Wordzz

10 hours ago, Neuhoftraveler said:

@windsurfboy -- Are you referring to upgrades arranged directly with Virgin, after booking Economy through Cunard, or to higher fare classes offered by Cunard for a higher price than for Economy? I infer from Wordzz' comments that it's the latter, but I'm not sure I infer correctly.

Neuhoftraveler - My experience to date has always been with flights (and upgrades) booked through Cunard.

I'm not sure where you're located, but on one-way TAs booked in the UK, the return flight (Economy) is included in the fare, departing on the  evening of the same day that QM2 docks in NYC (we tend to do Westbound crossings, so the flight is New York to LHR). We either book our crossings on the phone direct with Cunard or whilst onboard, usually long before flights are released (which is generally around 11 months in advance).

Once flights become available, I just ring Cunard and tell them we want to 'deviate' our return flight - i.e. fly back X number of days after QM2 arrives in NYC, with X being the number of days we want to stay in New York. There has never been a fee for that, though I suppose in theory there could be. At the same time, I just ask if there are any deals on upgrades. So far there has always been an upgrade deal available, either to Premium Economy or Upper Class  (that's on Virgin Atlantic - we avoid flying with BA if at all possible so I can't speak about them). I've found Cunard to be very good at this - they will hunt for deals on different flights (there are usually several each day) and also search code share flights. So later this year, for example, we are flying back from JFK with Virgin but on a Delta code (Delta had a deal, Virgin didn't, but it's the same flight, go figure), and in May 2020 we are flying from Newark at a later evening time, because that's where the deal was available.

At the time of booking the flights, Cunard give me a reference number, which I can then use to select our seats on the Virgin Atlantic website.

Of course, there may not always be deals available, and I think they are sometimes short-lived, but so far we have always been successful. Then it's a case of how far your budget will stretch - Upper Class is very nice, but is considerably more expensive than Premium Economy, which is also pretty good IMO.

HTH - sorry it's a bit longer than I intended!

Have a fab trip, Capegirl - it's a great time to be in New York!

Forgot to say, if you did decide to upgrade your flights, you could probably still do so with a phone call to Cunard, even though you've already booked.

Have a wonderful time whatever you do.

Just to chip in here, we are also flying from New York to LHR in May, 2020, also with Virgin Atlantic. I rang Cunard last week to arrange the flights (we're spending a few days in NYC rather than coming straight back on disembarkation day.), and upgrade deals were indeed available. Whether they can be described as 'cheap' is debatable, but they are much less than 'full price', and for us the upgrade to Virgin Upper Class (= Business Class) is a price worth paying. Premium Economy was also available, and we've found that to be very good with Virgin, too. Not every deal is available on every flight, so it helps if you have a bit of flexibility on precisely which day you fly back. Also, the deals are sometimes on flights from JFK, sometimes from Newark.

5 hours ago, David rut said:

I actually checked the insurance coverage from the credit card we used to purchase the trip and it covers pretty much everything (it is a specific travel card so has a lot of travel related benefits)

 

it it covers up to 100 000 for medical evacuations. I am sure that is not enough but I’m wondering if others still think we should add insurance even with this coverage?

I think some travel insurance policies specifically exclude cruises, so best to double-check that your credit card insurance does provide that cover.

I guess that is an easy statement to make being retired

8 hours ago, eroller said:

 

 

I guess that is an easy statement to make being retired.  

That's a pretty sweeping statement. I work more than full-time; virtulaly all of that time is spent at a computer and I pretty much live on the Internet for work reasons. Being on board is a blessed opportunity for me to take a holiday from that. My wife and I decided on our very first crossing on QM2 that there was no point in keeping in daily contact with the 'real world', because whatever dramas might occur, there was nothing we could do about them from mid-Atlantic and we would simply be stressed and powerless to do anything. Personally I dislike seeing so many people glued to their smartphones, and seeing less of that is - for us - one of the nice things about being on a ship. Each to their own, of course, but please don't assume everyone thinks the way you do. And your last comment about a private island was just plain snarky to my mind, and unnecessary.

Hi DreamingOfunnyDays, 

No, Heathrow from JFK, and not until December. We were originally on an A330 too, but it's been changed to a B787-9 (Dreamliner?). We're happy with the change!

Tbh I can't remember, but equally I don't remember not being able to, so I'm assuming we could and did.

I suspect your problem (and ours last year) may have been a glitch somewhere; we have Virgin flights booked again for later this year, again through Cunard, and have been able to reserve seats without a problem. In fact, I was able to change the seats, too, because Virgin changed the aircraft and our original seat reservations were moved. All went without a hitch.

Good luck and enjoy the trip!

This happened to us last year, not with Etihad but with Virgin Atlantic. We had a booking code but couldn't reserve seats on the Virgin website. So I just rang Virgin and they sorted it straight away. Perhaps Etihad will be able to do the same.

Just come across a slightly  expensive trip to Hamburg on Queen Victoria...

Voyage V101 '14-night Canary Islands Celebration' leaving Southampton on 23 December 2020 is priced from £2,499 pp. (Britannia  Inside).

Add on two nights and disembark in Hamburg instead of Southampton  - voyage V101A -  and the price changes just a little - from £750,000 pp. Admittedly that's for a Britannia Club fare, but it still seems a little steep. At least it was consistent - making a dummy booking for two people showed a price from £1,500,000. Hamburg is a lovely city, but that seems quite a lot to me! 

The complaints have been ongoing for some considerable time now, and rightly so - the new site is still terrible. I wonder if they are actually heeding this and doing anything about it?

Thanks, MarkBearSF, what a great idea! - hadn't thought of that! Problem solved!

11 hours ago, old fool said:

Transfers to NYC airports:

.....not specific to this case but in general, I see folks more concerned, IMO than necessary about ship to airport transport in New York.

One of the easiest and most direct ways --- walk out, get in a cab --- always lots of them  waiting when you arrive (either yellow or green) tell 'em which airport, relax and pay the meter plus tip when you arrive.

 

About $40 to LaGuardia (half hour to full hour depends on traffic), $50 or so to JFK (just a bit longer than LaGuardia), and maybe $100 to Newark (I'm guessing about Newark 'cause I never go in or out of there).

 

If you have a late flight and want a quick look at Manhattan, take the cab in ($40 or so) site see, etc. and then about $40 to LaGuardia, $55 to JFK, and $80 to Newark. All prices are per taxi, NOT per person. 

 

All easy to do.......... Yes, NYC cabbies may have just learned to drive, and are many times lost, but 99.9% of the time they are just honest hard working folks trying to make a living. Don't worry, they all know how to get to the airports and Times Sq.  

This is great advice, and is what we would like to do - cab or car into Manhattan, spend a few hours there, then take a cab or car service to JFK in the afternoon (our flight is also in the evening - 6.30pm, I think). The problem  is that we will have our luggage with us, so in practice we seem to have the choice of either going straight to the airport and spending all day there, or taking the Cunard sightseeing bus and then being dropped off at JFK later. Neither is our preferred option, but we can't think of a better alternative - but maybe someone else can....?

24 minutes ago, phillipahain said:

After Oceania or Crystal which truly are Luxury lines theres no way Cunard is luxury or begins to compare 

Cunard now is quite simply a slightly more formal cruise line  than the other Mass market lines like Princess  Celebrity etc ...the food especially in Kings Court is mass market and often extremely unappetising and boringly repetative 

The drummer and the orchestra drown out every performer just as they do on Princess etc 

Having been on both Princess and Celebrity, I couldn't disagree more. Cunard for us is a completely different - and way, way better - experience, and that applies especially for QM2. Each to their own, I guess.

We're on this crossing, too, then going on to the Caribbean from NYC.

Didn't even realise this was a centenary voyage - how exciting!

What a very frustrating site to use!

I have found the following way to access the list of guest speakers: Apologies if this is repeating what has already been said:

• Click on 'Help & advice' in the top right corner of the homepage to bring up FAQ.
• The section 'Before you sail' is highlighted on the left, beneath the search bar.
• Move the cursor to the right and click on 'Life on board' to highlight that section. The number (2) indicates that there are no fewer than two questions in this section - quite telling in itself...
• Only then go to the search bar and enter the word 'speakers' or some such term.
• This opens a question about wheelchair spaces in the theatre. Either minimise that information (the minus sign on the right) or scroll down to the second (and last) question 'What entertainment is available on board?' Click on the plus sign to open the response.
• Scroll down past the bullet points to the section beginning 'Please also see the following:'
• On hte third line there is a highlighted phrase 'dedicated Guest Speakers page'. Click on that and hey, presto - you've made it! Simple....

So basically if you're not in the 'correct' section of the site, it seems your question won't be recognised and will return no results. It's a bit like the old joke about using a dictionary, that you have to know how to spell a word before you can look it up.

The whole convoluted and non-intuitive process illustrates nicely that the new site is a bit of a shambles. 

The last time we were on QM2 was June of this year. Prior to that we were on board in February/March. Both times we felt the standard of food in Britannia was actually better than it had been for a while. And our experience of the afternoon tea (which we did multiple times on both voyages) was also excellent. The service in Britannia was also superb, including from the sommelier, an area that is often weak in our experience.

Just goes to show that we are all different and that it's hard to please everyone!

I'm not really sure what the point of all these comparisons is, to be honest. That said, a couple of weeks ago I was sitting in the bar of a very nice upscale hotel in London. I didn't order a pint of Guiness, but we did have a couple of cocktails. They were £18.50 (about $24?) each, and they weren't the most expensive drinks on the menu. Doesn't prove a thing, of course, except perhaps that it depends what (or where) you are comparing against. Yes it was expensive, but we chose to be there. Drinks on Cunard might also be a bit on the pricey side (though not that pricey!), but again, we choose to be there. I don't want to go on P&O, and what Cunard - and especially QM2 - delivers for us is way more important than the bar prices.

Usually a table for 8 at dinner, table for 2 at breakfast and either a table for 2 or sharing a big table for lunch, depending on how we feel. We have met some wonderful people on large tables at dinner, including on our Norwegian Fjords cruise last week, and have forged some lasting friendships.

That's very good to hear, we've had a few poor reviews recently so it's nice to hear something positive.

Just to add to that positive note, we were also on this cruise and also had a great time despite the weather.

Also, apart from the enjoyable cruise and the ship itself, unlike some recent posters we both felt that the food served in Britannia was the best we've ever had in eight Cunard voyages - and considerably better than during our circumnavigation of New Zealand in February. It's subjective of course, but that feeling was shared by everyone at our table, both lunch and dinner. Fish in particular has come in for criticism at times, but I had it four or five times over the course of the week (including haddock for breakfast) and found it to be wonderful every time. Perhaps we're not very fussy, but we were very pleased with every meal.

We also made a few observations regarding the new dress code, but I'll put those in a separate post on the dress code thread.

I have been following this thread with interest as we embark on our first Cunard sailing tomorrow (albeit not a 'voyage' and so not a full representation of the line, but being used as a trial of the ship for us) and we are taking formal attire, even though there is no mention of this requirement in the CP.

 

However, it was reported on a previous short sailing on QE I believe, that one evening was designated formal optional once on board and many were disappointed as they had not brought the appropriate attire, but we will have just in case and to be honest may wear it regardless. I doubt there's any restrictions on dressing 'higher' than the published requirement. :)

 

Whatever our experience is, my question is this, if Cunard are relaxing the dress code to the point where those of you who expect the formality of what Cunard used to offer are no longer happy, which line are you going to move to?

 

I maybe wrong, but I don't know of any other cruise line that demands the formality you expect and is offered on Cunard, expect maybe P&O, but then I don't believe they offer all the other elements of enrichment and facilities provided by Cunard.

And therein lies the problem.

My view also.

 

I have a long(ish) cruise booked for next year and have paid a hefty (Grills) deposit. Unlike happy Boating I am not prepared to lose that deposit and indeed, have enough character about me to enjoy the experience anyway.

 

Having said that I will go with an open mind, make observations, and effectively place a 'trial' notice on Cunard.

 

Meanwhile I shall not booking any future cruise with them until I'm satisfied that the standards we have become used to have not been watered down.

That's our approach too. We shall wait and see what happens in practice on the ship over the coming weeks and months, both based on our own experience during our forthcoming Fjords cruise on QM2 (the first week of the changes, I believe) and based on first-hand reports by others. In the meantime, we too will hold off from making any further bookings at present, including those we were planning to make whilst on board.

I do find some of the snarking and lampooning on this thread of those of us who value the Cunard frormality and dress codes to be regrettable. If that's what is important for us about Cunard - and it is - then so be it.

Thank you for the very helpful replies.

Yes, I should have said that it's QM2 from Southampton, from the QE2 terminal. It sounds as if we won't have any issues, which is great.

Thanks again.

Looking for advice re boarding times for our upcoming Fjords cruise with my mother-in-law.

My wife and I are now Platinum and have a boarding time of 12.30. My MIL is Silver - having sailed once before on Cunard - and has been given a later boarding time. However, she won't really be willing or able to board without us accompanying her.

Has anyone experienced this? Is it likely that we will be able to board her with us at the earlier time, or will we all have to wait until her later boarding time of 15.30? It makes a difference, because none of us wants to sit in the embarkation hall for hours on end!

Thanks.

It would be interesting to see if those disliking the new rules were older. 70 and over? No offense to anyone in saying that either. It's a generation thing. Like it or not if Cunard doesn't change then in 10 years time you will find they go out of business. The next generation "mostly" don't feel the same about formal clothes being worn all the time. Or a tie etc, and just wait till you get the millennials all grown up and on mass! You may hate it and want to keep it but it is how it is.

So if your line of thinking is correct, why would anyone choose Cunard and pay more for the privilege, if it just offers the same as all the other lines? Apart from Transatlantics, I don't get it. It seems to me that a really smart business offers something that other businesses don't. Otherwise, where's their USP?

I don't fall into the age category you suggest, but my wife and I do greatly enjoy the formality of Cunard - it's why we made the line 'our own' and have done seven cruises with them in the last five years. However, when I was younger I wouldn't have dreamt of wearing a tux. People can and do change as they get older - even millenials might! It will be a pity if there is no longer any choice by then.

It would be nice if Cunard chose to lead rather than follow..

We normally book our cruises or crossings about a year ahead of time. With all of the confusion about exactly what Cunard is or isn't going to do with regard to the dress code, we have decided to wait until the end of this year before deciding if we will continue sailing with Cunard or look into spending our travel funds on something else since we know that no other cruise line will give us the experience we desire. Hopefully, we will not need to make that decision, but...

That's exactly what we've decided to do as well. We are on QM2 on 17th June and had been planning to book two, possibly three future cruises whilst on board. Like you, we have now decided to wait and see before committing. Each to their own ,but for us there is no incentive to pay more for Cunard than for other lines if they are diluting one of the main things that sets them apart from others, and one of the main attractions of the line for us.

.

We are already starting to look at alternatives just in case; had a pile of brochures for land holidays delivered yesterday, and some of them look very interesting...