought- especially if it's for the full world voyage where the cabin is very important.

I think my partner has posted pics of our Q6 somewhere on this board. I wish you a Bon Voyage wherever you choose.

EDIT- to add: I forgot to say that on deck 4 we had a little noise issue coming from the Britannia restaurant below a couple of times. Once there was a staff Bingo game being held around 11pm- and the number caller was using a microphone. And just before each Britannia dinner service, the section Maitre D makes a speech to staff re: the menu, etc. Since he shouted a bit in order to be heard, it was audible in the cabin.

I'm confused. In your first post you state that you do not know the visa requirements for entry into the countries that you will visit- namely Japan, P.R.C., the S.A.R of Hong Kong, Viet Nam and Singapore. In your second post you state that you do in fact know the visa requirements.

The embassy or consulate of each of the mentioned countries will be able to tell you if Indian nationals require a visa. It took me 15 seconds to determine that you will require a tourist visa for P.R.C. There will be a Chinese embassy or consulate wherever you are to issue this. The other countries/regions should be easily researched online.

Your comment about leaving your passport with the ship and travelling ashore on your cruise card is irrelevant. You are entering the various countries at which the ship docks whether you disembark or not, and therefore are required to have the appropriate visas- usually in advance.

I hope that this helps. The PRC visa can be expedited in as little as 3 days (for an extra fee).

They say the price difference is mainly based on location but the Q1's are also aft so it is difficult to understand. For a summer cruise I would certainly prefer the aft suites, especially the corner ones with the large balcony.

You give up a lot of inside space for those wraparound balconies. A Q6/aft still has a sizeable balcony, with a much larger inside cabin. I would take a Q6 and tick the "do not upgrade" box.

Fairly recently the Q1-Q7 cabins were all the same price on a UK travel site. The P1-4's were 1,000 pounds cheaper than the Q's, but also all priced the same. We booked and paid the deposit for a Q1 ( there were 3 available) and waited for the "sorry, it was a mistake" call from the online TA. A call came the following day only to confirm our cc details.

Talking to our next door and downstairs neighbours once onboard, 3 of the 4 Q1's got the same deal as us and one paid full price (circa 40,000 pounds, I think). I broached this over cocktails on a subsequent cruise with the onboard voyage sales lady and her eyes just glazed over. I just wanted to know if Cunard does this from time to time, and whether I could expect it in the future. From her reaction I have surmised that it was a mistake fare, but no one ever said a thing to us, then or since.

You might be lucky!

To actually answer your question, we think the QG experience is heightened on the vista class ships, but friends prefer the size of the QM2. Horses for courses. You ask if the Q1's are worth it and I would say that on the QV they are, but the Q2's are great as well (maybe even superior from a position standpoint). I have a more fulsome discussion of PG/QG in another thread, and so I will not repeat it here. Either way you go, I cannot think of a better way to pop the question, and I wish you all the best for your future together. What a way to start!

KB

Just returned to the ship after the worst land tour ever. We have not met a single satisfied person. Cunard should spend more time researching ports and tour operators before signing up.

Visitors for the World Cup should beware

Poor shore excursions are so disappointing. Stand your ground with the staff and see if you can get some recompense. We had a tour last year in Australia that was cancelled whilst we were on our way due to bad weather ahead. The bus turned around and headed back to the ship. Cunard refunded only 50% of the cost because we were technically on the bus for a few hours. We pushed back and got the remainder refunded, but many didn't. The tour manager had to email Carnival House in the UK and he said they were doing it as a one-off.

To make you feel better, tonight it is going down to -20C due to something called an "arctic vortex". You are in Brazil. Try to enjoy it!

Safe travels!

KB

We prefer the vista class ships to the QM2- so we don't feel any sort of downgrading. Probably our favourite is the QV, because of the way the stern is configured. There are 4 lovely Q1's with gigantic (but overlooked) balconies. However- it's a looooong walk to the dining room. Think of this as your "cardio" for the day. If you want pics of the Beregaria suite(7159) just pm me. It's my favourite. The 2 Q1's on 7 deck(7159/7142) are bigger than the 2 on 6 deck. (Then you can say "my Q1 is bigger than YOUR Q1" (if you're feeling petty).)

My Partner likes the Q2's (mostly 7070/ Carpathia suite), midship with a whirlpool tub to die for. It looks out to the sea- be VERY careful whilst in port :eek: Likewise, pm me if you want pics of this. There s/b some online though.

If you are set on the QE, which is a lovely ship with a butt-ugly stern IMHO, don't go for a Q1 as they have sacrificed the grand balconies. The Q2's are the way to go here (a real splurge)- or if you are lucky enough to grab a Q6/Q5 at the stern, go for one of these as a still special, yet less bank busting option. Beware of more movement here, and if you're on 4 deck- a little noise from Britannia below at 17:50 and 20:20 each evening. We actually prefer the stern Q6 to the Q5- generally bigger inside, but no wraparound terrace.

Now, as for the differences between PG and QG: not worth the trouble on the QM2/ definitely worth it on the QV/QE. If you choose a "Master Suite" (Q1/Q2) your face pics are actually circulated amongst key staff ( a rather drunk staffer showed us this feature whilst a guest at our cabin party). That's the other thing- you'll want to entertain if you have the room. Butler dude will cover the dining room table with all sorts of goodies, and it will be all cleaned up when you arrive back from dinner.

QG gets you a butler, a bar including complimentary liquor,wine,water, delivered evening canapés and a bigger cabin. Longtime cruisers will probably agree that there are lots of little unpublished extras that if you ask for, will appear. As with most things, once the secret's out they will soon disappear, so forgive me and others for not being more specific on this forum. You get what you pay for, and over-tipping goes a long way in this business. Upgrades, more champers, better champers, private excursions, etc. have been known to appear.

Lastly, happy anniversary! 10 years is a true milestone, and whichever cabin or class of travel you choose, I hope you are as happy as my partner and I have been over the years in Cunard's care. Bon Voyage!:)

Honestly, I don't think anyone cares. Which is a good thing :)

Not true, I'm afraid. A guy at an adjoining table that we were on "hello" terms with came over and asked our sommelier why our glasses were bigger than his glasses. The sommelier just smiled, and the guy eventually answered his own question. It was funny.

Even in these days of "ow much" prices, surely no one would believe $365 for at visa.

 

David

Oceania charge $399 pp for a Brazilian visa for its US passengers, so the price quoted isn't out of line. Fortunately UK passengers don't need one.

If the weather is good for your sail away I'm going to bike downtown and wave as you shove off!

 

Bon Voyage!

We waved- did you?!?

Seriously- I think you are going to have a wonderful voyage as the vibe on the ship currently is just tremendous for some reason. Halloween was great- an amazing "Thriller" performance was executed by the staff.

Commodore Rynd joined the ship in Southampton. Oliver from Croatia will be your Maitre D' in the Princess Grill, and Patu Kerei is in the Queens Grill. Both are really lovely guys. If you haven't met Patu before, you're in for a treat. He's a big, enthusiastic Maori guy who was on the QE prior. Now he's got the top job as Chief Maitre D' for the QM2, and it couldn't have happened to a nicer man. At the last cocktail party, Captain Oprey announced that Patu's Maori name roughly translates to "shy, retiring violet"- and everyone who knows him roared with laughter.

We are reluctantly packing as we steam toward Hamburg. Off to a final afternoon tea in the QG lounge- sniff, sniff.

Bon voyage!

I have never heard of gas turbine power being a requirement to comply with emission controls. Mr Payne has stated that the only time the gas turbines are used is to top up the power as and when the diesel engines cannot move the ship fast enough.

 

No doubt when this flagshp was planned, it was a viable option to steam at those higher speeds but as Underwatr has kindly pointed out.. It is now becoming extremely expensive to get the thing up on the plane :eek::D

During his talks onboard Stephen Payne listed a couple of things that he would design differently with the power of hindsight. The engine/ fuel situation ranked #1.

We're pushing off from Southampton soon if anyone is out there watching. We've taken on a ton of folks today, and the grills at least are full to the rafters. It should be quite the 2 day party to Hamburg.

From a QG diner, unthinkable.

 

David.

Absolutely. Anyway, isn't that what the butler's for?

Thanks very much. You too. It's so great when leaving New York Harbor and she blasts her horn while moving under the bridge. Enjoy every minute!

Yes!

Or texting back and forth with friends who are watching the sail away from their Manhattan or New Jersey apartments. V. cool.

We are doing a transatlantic NYC-Hamburg. (I didn't realize there was a four day mini-trip to Oslo after the crossing- so I guess we're not disembarking as you embark).

I had a look at the N. American pricing today, and it's pretty nutty. Q7's are going for $2k less than Britannia Club. Your Westbound crossing was the same situation last week.

Strange. Very strange!

Have a great time in Hamburg, and enjoy the crossing! Maybe we'll meet on the high seas one day.

Hi Kasius

I think that your tipping level for a transatlantic crossing are just about right. If you had removed the auto-gratuity, Dong would have had to share the $80. As you did not, I think your tips were appropriate. The only possible addition that I would suggest is the Asst Maitre D'- but only if he/she has been visible and interactive with you. In the past this person has executed table-side preparations for us, and has been a great source of those little extras that make a voyage memorable.

We disembark the QM2 in Hamburg the day that you embark, and we wish you a Bon Voyage.

There are loads of unpublished QG flourishes that will become apparent to you with experience. We have been travelling since QE2 days, and so got to know the ins and outs by speaking to people who had done multiple world voyages in the QG. The problem with a forum such as this is as soon as they become "published", everyone will be asking for them and they will disappear. Common sense will tell you that no one would voluntarily pay thousands extra if the benefits in reality were very close to those of the PG.

Having said that, I will say that the differences between PG and QG are more marked on the Vista class ships than on the QM2. The major differences on the QM2 are the butler/bar/cabin- which may in themselves be reasons to choose the QG (if you can afford it), but these are all published QG benefits. On the QV or QE there is a lot more leeway to enhance your experience.

To sum up- the PG is a truly fine product. It is the "business class" of sea travel- and as with air travel, many people are more than happy with it. Having said that, there is a market for those who want a more luxurious experience- hence the explosion of First Class suites/fine dining/other extras offered in the air by the likes of Emirates, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines. Everybody lands at the same time, eats onboard and is served a meal- but First and Business are hardly the same experience, IMHO.

I hope this helps, and happy sailing whichever class of travel you choose.

Ah, so you are to blame for the Norovirus haha! Kidding.

 

I hear your crossing was quite rough - at least the last few days.

Hi there. I'm enjoying your adventure immensely!

Unfortunately- we had the Norovirus onboard from NYC-Soton Nov 27-Dec 4 as well. There were no "precautions" apparent as yet, so I assume this voyage is where it started.

You are going to LOVE the QE. It's my favourite Cunard ship due mostly to the Art Deco interior. Enjoy, and keep up the great trip report.

The most salient difference between the Queens Grill and the Princess Grill is the standard of the cabin. They just aren't comparable. We find that we spend more time in our cabin on a cruise than we do in our hotel room, so generally opt for the QG. We also love to entertain in our cabin, and that's just not going to happen in the PG. if you opt for a Q7, chances are that you could end up with a Penthouse (Q3/4). If you book a Penthouse, you could end up with a Q1 or Q2. Once you've experienced that, it's hard to go back to the PG.

I equate it to traveling First Class on an aircraft vs Business Class. Or the Ritz Carlton vs the Hilton. Both may be 5 star, but are hardly the same thing at all. If this is an occasional splurge, then I would do it big!

With respect, I don't think Whitemarsh has been in the QG and thus impossible for him to truly offer first hand experience. I rarely post, but did want you to have a balanced viewpoint from someone who has actually experienced everything from Britannia to the Queens Grill Master Suites. There are lots of little unpublished extras that make a Queens Grill experience more memorable. Otherwise, why would we and countless others continue to pay extra for it?

Hopefully some others that have actually experienced the Queen Grill will weigh in with their viewpoints. Whatever you choose, have a wonderful time!

I have the following on very good authority as of 21:00 Oct 5, 2011:

A gas carbine in the engine room of the QM2 caught on fire this evening. Cunard staff were given a 90 minute warning in order to prepare to deploy the lifeboats. Guests had their children dropped off and their animals picked up from the kennels.

Apparently it is now under control, but people are understandably shaken up. They are currently in extremely rough seas and my source tells me that "things are flying all over the ship". In one instance a copier machine was ripped from its harnass and destroyed into 8 pieces.

That's all I know at the moment.