Where do I start?

[Maple_Girl]

Hello,

DH and I have our 10-year anniversary coming up in early January and we want to do something special. We're 34, no kids. We are tossing around a lot of ideas and one of them is a 7-night transatlantic cruise from New York to England. We've cruised once before and DH hated it! It was a Carnival cruise in hurricane season in the Caribbean.... yeah, I should have known better.

 

How do I start researching/finding the best price on a Cunard cruise? I think the Cunard line would fit our style much more than Carnival. I know CC has a booking feature. Is this the best place to get the cheapest rates? Should I get airfare back to New York/Boston from Cunard or elsewhere? I have many questions and I'm not sure where to start.

 

Thanks!

[BlueRiband]

From your screen name it appears that you are in the NE United States or eastern Canada.

 

If you want to go transatlantic in your actual anniversary month, there is a last eastbound sailing of the season Jan 3-10, 2017 New York Southampton. After that QM2 is on her world voyage and does not return to New York until her May 8-15th westbound crossing.

 

Given that your husband did not like sailing in Caribbean hurricane season, it may be difficult to get him to sign on for a January North Atlantic crossing. The difference here however is that QM2 is no cruise ship. By hull form, reserve power, and 40% more steel than a cruise ship she the only purpose built ocean liner in service.

 

It doesn't cost anything to browse Cunard's web site and you can start here:

http://www.cunard.com/cunard-experience/

 

 

The on-board experience will be HUGELY different from Carnival. On a 7-day crossing there are usually three formal nights where formal really means formal, and informal nights mean a mandatory jacket at dinner with tie optional. Many Cunard passengers love this formality as a last bastion of civilization at sea. Other might not like it and would be better off sailing on another line.

 

On board activities tend to be intellectual rather than involve active recreation. Cunard excels at this because the weather frequently doesn't lend itself to sunning by the pool.

Edited April 14, 2016 by BlueRiband

[jimmybean]

In January, Cunard doesn't usually offer east-bound transatlantic voyages. It is the season when their three ships are all beginning world-cruises. Could you celebrate a little earlier?

 

The world-cruises occupy the ships until May, when the first west-bound crossing occurs (followed by an east-bound)…

 

I hope this information helps.

 

(We didn't like our single Carnival experience, either…)

 

Jimmybean

[Maple_Girl]

From your screen name it appears that you are in the NE United States or eastern Canada.

 

If you want to go transatlantic in your actual anniversary month, there is a last eastbound sailing of the season Jan 3-10, 2017 New York Southampton. After that QM2 is on her world voyage and does not return to New York until her May 8-15th westbound crossing.

 

Given that your husband did not like sailing in Caribbean hurricane season, it may be difficult to get him to sign on for a January North Atlantic crossing. The difference here however is that QM2 is no cruise ship. By hull form, reserve power, and 40% more steel than a cruise ship she the only purpose build ocean liner in service.

 

It doesn't cost anything to browse Cunard's web site and you can start here:

http://www.cunard.com/cunard-experience/

 

 

The on-board experience will be HUGELY different from Carnival. On a 7-day crossing there are usually three formal nights where formal really means formal, and informal nights mean a mandatory jacket at dinner with tie optional. Many Cunard passengers love this formality as a last bastion of civilization at sea. Other might not like it and would be better off sailing on another line.

 

On board activities tend to be intellectual rather than involve active recreation. Cunard excels at this because the weather frequently doesn't lend itself to sunning by the pool.

 

 

Yes, we are in Massachusetts and I was looking at the January 3rd crossing. Our anniversary is the 6th, so that would be perfect. The formal feel is what attracts us to Cunard. Where should I go to get the best value on booking? We'll need to book the ship and flight home. We'd also like to spend a couple days in London.

[BlueRiband]

I've not done air transfers but Cunard offers Complete Air which is a much better value than trying to book one way air yourself.

 

This is where a travel agent can really help you. (Board rules don't allow us to make specific recommendations.) There should be some highly rated ones in the Boston area. You would probably be better off working with a TA because you want to spend time in London. We have no idea of your travel budget and what your likes and dislikes may be.

[Maple_Girl]

I will definitely look into finding a travel agent. Quick question: What's the difference between obstructed and sheltered balcony and would one be better than the other for a winter cruise? From the pics, it looks like a sheltered balcony is like a tiny covered porch with a window... would this better in the colder months?

[TheOldBear]

I will definitely look into finding a travel agent. Quick question: What's the difference between obstructed and sheltered balcony and would one be better than the other for a winter cruise? From the pics, it looks like a sheltered balcony is like a tiny covered porch with a window... would this better in the colder months?

 

The 'obstructed' balconies are all on deck 8 - your view is mostly a bright orange tender or lifeboat.

 

The sheltered balconies on decks 4, 5 & 6 have their balcony inside the ship's main hull, with a large opening from railing height to the overhead. Since is inside the hull, most of the time there is less wind on the balcony - and lower down, so there is less motion.

 

We've had balcony rooms on both deck 4 and deck 8 - both were quite nice :)

[MarkBearSF]

If I may suggest an alternative, how about spending an anniversary in London and taking the QM2 home.

 

You may notice that the Eastbound crossings are usually a bit cheaper than Westbound. That's largely because of the time change. Recall that you'll lose an hour for five of your seven days. It's like the "bad daylight saving time change" over and over again. Certainly you'll arrive at your destination without jet lag but, as crew members have mentioned in confidence, passengers get cranky by the end of an Eastbound crossing.

 

They try to minimize the impact by taking the hour out of the midday, changing at noon. But it's a factor.

Edited April 15, 2016 by MarkBearSF

[jimmybean]

Since you are thinking about sailing during winter months, you could consider booking an inside cabin. There is an appreciable cost saving and plenty of opportunities to view the ocean from public areas around the ship. If you want to breath salty air, you can go to the promenade or top deck of the ship.

 

It is very easy and simple to take the train from Southampton to London. A ten pound taxi ride from the cruise terminal to the train depot.

[laktex]

Yes, we are in Massachusetts and I was looking at the January 3rd crossing. Our anniversary is the 6th, so that would be perfect. The formal feel is what attracts us to Cunard. Where should I go to get the best value on booking? We'll need to book the ship and flight home. We'd also like to spend a couple days in London.

 

Well if your anniversary is the 6th this sounds a great option to take the QM2 and have a real special evening (or whole day!). Taking the Cunard package with flights has always proved good for me although Travel Agents packages are/can be excellent value too. A TA has certainly given me the best discount in the past. Booking early will certainly give you best choice of cabin - but prices can be a minefield to know when you can get the best deal. Get some quotes, book when you are happy and don't look at prices again.

[Maple_Girl]

This is all really great information. Thank you, everyone!

I quickly looked up the westbound cruise and saw that it is actually slightly more expensive, although 9-nights instead of 7-nights. Very interesting!

 

I like the idea of an inside stateroom - yay, saving money! When we sailed on Carnival we had an inside stateroom and it was tiny. I was thinking a balcony stateroom would feel bigger. We'd like to have a comfortable place to hang out privately and felt that the inside stateroom on Carnival was too small to stay in. We are not necessarily looking for a budget trip but we would like to spend our money where we can get the best value. Does that make sense? I think I'll go look up the square footage of the Carnival rooms vs. the Cunard rooms. Perhaps the rooms are bigger on the QM2.

 

I found a website (am I correct in assuming I cannot post the name here?) that offers a good price for the cruise plus a modest on-board credit and free pre-paid gratuities. It is the only place I've seen online so far that is offering the gratuities. Is this good or a scam.

 

One final question for the morning: Being 34 I understand we will be some of the younger guests on the ship. Do 30-40 year-olds sail on Cunard or is it 90+% more mature adults?

 

Thank you everyone, once again!

[3rdGenCunarder]

For a transatlantic, we always get a south-facing sheltered balcony. I've never done the January crossing, but have crossed in November and was able to go out on the balcony. I avoid the obstructed balconies because those lifeboats are bright orange and make the cabin glow orange on a sunny day! Not everyone is bothered by this, but I am. Plus, those balconies are windier on a transatlantic.

 

For a travel agent, I suggest you do some online searching for the large cruise specialist agencies. There usually isn't a lot of variation in price, but sometimes an agency will have a bunch of cabins pre-booked with a good rate or more goodies than Cunard is giving (OBC, usually). For the record, I book with a large cruise-specialist agency who gets me a slightly cheaper rate than Cunard and often some nice extra perks.

 

Included air is probably cheaper than booking your own, but do some looking around first. Cunard will let you do a "deviation" one time. That means you can choose your date and flight time. Any changes after that involve fees. If you use a TA, make sure there is some flexibility in the air package.

 

If you have any doubts about a travel agency, go to a trip insurance company like travel guard and look at their list of "don't-go-there" tour operators. The only thing that can be a scam is that some TAs and tour operators book really cheap flights, which may involved making connections. So ask a lot of questions!

 

I don't recommend taking Cunard's hotel packages as they tend to be expensive.

 

You may be among the younger passengers, but Cunard's passengers are experienced, not old!

[Gary999]

One final question for the morning: Being 34 I understand we will be some of the younger guests on the ship. Do 30-40 year-olds sail on Cunard or is it 90+% more mature adults?

 

I'm in my early 40's, it' mostly older age group but all age groups are represented.

 

Celebrating your Anniversary on QM2 is a good choice. Breakfast in bed in your stateroom, lunch/dinner in The Verandah Restaurant, Champagne afternoon tea, romantic walk on the promenade deck, a theatre show in the evening etc...

[3rdGenCunarder]

This is all really great information. Thank you, everyone!

I quickly looked up the westbound cruise and saw that it is actually slightly more expensive, although 9-nights instead of 7-nights. Very interesting!

 

I like the idea of an inside stateroom - yay, saving money! When we sailed on Carnival we had an inside stateroom and it was tiny. I was thinking a balcony stateroom would feel bigger. We'd like to have a comfortable place to hang out privately and felt that the inside stateroom on Carnival was too small to stay in. We are not necessarily looking for a budget trip but we would like to spend our money where we can get the best value. Does that make sense? I think I'll go look up the square footage of the Carnival rooms vs. the Cunard rooms. Perhaps the rooms are bigger on the QM2.

 

I found a website (am I correct in assuming I cannot post the name here?) that offers a good price for the cruise plus a modest on-board credit and free pre-paid gratuities. It is the only place I've seen online so far that is offering the gratuities. Is this good or a scam.

 

One final question for the morning: Being 34 I understand we will be some of the younger guests on the ship. Do 30-40 year-olds sail on Cunard or is it 90+% more mature adults?

 

Thank you everyone, once again!

 

Jan 3 2017? I'm seeing 7 nights for this, and it's eastbound, following the Christmas Caribbean cruise.

[Maple_Girl]

This all sounds so lovely! I am especially excited by afternoon tea and dancing. We ballroom dance. Nothing fancy; just waltz, foxtrot and swing. We'd really like to do the Viennese Waltz but have never gotten the hang of it.

 

My thought at the moment is we can take the Eastbound sailing, spend 2-3 days in London then fly home. I saw flights on Wow Airlines through Iceland for $250 from London to Boston. A day in Iceland to soak in some hot springs would not be a hardship! :)

 

For those that have been to London, what would you recommend for a 2-3 day trip? We are interested in art, history and shopping.

Edited April 15, 2016 by Maple_Girl

[AlexDouglass]

I'm one who'd add to those suggesting you think about the westbound if you can make the dates work adequately well - gaining the hour at night is terrific, as is arriving home rested and not jetlagged. Either way, I also second the choice of using Cunard's air service - generally excellent fares and great availability.

 

In any case, in London, if it's your first trip, think about what interests you most - there is something of everything, and something for everyone. The museums are stellar, and far too many for just a few days, so you'll have to choose: art? There's the National Gallery, The Tate, the Wallace Collection, and so much more. History? The Tower of London, Windsor Castle, Hampton Court Palace, on and on. Design? The Victoria and Albert could be a day or more by itself. Then there's the theatre, music, and shopping, shopping, shopping... It can be a little dizzying. We love just walking around, and while it will be cold in January, no worse really than in New England.

 

Find a nice, centrally located hotel - one needn't pay a fortune, although rooms do tend to be small. And be prepared to pay just a little bit more for restaurants, especially good ones, although the quality of the food and service also, in my experience, tends to be better than in the U.S.

 

And most of all, enjoy - don't get too caught in having to see and do everything. Take some time just to sit in a nice pub and people watch.

[Austcruiser84]

This is all really great information. Thank you, everyone!

I quickly looked up the westbound cruise and saw that it is actually slightly more expensive, although 9-nights instead of 7-nights. Very interesting!

 

I like the idea of an inside stateroom - yay, saving money! When we sailed on Carnival we had an inside stateroom and it was tiny. I was thinking a balcony stateroom would feel bigger. We'd like to have a comfortable place to hang out privately and felt that the inside stateroom on Carnival was too small to stay in. We are not necessarily looking for a budget trip but we would like to spend our money where we can get the best value. Does that make sense? I think I'll go look up the square footage of the Carnival rooms vs. the Cunard rooms. Perhaps the rooms are bigger on the QM2.

 

I found a website (am I correct in assuming I cannot post the name here?) that offers a good price for the cruise plus a modest on-board credit and free pre-paid gratuities. It is the only place I've seen online so far that is offering the gratuities. Is this good or a scam.

 

One final question for the morning: Being 34 I understand we will be some of the younger guests on the ship. Do 30-40 year-olds sail on Cunard or is it 90+% more mature adults?

 

Thank you everyone, once again!

 

If you are doing a January crossing and you are prone to motion sickness, I advise a stateroom in the midships area (middle of the ship). Having been on two January crossings, I can say without a doubt that you will get some movement. But as others have pointed out, you're much better off on QM2 than a cruise ship. She is built for rough seas.

 

Book through Cunard directly or with a travel agent. It's much safer than scouring the internt and potentially being swindled. You're also likely to get a better deal. Make sure you advise at time of booking that you will be celebrating your anniversary. There'll be a few surprises for you on board.

 

As for the age group: yes, it is mostly older passengers, but don't let that deter you. I'm early 30s and I never felt out of place. I met people from many age groups on board, including quite a few in our age bracket. QM2 Transatlantics tend to attract a more enthusiastic bunch too.

[jimmybean]

I like the idea of an inside stateroom - yay, saving money!

 

I found a website (am I correct in assuming I cannot post the name here?) that offers a good price for the cruise plus a modest on-board credit and free pre-paid gratuities. It is the only place I've seen online so far that is offering the gratuities. Is this good or a scam.

 

Inside cabins are small, but we find cozy and suitable. There is plenty of storage for belongings and the shower is adequate size. We do retreat to the cabin for quiet time and reading, but spend enough time out-and-about, so are very happy with size----And, typically the savings is worthwhile.

 

I think the size is 144 sq feet.

 

Yes, these "deals" are real and saving the gratuities is nice : )

 

The truth is older people have more time for sea travel, so you will find a higher proportion of gray hair and wrinkles onboard. My opinion is that people-are-people and you can find interesting topics of conversation with people from different places and of different ages. Ship passengers typically don't seem the kind of "old people" who will bore you with a litany of health ailments. And, there will be some younger passengers onboard, just not many.

 

I hope average passenger age won't deter you… I would have loved Cunard in my 30s. It doesn't have to be a big deal, unless you make it one.

 

The QM2 has a good fitness center. The ship is large enough for you to get exercise and be active by just walking around and using the stairs.

 

If you haven't been to London before---what a great city!

[BlueRiband]

..I quickly looked up the westbound cruise and saw that it is actually slightly more expensive, although 9-nights instead of 7-nights. Very interesting!...

 

Is that 9-day westbound starting in Hamburg, Germany? That would be 2 nights Hamburg - Southampton and 7 nights Southampton - New York. It's possible to book if for the full 9 nights or for just the 7-night crossing.

 

Cunard's on line pricing uses an algorithm that automatically adjusts pricing for each sailing and category according to booking demand. A crossing in January will cost much less than the same route in the peak summer vacation months. (Basic Econ 101: Supply and demand.)

 

As for an inside cabin, it is usually your best value and for some they are more than adequate since they are only in it for sleeping. For me however, it would feel too much like a bunker. I like to be able to open my door to see and smell the ocean.

[Slugsta]

How exciting to be planning your first cruise! :) The world is your oyster and the possibilities are endless, I find this is the most exciting part of the planning.

 

Just a few thoughts to add to the mix -

 

Don't forget that there is a compromise between inside and balcony cabins (or 'staterooms' as Cunard prefer to call them, no difference it just sounds posher :D), you could consider an outside/oceanview.

 

When we took our first cruise it was on the old QE2. We opted for the cheapest outside cabin and it came with a port-hole rather than a window. As the seas were rough at times the port-hole was locked shut for several days. Hence we did not get the daylight we had paid for (we have taken inside cabins for most of our cruises ever since). I don't know if cabins still have port-holes on the newer ships!

 

We have only cruised with Cunard twice, each time some of our table companions were of a similar age to us, I guess this is something that Cunard try to work out. In fact, we have had a nice mix of older, regular cruisers, first cruisers etc.

 

I hope you continue to have fun planning your trip - and are able to persuade your husband to give cruising another try :)

[3rdGenCunarder]

This all sounds so lovely! I am especially excited by afternoon tea and dancing. We ballroom dance. Nothing fancy; just waltz, foxtrot and swing. We'd really like to do the Viennese Waltz but have never gotten the hang of it.

 

My thought at the moment is we can take the Eastbound sailing, spend 2-3 days in London then fly home. I saw flights on Wow Airlines through Iceland for $250 from London to Boston. A day in Iceland to soak in some hot springs would not be a hardship! :)

 

For those that have been to London, what would you recommend for a 2-3 day trip? We are interested in art, history and shopping.

 

London has many fascinating museums! And they all have websites that will give you an idea of what they have, including special exhibits. Many of the museums are free, although they do ask for donations. (We usually "donate" in the cafes and gift shops) And special exhibits often require a paid ticket. The nice thing about the free entry is that you don't feel you have to spend all day in one museum to get your money's worth.

 

I know it's terribly old-school, but consider getting a travel book about London. The DK travel guides are great for sightseeing information. Because they're so visual, you get a sense of what buildings and neighborhoods look like. If your library doesn't have a good travel section, you can probably get the DK London book on Amazon or somewhere like that. It will give you a frame of reference when you move on to researching online.

 

A good site with lots of practical information, especially explanations of transit options, is london toolkit. And Tripadvisor for hotel and restaurant ideas.

[DadTheBigKid]

I'm in my early 40's, it' mostly older age group but all age groups are represented.

 

Celebrating your Anniversary on QM2 is a good choice. Breakfast in bed in your stateroom, lunch/dinner in The Verandah Restaurant, Champagne afternoon tea, romantic walk on the promenade deck, a theatre show in the evening etc...

 

Gary

Hi, my Wife and I are celebrating our 25th starting 17th May in New York. The 18th is our Anniversary and we have the Bon Voyage package so will have breakfast in bed on that day, then a light bite at lunch and champagne afternoon tea :) The evening meal is 8.30 and who knows what after that.

I am 54 and my wife is 48. We look forward to great conversation with a table of 8.

Cannot wait!!!

[Tampa Girl]

Re how many days in London, do allow at least three. Also consider that if you are thinking of a westbound crossing, that means flying and jet leg. It may not bother you and you may be able to sleep easily on the plane. But, if not, you will essentially have lost at least half a day because you will be too tired to do much the first day.

 

Unless, of course, you will be taking a daytime flight and arriving in London in time to go to bed. From a flight perspective, I always find it easier to fly westward. By the time you arrive in Boston, you can go immediately home (instead of waiting for a hotel room); have dinner, and retire.

[DWhit]

A couple of tips to pass along...In London, we enjoyed guided tours of many attractions using London Walks. Very economical, with good guides. You just meet them at a designated time and spot usually near the subway entrance near the attraction to be toured. Just google them for a schedule.

 

Also, we used a Megatrain ticket to take the train from London to Southampton (we did a westbound crossing). If you book ahead, you can get a train ticket for £1.50 per ticket. That bargain seemed too good to be true, but it worked out exactly as advertised.

[jimmybean]

 

Also, we used a Megatrain ticket to take the train from London to Southampton (we did a westbound crossing). If you book ahead, you can get a train ticket for £1.50 per ticket. That bargain seemed too good to be true, but it worked out exactly as advertised.

 

We also used Megatrain tickets (wondering if something we printed from the internet was really an acceptable ticket--It was!)---not as good of a price as DWhit, but still a great savings. You have to book well in advance and take the exact scheduled train and sit in the correct car (which wasn't all that difficult).