3rdGenCunarder

49 minutes ago, Pear Carr said:

Labels every time! We miss them arriving in the post and the print out DIY are a faff and a cheap option.

And don't you love how anything that has to be printed at home is "for your convenience" as in "for your convenience, you can print this any time."

The save the date card always makes me smile, but the luggage labels are more practical.

On 4/2/2024 at 8:43 AM, BklynBoy8 said:

 

Kathy,

Hello!

 

Never still tried the evenings alternate dining yet.

 

Have to try it on the upcoming 14 day.

 

Should have plenty time to try one.

 

Good Cruising..

Hi Eddie,

Bit of a thread hijack here. I'm on QA in May and I'm thinking about volunteering to organize a meet and greet. Who was your contact at Cunard to set it up?

To get back to the topic, I don't think you'll get Nordlys on a Caribbean cruise, unfortunately. I'm not sure I've done any of the usual popups, at least not on recent cruises. But the Alaska itineraries get something similar to Nordlys, and I will probably go to that one night on my Alaska cruise. I could have made a whole meal of the langoustines they serve as starters. 

4 hours ago, jakkojakko said:

And yet that cannot be found anymore! Ncl forcing CC to remove?

It's still there. Something like 25 pages.

If rebooting doesn't work, try a different browser. I have found that Chrome Incognito or Edge InPrivate work when the HAL site is being uncooperative.

27 minutes ago, melodyesch said:

Will HAL wait for you if you’re on an independent excursion?  How do they have any idea when/if you’ll return?

No. They will wait for their own tours unless conditions, such as tides, force them to leave. They're in contact with their vendors so they know what's going on with late tours.

If you're on your own or an independent excursion, I guess you could try to contact the ship via HAL's emergency number or the port agent, but I don't know if it will do much good. It isn't just the schedule to get to the next port. It's also the dockworkers, the pilot, possibly tugs standing by if currents are tricky. Delaying all of that costs money. 

15 minutes ago, BetsyS. said:

If my memory is correct, I don't think the contact info for port agents was printed on daily program on my cruises in 2022 and 2023.  Years ago on the Veendam, the daily program had the name of the port agent, address and phone number. This would be very helpful.

It wasn't on The Daily on my cruise in February, but I think it should be. It may have been on the Navigator app, but that doesn't always work off the ship. 

10 minutes ago, westcoastsue said:

My first cruise was on the Festivale (Carnival) in 1979.I went with a girlfriend and we sailed out of Miami to St. Thomas, San Juan PR and St. Maarten. That vacation started a lifetime love of cruising. I introduced my boyfriend (now husband) and friends to cruising in 1993 and they were all hooked! We have seen a good part of the world from cruise ships. In three weeks we are sailing the Columbia/Snake River with American Cruise Lines - another new experience.

 

That itinerary has great scenery! There's less to do on a small ship, but this cruise is all about the ports and the views, so for us that didn't matter.

Making ship's time visible is a good idea.

Last fall I sailed to Norway from Southampton. While we were en route, we changed a time zone and at the same time, both UK and Norway went from summer time to standard time. Some people's devices changed and others didn't. Being on the ship's wifi and internet didn't seem to matter. One person's phone changed but her smartwatch didn't. As Bullwinkle says, we were all soooo confused!

14 hours ago, goldsmip115 said:

Well, I’m  at the cusp. My first cruise was the SS Norway in 1995. Now 36 cruises later….

Ohhh, she was really something in her day. Sadly, I sailed on her about 6 years after you did. By then, NCL was running her on the cheap and she looked sad. But that lounge with the Neptune statues still ranks high with me for most beautiful room at sea. 

16 hours ago, KBS1607 said:

That would be a great topic, too. Biggest drought of cruising minus the pandemic. 
 

Wanted to add our honeymoon The Big Red Boat…we were young, stupid AND completely cut off from the world. We arrived home: heard about the hurricane (October) AND a senior VP at our company had been arrested. Good times. 

You know, sometimes ignorance is bliss. 

14 hours ago, Ileneilene123 said:

I think you are right … my PCC just doesn’t know about the policy yet. I’m so glad you’re sharing your experience — I’m completely new to cruising so I need all of the help I can get. Better to know the risks.
 

I’m going to ask her to doublecheck the policy. This has happened before —  I had to ask her to check the policy for Club Orange upgrades to the best available cabin in the Meta category. She was unaware. She checked & came back to confirm that I was right. It may be the same this time. 

I think when CO was new, they said it was one step, not top of the meta category, but then it changed. When I did the CO upgrade for a cruise last year, my TA had never been asked to do this. She had something from HAL that said one step. Either HAL or someone at the agency hadn't updated their info. So she called, and I got the move from lowest to highest. 

2 hours ago, MylesS said:

I'd argue its not there for Grills passengers. While of course they're welcome to dine there as anyone else is, thinking from a business point of view, its a nice way to Britannia passengers to "upgrade" their experience without having to spend the extra money on a cabin/suite upgrade.

I've never had a problem in my experience, both for big & small meals. That being said, after trying the pop up restaurants, that is where I'd rather use my Diamond benefit.

The Nordlys popup on QV Northern Lights cruise was outstanding!

1 hour ago, XBGuy said:

I loved the idea that somebody suggested using a jammer to foil the signal in the dining areas.  Since, as another poster has mentioned, we are talking about a wi-fi signal rather than a cellular signal, such a jammer would not work.  I am not an expert in these things, but I am going to wonder out loud.  It seems to me that wi-fi reception relies on some strategic placement of devices (routers? repeaters?) throughout the ship in order to provide shipwide coverage.  What if they did not deploy those devices in the dining areas?  I have no sympathy for people who feel they must check their email during dinner.

I don't know how easy it is to leave dead areas in a system like that, but I think it would be a great idea.

I remember a bar in the Caribbean, Aruba maybe, where they had a sign saying "No, we don't have wifi. Talk to each other!"

1 hour ago, jwitt2 said:

We booked the Verandah Steakhouse for my big birthday several years ago. That was a mistake. We should have stayed with the Princess Grill which was better every evening than that one evening in the Verandah Steakhouse. Husband had to send his steak back twice and still didn't like it. Mine was fine and I loved the birthday cake they brought me. But I don't think we will ever go back if we are in the Princess Grill. 

The grills are so nice that it does seem kind of a step down to go to one of the specialty restaurants. 

On QE and QV, I've gone to the Verandah for lunch, which has a nice menu. 

6 minutes ago, newbie202020 said:

Thanks so much @3rdGenCunarder for your detailed response. Is there an extra service charge (20%?) on top of the $249 full voyage cost? Thanks

No, thank goodness! That was the total price. It does seem expensive, but it's my favorite indulgence on board. 

17 hours ago, ArtM said:

The bankruptcy case was adjourned to March 28, 2024.  Then on March 24, 2024, the case was adjourned indefinitely.

 

"PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Auction has been further adjourned to a date and time to be announced by the Debtors.
PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Debtors will conduct the Auction via remote videoconference in accordance with the Bidding Procedures. Prior to the Auction, the Debtors will circulate login instructions for the remote videoconference to all parties permitted to attend the Auction under the Bidding Procedures"

 

Art

Interesting. I'd love to be a "fly on the wall" for that video conference.

1978 Statendam to Bermuda

On 3/28/2024 at 7:30 PM, bluemarble said:

If your booking does not specify "Do Not Upgrade", then Cunard may give you a complimentary upgrade without notifying you and without offering you the chance to decline the upgrade. Since they have started a bidding process (called "Cunard Upgrade") where guests can bid for a paid upgrade, I suspect the number of complimentary upgrades has decreased. But the complimentary upgrade process does still exist. Quoting from the FAQ:

 

"(Q) What is the difference between the Cunard Upgrade program and the complimentary upgrade I opted into at the time of booking?

 

(A) The Cunard Upgrade program gives you the opportunity to upgrade to a higher-grade stateroom at a price you are willing to pay. Once all upgrade offers have been considered and assigned, complimentary upgrades will be reviewed and guests who have booked a Cunard Fare will be given first priority for these."

 

If you want to make sure you won't receive a complimentary upgrade (which you can't decline), call Cunard Customer Service (or contact your travel agent if you used one) and have them make sure your booking is marked "Do Not Upgrade". There is no online way to verify your current setting or make that change yourself using "My Cunard".

I wonder if people paying Cunard Fare get first priority for acceptance of bids over Saver or Sailing Soon. Or is it simply how much you bid? And if I booked a cruise for $5000 during a sale and someone else booked the same Britannia cabin grade for $7000 either before or after the sale, would our starting prices be the same to bid up to Club, or would mine be more to compensate for the lower original price I paid? 

The MDR does look stunning. I love those columns! It looks like a set from one of the Fred & Ginger movies. Too bad the curved stair is too narrow to dance down elegantly.

The shape of the upper level is different than on Koningsdam, making the lower level look more open. The MDR on K'dam is very noisy. I hope that this design difference will improve that situation. 

I'm concerned about the thermal suite. That spa pool looks quite a bit smaller than the ones on QE and QV, despite the fact that there are going to be more passengers. Also, it looks like the heated loungers are in the same area as the pool, so is that the only seating for the thermal suite? The Relaxation Lounge on other ships is an area to relax before a spa treatment. I don't think that's meant for people in wet bathing suits.

And no windows! I fear it's going to be dark and dreary like the spa on QM2. Not sure it's going to be worth the money to buy a pass, which is normally my favorite indulgence.

The Commodore Club looks like it will be very large, which is nice to see.

12 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 I think your dinner would be over before anyone responded, so what good did it do.

Probably true, but it might improve response the next time a diner is in this situation. Alternatively, report the issue on the navigator app. They really do look at it. Again, that won't give an immediate response, but if enough people complain, they might pay attention to the issue. 

The therapy pool is not as hot as a typical hot tub. I find hot tubs too hot and prefer the therapy pool, which I to be comfortably warm. Although most people just stand around in the pool or sit on the benches at the side, I like to walk in it. I guess it's about 4 feet deep. 

There are loungers in the pool area and an adjacent room has the heated loungers. There are also various steam or sauna rooms (others can tell you about those, I don't use them). 

You can't buy the full-cruise pass online. You need to do that when they board. The spa staff are happy to give a tour before you buy--it's a sales pitch for other services, but it will give you a look at the thermal suite.

Last fall on QV, the full pass cost $249 for a 12-night cruise. I have never seen any "deals" or discounts for the pass. There are specials on other services as the cruise goes on, but not for the thermal suite.  I always buy the full pass, so I don't know about the single day passes. 

On 3/29/2024 at 9:28 AM, terrydtx said:

Last year on the Celebrity Apex one night in the Fine Cuts Steak house, the table next to us, one of those so called "Influencers" had set up the table with all of her streaming equipment so she could have dinner with her "followers".  I complained first to her about the noise and distraction, to which she told me it was her "right" to do this. I then asked the manager to be moved to another table, but none were available, and the manager told me the woman had pre-cleared her direct streaming. We got up and left demanding we not be charged for our dinner we did not eat, we did get the credit back. I saw this same woman doing her streaming all over the ship but Celebrity would do nothing to stop her. Thankfully this woman was not in the Retreat so we did not have to put up with her in Luminae and the Retreat Lounge. I would hope HAL would not allow this same very annoying and distracting activities by these "Influencers"

It's free advertising. They aren't going to refuse it. 

On 3/28/2024 at 7:20 PM, Alberta Quilter said:

We had ours shipped to Canada to avoid any issues.  I believe they came in the

 fall in time to plant.

If you're going to the Netherlands in spring, it's much better to order for fall shipping. The bulbs for sale in the spring were harvested the previous spring. If the fields are full of tulips in bloom when you're there, those flowers will be cut and the foliage left to finish nourishing the bulb. When the foliage has died back, perhaps 2 months later, the bulbs are dug up and sorted and packaged for planting that fall. 

Yes, year-old bulbs will likely grow and bloom, but your best chance for success is to order in the spring for fall shipment. Or buy in person if you're there after the harvest.