dbjhughes

Thank-you very much to the last two responders - much appreciated. Do you remember which ports of call had to be effectively foregone in order to go to Iguazu Falls, Machu Picchu and Galapagos? I have never been to any of the South American ports, so although I am very keen to go to the above must-see places, I’ll have to weigh up whether seeing them would trump having to skip the ports themselves.

They aren’t, only those for a few ports, hence why I am asking.

I am booked on Queen Vic‘s South America trip next year. Does anyone who took part in previous Cunard South America circumnavigations remember whether Cunard offers overland tours to Machu Picchu, Iguazu Falls, Galápagos Islands and/or Antarctica? Fred Olsen will be offering all of these in their 2026 South American trip. Many thanks.

Could anyone please report if norovirus on QM2 is ongoing or whether it is resolved?

As QM2 is not on the port schedule for the usual south/west Australian ports of call, this suggests she is sailing round Cape Horn as part of her world cruise that year, which she hasn't done since 2016.

Have any of the usual suspects laid eyes on the itineraries for the 2026 world cruises? A check of the Sydney cruise schedule lists Queen Mary 2 and Queen Anne as both due there in March 2026, suggesting they are the ships undertaking the world cruises that year. Many thanks.

I am keen to get to Geirangerfjord and Geiranger on a cruise before cruise ships are pretty much banned there in 2025. I have been keeping track of which cruise lines have been pulling out of their planned stops there (? for what reason, presumably cost). I am aware P&O's Iona has a patchy history of going there, and Cunard's Queen Victoria cancelled both of its calls there this year. I am therefore understandably looking elsewhere. Can anyone with first-hand knowledge please let me know whether Princess' calls there over the past couple of years have gone ahead as planned, and if not why not? Many thanks.

P&O's excursion 'St Kitts railway and cruise' was the most enjoyable excursion I have ever done on any cruise. A catamaran takes you (at a very leisurely pace, and with plenty of alcoholic sustenance to hand!) along the beautiful west coast from Basseterre to near the base of Brimstone Hill Fortress (distant view only, but its huge scale is apparent). You are then transferred to the famous St Kitts scenic railway, which is unforgettable, before being transferred back to the port. An idyllic combination, if P&O are offering it on your cruise. Basseterre is also really charming. (You may have guessed that St Kitts is my favourite Caribbean island!)

Out of curiosity, does anyone know why Martinique has been changed to Dominica on all three QM2 cruises in which Martinique was a scheduled port of call in 2023 and 2024?

Can anyone who is currently on or has recently sailed on Balmoral please confirm whether norovirus has resolved onboard since these previous posts, as I am considering booking a cruise on her in mid-September..? Many thanks.

Hi. I have heard one report of Princess Cruises doing an unadvertised detour through Prince Christian Sound during a Greenland cruise. Can people report whether this is the norm during their annual Greenland cruises from the UK, or whether the cruise in question was a one-off? Many thanks.

Does anyone know why Ambience is no longer calling at Haifa on her current Grand Mediterranean cruise? She seemed to stop at Rhodes today instead. I am curious, as I am planning on booking the similar itinerary in October that calls at Ashdod.

Many thanks for your replies. Of course one could never get bored of NYC, but as a Brit I have not yet got round to visiting Philadelphia or DC, whereas I have spent quite a bit of time in NYC, so I was wondering if an overnight stop in NYC on Queen Anne in 2025 will open up any options further afield. Anyone currently on Queen Vic care to comment on what was on offer during the overnight stop in NYC at the start of this year’s World Cruise?

According to the 2025 preview, Queen Anne will be stopping overnight in New York on that year‘s World Cruise. Presumably for operational requirements, QM2 offers rather standard and brief shore excursions for its turnaround days in New York. Can more far-flung shore excursions be expected on an overnight call, e.g. Philadelphia, Washington DC? Can anyone report on whether anything beyond the usual Manhattan-based excursions was offered during Queen Vic‘s overnight call there at the start of this year’s World Cruise? Many thanks.

Many thanks for confirming. I suspected as much, as I followed with interest MSC Orchestra’s visit to Mahon last week - she seemed to anchor at the mouth of Mahon’s long harbour and tender people in, which must have been a huge undertaking. On the plus side, AIDAstella successfully docked in port yesterday, despite being significantly heavier and deeper than Balmoral, which bodes well for Balmoral’s intended call in October.