rog747

My tuppence is that the ship will sail the WC segment from Singapore as normal to Colombo, but from there yes, go on to Cape Town (maybe via a couple of port calls) and that of course leaves out the Dubai call. However, Dubai is a big getting on port for the next lot of WC segment passengers for SOU or NYC, or are getting off there like yourself has booked. So yes Cunard may give you the option of staying on to Cape Town CPT, or that your cruise segment ends in Colombo CMB, but there are alot of folk due to get off and on at Dubai; so Cunard has to decide where to 'break' the next WC segment - be it either at CMB or CPT. I dunno - have to wait and see, but IMHO I think it maybe CMB because the QV is docked there the day before QM2 arrives, and QV is routing back to SOU via the Cape.

Yes sometimes the interior spaces can be a tad cool - and sometimes at lectures in the Theatres. If that is your worry then pack accordingly with some wraps and/or very light jumpers etc, although you are flying right into the heat at Singapore and then cruising the Tropics of SE Asia, so cottons, floppy hats, and light clothing is the order of the day. You can adjust your Cabin temperature. If the Dubai call is altered, then it's quite possible your cruise may end in Colombo (which is very busy, hot and humid (and in early April it can see heavy rain showers from the start of the Monsoon). If you would wish to extend your time in Sri Lanka then a short stay and a Tour up to Kandy and the Hill/Tea Country is blissful. You can take the train to Kandy and on to the Tea Hills, the train ride from Colombo Fort Station up into the tea plantations of central Sri Lanka is a highlight of any trip to Sri Lanka. You can travel on a classic train with a first class observation car attached to the rear. This gives a wonderful rearward view along the tracks, you can see how this wonderful railway was constructed, hugging the hillside under overhanging rocks. Nanuoya is the railhead for Nuwara Eliya, a Colonial-era hill station where the British would spend time away from the heat & humidity of the coast, surrounded by Ceylon tea plantations. Some lovely Colonial country house and Tea Estate hotels are up there. Also a night at the Mount Lavinia Hotel (and take afternoon tea, known as the The Governor's High Tea) is a must do before flying home. The Mount Lavinia Hotel is located in the coastal town of Mount Lavinia, which is just 12 kilometres south of Colombo and 54 kilometres from the Bandaranaike International Airport. The hotel is ideally situated to be easily reachable for ending your Tours, while remaining away from the congestion of the Capital. It is situated atop a rock overlooking the aquamarine waters of the Indian Ocean and with direct access to the beach. MOUNT LAVINIA HOTEL COLOMBO Other nice hotels in the capital are the Galle Face Hotel and Colombo's other famous old colonial pile is the Grand Oriental Hotel. I do digress sorry, LOL, but I think Colombo is going to be the Thread's subject matter quite soon....

Looks cold and very Northern ---- very Viking....

Yes, room service hot chocolate (very nice, served in a classy silver pot) was deffo possible on all of my previous cruises. I had it Breakfast times and also at bedtime sometimes.

The ship is usually ''cleared'' by 7am, and if you want to get off then and carry your own luggage off the ship then that is OK to disembark. As you are a US Citizen then Passport and Customs checks will be very quick for you. If you wish to do this, then just let the Pursers Desk know in advance that you wish to self-disembark, and if you are flying back to Maine then you could easily get a flight before, or around Noon from LGA or JFK. Breakfast starts very early in the King's Court (around 5am or soon after) and also opens for sit-down breakfast in the MDR's around 6am. Edit - I assume you will fly up to BGR Bangor >?

Coughs loudly LOL, Re the OP's post, of which I have great empathy -- A person who has very limiting Health Allergies to eating various Foods, does, as such has to mitigate carefully his risk to eating in a ''mass catering'' confine such as a Cruise Liner. It's very hard, if you get it wrong, you can end up really not well. I have to mention the Poster who expresses their disdain at Cunard's Vegan response to 'modern life'... To eat ''Veggie'' or to eat ''Vegan'', or to 'Go Vegan' (all are purely Personal and/or Lifestyle choices) is not really fitting as Cunard handling the criteria for a Guest here in the OP, who has very limiting acute Food Health Allergies. FYI - The only milk that will nicely foam for your Flat White or a Cappuccino is Full Fat Cows Milk. Just Saying...

Indeed Host Hattie, and Good Morning to you all, This is an emotive subject, and not knowing what will happen is quite worrying to many who are expecting to travel, and to those who are already on board the QM2. To attempt to clarify, MSC's ships attract, and very do well on the 'local' South African market for these short local cruises. That is why MSC send their ships down there in 'our' winter. The three voyages MSC have cancelled back from SA via Suez, two to Italy, and one to SOU, are purely Re-positioners. They sell the Cabins off on these usually pretty cheap and (This is just IMO) perhaps bookings for the 3 Voyages did not warrant compensating the booked Pax who were expecting to sail back via Suez. Also the 3 ships had a number of Port calls booked at various Islands and places in the Eastern Med, so those calls would not be possible if coming back through the Straits of Gib. Thus I guess it was simpler and more economical to cancel them all, and Position back empty. One point worth to mention, is that there a still a fair number of Expats who sail down to the Cape from UK & Europe on the Positioning Voyages (and also on Cunard) to spend the Winter VFR (VFR = Visiting Friends and Relatives, we called it in the Travel Industry) and then like to take a ship passage home again in the Spring. Thus, should Cunard run both QV and now also QM2 home via the Cape then there maybe a fair number of these folk trying to get Berths, if they do not want to Fly home. If QM2 does run home via the Cape, I am certain she will take Passengers back to SOU (and for those booked on the full WC, who also those who have to get back to NYC) because many of those will have booked not wanting to do any Air Travel. I cannot see Cunard cancelling the WC cruise after Colombo and then running for home empty. Also folk mention about claiming on Travel Insurance ----- > This should not be needed, as Cunard, if they drastically change your holiday then they should be in a position to ''look after you'' and refund you accordingly. It should be noted that I have previously mentioned that you cannot usually claim for 3rd party losses from your Travel Insurers, such as fees for cancelled Hotels and Air tickets that you have booked Independently, but it is always worth submitting a Claim to them. If no avail, you can try and seek that recompense from Cunard, upon application for their consideration to cover your losses. Your Travel Insurers should cover you (as long as you have that Cover added) for any Delay/Travel Disruption and any losses, once you have commenced your outward journey to join your holiday, as long as you are not traveling against any FCO advice. If in doubt just check your Cover and speak to your Travel Insurance Co.

For UK bookers - If the voyage is diverted via the Cape (ie: fails to call at Dubai and then sails back via Cape Town with a totally different Itinerary) then that is classed as a major change of your holiday, and I would fully expect that the options will be: Take the new cruise itinerary if offered. Cunard may offer guests some incentives to keep your booking. Cancel and take a 100% FCC + maybe with some extra FCC offered too. Cancel and take a Full Refund. NB: if you have booked flights and hotels Independently then Cunard may or may not cover any losses for changes/cancellations if that affects your booking if you need to amend or cancel. You should apply to Cunard on a case-by-case basis for their consideration if you suffer any unrecoverable 3rd party loss. If you booked in another Country I am sorry I cannot be 100% sure.

Apologies for staying OT re QM2's speeds and her performance. I had it back in my mind that the QM2 was actually designed and capable for 5 night crossings, then once in service, this was increased to 6 nights, and now 7 is the norm. The 5 day crossing necessitated an average 28.5 knots service speed, and required using both the main Diesel engines, and the Gas Turbines. QE2 was a 5 night crossing IIRC. I'm pretty sure QM2 did 5 night crossings at the start of her career - Yes/No ?

IMHO I think that once, and perhaps this may still apply to this day, many Cunard Pax are not the type of folk that live all-day on their phones and would want to access everything on Apps. However, todays Boomers (of which I am one hehe) are of course much more Tech Savvy, but I do believe Cunard has purposely not gone that way (yet). I for one, can cope with ordering my bar cocktails by calling over the very nice waiter or waitress and asking for what I want, or I would rather pop down to the Tours Desk to book my Excursions. TUI Holidays (who was until last year the UK's No.1 Tour Operator) have an App for Bookings, My Bookings, and getting holiday extras, I do use it, but it's clunky and often crashes. Once opened on your phone the TUI App then diverts you to a Webpage on your Browser. Notwithstanding that, yes many folk today would may now like to have an App. Perhaps a Cruise Critic Poll on the subject would give us an idea if Cunard Guests want an App or not?

Yes, indeed I would imagine the SE Asia ports of call will be OK for you (here's hoping LOL) If Cunard do plan to operate QM2 from Colombo CMB sailing back to SOU via Cape Town CPT (following the Queen Victoria by a day) then I would be really hopeful to be able to get a booking on her either from CMB or CPT. I missed out on getting on the ship down to CPT last week.

A couple of Cruise Lines have just announced (on 19th Jan) they have cancelled Red Sea Suez passages and their Dubai calls for March and April cruises. In addition MSC have cancelled their Grand Voyage Cruises back from South Africa to the Med and SOU via Suez (end of season repositioners to get the ships back to Europe; the report said 3 ships) and will now sail them empty and without passengers, via 'the other way home'....ie: up from The Cape and past West Africa. My sincere apologies but I cannot find my source links which appeared on my newsfeed on my phone re the other cruise lines who have now cancelled. HAL's Zuiderdam is sailing a day ahead of Queen Victoria.... Singapore - Colombo, Sri Lanka, Mumbai (Bombay), Fujairah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Salalah, Sharm el-Sheikh, Aqaba (for Petra), Suez Canal Transit, to the Med, the Azores and Fort Lauderdale - Be interesting to see what they do.

The recommendations are of course to be at check-in 2-3 hours before departure, but the very minimum (close-out) time is 60 minutes on most International flights, and on some Domestic and European it can be 45 minutes as mentioned above. PLEASE PLEASE do not even consider taking the trains unless you really know what you are doing as Pushpit says - These days we are plagued with daily events of delays and cancellations on this line from SOU, plus constant Strikes and work to rule - NO NO NO LOL !!!

Yes indeed and many thanks, I had already mentioned that the DXB-SOU segment was off sale yesterday in an earlier post, and that the SIN-SOU was still on sale with availability.

With the greatest of respect to new to cruising and rafinmd regarding their posts above... If the ''situation'' continues, then I rather doubt that Dubai could still be included as a Port stop because it may well still be in the Lloyds of London 'Breach risk area'', and thus voids Hull Insurance. Also I think you may have got your alternate routes mixed up - :) The distance from Dubai to SOU via Cape Horn is over 19000 miles and at 25 knots, the voyage takes around 32 days... Cunard would not make a ''dash'' for it sailing at 28-30 knots - Can you imagine the fuel bill...! FYI (and I think this is the routing you got mistaken on) - 10678 nautical miles is from Dubai via Cape of Good Hope (ie: calling at Cape Town) Vessel speed 25 knots Time 17 days 19 hours And yes, as I described in my earlier Post above on Page 4 re re-routing, then this is the way she would go, either from Colombo to Cape Town, or just possibly still from Dubai but don't hold your breath on that. Best R.

The Cunard group coach transfers normally are away around 9am-9.30am so it's only just over an hour to LHR Terminal 5 (closest off the M25) and around another 15 minutes to the Central area for T2 and T3, or round to T4. They will allocate you a coach relevant to your flight time (so let them know on board). Even if the coach does not leave until 10am you will be fine. Minimum (latest) check-in time for your flight is 60 minutes so I would not be too stressed. The alternate is to book a chauffeur driven car transfer. (which is what I would do if my flight was 2pm) The driver will meet you kerbside after disembarking, and bingo you're on your way PDQ. The kind folk on here will supply you with some local SOU Taxi firm names.... You could self-disembark (carry all of your own luggage off the ship) at almost anytime (the ship is normally cleared by 7.30am) and book a car to suit you.

Yes, I think they have taken that WC segment off-sale for obvious reasons, for now... Dubai To Southampton, 21 Nights (M409) 7 Apr 2024 - 28 Apr 2024 Sold Out But Singapore to Southampton is wide-open and has availability in most cabin categories.

Sorry to hear your woes and that you have cancelled your first cruise on Cunard, but I fully understand your predicament with such a fluid and uncertain Security issue in the Gulf Region. As I guess you are in the UK, I would escalate with Cunard your request for your Deposit to be reconsidered perhaps given to you as a Credit, as you clearly wish to go on Cunard one day. They would be daft to lose your business and personally I have always had a positive result from Cunard's Sales and Customer Service at Southampton when I have had to deal with similar refund and voyage change issues in the recent past. Your case will no doubt have more clout for your Deposit to be credited back to you if the Voyage is subsequently changed to go around the Cape...? Perhaps you would like to do that trip ? As I mentioned I always found Cunard (UK) to have decent empathy with such issues and I wish the same to you. Good luck.

A super photo was added on the CC Facebook group by Cunard Officer Paul Edwards who is on board with his wife for the WC, of the lovely sunrise approaching Bermuda this morning, and also some more taken from the ship over to the Heritage Wharf and Spanish Point.

Yes, I just spotted that the QV is almost dead ahead of QM2 when at CMB ! plus the HAL Zuiderdam is 2 days in front of QV, due to go from Colombo via Suez and the Azores to FLL. Colombo would be a good Air 'Hub' for disembarking and embarking DXB passengers, and looking at Port space availability QM2 could overnight at Colombo if needed. Getting Port space booked now especially for an overnight at Cape Town must be at the forefront of Cunard Operations re any changing of the QM2's route. The passage time available (if QM2 is rerouted via the Cape) does allow for a visit to St Helena which would be rather a nice treat for many of the Passengers. Something I would really like to experience. Anyway, all conjecture for now.....

Just for fun mind! Voyage distances for alternative route avoiding call at Dubai and transit Suez. (rerouting is not possible via Panama Canal) Port stops are not included. Options shown are to go back from Colombo (on Day 90) to Southampton, and from there she then has to cross to New York (on Day 117) to undertake a R/T B2B TA. Distance 10286 nautical miles via Cape of Good Hope Vessel speed 25 knots Time 17 days 03 hours This gives her more than enough days even at a slower speed, with some Port stops enroute, to be back in SOU on time for the NYC crossing departing 28th April (Day 117). I have used Colombo as the last scheduled Port of Call on the current WC itinerary, because the ship is not going to be sailing from any Australian Ports. The ports prior to Colombo are all in SE Asia. Therefore due to the distances involved, suggestions for her to maybe return via Cape Horn are not tenable. Folk due to disembark Dubai could get off at Colombo. She would definitely stop again at Cape Town (most likely stay overnight as usual) - a St Helena sail-by would be doable as time permits

Further to my post re my Nephew who is V-P at a Lloyd's of London firm in Marine and Rigs Underwriting Insurance - >> He's talked to his colleagues yesterday in Hull's Underwriting, and it's of course a fluid situation that may be resolved in time for the ship to stay on the intended route. However for now though, it must be said, that Cunard at present would not get Insurance to sail into the areas and transit home via Suez as the risks currently stand. Cunard's Broker would have to request Coverage from the Underwriters who would most likely decline Cover, or charge an eye watering additional Premium, but with untenable Exclusions. The Joint Hull Committee at Lloyds would still class this region as a 'Breach Area' and therefore voiding the ships Insurance if they sail in that area, and they could still assess the area as too High Risk for the foreseeable, even if current Hostilities decline soon. plus they have to be mindful of any increase, or sudden uptake in more Hostilities. Cunard know what they are doing, and they, and their Insurance Brokers will be on it as we speak. More news will come ASAP for any affected Cruise segments and Passengers once Cunard make their decisions on the ship's route.

My Sister's side of the family (Her Hubbie, their siblings and his other relatives) have all worked at Lloyd's of London in Marine Hull and Aviation Underwriting Insurance for over 60 years, and I was just asking my Nephew (He is now V-P of a major Underwriters of Tankers, Oil Rigs and Gas Pipelines) what he thought of the current situation. His Dad insured Torrey Canyon, Pan Am Tenerife, Exxon Valdez, Hurricane Hugo, Air India off Ireland, Pan Am Lockerbie, and Piper Alpha which was a turning point for Lloyd’s and the Insurance industry as a whole. BP's Deepwater Horizon and the resulting catastrophe is still considered to be the largest accidental Marine spill in the history of the petroleum industry. As insurers, Lloyd’s paid out over $600m. I await news... He's going to ask one of his mates in 'Hulls' underwriting.

IMO could be Camilla, HM The Queen, or maybe HRH The Princess Royal, Princess Anne. Is the Royal Diary viewable >?

POL ACK >? My advice, take it home and it goes rather well with a nice Chicken Casserole used as extra 'Stock' LOL