QM1

Picture of the arrival at Cobh tuesday evening:

Cobh was already in our schedule when we booked 3 months ago. We had a fantastic arrival there.

Just had lunch on the last sea day onboard QV, waiting for a lecture on astronomy. It has been a wonderful cruise around the British Isles.

We will be on Cunard´s Queen Victoria when she sails around the British Isles next month. We are Cunard fans so another line was no option.

Covid does not care how rich you are, sorry. It's a democratic disease;-) I just came home from a QM2 cruise, spending 7 days in "splendid isolation". There weren't many cases on board as much as I could figure. When leaving, about half a dozen were escorted from the ship by medical staff. I spoke to only one other passenger affected, he caught Covid on the TA before our cruise and was isolated on the same day as me. The Covid- station on QM2 is on deck 5 forward (sheltered balcony).

I officially tested negative at a test center about 20 hours before boarding. Just to be absolutely sure I did a private test at home (again negative) the morning before I entered the train to Hamburg to board the Queen Mary 2. And just hours after entering the ship I felt sick after a short nap and was tested positive that very evening. "Just in time" as it absolutely never should be.

I also took it serious, for the same reasons as you. I also found it strange that in the end I was apparently forgotten. Maybe it was because I had been written off the list of the sick, why others prepared the note that I was to be picked up personally. There were some miscommunications, but all minor. For instance the last test result was not communicated, only that I was free to go. The train back, well, that was another issue. Trains, and Deutsche Bahn in particular, certainly do not have a friend in me, for many reasons, again confirmed yesterday.

My checkout time was 8.40. And the letter expressively said: you'll be picked up from your cabin. 45 minutes later I called the purser asking them wether I was forgotten , or if anything important had occurred. My partner (who was partially isolated as being close contact) in the cabin next to me experienced the same. When 10 minutes later no one had called back I called the staff outside my door, whose supervisor after a call to whomever said I was free to leave on my own. The guy next door who also had caught covid (from a table companion on the TA before) didn't wait for anyone, I met him outside the ship waiting in the huge taxi queue.

Yes, C.S. Virgo (2018/195.000 grt) was waiting to enter Hamburg. I had my good lenses with me and among others photographed waiting in the huge traffic jam north of the river Elbe: Thalassa Avra (2014/149.000 grt) Outbound was: Ever Grade (2018/219.000 grt)

Hi Barbara, in my letter it said the credit amount would be communicated in two weeks the earliest. If you left on June 5, its just two weeks now, so give them a bit more time. Its not a pressing issue I guess.

Well, yes, I was surprised. On the other hand, the only service I really got was the food from the Britannia (no one ever entered my room to clean or so, but I must say I didn't expect that either). I wanted to pay the Britannia staff extra tip, but it was too late during the deboarding hustle as I only had bigger banknotes with me and I wasn't allowed to leave my cabin until picked up.

To add, Cunard also reimbursed the service charge.

To follow on my Covid experience, when leaving QM2 yesterday I received a letter stating that I will receive a future cruise credit soon. Thumps up to Cunard! As for the chaos mentioned above I must say I thoroughly dislike the Steinwerder terminal where I have been for the first time now. Far from the city next to the container harbor, austere, worthy of the cheap bunch of cruise ships only, certainly not Cunard. Plus, there are no photo opportunities to take pictures of the ship (from the city you can just see the funnel). A far cry from the location near the spectacular "Elphi" from where the QM2 departed until recently. We waited in a taxi line ca. 150 m long. and it took us one full hour (!) before it was our turn. The taxis came slowly one by one, a disastrous service of the Hamburg Taxi Innung. Very bad from the City of Hamburg! Cunard should consider to apply for one of the other locations available in that otherwise beautiful city.

Exactly. I disembarked the normal way this morning. Staff was always very friendly. There were a few little miscommunications, that was all. Nothing that caused trouble. I am not left with any bad feelings.

First they said I must stay on board. But I asked to disembark and they tried. But overnight nothing could be arranged beside a 1000 Euro Special transport back home, 5 hours south. No option of course. I am not allowed on public transport, and who would have rented me a car? My Hamburg friends are on holiday, too. So they was no Choice really.

I checked in at 3 pm, went to the cabin, slept two hours, woke up with slight fever. Then someone send me the news that a relative I had met a few days before tested positive. I then called the doctor on QM2, got tested, and about 9 pm or so got the result and was put under quarantine, my partner separated. The ship left Hamburg the next morning at 8.

And I absolutely agree with you, Barbara, with what you wrote about the heavy coffee cans vs the heavy cabin door. Quite a challenge.

Hi Barbara, well, you endured the same. Not advisable😉. I am in 5063. Its a beautiful day. Out there. My Partner is also in quarantine, Next door. She is negative so free to move. But she is not allowed into the Restaurants. Same as the couple on the other side, where the man caught COVID-19 at the end of the TA before.

Mainly the Nordfjord today. Very majestic. Brillant weather.

Thank you, yes, I am feeling better. Fever is gone, a strong cold remains for now. but the whole cruise is wasted. Looks like there are about another dozen Passengers or so also affected.

😷 I‘m currently in Quarantine onboard QM2, missing not just Flam. I was tested positive at the begin of the Cruise. Sitting on the balcony looking at life in sunny Olden, eating too much for someone not allowed to leave the cabin. Staff does its best, cannot complain. But how sad for the first real Holiday since the begin of the pandemic...

Thank you for your report, its very helpful after those 2 dreadful years since that notorious "Chinese import". We are looking forward to board QM2 for the Norway cruise next month. Just one thing that came to my mind when reading: you mention "no self service" in Kings Court. Did they employ extra staff? I thought there is a shortage of manpower. Are soft drinks still free in King´s Court or do you also have to order them and pay extra?

Given the renderings, from the outside Queen Anne will sadly be no.4 out of 4 in the Cunard fleet. But no surprise, the British Queen with that name wasn't famous for her beauty either;-) I am looking forward to sail on my favorite QM2 to Norway next month!