QE delayed in Kiel

[M&PGermany]

Due to storms in St. Petersburg QE will arrive 24hours (!) later in Kiel than scheduled. The stop in Skagen on 12/6 will be canceled.

 

:mad:

[Taz_1]

Just had an email from Cunard to say we have to arrive at Southampton for embarkation on 14th two hours later than originally advised.

[tawnyowl33]

We booked a 3 night mini cruise. I didn't get any emails but had a telephone call from Cunard 2 hours ago that a representative will meet us at Kiel to sort out our accommodation for tomorrow night. It's disappointing but we'll enjoy our weekend regardless.

[MOZBOB]

We received a generic email and a phone call. We also hang on to our original arrangements to Kiel and Cunard promised that they will arrange accommodation and someone will be at the station to advise us.

Our return flight out of Southampton is a bit more of a nightmare and due to some uncertainty about timings we haven't been able to rebook......

Really looking forward to see how well (or bad) Cunard will manage this situation......imagine it's hard for them

[M&PGermany]

... there is nothing you can do about the weather it is interesting to know that MSC MUSICA left St.Petersburg as scheduled on the same day that QE should have left... Talking about evaluating the weather situation and planning ahead ;)

[Matt4711]

First of all it is Russian mismanagement to build the Cruise Center like they did.

It has a 'U' form, with space for 6 Cruise ships. Two on the left, the right and in the middle. The ship left and right were facing west towards the sea ( like the MSC Musica ). They had the wind coming from the front, and could just steam away.

 

The two ships in the middle got the wind and the waves from the side. The sounds of the waves hitting the QE reminded me on a stormy TA day onboard the QM2.

While the QE might have been able to use a few minutes with less wind to turn away and get out, we couldn't because the ship got nailed to the pier by the Russian tanker who was refueling the ships.

They only got old small tugs in the harbor, so they needed nearly 9 hours till they managed to get the tanker away from the side of the QE - around 11pm. Too late for the time window we got to leave the harbor.

So we had to wait till 7am next day to leave.

We got an extra sea day on the ship and free calls and Internet to rearrange our flights and so. [emoji106]🏻

[M&PGermany]

for your detailed information on what happened in St. Petersburg. Whilst it may have been a pleasant surprise for you to have one more day on the ship it was a major disappointment for all of us who had booked a 4 day trip which then had been reduced to only 2 nights on board.

 

In my case I had to find a hotel for one night in Hamburg on short notice which was expensive and of course my rental car had to be extended also. Even though I was informed a few hours before I left for Hamburg/Kiel I felt that the form of apology via a simple Cunard email was not enough.

I was expecting some sort of acknowledgement on board (letter from the captain, cruise director, whatever), but nothing.

 

Also the delay led to a delayed arrival in Southampton, 12 noon instead of 6am. But the most annoying thing was that Cunard wanted us out of the staterooms and suites by 8.30am, so everyone had to find a place to sit around the ship for 4 hours !!! That was just unacceptable and led to a total chaotic disembarkation when evryone wanted to finally get off the ship as fast as possible at the same time. Very, very poor perfomance by the ship management ! :mad:

[Solent Richard]

for your detailed information on what happened in St. Petersburg. Whilst it may have been a pleasant surprise for you to have one more day on the ship it was a major disappointment for all of us who had booked a 4 day trip which then had been reduced to only 2 nights on board.

 

In my case I had to find a hotel for one night in Hamburg on short notice which was expensive and of course my rental car had to be extended also. Even though I was informed a few hours before I left for Hamburg/Kiel I felt that the form of apology via a simple Cunard email was not enough.

I was expecting some sort of acknowledgement on board (letter from the captain, cruise director, whatever), but nothing.

 

Also the delay led to a delayed arrival in Southampton, 12 noon instead of 6am. But the most annoying thing was that Cunard wanted us out of the staterooms and suites by 8.30am, so everyone had to find a place to sit around the ship for 4 hours !!! That was just unacceptable and led to a total chaotic disembarkation when evryone wanted to finally get off the ship as fast as possible at the same time. Very, very poor perfomance by the ship management ! :mad:

 

Good afternoon M.

 

While I can understand your initial disappointment I feel your final paragraph is somewhat unfair.

 

As Taz has stated above, Cunard advised that passengers embarking at Southampton that day delay their arrival by 2 hours. That appears to me to be pretty generous delay considering that you stated the ship arrived almost 6 hours late.

 

We all recognise that staterooms have to be prepared and that task is as important to the embarking passengers as is disembarkation for those leaving.

 

As it was I was happy to witness from my humble abode the ship leaving almost on time. Surely in the great scheme of things it's better not to have two sailings inconvenienced.

 

[M&PGermany]

Good afternoon M.

 

While I can understand your initial disappointment I feel your final paragraph is somewhat unfair.

 

As Taz has stated above, Cunard advised that passengers embarking at Southampton that day delay their arrival by 2 hours. That appears to me to be pretty generous delay considering that you stated the ship arrived almost 6 hours late.

 

We all recognise that staterooms have to be prepared and that task is as important to the embarking passengers as is disembarkation for those leaving.

 

As it was I was happy to witness from my humble abode the ship leaving almost on time. Surely in the great scheme of things it's better not to have two sailings inconvenienced.

 

 

 

Let's put it that way: The passengers on the Kiel-Southampton leg got disappointed twice, once at the beginning, once at the end.

[Olliesmum]

Last year a similar thing happened to us. Due to a storm we did not arrive back in Southampton until 17.30!! We were not pushed out of our rooms.,the stewards prepared them for the new guests as usual and just asked us not to use the beds or showers. An extra lecture was put on and other extra entertainment. Perhaps there was a different set of crew on this voyage?

[sogne]

Last year a similar thing happened to us. Due to a storm we did not arrive back in Southampton until 17.30!! We were not pushed out of our rooms.,the stewards prepared them for the new guests as usual and just asked us not to use the beds or showers. An extra lecture was put on and other extra entertainment. Perhaps there was a different set of crew on this voyage?

 

we arrived at 1100 not 1730. The decision to delay departure from St Petersburg was correct, I could hardly open my balcony door on the starboard side. Watched the MUSICA depart, she had the wind maybe 20 degrees on he starboard bow, before she got way on the forward tug could barely hold her.

 

 

Matt4711 is right about the layout of the cruise harbour and the tugs.