Wonky

Some might say that as returning guests that the staff know very well, by tipping at the end one is in fact tipping (ahem bribing) in advance of the next cruise🤔😉

The airport taxi operator charges a huge surcharge. Just take a 2 min walk over to the station and pick one up from there or book one to pick you up from the station (Southampton airport Parkway). If booking one to pick you up get them to pick you up from the Southbound side so you don’t have to go over the bridge.

11 minutes ago, MylesS said:

Exactly, just using my laptop. I’m even conscious to make sure my typing isn’t too loud!

 

The WiFi in the cabins is more than good enough to take a 30 minute meeting in. I don’t think it’s unfair to ask for no meetings in public areas.

Completely agree, I would like to see that for all calls, not just meetings!

Southampton is a fantastic airport, would highly recommend. If you do elect to get a taxi then would advise getting a taxi (or Uber) from the station rather than the airport. Will save you a LOT of cash and it’s literally a 2 minute walk.

This is from the email received in May🤔
 

After much careful consideration, we have made the decision to close the On Deck community on the 31st May 2024. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your contributions to the community. The insight we have gained has been invaluable to us and we hope you have enjoyed taking part.

Our final prize draw will be on the 31st of May and the winners shall be contacted via email.

Carnival UK Insight and Operations Manager, Clare Phelps would like to express her thanks in the short video below:

I’ve done many surveys for them, ironically I had an email a couple of weeks ago saying they were closing down!

1 hour ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

Cunard have been clever enough (but you need to be as well) to include calls during the season at Turkey on QV's summer programme which gets Spanish hands out of your pockets once you leave their waters. I think the same holds true if originating in Italy and if the itinerary later calls at a non EU country, you escape VAT as well. We paid VAT on QV only in Spanish waters. 

 

We flew home from Civitavecchia and were frankly delighted with the arrangements (transfers, etc) and FCO is so superior to BCN on all counts.  The BA lounge there had service that rivalled the Concorde Room at LHR. Charming. 

Fortunately we are flying to BCN and sailing back to Southampton😎

@Pear Carr Hope you’re enjoying your cruise. Is she “home porting” in Barcelona or Rome (or Istanbul for that matter). Was wondering what the VAT situation is. Last year based in Barcelona it was Spanish VAT all summer until we left for Singapore.

I think last year when QE was in the Med she was effectively operating from Barcelona and therefore attracted Spanish tax on every cruise until she started onwards to Australia. 
We’re doing Barcelona-Istanbul-Barcelona-Southampton this year so anticipating the tax on the first 2 legs but not the last. Will update then.

I saw on another site that coffee/ hot chocolate was being charged for in the Grills Lounge on QA. Surely this can’t be true?

12 minutes ago, buchanan101 said:

For a full World Cruise? That doesn’t seem bad at all £54k for a WC; £7k+ for a week is typical. 

Sorry, I didn’t make it clear at all, QA is £27,000 more than QM2 for world voyage of same length.

On 5/10/2024 at 2:39 PM, buchanan101 said:

50% bigger than QE and QV  (though not sure of ratios in Grills)

 

How is the pricing? Is that comparable between ships?

 

Lots of sold out cruises overall though..

I’ve been keeping an eye on the 2026 world voyages and they certainly are more expensive, £27,000 in fact😳! (QG)

Anyone on board have an obstructed balcony? I’m thinking as the lifeboats are hung lower they may well be not that obstructed?

Problems of not having the time to get a shakedown cruise to learn from.

Was there another ship in with the Viking? Mysterious how there is room for QM2 and QV but not Viking and QV or was she parked badly?!🤣

Dynamic pricing is just that. I’ve been tracking a “cheapy” obstructed balcony add on cruise to one we already have booked and it has ranged from £494pp to £625pp not trending in any particular direction, up and down like a yo-yo! 

1 hour ago, London-Calling said:

It's funny, people never used to need TVs, balconies, atrium, hot tubs and water parks, on their cruises.

Or enough lifeboats…

Are the soft drink options reduced on longer cruises as well?

If it’s a fly cruise also check out if it’s available as 2 separate week cruises. This can sometimes be cheaper or work out better with more on board spend. I’ve got a 3 week cruise later this year booked as 3 cruises but all in the same cabin. A TA can help with this😉

7 minutes ago, sfred said:

  QVs roof over the deck 9 winter garden is a flat shape and used to retract (before being fixed shut). QE's is angled and was always fixed.  The deck 9 pool area doors to the winter garden are in the centre on QE, and on the sides on QV.

For me this is quite an improvement, even if roof closed the winter garden on QV is much less of a sauna!

Even more bonkers MIL and SIL have times an hour apart and they are in the SAME cabin?!?!?!!

18 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

It is my understanding that she is hoping to attract many new Cunard First timers which can only be good for business in the long term.  Without attracting new folk they won’t be able to fill their ships with an ever aging population of core customers anyway. I for one have no reservations  and am looking forward to being onboard in July. As I only sail from Southampton and don’t fly I will make it work and enjoy myself regardless. 

If you have no reservations they won’t let you on🤣

13 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

and having also spoken to staff, I have my own view of staff remuneration so my positive assumption is just as valid as your seemingly negative one.

 

I often wonder if some staff play to the passengers preconceived ideas on a few things. My interactions with staff usually shed light from a positive angle.

 

Funny that!

It is interesting, I will continue to ask, on the last I was told that the pay will not change no matter how many remove the charge or leave it on. Until the last cruise I tended to leave one on and take the other off and tip cash for those we had more interaction with. I’ve changed that now and will just take more cash.

39 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

On one particular ten night cruise, we had $$$$s to 'get rid of'.

 

I really tried my best and family and girlfriends had exceptional Christmas presents that year, but I still had some left and so I went to the front desk and had the remainder assigned to staff gratuities.

Better that than leave it in Cunard's coffers.

You are of course assuming that this money will go to staff and not to Cunard’s coffers. In my opinion, having spoken to staff on board this is quite an assumption.

They were quite vague but definitely said wifi, some spa services and other “things” and has been mentioned on other posts that there would be some sort of drop In category if a certain number of cruises were not completed in a certain period. No timescales or number of nights required were mentioned.