3rdGenCunarder

Even in QG, those short cruises aren't fair samples of Cunard.

Thanks for your thoughts on embarkation. Gong show? I had a different name for it a year ago when, on top of the other stages, we had ArriveCAN and proof of covid test to show! Even without those extras, I always feel like a rat in a maze embarking in Vancouver. But once you're on the ship, QE is worth it! She is elegant, although I wish Cunard would get over the feather arrangements.

That is definitely clearer than what it says in the confirmation email. That sounded to me like you had time to think it over. I thought the before/after July 13 had to do with time until sailing, but it's actually changes in T&C. What happens if I'm successful? If your offer is successful, you will receive an email to inform you as well as a new booking confirmation to reflect the upgrade. If applicable, the total amount charged will include any additional CunardCare travel protection fees based on your adjusted cruise fare. If your offer was made prior to 13th July you will have 72hrs to make your payment to secure your upgrade. If you offer was made on or after 13th July the payment will be automatically processed using the card you had provided during the offer submission. What happens if I'm not upgraded? You'll keep your existing stateroom.

Because it's so close to sailing, if my bid is accepted, payment is immediate. No time to think it over. For cruises farther out from sailing date, it appears you have 72 hours to decide if you will upgrade or stay in your current room. BUT if you miss the 72-hour window for accepting the upgrade, there's this warning: Please note, while you can make offers for multiple stateroom grades, each offer will be considered independently and only one of your offers will be accepted. If your payment is not successful within 72 hours, you will no longer be eligible for the upgrade offered, and it may not be possible to reassign you your original stateroom. So if someone else has accepted the upgrade to your original stateroom, where do they put you????

That's understandable. I sometimes wonder what Magellan was thinking when he called that ocean Pacific.

There are some QG suites available. I guess it's like musical chairs. Who knows where I'll end up? Likely in my original balcony cabin, which is fine. I never book less than I will accept in hopes of an upgrade. The Upgrade Fairy hasn't visited me in a very long time.

And Seaborne was a Cunard company for a while, too.

It's 12 nights. The per person minimum bid is $460 for club and $970 for PG. I don't know if the minimum depends on the booked category. My Britannia is a BB, so I'm close to the top of the balcony price range. Iwonder if the minimum bid is more for someone in a BE or an inside?

I was surprised to get the offer. I don't think Club is worth the price jump, but I will try for PG. The suggested bids looked good until I remembered that as a solo, I will pay double the bid. Also, since I'm close to sailing, I won't have the chance to decline. My upgrade will be final. Not that there's a bad PG, even under the Winter Garden.

I use a TA and I got an invitation to upgrade in an email this morning. Trying to decide on a bid. I'm in Britannia, and the offers were for Club and Princess. But when I did a dummy booking to see what's available, both show as sold out. QG is available, but that wasn't offered.

Your question may be moot. That large balcony makes those cabins likely to sell out quickly. Have you done a dummy booking to see what's available? Here's the same cabin on a HAL ship. Not sure if Cunard will have the same layout, but it gives you an idea of the possibilities. 5050 – Rotterdam | HAL Cruiser Information (halfacts.com)

I used to think of HAL as "Cunard Lite," but HAL has slipped so badly, that it's less than "lite." Expect much better entertainment and more variety than on HAL. More to do during the day, especially on a transatlantic. "Gala nights" really are gala, and most people dress better than on HAL gala nights. You don't have to wear formal clothes (gown and tux) but you won't be alone if you do. "Smart attire" on non-gala nights is smarter than a lot of what I've seen on HAL. Food depends on your dining room. More choices as you move up from Britannia to Club to the Grills.

LCS was the one entertainment that HAL did better than Cunard. Cunard's classical musicians are generally good, but not as good as LCS. OTOH, Cunard offers a great variety of live musicians in addition to their classical trio or quartet-- jazz or solo piano in various bars around the ship; harp, piano, or solo guitar at afternoon tea; pub band; orchestra for dancing; second group of musicians to play for guest vocalists in the main theater.

Most embarkation issues are due to problems with port staff. If the staff serve a variety of cruise lines, they may not know each one's rules, although I would think passengers needing assistance would go first on every line. Yes, the cruise line should inform terminal staff about rules and procedures, but it doesn't always happen. Many years ago, embarking in Boston, as we approached the two lines for priority and non-priority, a staffer asked us how many Marriott points we had. I guess she meant Mariner points/stars, but it didn't matter, as we weren't priority with Marriott or HAL at that time. @mcrcruiser, if you want to have assistance boarding, definitely call HAL in advance.

It hasn't. Staff has reduced numbers, but the crew are still great, especially the cabin stewards.

@MrsPeel55, if your daughter balks at the price of shipping suitcases, tell her that she will have to carry/roll/drag what doesn't get shipped. (love your screen name, BTW) I have been very happy with Luggage Forward service, and I'm using it this fall. Does DHL deliver to the ship with delivery to the cabin?

My first move is to try to switch to the 7:30 tour, but only the 6:30 was available when I booked. On a QE2 cruise MANY years ago, we were in Halifax during the Tattoo. The ship offered a tour, but it left before dinner service. Everyone on the tour was given an early supper in the Caronia restaurant. I don't expect that to happen for people on the early evening tours nowadays.

The Nordlys menu (for Norway cruises) looks a lot like the Frontier menu, but with local substitutions. Duck breast instead of goose. I look forward to trying it this restaurant on QV.

Useful strategy in hotels, too, especially around check-out time. I never noticed that the chimes were different for up and down!

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I meant the earliest dining time, not booking opportunity. I just looked back at QM2 from last fall, and it looks like my only opportunities will be to stuff myself at afternoon tea or to order room service.

What is the usual first time available to book? I have a 6:30 tour on QV in October (Northern Lights chase), so I won't be able to have dinner in the MDR. I want to try Nordlys and I'm wondering if that would be a good time to do that. Or perhaps better to choose a night when I can relax and savor it?

I don't like the lack of information about the posters who write reviews. I rarely recognize the name of the poster, and I'm on the HAL and Cunard boards a lot. A review posted on this board is likely to come from someone I recognize, so I have some context for the review--are they moaners or are they cheerleaders or are they somewhere in between? I wonder how many people who post a negative review had never looked at the specific boards BEFORE the cruise to ask questions.

I haven't heard of this. But some spa services come with access to the thermal suite for the day of the service.

I was just about to post the same thing. When you do get somewhere to sit, you have to leave a book or something to show that you're coming back or your plate may be cleared and your seat taken.

And they put that protective cover on the bed. I hate seeing that come out.