vtbobby

smithsforairports.com  ... estate cars to anywhere in London or airports ...expensive for one person but very reasonable for two or three and luggage ,,,They are bases in Portsmouth, so always have cars meeting the ship ...

In 2013, we had adjusted a European itinerary so that we could begin our return crossing on QM2 in Hamburg...specifically to witness the rousing Sailaway. Unfortunately, QM2 was delayed in arriving from Norway because of North Sea weather. We didn't embark till 6pm, and didn't depart till well after midnight...to a silent sailaway. Graciously, the Fairmont hotel gave us a late checkout, and we stayed there till 4pm.

But, we were at our usual station on the Observation deck (11 deck below the Bridge) toasting the silent sailaway on our favorite ship.

We will be there again, with our bottle of wine, on November 3rd...hoping for a gala sailaway with music and whistles...

Cheers,

Bob & Beatrice Ring

So pleased that you plan to sign the log book on your next voyage.

Hi Beth...so wonderful to "see" you again! :D Beatrice and I haven't been on QM2 in a few years, but even "Crossed" under sail, among other cruises. The last two QM trips, the CC Book was "lost"...so happy to see it returned, and we will be sure to sign. We are going Eastbound on May 31st to join a Road Scholar tour in France, commemorating US battlefields of the First World War on this 100th anniversary. We wanted to return home on the late June crossing, but Cunard sold it as a charter, and we must be home July 1st.:loudcry:

Hope this finds you well...!!

Bob & Beatrice Ring

Just got a glimpse of her! Anyone know where she is off to next?

Curacao :cool:

Can anyone who has been into Willemstad on Star Clippers tell me if the ship docks actually in the attractive harbour or outside on the 'megapier'?

Hi...we've been there twice,(Star Flyer & Westerdam) and both times docked inside the harbor...about 100 yards past the 'swing' drawbridge, on the left. Great port...:cool:

JOBAKE,

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. As you noted, I'm hardly a stranger to being at sea, and have taken many solo land based photo trips where I have no one to blame for the company but myself. I like meeting others and don't expect it to be a problem, but was curious to see if the Star Clippers attracted many other solo cruisers. Thanks again! Tom

Hi Tom...no worries about sailing solo on the Clippers...many do. In fact, on your cruise will be a contingent from the National Maritime Historical Assn.(I'm a member), and there are usually quite a few experienced sailors sailing solo...as well as couples. Our travel agent, Bert Klein will be aboard...he used to put together the passenger/crews when SC raced the Star Clipper in the Antigua races. In 2007, when SC was moving Star Flyer to Tahiti, my wife & I sailed with her across northern South America, and through the Canal...then I continued on for thirty days solo to French Polynesia. They only took 37 passengers, and about a dozen were solo. In 2012, we crossed on the Clipper from Athens to St. Maarten, and there were many solo. You get the idea....

We were booked on the cruise before you...Istanbul-Athens-Venice, but SC sold the Athens-Venice leg to a charter...so we switched to the same itinerary in June.

Were you stationed in Little Creek? I did two gator reserve cruises from there on APD's...

Hope this helps...:cool:...Cheers,

Bob Ring

I've used Park n Go in Atlanta, too!

 

I wonder, is it easy to get from the ship back to the lot or is it crowded..?

 

Great advice! Thanks!

Hi Kevin...they will give you a number to call when you exit customs...and they arrive quickly. On our first trip, we returned to a different terminal so we asked a security guard where the van pickup was. On our second trip, the van was waiting right outside customs, and the driver called in our info...car was ready with trunk open when we got to lot. Only two cruises from there...but no crowded van so far...We make a reservation about a month ahead, and pay by credit card online.

Bob :cool:

I park here:

 

https://www.bookparkngo.com/ftlauderdale.php

 

It is less money and easy. You pull up to the Tiki hut and before you can park they are there to unload your bags to their bus. When you come back from the cruise they handle your bags too, placing them in your car. They also have a cold bottle of water waiting for you. A few years ago I think it came to $56 total for 7 day cruise.

We add our recommendation for Park 'n Go...fast, friendly and half the price of the garage. We book & pay online...drive across Alligator Alley from Bonita...they're on the left as you get off the exit ramp for Port Everglades...no port security and showing your cruise documents. We'll be there Jan. 21st...

Cheers, B&B :cool:

vtbobby, I'm not seeing anything other than your usual signature.

(Happy New Year, and I hope your friends in Breezy are doing well.)

Thank you Salacia...when I posted, the font changed, and size went from 1 to 10 on Sig, on my screen!:eek: I thought of all the posts on other threads being changed...I suspect Google Chrome on the laptop I was using...or possibly the dsl connection outside, since it was minus 12 degrees F here last night.

Thank you for thinking of Breezy Point...our old home (12 Reid Ave RP) was spared by Sandy and the fire...and old friends also.

Happy New Year to you...one QM2 crossing on tap this year so far...:cool:

Cheers, Bob

Sorry...don't understand why font & size of signature has gone haywire...It won't let me correct it...:confused::mad::(

We always use smithsforairports.com They oick us up at 10am at the pier, and take us to our hotel in London (and vice-versa)...or to St. Pancras for the EuroStar Chunnel train. Always prompt (you exchange mobile numbers with driver), courteous and helpful. We no longer consider any other way....Cheers.:cool:

Are these only available online through CC or are they available in stores in the US? We reside in Canada and the international postage/shipping charges are almost as much as the tags themselves, plus there will be other charges added in when they arrive, so am a little hesitant to order them sight unseen. Does anyone have any experience with them; i.e., do they fit properly and are they durable? I'm getting tired of stapling and taping the luggage tags we now have to print at home.

The plastic tag sleeves sold by Amazon, CC, and others are actually made in Canada. You can buy from Amazon Canada...or direct from the distributor in BC...Blair House Ltd.; 1964 Gloaming Drive; Kamloops, BC V1S 1P8 (http://www.cruisetags.ca) phone (may be in US...US distro is in Lynden, WA) 800-315-9490

We've used ours on four cruises now, and they hold up well. No need to fold & staple...just print tag from HAL, cut to size and slip in sleeve. We had one broken plastic attachment loop, so we now use electrical ties.

Hope this helps...:cool:

Hi. Interesting. Thank you for the update of where QM2 is.

Is the day because of the Pods?

Are you on board the QM2?

Awaiting QM2 in Hamburg for return crossing to NY. Cunard email only mentions "poor weather conditions at the entrance to the river Elbe"...nothing about pods. We have been here six days, and the weather has been cold and very rainy every day. Very disappointed because we came here to embark because of the famous Hamburg sailaway....:(

We'll be at the harbor to watch the river arrival, then return to the hotel to retrieve luggage...

Update emails from Cunard UK and TA...QM2 expected to arrive Hamburg 1400 Thurs...requested to not check-in before 1800...est. departure 0100 Friday:(...expected to arrive Southampton on time Saturday morning. ;)

Apparently QM2 has azipod problems and will be late into Hamburg

We are waiting to rejoin QM2 in Hamburg. We just received a email from friends aboard, that they will not depart Stavanger till tomorrow morning...arriving Hamburg Thursday at 1400. Announcement to passengers blamed the delay on weather....?!? :confused:

No email from Cunard or TA yet...

Maybe the passenger throw a fit and the police had to be called. Maybe the passenger called the police about being removed wanting them to intercede on his behalf. Maybe the deputy was working as part time security. Maybe he heard the story from a friend of his who heard it from his girlfriend. :rolleyes:;) No telling how he knew or found out about the situation.

When we went to deck 10 for the sailaway, after muster, there were three pollice cars, (Sheriff?) with flashing blue lights on the pier. They drove away before we sailed...and we assumed that the 'removed' party from 7005 was in one of them.

Friends watching on the port webcam heard a radio transmission between the ship & port, reporting that Westerdam would delay departure while a "party from stateroom 7005" was removed from the ship.

I believe that it was handled firmly and professionally by the Captain given the climate following the Costa tragedy. That said though...we were on QM2 on a three part cruise (6/2010), stopping twice in Southampton, and were required to attend the three lifeboat drills only once in NYC. The person removed from Westerdam was working aboard for three weeks of Jazz Cruises, and had already attended the Drills twice. In this case, the punishment didn't seem to match the infraction...unless he was stupid enough to give the wrong Officer a 'ration...'