Kennel space has blown up!

[Norfolknights]

In 2017 when we moved to the US we booked our pup onto the QM2 a couple of months before departure. There was kennel space left over on that voyage.

 

We’re moving back to the UK now and when I called last month I was told kennels are booked up until 2021 for all crossings!

 

I called again today just on the off chance that there’s kennel space on the April crossing and the guy literally laughed at me. I asked if it had always been this way or if it had just blown up recently. He said it had blown up recently and got super popular.

 

Can anyone shed any light on what happened? Why so much popularity all of a sudden? I’m guessing most people who hook dogs on are moving like we did. That’s a lot of forward planning if all those folks are moving.

 

Unfortunately our trip home means we’ll have to book him onto a plane which were not happy about and it also means we’ll fly. No relaxing time on board and less suitcase space. It’s a real shame. What happened?...

 

 

[Underwatr]

I've been sailing on Cunard for about 10 years and it's been described like your recent experience much more than your earlier experience. You must have been very lucky the first time.

[Norfolknights]

I guess I should be really grateful for the experience in August 2017 then! There was heaps of space!!!

[Underwatr]

Mind you that I have no direct experience and must rely on the experiences of others as related here and elsewhere. My dog is too large to travel on QM2. Weimaraners are specifically excluded as are a number of other larger breeds.

Edited February 4, 2020 by Underwatr

[Host Hattie]

This recent poster managed to get on board from the waiting list.

 

 

[Vogatrice]

I have booked and cancelled four times over the last 15 months as our plans have changed or kennel didn’t clear. Been waitlisted every time. I have gotten a kennel off the wait list 2 out of the 4 times, so 50%. Go ahead and book with waitlist, it's not impossible. Book extra trips if you can be flexible on the dates. But yes, I was told the kennels book up over a year in advance for every trip.

[sammyboots]

We rang twice on the offchance of there being a cancellation and we managed to get a kennel for our dog in September 2017. He was getting on in years and we weren't keen to fly him back from where we had been living. Worth ringing now and again I think, good luck!

[IB2]

The host has already pointed you toward an extended thread on this.  Bottom line is that the kennels book early, but get cancellations both 90-day and last minute.  On both my 2019 crossings there were people who only booked at short notice, and also on one crossing one or two empty cages.  So it’s worth waitlisting and then asking if there is any last minute space.