lahore

I should have said they have not done so for me; I leave in three weeks and have had nothing to date.

Without doubt, all being under CCL management. I am interested to read elsewhere that pax on some CCL lines have been notified in advance, whereas Cunard has not done so to date.

Thanks Pippa, really appreciate the update. Indeed nobody ever tells you anything on the majority of cruise lines; we are treated as cargo/idiots. Can I ask, were you advised before boarding, or did this change come in mid-cruise? I’m actually pro-infection control so I’m a bit relieved to hear that, but that’s just our stance 🙂

I hope we are, well we would be anyway but I hope others are. Would greatly prefer it for my partner’s sake given the recent rise in numbers, however as i said….don’t want to get political so I’ll not say more.

@Windsurferboy. Thank you, but I already did that and as i already said, they will not send anything by email from the Phillipines. Give it a try.

Maybe, but the article was dated 18th November and is in line with the current ‘fourth wave’ in Australia. It’s interesting that I note passengers on other CCL lines in Australian waters have received letters to this extent, but not Cunard (or at least I haven’t). Thanks for your experience in Jul-Aug of course, but I am interested if things have just changed again in the last week or so.

Look, possibly I’ve been remiss in not knowing how Cunard works. I have travelled numerous other lines and never had this issue in any way. As I said initially, it never entered my head that a folding travel scooter would not be allowed in your cabin: whatever their policy is that seems inexplicable to me. I bought a last minute guarantee cabin, so I didn’t choose ‘accessibility’ and I do not consider my severe osteoarthritis to require a medical declaration. I can get by without the scooter and I may decide to do so in this instance. Cunard’s T&C’s are evidently inconsistent as their website says one thing and their call centre says something entirely different, so to that extent at least they are remiss. Also, and far more importantly, why on earth would a company want to make life more difficult for someone with a disability? One becomes used to a mobility device being accepted as necessary in the developed world and the owner taken at their word and treated like an intelligent human being. I take it on planes all the time, so I wouldn’t have expected a cruise ship to be a problem. Clearly I was wrong and I will most definitely reassess any further cruises with Cunard based on the outcome of this debacle.

Certainly a verbal commitment can constitute a contract under Common Law, but the recorded message says “some calls may be recorded…” and this was a call centre in the Phillipines so I don’t like my chances. In any case, I’m certainly not going to try to do that at check in, which is the only place that this is likely to be an issue.

I hope so, they would need to be. No, I was not. I booked online through the Cunard website from Australia.

Hi, I just read the article below regarding Carnival (including Cunard) reinstating infection control procedures in the context of the ‘fourth wave’ in Australia at the moment. https://www.traveller.com.au/carnival-cruise-line-makes-masks-compulsory-in-wake-of-majestic-princess-outbreak-h27yli?promote_channel=edmail&mbnr=MjI3NDgyODg&eid=email:nnn-13omn645-ret_newsl-membereng:nnn-04%2F11%2F2013-smh_travel-dom-travel-nnn-smh-u&campaign_code=13ITR004&list_name=10078_traveller_news&instance=2022-11-18--00-59--UTC Is anyone onboard or recently disembarked at the moment who can give us a real world evaluation of the state of play onboard? *NB; not wanting a political discussion on pro/anti infection control procedures, just wanting to know what’s happening.

Further to this, and in Australia, with thanks to the OP I have phoned Cunard twice on this topic. Both times I got put through to the Phillipines and both times I was told that despite the contradictory and quite clear ‘policy’ cut and pasted from the Cunard website, above, I CAN take my folding mobility scooter on the upcoming cruise despite not being in an accessible cabin. I asked for this in writing, and perversely was told that the person I was speaking to was not authorised to send me an email *sigh* but I could write to the email team if I wanted. So far my first experience with Cunard has been less than stellar in the customer service department. They said they would send me a ‘medical form’ but that I had to wait for that to turn up because it “had to come from England”. The whole thing is beyond a joke really. I’ll keep you in in touch with what happens. I can get pretty Bolshie when it suits, and I’m determined to chase this down. Just a case of the more I thought about it, the angrier I got.

Thanks, yes I was aware that Paxolvid is available here but local Dr’s don’t seem to be prescribing as the first choice, probably due to the interactions. Its also interesting that all someone over 70 has to do to get a prescription is to book a Telehealth appointment and say they had a positive RAT. I just did that myself - it was the truth, but nevertheless….

Just to add to the general conversation, COVID antivirals are covered by PBS in Australia so cost us $6.80. Generally Australians are prescribed Lagevrio not Paxolovid, which is another reason for wanting to take it with us: as @Covepointcruisersaid, there are a lot of drug interactions with Paxlovid which would make it risky to take for my partner. The Australian government has strict rules about who can have it, and you have to have symptoms before you can get it. This will require a ‘carefully structured’ talk with our doctor if we seek to take some with us ‘just in case’. Given that COVID is rebounding seriously in Australia at the moment (4th wave etc., etc.) this is something we need to seriously consider.

Thank you. That’s the specific information I was after. So presuming that’s in USD, it’s definitely worth our while trying to bring some with us.

Thanks @Host Hattie, it is useful but it’s a few months ago now and also it doesn’t mention to cost. I would love to get an answer to that part of the question too.

Hello. I was reading a post from someone on the line we usually travel with (Oceania) and evidently they supply Paxlovid to anyone who tests positive. We will be going on our first, trial, Cunard cruise in a few weeks (Melb-Melb, Australian waters). Does anyone who is currently onboard or recently disembarked happen to know whether the Cunard medical centre supplies Paxlovid or any other COVID antiviral to those who test positive, and if so how much it costs? Context for those who are interested: I have just had Covid for the second time (despite being 4x vaccinated) so i should be OK but my partner didn’t get it. I noticed that the antivirals had a price of over $1000 on the packet, although being covered by the Aus PBS we only paid <$10. Although it’s difficult to get a packet in advance, we are thinking of trying if it’s either not available, or costing over a thousand bucks on the ship. Any actual experience would be good to know about. TIA

I feel for you and at the same time I want to thank you. It never entered my head that you would not be able to take a folding scooter on board with you. I use a ‘Travelscoot’ which also folds down to a very small size and would easily fit in the cabin. We are going on a one week cruise out of our home port in four weeks to give Cunard a try, and I was planning to take it with me. Now I won’t be. Perhaps like you, I can walk, i just can’t walk a long way; I have severe osteoarthritis. I’m actually shocked as this seems overtly discriminatory to me and thus unlawful in Australia. Something to think about for us and probably not take the much longer, and more costly Cunard Cruise we were planning for next year. Their loss, we will go on a more disability-friendly line.

Thanks everyone. I’m shocked at how bad it is! It’s really genuinely surprising that any company can exist with such a pathetic level of online presence. So anyway i phoned them this morning and got someone in the Phillipines who was just regurgitating corporate training speak. It seems I am to “not worry” (makes my blood boil, if they want us to “not worry” then stop sending pointless threatening emails), and it will all be solved. I am to expect an email reversing what I was told on the previous email, but the service person did not seem to understand that that was any sort of problem. “Have a wonderful day…..”. Grrrr

Hi all This is to be my first cruise with Cunard. I booked online through the Cunard website, paid online the same way. I entered all the information required on the Cunard website: names for two of us, addresses, passport info etc.. The website says “complete” for both of us. However today i received an email from Cunard saying that says some immigration information is missing (weird, because the cruise is from Melbourne to Melbourne for two Australians so no immigration is required). Anyway, international waters and all I don’t mind that part, but it seems to be asking for one of us to enter a ‘State’ for our address. There is nowhere online to enter the State. You enter your address line, e.g., 18 whatever road and then the city and country. So I’m confused by that. Secondly, it’s asking me to complete a “reservation form located in the lastest Cunard brochure”. WHAT? What century are we in? I’ve done everything for this cruise online and have never seen a hard copy brochure. I’m totally gobsmacked by this email. Has anyone got any idea what I should do with it? As I am on a guarantee, I want to progress it.

In my dreams....but I guess that could explain their thinking. :)

Yes, as I said we had no choice but to book a guarantee, it was a last minute type promotion. I also had a bad experience with a guarantee on a much more expensive line than Cunard. I’ll keep my fingers crossed, at least the price is right. I’ve never had to search the internet to find arrival and departure times. I find that totally strange, but I’ll roll with it. I’m first time on Cunard so neither high status nor Grill level (although I am a shareholder). Cunard has never appealed to me because of the ‘gala evenings’ but this cruise is only 7 days and cheap enough for us to treat this trip as a trial run If we like it we’ll be booking a much longer one from England next year (we are in Australia). That one will be for a special event so we don’t want to book if we don’t enjoy the Cunard environment. We are more used to small ‘country club casual’ ships such as Oceania and Azamara. Cunard is much larger and there’s the dress code which we loathe. But I’m sure we can work with it if we like everything else.

Hi and thank you for the comprehensive answer. - I’m very familiar with port websites, I’m just not familiar with having to use them because the cruise ship doesn’t provide that information. I find that so strange, but whatever I guess… - I see you are in USA: we are in Australia. Unfortunately what I can access does not give any option under ‘Your dining choice’ other than ‘main dining room’ (see attached photo). I am presuming it might be because we only have a guarantee???? - I did manage to find the capacity to book spa treatments thank you (I only wanted the aqua therapy room) but you can’t book a time/day in advance so I don’t see the point. - Wow, they really did hide those ‘shore experiences’ but thank you, thanks to your guidance I found them. Really appreciate the help, thanks a lot.

That’s interesting, we just booked on that same cruise. I don’t see any options whatsoever in regard to dining on the website.

Ok, I’m actually shocked. I am an experienced cruiser who just booked my first cruise on Cunard, it’s a cheap trial because we were considering a really long one next year and thought we’d try a quick trial on QEII out of our home port before committing. I had to book a balcony guarantee as it’s a last minute thing, I’m not sure if the fact we are on a guarantee makes any difference. The website tells me absolutely nothing! Here’s what I would expect based on other cruise lines: - The times of arrival and departure into port: nothing there at all other than ‘early morning’. - Capacity to choose dining time: An indicator that says ‘dining’ but you can’t do anything whatsoever after you click on it. - Capacity to pre book dining or spa experiences (Ok, not all lines have that but some do. The Cunar website seems to invite you to do so but then you can’t). - Capacity to book tours - we normally don’t but it actually invites to book ‘experiences’ yet there are none there to even consider Am I missing something (well I am, but is it my fault)? p.s. this is for a cruise in December 2022, it is now mid October 2022.

Thanks, that’s the way I was leaning, but I was concerned about the food. We have recently gravitated towards the smaller lines who really do have exceptional food (e.g, Oceania/Azamara/Seabourn). Last time we cruised Princess I feared my hubster was going to actually get off due to the horrible food…wouldn’t want that angst again LoL