Classiccruiser777

After the COVID experience we won't be purchasing any future cruise deposits from any of the lines we frequent.

With the COVID shutdown the balance sheets of the cruise lines are frightful, loaded down with massive debt. All the lines have cutback and/or raised rates and the shareholders of the companies have taken major portfolio reductions. I'm not excusing their behavior but I understand why they're doing what they are. https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/CCL/carnival/debt-equity-ratio

In addition to all the points the OP made, one very important quality about Cunard that we love is that there are numerous, quiet places to sit and read or do whatever.

I'm top tier on Cunard's loyalty program (diamond) and three stars on HAL's. I also haven't cruised on either line since before the pandemic but in my book Cunard has always been a cut (or two) above HAL in every respect. However, if you are against "dressing up" a bit, Cunard probably wouldn't be a good fit.

On the 3 current queens we’v On the three current ships, and we’ve taken many cruises, we’ve always managed to get a table for two In Britannia.

My 2 cents since I wasn't asked (speaking as a diamond level passenger): Free WiFi for the cruise Complementary laundry services (HAL does this for 4 star members) Select/reserve dining table, QG thru Britannia Pre-paid gratuities

When buying WiFi at the daily rate, is it by the calendar date or is it for 24 hours beginning at the time of purchase?

One more reason we will be booking far fewer O cruises.

It’s been a few years since we’ve taken a Cunard cruise and there have been some changes since our last voyage. We are Diamond level in the World Club and qualify for the $135 benefit towards WiFi, what formerly had been 8 hours of WiFi time. Next month we will be aboard the QM2 for14 days, a voyage that encompasses two segments, a one week cruise to Quebec from NY followed by the return from Quebec to NY. What we would like to know is will we receive that $135 credit towards WiFi for each segment, $270 for WiFi in total, or is the total sum $135 that we will be credited upon boarding in NY? We are considering additional QM2 cruises, one of which has three segments, another four (retirement is wonderful). Thank you!

Some of the benefits an agent may offer could be "flow throughs" from the agency's travel consortium. What is a travel consortium or a travel cooperative? The very very short answer that will get you through a cocktail party banter is this: A travel consortium is a collective of host agencies, travel agencies, and/or travel advisors that join forces and combine resources to increase their industry footprint including buying potential, benefits, & commission levels.

Once on board you can check daily to see if additional reservations are available. If so, you can get more reservations.

Weather is unpredictable. We have taken many crossings at most times of the year and some have had glassy seas, others a mix of calm and stormy but all very nice in the end. Regardless, QM2 can manage weather better than any other passenger ship.

How do you know this? Who told you?

No, we don’t. I was responding to the OP’s question regarding changes experienced, that’s all.

Just did a Regatta Alaska cruise in July. Previously have taken 11 other O cruises dating back to 2015. The only differences I noticed are that tea in Horizons offers fewer selections of baked goods, but still ample, and there wasn’t a ship map included in the keycard wallet.

Are they available, hard copy, somewhere on the ship?

And when will the next “prices are going up so book now” announcement be forthcoming?

Couldn't agree more and I understand management's decision to implement "Simply More." The debt NCLH has accumulated is massive, $14 billion according to the linked article. https://seekingalpha.com/article/4621930-norwegian-cruise-line-return-profitability-horizon

We will be far more discriminating in booking O cruises - shopping sales, promotions and repositioning itineraries. Most likely we will be booking more cruises on other lines, fewer on O.

Perhaps under “Simply More” alcohol free beers and wines will also be “free,” (ignore the fare increases since “Simply More” was implemented).

Amen

Roundtrip cruises with little to no flying interest us. We have done several to Europe and the UK from NY and will do more. As the saying goes "it's the only way to cross."

Not in our case. In about 45 cruises we’ve taken 3 shore excursions in total. We prefer the freedom to go our own way. Simply more is simply a fare increase for us and makes O less attractive.

So if a cruise occurs on which all the passengers are “silver” or above does the ship’s staff go without pay?

I thought "Simply More" was to simplify things...