MelbTone

On QM2 I could spend endless hours looking at all the ship paintings again and again. I wish Cunard sold a book of them: they're missing a trick here IMO.

On 8/11/2019 at 9:43 PM, carlmm said:

And whats all this about Japan and Australia and what ever? Cunard has abandoned its traditional customers.

Perhaps because they're finding new ones here. The Melbourne cruise ship calendar shows QE visiting us 8 times in 2019-20 (Dec-Mar), 9 in 2020-21, 11 in 2021-22 and 12 in 2022-23, with one visit from QM2 each March.

ISTM that there has to be some disincentive to cancel, otherwise what would stop anyone booking a number of 2021 cruises on the basis that they'd decide which one to take nearer the time?

If you're a solo traveller how do you go for alternative dining? Sat on your own, put on a shared table? 

I’ve sailed Cunard twice and been upgraded twice, from high balcony to PG. Obviously it wasn’t a reward for loyalty so I’ve put it down to me being a single guy of a certain age who might be a suitable dining partner for a similarly aged single woman passenger. Very pleasant company in each case - I hope my assigned partners thought the same of me.

1 hour ago, 2Oldpeopleinlove said:

Yes. I think giving up the small deposit would be preferable to paying more than five thousand to be made to be feel “not quite good enough.” We are in no position to try a Grill, but we were looking forward to a nice balcony room. 

If anyone makes you feel "not quite good enough", that's a reflection on them, not you. I've done two Cunard cruises in PG and have enjoyed meeting lots of people from all sorts of backgrounds, people who I'd never have met if I stayed at home. My formal dress is a $99 Target black suit, shirt and tie and I've fitted in just fine. Looking forward to cruise #3 next Jan, just booked #4 for 2021. Go, and have a great time!

They've yet to sort out M104E (Fremantle-Melbourne, Feb 2021): for more than a month it's been three screens: itinerary, cabin choice, book now then "I'm afraid that we have encountered an unknown error. Please try again later". Finally ten days ago I followed this up with Cunard who promptly responded "We apologise for the inconvenience but apparently the voyage M104E is not yet open for bookings. We don't have a turn around time on when the voyage will be available for bookings, so we really need to check it from time to time. However, we'll also send your feedback to the digital team about our website. Again, we apologise". Hey guys, why not just fix it - as simple as "This cruise is not yet open for bookings" on page 1.

M104F (Fremantle-Sydney) is open. If I booked it and M104E became available (I live in Melbourne so no desire to have a port day at home, then pay for two extra nights and a flight home from Sydney) would I be able to change my booking?

This being the Cunard forum, Comic Sans is not appropriate :). I did wonder whether there might be a font called Tuxedo - there is, but it's not to my taste.

1 hour ago, Underwatr said:

Have you tried making a booking on an online TA site (you know - a site that works)? That would tell you whether it's just an anomaly of the new site. 

Only one TA is currently advertising it (with prices) but clicking to book just leads to a details collection form. Jumping the gun, I think.

11 hours ago, bluemarble said:

I think what's going on with M104E (Fremantle to Melbourne in 2021) is a situation where that voyage is not yet for sale. This looks like the QM2 equivalent of what we have been discussing in the earlier "QV's Phantom Voyage" thread where several of QV's 2021 Australia/New Zealand voyages can't be booked yet.

My hunch was that they're holding off slicing and dicing the M103D Southampton-HK or M103E Southampton and back for now because they'd rather sell these if possible - makes perfect commercial sense to do so. That said, instead of "I am afraid that we have encountered an unknown error", why not display a sensible message like "This cruise is not yet open for booking and its availability is not guaranteed" or "This cruise is not yet open for booking: click here to register your interest and we will update you in due course"?  

On 4/19/2019 at 12:44 PM, bluemarble said:

Here's the latest problem I've run into on Cunard's new US website. For voyage M910, it initially quotes me a base fare of $1,559 per person for a sheltered balcony. But then, when I actually try to start a booking, this is what happens.

I get the same for cruise M104E. On-board booking agent on QE couldn't sort it for me - to her frustration and mine - and when I phoned the agent got nowhere. I booked next year's QE cruise a year ago with no problems.