ChansonDeLaMer

Roy, it has been most enjoyable to read your trip reports. I’m happy to know you are traveling again.  

It just worked for me. Kits ordered.  Confirmation received. Thanks for heads up. 

Roy, I’m sorry to read you were in the hospital.  Heal quickly and be well.

Roy,

I’ve been following your journey since the first day. While I’m sorry you weren’t able to achieve your goal (ironic that a second virus derailed this trip), I’m genuinely happy to know you arrived safely in Maryland.  
 

Thank you for your diligence in providing an excellent, detailed account of what turned out to be an adventure none of us could have foreseen. My best to you as you rest and no doubt dream of future travel. 

After several misadventures with luggage, I got the ugliest possible stretchy cover for my bag from the big US online site.  We’ve never had anything missing from a bag, but a clueless lady once took mine by mistake. It was found in the luggage compartment of a bus headed for the airport. No one could possibly want or mistake my bag with that wild ugly cover!  Plus it’s amazing how dirty that cover gets. Luggage gets lots of abuse 

We also have used Uber, and occasionally Lyft, in numerous locations both domestic and foreign.  It has been a terrific experience.  I enjoy getting a glimpse into local culture through the background of the drivers. I also like the payment system. Knowing the fare in advance is helpful plus there is no exchange of cash required. 

We are embarking in Barcelona in August.  I’ve read there is no Uber there. Does anyone know if Uber or Lyft operate in Barcelona?  

We used Larry’s Limo from Port Everglades to MIA in November. I’m not sure I’d use them again. Driver called and told us he was near and would be there shortly. His definition of “near” and “shortly” differ from mine. We had a longer wait at the curb than I would have liked. And that’s a chaotic curb. 

Once he arrived, the car was very nice, and he efficiently delivered us to MIA.  However, there was confusion about payment. He wanted cash. We had provided a card number when the car was reserved. A telephone call to headquarters was necessary to straighten that out. 

All in all, we got to our destination as planned, but it could have been smoother. 

Hope that is helpful. 

Having taken a number of 7 day Trans Atlantic crossings, I’ve only been able to attend one book club discussion.  In all cases I had no notice of the book prior to embarkation. Once I didn’t clear the waiting list for the book until the day before the discussion and had insufficient time to read it 

The time I attended the discussion, it was wonderful. The perspectives and contributions of guests of all ages and from different parts of the world was truly an enriching experience.  The crew member who led the discussion was quite good. 

If you like to read and can’t learn about the book before you board, go to the library as quickly as you can in order to get a copy of the book. 

We’ve generally had the same experience as TurnipEater.  Our bags seem to be whisked away quickly, and there’s no one there to tip. Maybe once in 4 embarkations at Southampton we’ve tipped. The porters are super efficient. 

On 2/19/2019 at 3:18 PM, Stella1250 said:

Ok, I just booked a private tour with SPB Tours. I tried Alla, but got a pretty nasty phone call from them telling me that all the tour guides will be booked already, and why do I want a private tour anyway. Won't consider them again. Thank everyone for their input. Anita.

We had negative experience with Alla. After carefully customizing  the itinerary with Alla, the itinerary was totally ignored.  When we protested, we were given several excuses such as “but you arranged it too many months ago” ( two months) and “the person who made the arrangements is no longer with us.”  What???? 

Our guide was caught in the middle. The supervisor was a most disagreeable, rigid person.

Find another company. There are many others. 

What a great, comprehensive, fair review. Thanks. We occasionally find the Crystal itineraries don’t fit our interests and schedules so we look at other options. So far, we always happily choose Crystal. The one exception was Regent, and we found it lacking. Seabourn has been on our horizon so we truly appreciate your thoughts.  

Stockman, I just caught up with your recent posts. You do a great job of capturing the details and rhythm of your day’s onboard.  Well done!  It’s a pleasure to read. 

I was disappointed to read about your experience because I had previously heard positive accounts of White Star service. I’m sorry about the damage to your luggage and hope you receive compensation.

We have needed to ship luggage a few times. The first time, I boxed a piece of luggage and shipped it directly via UPS to the hotel we booked for a precruise stay. I had contacted the hotel for their permission before shipping the luggage. It was shipped from a US address to the US hotel so customs wasn’t involved. It worked beautifully.

The second time, I used Luggage Forward, and while I couldn’t track the piece as well as I would have liked, the luggage arrived at the ship as planned with no damage.

The third shipment was Luggage Concierge, from a Florida port to our home via UPS. The bags arrived in terrible condition. One had tears that could not be repaired although no contents were damaged . Both pieces were scuffed and had cording damaged from abrasion. And both pieces were incredibly filthy, as though they had been dipped in a dirt/sand substance.

I had photos of the bags pre and post shipment, and with some negotiation, received satisfactory compensation. There was still the time and aggravation factor. In this case, I lay the blame on UPS. Luggage Concierge did reimburse us for a piece of replacement luggage.

Most recently, I used Luggage Forward to ship a bag from the US to the UK. It went via FedEx. I could easily track the bag, and it was quickly in Maidstone for a Dover departure. The problem came when the bag wasn’t on the ship. The concierge and our butler repeatedly checked on the bag and reassured me that not all the luggage had been loaded. I wasn’t feeling comfortable about the situation. About 45 minutes before sailing, I called the Boston office of Luggage Forward. They answered immediately and pursued the matter. Their records showed that my bag was at the Dover Port. No more than 10 minutes passed when I was rushing to lifeboat drill and just happened to pass the gangplank. I saw a man in a suit literally running and out of breath pulling my bag behind him. Note this is not the standard way luggage arrives on ship! He was wearing a port authority name pin on his lapel.

What happened? I’ll never know, but I suspect my bag had been delivered to the port but not transferred to the ship. I speculate that my call to LF prompted LF to call Dover. If true, both FedEx and Luggage Forward came through for me, and someone at the port failed. I will add that I had purchased a colorful cheap ( translate super ugly) zip on cover for the bag before it shipped so it would be easily identifiable, and the cover arrived with black streaks on it. Unless one carries ones own luggage, it will surely be subjected to a lot of stress and abuse.

My conclusions? (1) If possible, I’ll use a box to ship luggage in the future. I’ll at least use a luggage cover.

(2) The integrity and professionalism of the luggage shipment company will be the final factor in my choice of company. I don’t believe the shipment companies can control what happens during transit via UPS, FedEx, etc , but if they are available 24 hours a day to solve problems (as was LF in my Dover situation), and if they provide reimbursement with minimal hassle, they rise to the top of the group of shipment providers.

Good luck with White Star.

We are Uber fans and have used the company widely in our travels.

We planned to use it from Red Hook to JFK about a month ago. I checked the app for availability of cars before we left the ship. However, after we retrieved our luggage and got out front of the terminal, I got a message on the app showing no availability of cars. Thank goodness I had the number for Arecibo cabs. I called them, and a delightful driver in a nice suv arrived within 10 minutes. The cost was a flat rate and less than Uber. I would suggest you have a Plan B in case no Uber (or Lyft) drivers are available.

This is a bit different perspective. Our first QM2 crossing was in an inside cabin. I would probably book another inside cabin as a solo, but it took coordination and cooperation for a couple to dress or move about the room. One needed to sit or lie in bed while the other dressed. We managed, but we’ve sailed in the sheltered balcony cabins on subsequent trips. They aren’t a great deal larger, but we can at least enjoy the sofa, and we frequently have room service breakfast. The balcony also creates the illusion of more space.

The other drawback was the total darkness if lights were out. As a solo, you can turn on a light without disturbing anyone. However, one thinks twice about waking a partner by turning on lights. The previous poster who suggested the motion activated night light had a great idea. Any night light would have been welcome.

Deck Chair

I’m enjoying your refreshing accounts of your voyage. I loved your vision of sitting in the moonlight, making up poems.

I agree with your observation that QM2 crossings attract the most remarkable, interesting passengers. We crossed in late June, and the highlights of the trip were some of the fascinating people we met.

Someday perhaps we will meet on a crossing. I’d like that very much.

We were on a June TA. We simply asked our stewardess if it was possible to have items removed. She said “certainly,” and when we returned to our room after dinner, the fridge was empty. The contents weren’t stored in our room.

We asked because I’m not a morning person and dislike eating breakfast in the Kings Court. Each late afternoon I brought items like fresh melon and berries from the KC to our fridge in order to supplement room service breakfasts. There is a fruit cup on the room service menu, but choosing my own fruit was preferable.

At the risk of incurring the wrath on the Cunard forum, may I suggest you also explore Crystal cruises. The ships are smaller than Cunard with 1000 pax but the food is better, all drinks are inclusive and passengers do dress up for dinner but jackets are not required except on Black Tie Optional nights. Anyone in shorts are turned away after 6pm from bars and restaurants as well.

 

We like both Cunard and Crystal for different reasons. It’s all about “growing up”. We like be dressing up in the evenings. The only thing that irritates me about Cunard is the nickel and diming charges since it is part of Carnival group after all.

 

 

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I agree with JohnKen. We also sail both Crystal and Cunard, but for different reasons. Yes, Crystal is generally more expensive, but if you seek a friendly yet more refined experience, Crystal should at least be explored as an option. It may cost more, but the food and service are top notch. Don’t forget that alcohol is included. There is dancing every evening, and their entertainment options just keep getting better and better. While the dress code has been relaxed, guests on our recent cruises were very smartly dressed in the evenings.

I hope others will respond to your question. We took a river taxi from Warnemunde to Rostock. Not a good idea unless you want a slow trip that isn’t very scenic. However, we returned to Warnemunde via taxi. I can’t remember the fare, but it was reasonable and quick. You should be able to find a cab easily.

As a resident of a northern US City, I can report that Fried Chicken and Waffles has been a popular weekend brunch entrée at upscale restaurants. I haven’t tried it, but it certainly isn’t considered diner food in our area.

By the way, I wouldn’t expect to find it on Cunard

We love Crystal. The all inclusive experience is terrific. We value the great food, amazing service, and the entertainment/activities. Regent doesn't come close on the entertainment and service although its cabins are larger.

We enjoy crossings on Cunard, and the Queen Mary 2 is an amazing ship. Food on our 4 crossings has ranged from very good to very poor. For the true luxury experience, Crystal is our choice.

Miles

We share your disdain for MIA.

I hope the remainder of your trip goes well.

Good for you, Miles. As much as we love Crystal, we've considered trying Seabourn. I'll look forward to hearing how it works for you.

Anne, I'm so excited that you are writing this blog. It's been interesting to follow your posts as you made plans, and changed plans, and tried to find out what was really happening on this trip. It appears you have it sorted out and have a good philosophy about handling it all. I'll read your entries with great interest and appreciate the time you are spending to share your experience.

Keith, thanks for the nice summary of your Cunard experience. I had been following your blog and enjoyed your comments and photographs on that site.

We have made three crossings on the QM2 and have another booked to return from a 2015 Crystal cruise. The QM2 is an attractive alternative to flying transAtlantic. Our first crossing was in an Inside Britannia room, and we felt cramped although it was an excellent value. We have since booked a sheltered balcony and are happy with that alternative. The King's Court is a definite downside for us although we have learned to avoid it. Hopefully Cunard will find a way to upgrade that experience.

We also experienced the situation you described on your last morning. In spite of a Do Not Disturb sign, our stewardess knocked and inquired about our departure. She returned at 7:30 am and asked if she could strip and remake the bed while we were still in the cabin. My husband made it clear that was not a alternative. This happened on our first crossing, and it hasn't happened since that time. I'm sure the stewards and stewardesses are under pressure to complete their tasks in a short period of time on turnaround day, but we weren't pleased.

We thoroughly enjoy the diversity of daytime activities from trivia and drama lessons to the excellent productions by RADA and frequent music performances in the bars. Our time onboard flies, and we arrive at our destination rested and without jet lag.