RalphWiggum

I used a Rapid NAAT test for my May EB.

I’m on the same sailing and also operating under the same assumptions.

I just booked and paid two spots three hours ago for Covid tests in Southampton next week. So my initial Reaction was DRAT! But now I’m like I’m getting £60 back for the cancellation and no worrying about missing the appointments if my train (one day post strike) to Southampton is late.

Seriously, thank you everyone for this wealth of information. I will coordinate with my travel partner to see what we will do. He is in the UK already so maybe he can order the Randox tests now for collection at a store near him. I also looked at the Southampton West Quay website and saw much availability for bookings. Honestly, I’d be fine with just that option but I’ll be taking a train from London to Southampton the morning before I sail, and with the strike issues, I don’t want to just rely on a scheduled appt in Southampton. but great to know there is also a last minute option by the pier.

Thanks for your quick and helpful responses. I will try to make an appt at the Southampton shopping center. Hopefully they can tell me which test to take foR Cunard since they must get a lot of passengers testing there. I like D&N also likes belts and suspenders so want a backup option. I will be in Bath for a few days before going to London for one day and then Southampton the day before my sailing so was hoping to pick up a proctored online test at a pharmacy since I don’t think the window of time I’m in bath will allow for getting it mailed to me. again Thanks.

I will need to get a private antigen test the day before sailing out of Southampton. How easy it is to go to testing site (I’m assuming a pharmacy or drugstore chain) and get a test done? How far in advance do I need to book it or can I just do a walk-in? Also, the Cunard website says I can order a test kit online through a government approved provider. But I’m not clear what that entails or whether that will work for me (that is getting something mailed to me). So can you buy such a test kit (im assuming this is me of the online proctored ones) at a drug store? any help would be appreciated, esp someone’s else just describing what they did and the test they got. Thanks in advance.

What an odd glitch. I am on the WB July 29 sailing and when I log in it has the correct dates - 7/29 with 8/5 arrival.

Also I’m sure the poster who had a bad experience on a NCL cruise out of Manhattan is correct. But I’m sorry, the fact that some post Covid Manhattan departures had issues does not prove the point that all NY departures are delayed. As many NCL departures have been seamless. Mine was back in December. Perhaps if someone - who was not Platinum or above) - can tell me that they had a quick and easy process (arriving mid day because I’m sure if you arrived first or last you might sail on) on QM2 out of Brooklyn I’ll change my mind. But I read the NCL and Cunard boards for NY sailings and have not heard about good Cunard embarkations out of Brooklyn post Covid.

The Brooklyn and Manhattan terminals are managed by same company. All lines have the same issue with people showing up early. And the other lines sailing out of manhattan are using much bigger ships with double passenger amounts. Employees of the same company out of Manhattan manage a much quicker organized process. I don’t know, true. None of us do. But I’m not inclined to give Cunard a pass. don’t see why Manhattan accepts online photos but Brooklyn makes you retake. Again I think that’s Cunard who sucks at almost everything computerized/online. Also Manhattan used my boarding pass and health Q. (I did have to test at pier to be fair, which took 45 minutes too). For example, re Cunard technology issues,, i was asked again to upload my emergency contact info,which has not changed since 2018. And which I added when I booked my May EB this year and then had to login again a month before because Cunard said it was missing. And I’m being asked to do the same for my July WB. And I know they have this info and I know I spent the time filling out all blanks whe I booked. But yeah. Cunard. and let’s not talk about the cruise app.

It sounds like you did what you were supposed to but stuff happens. Have you looked at buses? I did a two hour Greyhound bus trip once and, um, never again. But I know there are some upscale (but not too expensive) buses that run from NYC to DC and NYC to Boston. Perhaps there are similar services from BOS to DC. That said, I think you’ll be fine with your flight tomorrow with the big IF being the airline. Good luck.

To be fair, the OP already knows this lesson as the original flight was for tonight and airline rescheduled it for tomorrow. Tomorrow flight will likely work, but OP is looking for our thoughts as to whether s/he should chance it.

Yeah, if you’re asking the question that I think you know the answer to, yes, it’s possible to land in Boston at 11:30 and make the ship on time. Frankly, it highly likely you will. I only flew when required for work and remember making many 9:00 am Boston meetings from NYC. Sorry, it’s been a while so I can’t give time estimates. But do standard ETAs matter? I noticed you emphasized “if” plane lands on time, because you know it’s likely that and all those other unexpected variables that would be the reason you might not make it. But, man oh man, would I be looking at Amtrak trains tonight, or driving. I would hate the thought of the things that could go wrong. But I’m a worrier. And I hate to fly now, so for me catching the ship at first port is off the table (but it looks like you’d be willing to do that if you had to).

I was on the May 15th sailing and noticed a few more maintenance issues as well. They all seemed minor - rust, missing plastic tiles around hot tubs, some deck chairs and pads looking a little tired - but there were more than I had seen on my prior crossings. For me, I was willing to give Cunard a pass because with the difficult times they and other lines are going through, something has to give and I’m fine with it being cosmetic maintenance, especially since my fares on my EB and upcoming WB were much lower than those on pre-Covid transatlantic cruises. Like Ak1004, I agree that the ship was overall well maintained. Thank you ak1004 for taking time to review your voyage (which was also my voyage). Enjoyed reading it. We had some similar observations and some that weren’t, but that’s par for the course on a ship with 1000+ people. I didn’t think your review was negative just because you didn’t like aspects of the Cunard experience. You stated what you liked, didn’t like, and a reader can draw their own experience as to whether what you noted was important to them.

I was on the May 15 sailing and my only complaint about the sailing was the embarkation process. I don’t understand why it needed to be so long. I have sailed three times out of NY since cruising resumed - Bayonne in Nov and Manhattan in December. Both on megaships that had to upload at least twice the number of passengers, plus kids, and with day-of covid testing of kids only, for one cruise, and for all passengers, for the other. Even with the tests, both were the fastest onboarding I have ever experienced. It was only 20 minutes before my cab dropped me off at the pier and I was on board RCCL. So I was not expecting the long lines extending out of the Brooklyn pier or the two and a half hour wait to board QM2. I had uploaded all my documents and photos and printed out my e-ticket and healthy declaration, both of which I wasn’t even asked to provide, as well as my boarding pass, which I volunteered that I had after I heard the first agent tell someone to print out one for me. I was asked to take another photo right before boarding. And to answer health questions the day off that were duplicative of the ones on the questionnaire (although I don’t remember being asked about supplemental oxygen online). We arrived at 2:30, which we also thought would mean shorter lines. Turns out it actually did, since the stevedores said lines were worse earlier. But seriously, a horrible start to a vacation. I admit I really hate lines - but what bugged me was the feeling - no, the knowledge - that this could be done much more efficiently as other lines were doing so. I am happy to submit online photos and health declarations as they should shave time as well as getting your keycard in your room. Don’t understand why this process took so long. And it’s not Covid, IMO, I’m 0-4 on a good embarkation on QM2. oh, and not to sound all doom and gloom: my cruise had a London Theatre Week theme and it was AWESOME!!!!