MarkBearSF

4 hours ago, techteach said:

@MarkBearSF Sad to say I don’t see Glenmorangie listed anymore.

It wasn't listed before (nor Tanqueray 10, I believe). We put in the request in advance via our travel agent and they were delivered when we boarded. 

When we do our NY- Quebec City cruise in September, we'll be requesting Glenmorangie whisky and Tanqueray 10 as we have before.

8 hours ago, Kristal Blade said:

We will be embarking in New York for the Southampton return, arriving 12 June.

We are thinking about the train trip home too and Sunday has always been a nightmare when heading west.

Considering a taxi transfer home, getting ready with the smelling salts when we get a price quote!

Consider Blackberry cars - blackberrycars.com

15 hours ago, Desert Cruisers said:

The Medallion app is for Princess cruises.  Does it work for Cunard sailings?

An earlier post mentioned that Princess still allows traditional seating. And then asked how. That is why I answered. Obviously, the medallion app is only for Princess cruises, not Cunard.

3 hours ago, Desert Cruisers said:

What app?  Are you referring to the onboard app - My Voyage?  Would be nice to access this app prior to sailing.

The Medallion app. Yes, you can reserve before boarding. (However, in our case, they moved our dining room)

12 hours ago, lissie said:

So you're not going to cruise at all then? Which other cruise lines do fixed seating? I know Princess does it as an option - but that's the same as what Cunard is doing surely.  

Princess no longer does fixed seating. They allow you to reserve a table at a time via their app. And you can do so for the entire voyage, but you are not guaranteed the same table. (you can talk to the maitre d' and usually accomplish it, however). 

8 minutes ago, jimbo1683 said:

Thanks. That sounds mightily expensive to me - as does the official excursion. I'll be taking the €20 Cruise Express shuttle service.

If you are traveling with others, it becomes much less expensive - recall that the fare is for the entire car, not per person. (120 euros/6 = 20 euros per person round trip including tip, 30 euros for 2 couples)
I assume the 20 euro shuttle fare is per person, and is it one-way? And do they let you off at the lot away from the town center?

The BEST way to do it is to take a taxi from outside the gate at the pier. 

There will be numerous drivers with late model Mercedes and equivalent cars. The rate is regulated. In 2017, the rate for a minibus was 50 euros each way total, for up to six passengers. We went with another couple we met onboard. (I believe the rate was the same for a sedan). Our driver was very prompt and provided interesting information during the drive. Not only was the ride much cheaper than the excursion, he was able to drop us off right in the city center, and not at the parking lot outside of the area. (My husband has mobility issues, so a 20 minute walk - with cobblestones - would have been a problem.) Our driver promptly picked us up at the planned place and time.

Our driver was Rony (rony@ronistaxis.com) - highly recommended. We pre-ordered the pick-up, but when we arrived at the gate, about 20 minutes early, there were a number of other drivers available for hire (so I was able to see that all of the cars were very nice). I expect that the rates may have risen, but they should still be regulated. We tipped 20 euros on our 100 euro fare.

They will not tell you about this in the port lectures.

29 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

It’s a shame so many people reject it out of hand simply because of its location and their preconceptions. It’s really pretty decent.

To be honest, it's also not particularly well publicized.

While I've not done Alaska on Cunard, I notice that they include what I consider two highlights that are not included on many other lines' itineraries

- Glacier Bay - there are a limited number of slots which the National Park Service allocate to cruise ships. There are more glaciers in Glacier Bay than the alternatives and itineraries which include it are definitely preferable to those that don't.

- Sitka - Both times, we've found Sitka the most charming of the ports to walk around. Less crowded and touristy than Ketchikan and Skagway, with clear evidence of the state's Russian history. Very few lines visit Sitka. 

The NY Times just published an article on Red Hook
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/03/nyregion/red-hook-brooklyn.html

7 hours ago, ak1004 said:

Thank you very much @D&N

 

The theater theme is a nice bonus, but my understanding is that even on non themed crossings, there is a lot to do. Can someone share what type of activities and entertainment can we expect and how does it compare to Celebrity/Princess? We sailed in the QM2 5 years ago, so my memory is a bit vague, but I remember that we were impressed.

In comparison to Princess, you can expect more lectures (and of a very high quality) typically 3 lectures per day. Also a variety of classes, a great watercolor class, dance, and on RADA crossings, acting. Also fencing classes, I recall. And, of course, the planetarium shows. And the usual trivia, bingo, and casino stuff. Also typically a passenger chorus. And fitness things (which I steadfastly ignore, so no help there). And, if interested art auctions (generally a higher quality of "art") and selling presentations for spa procedures and products (no escape on any ship these days).

I found the lectures superior to Princess and Celebrity (without the off-putting self-promotion I found on Celebrity). The trivia is more cutthroat than the other lines - and you MUST have both Brits and Yanks on a team to have a chance. 

My condolences to you as well, shipmates.

Thank you so much. And Magabear2, I also send my condolences and thank you for your beautiful account.

I will be sure to notify my Travel Agent of my wishes along with the usual notifications.

Does anyone know definitively if Cunard allows disposal of remains from their ships?

I saw a similar question on the Princess board recently, and assumed that the answer was no, but it turns out that they have procedures to allow for this. Of course, it must be pre-cleared and they also have a strict limitation on the container to be used (it must be decomposable - they have a list of approved vendors). As a longstanding lover of Cunard and the QM2, it would certainly be worth consideration if it's possible.

Please do not reply with conjectures, only if you have actual knowledge of the subject.

Yes, Cunard will offer shuttle busses back and forth to Manhattan. They will drop you off near Macys. (I think $50 per person)

A MUCH more economical, and fun, solution is to take the ferry which is literally steps from the pier. It will drop you off at Wall St/Pier 11 (near 9/11 memorial/museum). I think it's $3.75 per person each way. 
https://www.ferry.nyc/routes-and-schedules/

Additionally, there are cabs, Uber, and the subway (although it's an uninteresting 20 minute walk to the nearest station and quite a lengthy ride to the stations near the Manhattan sights)

When in Manhattan, the subway is convenient, fast and the way to go.

On 2/14/2022 at 1:32 AM, exlondoner said:

Portions very small??? I think they tend to be on the large side, though sometimes you don't get many veg with the main course. And again one can ask for more.

In particular, I was talking about most of the starters. Personally, I find them just about right.

Since they started combining starters, salads, and soups in the same section, we pretty much always order two from that section at each dinner (typically a starter and a soup or salad). Never a problem. Also, the portions are very small, so having two is not an issue for us.

I heard that Cunard is very serious about broadening their passenger base and appealing to younger and more diverse customers. 

She will be called Queen Latifah

Am I getting confused with another line, but did Princess have a special beverage waiter who served as a wine waiter as well as taking all bar and soda orders in the MDRs? (echoes of the days of wine sommeliers)

We were just on the Ruby Princess and our orders were taken by the assistant waiters, who seemed not to have any training on American bar ordering, to unsatisfactory results. 

Following. 
We leave on the Ruby Princess out of SF on Thursday, Jan 6 and will be following much of the same itinerary (with the addition of Manzanillo - big whoop!)
 

I notice that the International Cafe is closing at Midnight and that there's only one showtime. How many are aboard?  (We board next Thursday)

One part of the article that rings true is Cunard charging them for cans of soda delivered to them in quarantine, in spite of having the drink package. 

I find that I often have to log out and back in. Probably the same result. 

On 11/20/2021 at 6:16 AM, mjs99mjs said:

Sailing on the 22nd. Apparently you can't email the CD directly. So, I found Princess on Twitter and sent a message. This got a quick response and follow up. I requested a meetup every night and they said that will be happening, even listing times and locations for me. Just waiting for them to show up in JourneyView on the Medallion app. Thanks everyone.

How did it work out?  

We'll be on the Ruby for the 10 night Mexican cruise on Jan 6. It's a "Logical Family Cruise" for myself and my husband, our three "gay kids" and their partners/husbands - eight in all (seven of us will be in three adjoining minisuites).