Solent Richard

Of course Carnival shareholder OBC applies across the Carnival Corporation brands and not just for Cunard. Irrespective of any dividend payment I've been more than happy to have been rewarded not only on Cunard cruises but also P&O, Princess, Seabourn and, God forbid, Carnival Cruise Line. 😁

But surely a credit card expiry date is clearly embossed on the card? In the rather odd event it would expire before the cruise ended then it would be rejected. In my experience the 'expiry date' is always the second question asked by the merchant.

That would be my bet as well Poole Boy. A berth often used to showcase new ships and those sailing on an 'out of the ordinary' cruise. I well remember Queen Mary 2 sailing from Berth 101 (City Terminal) on her 175th Anniversary Cruise.... ******

Thank you and exactly what I hinted at # 21. 😂

And of course, looking at the economics, it's hardly a massive outflow of cash particularly when one takes into account the trade-on loyalty. So a week onboard a Cunard ship will generate $100 for a couple, one of whom is the shareholder. In my case that will buy me two G&Ts pre dinner in the Commodore Club and a bottle of wine with dinner. Accepting that Cunard's mark up will be in the region of 75% I can't see too many bean counters committing Hari-Kari. Surely of far more interest to most shareholders, certainly corporate ones, will be the reinstatement of the Dividend. On a holding of 150 shares 2014 t0 2019 up to the pandemic (when it was stopped) that was worth just over £1000.00.

Well er yes Major. Maybe it's a ploy to get those with multiple 'future bookings' to rush in and pay their balances, earlier than the normal due date, in order to beat the faux deadline. My understanding is that OBC will only be allocated once the FULL balance has been paid. 😉😉

You know David, I could have sworn I read that exact statement elsewhere yesterday. 😉😉

My Cunard grapevine informs me that Queen Anne is now scheduled to arrive at Southampton on the morning of Saturday 27th April 2024. Hopefully there will be plenty of photo opportunity that day to welcome her on her Maiden Call to Southampton.

I can believe that. When we sailed with Cunard in 2019, Queen Victoria, Singapore to Cape Town I booked our flights independently and had four nights pre cruise in Singapore and the same post cruise in Cape Town. The savings made over both the Cunard Fly Cruise price and a TA's, whom I tasked individually to find a package, paid for our 8 nights hotel accommodation at both ports while we had the bonus of choosing Singapore Airlines outbound and Emirates homebound.

That is a standard school of thought and it offers a higher degree of security should there be any delay in the airline flight and for short delays one can be sure the ship will wait. There was a well documented example on one of my facebook groups involving Cunard just before Christmas 2023: and that was what one would accept as a simple flight London to New York. There does seem to be a misconception however regarding Cunard and Travel Agent booked flights. The passenger is well protected when their cruise and flight are part of a 'Cunard fly/cruise package' arranged: whether sold by either Cunard or sold through a travel agent. Not so when one uses a TA to arrange one's flight choice of a different airline flight, maybe a different flight dates, and when one wishes to purchase a seat other than 'economy'. The same rules will apply (as did in my earlier example), and Cunard (or any other cruise line) will have no responsibility should there be a flight delay. Of course its a good little earner for Cunard (or whatever cruise line) as they can block book return flights from port cities where both the cruise departs and returns to the same destination and similarly where the departure and arrival ports are different aka cruise turnover ports.

Good morning @bluemarble . I noted over on the 'World Cruises 2026 that @Ocean_Liner_Traveller mentions Queen Mary 2 Visiting Moorea and Papeete in 2016. My 'Where in the World' list is most likely well out of date but for July 2021 Moorea doesn't get a mention. Do forgive me if it has been listed since then....

We too certainly had an outstanding time visiting those two islands: albeit not on Cunard but Silversea. While not being over impressed with the French legacy on Tahiti I certainly found the memorials to Captain Cook and The Bounty at Point Venus inspiring ..... *********

Whatever, the price is worth paying.

On the contrary @NE John , it's what our Royals are all about, 'Service and Duty'. We see Queen Camilla on our television news channels almost every day attending some opening or another. With the exception of course of our recent export across to your fair land. 😉😈

My brochure clearly indicates Dakar as a port of call in the itinerary and map. I guess an oversight then... ******* Funnily enough, I was only saying to my wife over lunch, Dakar is the only port on a Cunard World Cruise that we've not visited.

I see the Queen Mary 2 2026 World Cruise (M603H) itinerary has two most interesting calls on 18th and 19th February.... Papeete (18th) .... https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2015/05/15/tahiti-one-way-to-see-the-island/ and Moorea (19th).... https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2015/03/13/moorea-one-way-to-do/

Or our new Queen?

And that fellow cruisers hits the nail right on the head: and hence the reason my wife and I have drifted from Cunard - lack of new itineraries and more of the same old same. A recent switch to Azamara gave us an experience of three new ports on one cruise: all of which were excellent choices and either of which would be not too difficult for a Mediterranean based Cunard ship. But of course we shall give Queen Anne more than one try. We would certainly require a second cruise onboard to check out whether the Cunard onboard ethos was to our entire satisfaction. Maidens are always a good experience, blending the new with the exciting, and offering the opportunity to meet up with old friends who no doubt will be onboard in abundance. @NE John , for your information the three new ports of call I mentioned earlier were Thessaloniki, Kavala and Cannakale.

We did an Alaskan cruise with Regent and it was an outstanding experience..... https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2013/03/21/regent-seven-seas-alaska-cruise/

...and why not.... ******* ***** And of course, once purchased then followed by a visit to Harry's Bar.

Excellent decision on both @schattenfell71. I trust they've removed the scaffolding from the Cathedral at Santiago de Compostela by the time you get there.... Sometimes the bane of my photography 😉 .....

That's what I tried to highlight.

Happy St Valentine's Day to members of this board. My wife and I have enjoyed a number of St Valentine Days at sea on a number of cruise lines. No less than three have been while sailing across the Pacific - when the most memorable one was onboard Queen Mary 2... Do you have a Cunard St Valentine's Day memory to share?

I've recently completed a guide to what can be achieved on one's own while visiting A Coruña on a cruise ship. Here's the link to my blog which I trust will be of use to cruise visitors... https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2024/02/09/one-way-to-do-a-coruna/ ******

Just for you @EA1978 . My recently updated cruise blog link...... https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2024/02/09/one-way-to-do-a-coruna/