QE2 - January 3, 2006 - Six Day Crossing

[dougnewmanatsea]

I think the passengers will be the entertainment.

It certainly is an interesting group! Would be even more interesting if you were coming... Perhaps another time.

 

I do feel bad for passengers on QM2 also sailing January 3rd. Cunard has misrepresented that sailing by stating Maxtone-Graham will be lecturing onboard.

I agree. This was, after all, "broadcast" on both the US and UK sites - I am sure there are innumerable passengers who will be expecting John and not finding him there!

 

Any chance of finding out which day he'll be lecturing?

Sheesh, you people want me to do everything ;) !

 

Seriously, I will ask - though I don't know if he knows yet. At any rate, do you book your spa appointments before departing? (I know little of such things, as I don't do spas.) At least on QM2, I know they give out a lecture schedule on the first day of the crossing, presumably to solve just such problems.

 

We had the pleasure of hearing him lecture at the Hoboken Historical Museum a few years ago

Did you (or anyone else) make Bill Miller's lecture/book launch there on Saturday?

 

I'd have liked to have gone, but had something else I couldn't get out of.

 

Attention Cunard executives: "Customers" we may be, in strictly financial terms; but having bought passage on your ship, we are the ship's passengers!)

I don't think I've ever been referred to as a "customer" by Cunard or any other line... But "guest" does seem to be cropping up all over the place in this industry. Frankly, I'd actually prefer "customer" - I refuse to stand for being called a guest in any situation which involves me paying the people calling me their "guest"...

 

Kudos to you, Host Doug! Our money was on you the entire time.

Thanks! But really, I'm just the messenger. (Unfortunately my confidence in Cunard is such that my money was on my sources the whole time too...)

[Allis154]

I spoke with our travel agent yesterday afternoon. While I was there, she called Cunard about my cabin assignment (We upgraded and now don't know what cabin we will be in). They didn't know that yet. She also asked about documents and was told that they will be sent out by Friday. The holdup is the air, or so the Cunard representative told her.

[Transatlantic Tom]

Transatlantic Tom and others,

Thanks for the nice welcome to the board.

--Christy

 

Christy:

 

Other than the Knight of the Garter, and the US Senate - you may have joined the world's most exclusive "club" !!!

 

Less than a month now...

 

Tom;)

[Post Captain]

Did you (or anyone else) make Bill Miller's lecture/book launch there on Saturday?

 

I'd have liked to have gone, but had something else I couldn't get out of.

Afraid we weren't able to make it either, as we had to go to a party for friends who are moving out of state.

 

By the way, my wife & I were at the luncheon on the QM2 in July--no doubt our paths crossed, Doug, if only by us being in the Britannia Restaurant at the same time. As a group of us were traipsing around the ship before lunch, we ran into Bill Miller, who gave us an impromptu tour of the theatre/planetarium. John Maxtone-Graham was aboard too, as you no doubt recall.

 

I don't think I've ever been referred to as a "customer" by Cunard or any other line... But "guest" does seem to be cropping up all over the place in this industry. Frankly, I'd actually prefer "customer" - I refuse to stand for being called a guest in any situation which involves me paying the people calling me their "guest"...

I must have been thinking of something else I've read recently where passengers were referred to as "customers." (I believe that's the standard term used in British railway timetables & brochures & announcements nowadays--I guess they think that all they're selling you is a ticket, and that they're not actually obliged to convey you to your destination!)

 

But I do agree with you about the use of "guest" in this context. At the very beginning of Cunard's "Voyage Information" booklet, Peter Ratcliffe addresses the reader as "Dear Guest," and the term indeed crops up throughout Cunard's promotional material. (I do smile when I encounter "guest" elsewhere, as in that wry euphemism, "guests of HM's prisons." Or as in: "May we pay you for our passage aboard QE2?" "Be my guest.")

 

No doubt we members of the Winter Crossing Club will prove ourselves passengers in the fullest sense of the word, even while we are guests & customers of the line.

 

Cheers,

John

[Calliope]

Well, yes, I am a paying customer, and I certainly expect to be treated as a guest. But on official ship's documents while aboard a British ship I expect to be listed as a "soul"!

[sfo-john]

Has anyone received their documents yet? I know that some of you got incorrect ones a last week or so. I'm flying out three weeks from tomorrow. It would be reassuring to have them in my hands by next week!

[Transatlantic Tom]

John:

 

My answer to your question is NO, we have not received our documents yet. I did contact our Cunard rep yesterday and informed her that we have yet to receive any documents - first set, second set, any set at all.

 

I haven't heard back from her yet today (and she is very efficient and reliable) so that (plus all the other stories we're reading) tells me that they are having "some problems".

 

Yes John, it is only three weeks until flying off to London for us too, and I'm not pleased that it's taking this long. Usually we have had our documents well before this time for our previous crossings.

 

Tom:confused:

[sfo-john]

Tom,

I remember last year I left for London on December 4th (for the 12/15 crossing) and by right before Thanksgiving I still hadnt received the documents. I called them a few times and finally they "rush delivered" them to me about a week before I left. Everything was in order, but I was starting to get a bit stressed out.. I guess I'll be calling them by the end of this week...

[Transatlantic Tom]

Tom,

a bit stressed out.. I guess I'll be calling them by the end of this week...

 

John:

 

Yes, after booking way back in February, in our case, it is a wee bit "too close for comfort" to be this near departure and no documents in hand....

 

Having said that, I just got an e-mail reply from our Cunard rep moments ago. She said that (a) she had thought that we had already received our documents - which we certainly had not , so you very well might want to make a call...maybe this week...because, (b) she said that the "documents department" would be sending out our documents early next week, shipped "overnight".

 

Tom

[sfo-john]

I called them an hour or so ago and they said that the tickets were being sent out this week and that I should have them by sometime next week..

[BrianBoru]

I received the flashy pre-cruise booklet that so many of us have raved about. No tickets yet, but i'm not worried.

 

When are folks on either side of the pond heading to London?

 

Chris in soon so be even snowier NW PA

[travel-to-go]

When I spoke to Cunard yesterday to correct an omission on my guest registration (I had forgotten to write down my passport number! Had everything else! date passport issued, date of expiration, place of issue- but forgot the number!) I had asked if they were sent out. I said I would check with my agency. I figured they hadn't as others had said you didn't get your docs til they had that reg in hand. Well, I called the agency yesterday. the owner called me back today. He has BOTH sets of docs. HE said I'll have to figure out which ones are correct! <LOL> You mean I can't just take two cruises? I'm ready to drive down there tomorrow. My agency moved this year- It's now an hour away! I used to just pick things up on my lunch hour!) But one of the office workers lives near me. She only goes in on Mondays. She'll pick them up and I'll pick them up at her house Monday night. Drat! I want them in my poseession NOW! So I can sleep with them under my pillow and make my dreams even sweeter!

 

BTW, Did you know some lines are going to E tickets? just like airlines?

 

The agency owner was commenting about the goof-ups Cunard makes. He is a confirmed Carnival fan. I love our Carnival rep, but UGH! Not the cruises! This man has been in the travel industry in many roles most of his life. Grew up next to Disneyland! But loves Carnival- Go figure! He just got back from a cruise where he spent nearly the entire cruise in his balcony cabin. I guess it makes Carnival more bearable. <G> He had breakfast and lunch delivered, and went to the buffet for dinner. Never once stepped in the dining room. He's writing a murder mystery! Spent most of the time, away from ringing telephones, just writing on his balcony! I suppose you could do worse. He probably has as many cruises as half the total of this entire group! (Well, maybe not!)

That would be the life! Oh well!

[transat_jon]

I've cruised on QE2 without having tickets, as long as you are on the manifest it is not an issue. As long as you do not need to have the air tickets it is not a problem.

 

The e-ticket idea may will spread to cruiselines before long.

[eroller]

I've cruised on QE2 without having tickets, as long as you are on the manifest it is not an issue. As long as you do not need to have the air tickets it is not a problem.

 

The e-ticket idea may will spread to cruiselines before long.

 

 

Very true Jon. I have taken several cruises without tickets, as today they are merely a formality. Same with air tickets. 9 times out of 10 air tickets are actually "e-tickets", even for International flights. All that you really receive is a receipt and itinerary.

 

Ernie - not at all worried about tickets, but I still like to receive them! ;)

[Ab Ovo]

That slim, spiral-bound booklet stuck in the plastic folder? Don't like to carry it, nor any extra paper. I take out (usually it is page 15, but check it yourself, don't hold me to it) the ticket-page only and carry that on board.

[transat_jon]

I've finally added a countdown to my web frontpage.

 

24 days to go.

[Ken_W]

No tickets here either, but I was told last week that the reprint was done on the 28th of November and that they will absolutely positively arrive next week! As I know I'm on the manifest, I'll go with or without the actual tickets, and I let the Cunard rep know in no uncertain terms that if they don't let us on board at Southampton I will sob, cry and make a general spectacle of myself at their dock That's no empty threat, either, I'll do it!

 

On another note, we're flying to HTR from SFO on the 26th of December; I know that Christmas day itself is a low traffic day, but is the day after a return to holiday-traveling crowds? I've been hoping for an empty seat next to me to stretch out a bit, but have my separate "book bag" (containg my two books, a pen, some tissue, a hand cleaner, eye wash and other goodies) that fits into the flap on the back of the seat ahead of me at the ready. Oh well, no matter how crowded (or not) it's still ten and half hours on the big aluminum bus...

 

Leaving a two weeks from Monday... I'm going to go pack some more now!

[Transatlantic Tom]

On another note, we're flying to HTR from SFO on the 26th of December;

 

Ken's flying off to London on the 26th, I think "sfo-john" is flying on the 29th, and Jan and I are flying on the 28th....

 

Out of curiosity, for those that are flying from North America - when are you all "wheels up" for the U.K. ???

 

Tom

[Transatlantic Tom]

As I know I'm on the manifest, I'll go with or without the actual tickets, and I let the Cunard rep know in no uncertain terms that if they don't let us on board at Southampton I will sob, cry and make a general spectacle of myself at their dock That's no empty threat, either, I'll do it!

 

Ken:

 

Were we to find ourselves in such a situation, I'll be right there with you - sobbing, crying, making a nasty scene !!! After waiting for all these months, January 3rd at Queen Elizabeth II Terminal is "Show Time"; nothing will keep us off that "stage" now !!!

 

Just let 'em try....

 

Tom;)

[sfo-john]

Well, the mail has just been delivered and... no tickets. I'm sure all will be well, but I'm thinking of that guy last year on the boards "seabournt (?)" who was bumped off of his sailing on the QE2. Anyway, nothing to do now but to wait till Monday.

[eroller]

Well, the mail has just been delivered and... no tickets. I'm sure all will be well, but I'm thinking of that guy last year on the boards "seabournt (?)" who was bumped off of his sailing on the QE2. Anyway, nothing to do now but to wait till Monday.

 

 

 

Trust me, no one is getting bumped off the crossing. Space on the ship is W - I - D - E open! ;)

 

Ernie

[eroller]

 

Out of curiosity, for those that are flying from North America - when are you all "wheels up" for the U.K. ???

 

Tom

 

 

Cutting it close. Flying out on the evening of the 2nd, arriving in London on the 3rd. Keeping my fingers crossed that the weather holds out, and more important that my luggage arrives with me. I'm SOL if luggage gets lost. No where to catch up except NY after the cruise.

 

Ernie

[tandemtourer]

Originally Posted by Transatlantic Tom

Out of curiosity, for those that are flying from North America - when are you all "wheels up" for the U.K. ???

The "tandems" are flying out of Boston on 26 December. FWIW not a single shred of our documents have made it as far north as Maine.

 

Were we to find ourselves in such a situation, I'll be right there with you - sobbing, crying, making a nasty scene !!!

As handy as it would be to identify our fellow cc'ers - not to worry. The last time we boarded in Southampton we did not have tickets having pre-arranged for pier pick-up. We carried copies of the receipt from the TA and never had to show any documentation of ticket purchase. At check-in we were asked for our name, credit card, and passport. No problem boarding - except unless you consider that we never received the leatherette ticket case.

[Calliope]

Cutting it close. Flying out on the evening of the 2nd, arriving in London on the 3rd. Keeping my fingers crossed that the weather holds out, and more important that my luggage arrives with me. I'm SOL if luggage gets lost. No where to catch up except NY after the cruise.

Ernie

 

Same here for Cheryl and me. Hopefully Cunard Care cover clothing purchases in the shops if the luggage is lost!

 

We leave Cincinnati for Chicago and switch planes there for Heathrow. Our estimated time of arrival is 0650 GMT. We're hoping that Cunard has a hospitality suite set up for us jet lagged Yankees, or somehow we can find the Duke of Wellington in Southampton and fortify ourselves for the voyage ahead with a lager and a shepherd's pie!

[guernseyguy]

fortify ourselves with a lager and a shepherd's pie!

 

Calliope,

 

In the land of warm beer, are you sure we can't tempt you with some bitter?;) There's lots of different ones to try....at a recent Campaign for Real Ale they had such winners as Landlord's Wit, Moondance, Village Elder,Trusty Servant, Nelson's Blood and Pale Rider.......

 

Peter