Discounts

[NBCNewsGuy]

I was thinking of doing this:

 

Leave on Jan 24 New York to South Hampton

 

Then the 12 day cruise to Europe

 

and then the South Hampton - New York

 

Have any of you done anything like this?

 

Does Cunard off any special rates for people who do this?

 

Thanks,

 

Ryan

[PRINSENDAM]

I was thinking of doing this:

 

Leave on Jan 24 New York to South Hampton

 

Then the 12 day cruise to Europe

 

and then the South Hampton - New York

 

Have any of you done anything like this?

 

Does Cunard off any special rates for people who do this?

 

Thanks,

 

Ryan

 

 

 

Ryan,

 

It has been done more thimes that you could count!!!!!

 

No special rates.... just add up the three cruises. The only break is that you don't have to pay for the return airfare.

 

BTW.... it is Southampton not South Hampton.;)

 

Stephen

[dougnewmanatsea]

Actually, there were special rates like this for many years. I think they got rid of them not long after Carnival bought Cunard. These special rates went the same way as the deal that you could substitute round-trip passage on QE2 (in your original category) at no extra cost instead of the economy-class airfare that was (and still is) included in your crossing fare. Now that was a good deal!

 

The European cruise didn't even have to be on QE2 (which was of course Cunard's sole Atlantic liner then), you could it on any Cunarder in Europe... For example, in the mid to late '90s, you could have chosen VISTAFJORD, ROYAL VIKING SUN, or a SEA GODDESS for the European segment. For a while Cunard marketed the Peter Deilmann riverboats in the US, and you could get a special fare for combining a river cruise on one of those with QE2 crossing(s) as well.

 

I think some lines still have special rates for "combining cruises" - though unlike the old Cunard fares, they had to be consecutive cruises on the same ship - but alas, no longer Cunard. And if you take QM2 round-trip, you have two useless air tickets you're paying for...

[greatam]

I am really beginning to wonder who NBCNewsGuy really is? A troll or someone writing an investigative report??? Some of the questions are really inane. Maybe that wasn't nice, but if NBCNewsGuy really has connections to NBC, their research dept. is probably better than ours.

[travelgals]

Greatam, Whatever he's up to, it's been obvious for several weeks it's not just about a guy taking a little vacation cruise. I don't bother to answer.

[travel-to-go]

Folks, I am not going to judge Ryan. I take people at their word. I expect to be sharing cocktails with him at 2:00 in the Commmodore club on our way to St Thomas in just over 6 weeks. Maybe he is not a veteran cruiser like some, really wants to do some cruising, and is just trying every possible combination that he can fit within his budget and his partner's schedule.

 

For all we know, he calls himself that because he likes watching the NBC news.

Don't be so damned judgemental. Well, if it turns out he has fooled me, then I am still the better person for not letting paranoia rule my life and my relations with others. It makes me no less of a person. I don't consider myself gullible. I DO know what it is like to be new to something you have suddenly developed a love and a lust for, and trying every which way to finagle an extra couple of days or a cruise when you know you can't afford it, or that car that is a bit too dear and impractical for you pocketbook. I have found numerous ways to justify to myself things I did not want to deny myself, all the well knowing I really couldn't spend either the time or the money.

Are we no longer allowed to dream?

Believe me, before we booked the 3 Jan trip, we were trying every way we could to justify spending 6 thousand dollars on the Holiday Cruise after just spending a bit of money on our annual Key West trip! but then, that was our first and only vacation for 2005. It's just that this was a price we couldn't walk away from. and a time that worked out for us, when we have a lot coming up to keep us unavailable for several moths, and we don't like to cruise in the hot summer months (and when more children on onboard, taking over the pools, shooting spitballs at each other in the cafeteria, and running in the halls- like our Christmas cruise last year on the Westerdam.

 

Ryan,

They used to offer discounts if you booked the following cruise (staying on board) while you are on board. I don't know if they still do, or if it is worth the risk if you don't get that offer. And of course, you wouldn't be able to do Europe that way.

I understand they DO still offere discounts if you book your next cruise while you're on board! Of course doing it a week later bears risks!

 

Good luck with whatever you decide. I do hope you don't have to change from this cruise with us. Did something happen to your partner's schedule that you won't be able to join us? I hope not!

[NBCNewsGuy]

To my fellow Cruise Critics:

I just read some of the posts on here that I did not know about.

For the record, I do work for NBC News in Boston. I am asking these questions for my own use. If I was working on a news story, I would not be asking questions on a message board. I would contact the PR firm that handles Cunard for official reportable information.

Peter can vouch for me that this happened, since he helped me on a story today.

I thought that this was a forum where you could ask whatever questions we wanted. I do not think that my questions were out of line at all.

I look forward to my B1 room that I booked through American Express Platinum Card in a few weeks.

Feel free to write me back if you have anyone questions.

Thanks,

 

Ryan

[travel-to-go]

To my fellow Cruise Critics:

I just read some of the posts on here that I did not know about.

 

Feel free to write me back if you have anyone questions.

Thanks,

 

Ryan

Ryan

No questions!

I do understand. After, I think 11 cruises and knowing more than a newbie (and being a travel agent, to boot, with seminars by some suppliers and some school training also) I still get inordinately excited, and ask a million questions. I still worry that my clothes won't be grand enough, or my language refined enough, or that I should really go for the hull balcony instead of the obstructed view. (By the way, I've had two separate res agents in two days tell me that the obstructed 8 deck balconies ARE hull, balconies! I am pretty sure from pictures I have seen and from the outside view of the ship. that they are glass balconies! Can anyone confirm?)Yet every new cruise almost feels like my first, all over again!

 

I think others do not understand your youth and enthusiasm. You'll be fine, and don't worry about some folks misunderstanding or being paranoid! They've probably watched too many of those sneaky reality shows and obnoxious exploitative type "news" shows. (Where they make their own news!) One reason I don't watch TV at all.

 

OTOH, I cannot for the life of me understand why some threads suddenly appear as read when they weren't! I just read about half of today's posts, went to take a jacuzzi (It's cold here in my computer room in snowy Connecticut) came back, and all of the unread posts were marked read! I don't understand why that happens!

 

Karie

See you in 28 days!

[guernseyguy]

By the way, I've had two separate res agents in two days tell me that the obstructed 8 deck balconies ARE hull, balconies! I am pretty sure from pictures I have seen and from the outside view of the ship. that they are glass balconies! Can anyone confirm

 

Yes, you are correct, the res agents wrong.....the balcony wall is glass and there is a divider to cabins either side - but nothing in front of you except for lifeboats - about 6' away - so you can see round them or down onto the boat deck, or through gaps between lifeboats to the sea.

 

Peter, sweltering in Sydney.....

[travel-to-go]

Yes, you are correct, the res agents wrong.....the balcony wall is glass and there is a divider to cabins either side - but nothing in front of you except for lifeboats - about 6' away - so you can see round them or down onto the boat deck, or through gaps between lifeboats to the sea.

 

Peter, sweltering in Sydney.....

 

Thank you, Peter. My eyes are getting bad in my old (51 years) age, but not THAT bad! <LOL>

 

Well, I'd be delighted to send some of our "polar express" air down to you, down under, there, but I'll need it back come July or August!

 

K-K-K-Karie in C-C-C-Connecticut!