Victoria2

Alternatively, the very act of booking with Cunard is saying, we trust you to look after us as best you can and if that includes Covid mask wearing etc, so be it.

Whenever we've needed one, we've never had to ask as there's always been one hiding in the dressing room/area.

It's when things go whatsit up you realise how good, or poor your agent is. A good agent is in for the long haul for their clients. Not the odd 5% here or there. No matter. We value our agent. Suits us. 🙂

As you have no idea of my interactions with Cunard via my TA, let's just say, I disagree. 🙂

My TA doesn't give discounts over and above Cunard's offers. He gives super amazing service and that's a value far precious than discounts and he won't be the only one out there who has the same approach to their clients. Find an agent you trust and stick with them. Personal service outweighs any discount.

Thank you. That's very reassuring coming from you.

I have absolutely no idea what will happen for future itineraries and won't speculate other than to say flying over a country isn't the same as the mode of travel making landfall in the same country. I'm sure US DHS will have it all under review. 🙂

All travellers to the US travelling under the VWP have to have an ESTA'

I don't think you can automatically assume an ESTA isn't required to board the ship if destined for a US port. All this directive seems to be saying is if a passenger doesn't want to leave the ship when in this particular US port, and on this particular itinerary, then they don't have to disembark for immigration purposes. It gives no information as to subsequent QM2 travel.

In that case, if a large/intrusive charter is accepted by Cunard AFTER folk have booked, the booked passengers should be given the right to cancel/transfer without penalty.

It's advertising blurb and a marketing tool souping up to impress. I haven't read anything about these charters but if what you post is correct, it doesn't impress me one bit and I won't comment further with my thoughts on the attempt to imply any superiority over the regular passengers other than to say it's hilarious and don't you just love it! 😄

Depends how often regular passengers were excluded and at what times as to how intrusive I'd find it. However, for a cruise to evolve into a part charter AFTER bookings have been taken for the ''regular'' cruise though, isn't on in my opinion, however discreet the charter group is.

On our favourite eight top one year, as usual, we had wonderful table companions on two segments of a world cruise. One couple was outstanding for many reasons, their age being one of them.She was eighty five and he, eighty eight. Both had health issues and their five figure travel insurance was eye wateringly high. We felt very privileged to be able to join their Worldie table and had the most amazing time. As long as you can insure, age is but a number! 🙂

You'll have to book another cruise to continue your research! 🙂

I do get your drift. We thought about a Long Voyage and went as far as to book 72 days but had to cancel so a Worldie holds no interest for us, for health issues and also being away from family and friends for that length of time. We love our cruises, but love our home environment too. For six weeks I had no cooking, no housework and no ironing. Just the pure luxury of busy days at sea often doing nothing the whole day through, with the equivalent of a stimulating dinner party every evening. To be thoroughly recommended. 👍 .

The longest we have been onboard was approx six weeks and that was plenty long enough for us. Do bear in mind, if ''outfits'' might be an issue, no one will be giving marks out of ten for attire and unless an outfit is absolutely outstanding, for any reason 😁, no one will remember what was worn anyway so unlike those ladies who have a different outfit every night, I recycle long and mix 'n match separates. My husband's shirts are sent to be laundered [ I refuse to touch an iron on holiday] and there is the passenger laundry facility for those who want it. Other than that, Gala evenings are no different really from the other nights apart from dress is more relaxed on non Gala nights. See many, many, many comments on threads over THAT one!😄

Without wishing my life away, the more I hear about this ship, the more I'm looking forward to trying her out. 🙂

You are very welcome. I thought the price was a little steep but seeing how my '23 refill diary has leapt up 25% on a certain river site since Dec '22, nothing would surprise me, price wise these days! Sadly! I might wait 'til Feb to buy it as a personal protest! 😁

I am of ''the only person who can intimidate you, is yourself'' way of approaching life so I would not be intimidated by any lanyard wearing fellow passengers [or anyone onboard for that matter] but I would be annoyed if the lanyard wearing passengers had frequent access to many parts of the ship which precluded me from entering. So it would depend on how intrusive the charter[?] group was as to how annoyed I'd be.

I'm with exlondoner I don't think you can book that far ahead and quite frankly, even if you could, I wouldn't. That's a lot of money to lose if the ship's itinerary changes.

Both can be tender as both can be alongside. Depends which ship, if any other there at the same time, has the alongside mooring.

When we travelled [with Cunard] on the Flamsbana, we ''halfway'd'' before the return, at Vatnahalsen station and traipsed up to the hotel there for a waffle afternoon tea. Not an outstanding snack by any means but the views are great.

We have ''done'' around six 7/8 day Fjord trips over the years. Each one has been special even with repeated calls. We have been there when other ships have been anchored in Flam and didn't notice a problem. The obvious first timer trip for the Flam call is the railway, Having done it once, we're glad we did it but have never bothered with it again. Guarantee a trip and book it with Cunard to go with the herd, or book it yourself for a cheaper price but still go with the herd. Olden is pretty but no more so than other Fjord calls. My favourite stop is Geirangerfjord. Picture book pretty. Booking QG/PG gives no priority for booking excursions. The only advantage could be if booking with the Grill's Concierge just might beat any line up at the excursion desk.

I sometimes go and have a forage in the Lido at lunch time. Yes, anything can be ordered for lunch but sometimes, the urge for a single plate of bits and bobs [definitely NOT the etiquette for a QG lunch 😄] means it's the Lido for me and not a sit down lunch upstairs.

As a die hard QV fan, we're disappointed but recognise it might be judicious planning on the part of Cunard. Many, like us want to depart/arrive S'ton and with the choice being between Mary [no thanks] or the new ship, it might/will introduce Queen Anne to a whole raft of Cunard passengers...like us! We won't prejudge; we will book; we won't go comparing her with her smaller sisters and we will enjoy. 🙂