NYCruiseNoob

I did my first Cunard cruise (a TA on QM2) last December. Also solo, also widower. I found it to be an idea trip, and there were plenty of opportunities to engage with other solo travelers. I'll echo what 3rdGen Cunarder said about getting seated at a large table...that was one of the best decisions I made.

I'm doing my first TA crossing from Southampton on December 15th. I'll be flying into London a couple of days prior. Typically, how far in advance does one learn the embarkation schedule? I want to arrange my London/Southampton transport in advance but can't really do so until I know those details.

Thanks in advance!

Chris

We just returned from a northbound Coral Princess tour.

First, enjoy Vancouver. We spent three days in a rented condo before sailing and loved it. If you like to ride bikes, be sure to rent bikes and do the seawall ride around Stanley Park...fabulous!

We also booked a Harv and Marv whale watch and really enjoyed it. We had Captain Steve on a small boat (6 passengers total) and it was a great time. He's never had a trip without a whale sighting.

We didn't do a land tour afterwards. If you want to do laundry before leaving the ship DON'T wait until the last sea day....everyone who was going on to the Denali trip was trying to do laundry at the same time!

We just got off Coral Princess on June 17 (northbound to Whittier) and were in a mini suite on Baja (B209). I second the comments above about exposure on the forward bump out suites. I don't think the difference in the view is worth the greater exposure to wind, weather, and gazers!

An advantage of being forward on Baja deck is that you have access to a great open platform beneath the bridge...when the naturalist said "There is a pod of orcas on the port side" I was on that platform with my camera in about 20 seconds!

We just did this last week (our first time in Alaska). We did the round trip Summit return. The plus side of doing the RT is that it doesn't matter which side of the train you are on if it is crowded; you switch sides on the way back down.

On the other hand, it would have been nice to get a different perspective on the return trip. Princess also offers an option to train up and bike down which would be pretty cool if you are feeling adventurous!

We just got back from a northbound trip and were in Juneau from 6:30AM to 8:30PM. There is a large souvenir/gift shop right by the dock which would be plenty. There is not a lot to see outside the port.

There are many first post and last post (total 1 post) recommending this tour group. Is someone advertizing????? actually 4 out of 5 posts from the one above have only posted once ever. H

Well, in my case I am brand-new to cruising (this was our first), and I have never been to Jamaica before. But there's a first time for everything, right? I felt good enough about my experience with Courtney that I wanted to give him a good review here. There's nothing in it for me. But when I was doing MY research before our cruise I appreciated all of the reviews I saw here, so I wanted to do my part as well.

My wife and I just returned from a cruise that stopped at Falmouth last Monday (December 5). I had been in touch with Courtney by email based on the positive reviews I read here. He responded promptly to my messages, was very clear about prices, and so we agreed to meet.

He was easy to find, very courteous and professional, and an entertaining guide. He took us for some sightseeing (including a stop at Rose Hall), then to Montego Bay, where we spent a couple of hours at Doctor's Cave beach club. Then we headed back towards Falmouth, stopping at Scotchies along the way for great jerk.

It was a very enjoyable day, and Courtney was a big part of it. If we go back we would use him again without hesitation.