Cunard Cruisers - How are things where you are ?

[LittleFish1976]

16 minutes ago, Yorky67 said:

Sounds delightful.
I know you can’t say for sure, but with all the latest changes  what chance do you think there is of Australia allowing Queen Elizabeth to dock in late November? Would it make a difference if all passengers and crew were vaccinated? 

 

I would think it's unlikely. I would expect it would be mandatory, whenever it does happen, for all passengers and crew to be vaccinated anyway. The other part of the equation will be the percentage of the Australian population that's been vaccinated. So far our vaccination programme is in its early days but moving very slowly. We're not going to be fully vaccinated as an adult population by November. I think cruise ships coming here on international voyages would be unlikely to be allowed until we reach that point.

 

We have little tolerance for covid cases here, the aim being zero community transmission. The new variants, such as the UK strain are causing some headaches here, having infected hotel and hospital staff via the hotel quarantine programme.

 

This is just my feeling and opinion but progress is very slow in moving out of the pandemic settings. I know that UK, Europe and USA are planning to re-start cruises and some travel but it's a different mindset to what's happening in Australia.

 

 

 

[Yorky67]

Thank you Little Fish. That’s an extremely helpful view and does reflect what we suspected. All very sensible! 
It’s strange that Cunard are not requiring vaccination for passengers and crew, other than for the UK focused cruises. Guessing this will have to change anyway and we can still dream, but maybe not book the Melbourne hotel!

[LittleFish1976]

25 minutes ago, Yorky67 said:

Thank you Little Fish. That’s an extremely helpful view and does reflect what we suspected. All very sensible! 
It’s strange that Cunard are not requiring vaccination for passengers and crew, other than for the UK focused cruises. Guessing this will have to change anyway and we can still dream, but maybe not book the Melbourne hotel!

 

Well actually, Melbourne is currently closed to international arrivals but there's been a case in Brisbane of community transmission as a result of a doctor becoming infected from an overseas arrival so it's action stations again, Australia-wide.

 

I'm surprised to hear that Cunard hasn't expressed the requirement for future cruises (so far) of having all passengers and crew vaccinated. That would put me off booking with them if people were not required to be vaccinated. I have a short trip booked for March next year and I've been thinking we'll be lucky if the QM2 makes it here, seeing as it'll be part of a world cruise.

 

Edited March 27, 2021 by LittleFish1976

[Yorky67]

Sea changes! All interesting points. 
Following the theme of this thread I should say that I think most people here in England are looking forward to easing of restrictions tomorrow. (Scotland and Wales are slightly different) 
We oldies are gradually getting our second jabs, but most of us are still very cautious. We may have a booster in the autumn. Just a worry about another spike in Europe. 

[LewiLewi]

Crystal is sailing from the Bahamas starting this June on a seven night itinerary around the Bahama islands. Vaccinations are required of all passengers, but not sure about the crew. They are requiring masks in public places, social distancing, etc. I don’t think that I would enjoy this kind of cruise. We will wait until cruising is back to normal, hopefully sooner than later.

[majortom10]

18 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

Thanks HH  I know it will not be Cunard standard, but it will be so nice to be on a ship again.

You might be pleasantly surprised as Britannia is a lovely ship and there is not that much difference these days between Cunard and P&O and as not as bad as many Cunarders want you to believe or believe themselves even though they more than likely never been on P&O. Go with an open mind and I am sure you will enjoy it and if interested and get the chance booking a meal at night in Epicurean is well worth it even though it is at extra cost.

Edited March 27, 2021 by majortom10

[Lanky Lad]

2 hours ago, majortom10 said:

You might be pleasantly surprised as Britannia is a lovely ship and there is not that much difference these days between Cunard and P&O and as not as bad as many Cunarders want you to believe or believe themselves even though they more than likely never been on P&O. Go with an open mind and I am sure you will enjoy it and if interested and get the chance booking a meal at night in Epicurean is well worth it even though it is at extra cost.

Thanks, my only P&O cruise to date was on Oriana and I really enjoyed it but she was a much smaller ship. That said, there will be reduced capacity on Britannia so it will not feel crowed.

[Host Hattie]

On 3/25/2021 at 7:02 PM, Lanky Lad said:

Have you thought about a Cunarder bed HH? My friend got one and is very happy with it.  

I did, they're on a 5 week leadtime so might be an option for one of the rooms.

Thanks for the reminder.

[Host Hattie]

How did your first day go @Lanky Lad ?

I got to my office after a week off to see this on the door. My office sharer (I still call her that even though we haven't been there at the same time for a year !) had tested positive last Monday.

She didn't have the classic symptoms, just a sore throat initially. Her symptoms have been mild but she's pretty fed up having to self isolate just as we're opening up.

It was a reminder that although case numbers are still falling we're not out of the woods yet.

 

[Lanky Lad]

My first day went well thanks HH. 12 of us in training so we spent most of the day getting to know each other.  The real training will start tomorrow. 

 

As a welcome treat we all got tested for Covid. Everyone was negative thank goodness. We (and all other employees) will be tested once a week until further notice. 

[Lanky Lad]

We have had two lovely warm sunny days here, it's a good job the clocks went forward on Sunday so light now until after 8pm.

[navybankerteacher]

Spring in CT - at long last.

[Bigmike911]

14 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Spring in CT - at long last.

Congrats on the daffodils NBT. Spring at last.

[alc13]

Am I the last?  Crocuses just came up, hurray!  Daffodils are about 5 inches high; another week or so for those.  But it smells good outside, and the birds are back.  

 

Maine is progressing with vaccinations.  Weirdly, there are lots of open slots all of a sudden, which I assume is temporary.  I am still busy with Zoom everything - classes, friend chats, and official meetings - but last weekend I hit a wall and found myself craving human contact.  I do have a few people I'm comfortable seeing in person, and of course Mr Alc is here, so I can't really complain.  I'm a little nervous about the race between worldwide herd immunity and the emergence of a vaccine-resistant variant, though.  We all need to be done with this pandemic!

[naturelovergirl]

Our pandemic lives have not altered much since becoming part of the fully-vaccinated statistic in Florida... we remain conscientious, careful, and treat others and businesses with respect. I may be vaccinated, but we have a long way to go in our country to have life feel “normal” again and for the performing arts to be able to thrive again.

I think the thing that was a heartwarming difference came with family. We had a family emergency which came up this week... so, I immediately packed up and drove to stay and help with my 98 year old grandfather. In the past year, I have done strict 2 week quarantines before traveling to be with my elderly high-risk family. In this case, now we are all vaccinated and we are all still careful... so I was able to just pack up and go help.

I cannot express how that warmed my heart... it was how I always am with my family in normal times.

I’ve seen glimpses of hope for the future throughout all of this pandemic... but being able to be around my vaccinated family was a big light forward.

[Host Hattie]

@naturelovergirl I hope your Grandfather is OK.

We got the keys to our new house today, it's not quite Cunard but we do get to see the ferry !

[bluemarble]

@Host Hattie, that's a lovely view.

 

I'm on the wrong thread once again but I can't seem to get port photo identification out of my system just yet. Given the ferry schedules, I'm getting a pretty good match to Pembroke. I think I've found that hillside to the right in your photo, minus the wind turbines. Google Maps says their image is from 2011, so I'm guessing those turbines were constructed since then. Is that Milford Haven in the distance?

[Host Hattie]

It's always good to see you on this thread @bluemarble, yes that's the ferry from Rosslare on the way into Pembroke Dock with Milford Haven in the background.

[Host Hattie]

It's another beautiful day in Pembroke Dock, one delivery has arrived and I'm waiting for a mattress now. I'd ordered other furniture to be delivered today but the retailer tells me I can't have it today because their delivery company doesn't work Bank Holidays.

I'm not very convinced as it's the same delivery company bringing my mattress today and their proposed delivery day is Monday (also a Bank Holiday here).

 

[Bigmike911]

53 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

It's another beautiful day in Pembroke Dock, one delivery has arrived and I'm waiting for a mattress now. I'd ordered other furniture to be delivered today but the retailer tells me I can't have it today because their delivery company doesn't work Bank Holidays.

I'm not very convinced as it's the same delivery company bringing my mattress today and their proposed delivery day is Monday (also a Bank Holiday here).

 

I read your note on the Bank Holiday, and was reminded to switch Classic FM on to enjoy their four day Hall of Fame 2021 broadcast. 

[Bigmike911]

My travel agent called two days ago to tell me that the Future Cruise Deposit from my now canceled 22 July, 2021 had been put back in my account. The idea light went on and I looked at my August 2022 crossing and found that preceding the west bound from Hamburg, was an eastbound from NYC to SOU to Hamburg. There was no offering for the two day east bound from SOU to HAM prior to my westbound, but not deterred, I emailed my crack Travel Agent asking her to see if she could find one.

 

She worked with Cunard and got me booked on the eastbound M223C two day crossing. It is a bit more than the cost of a hotel for two days, and a business fare from LHR to HAM, but I will certainly travel in better style, and my nine day turned into a lovely eleven day event. 

 

I was my intention to visit the Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, once more and I find Cunard has an excursion that does just that. At this point the eastbound accommodation is Starboard, and the Westbound is Port, so I will have to change suites in Hamburg, but that is not a big deal, and maybe the same suite will open so all I have to do is go ashore for my Hamburg Excursion. 

 

In this time of cancellations and non-travel, just booking this trip has buoyed my spirits. Well now just 16 and one half months to enjoyment. I hope that will be enough time for Europe to sort its vaccine issues, so this actually happens. 

[Lanky Lad]

I took advantage of the relaxation in rule and went a whole 11 miles to Clitheroe today. A lovely old market town in the Beautiful Ribble valley. It was quite busy down by the river, but still plenty of space to socially distance.  

[Host Hattie]

Still not Cunard but naval historians might be interested in this seen on my morning stroll

 

[Bigmike911]

6 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

Still not Cunard but naval historians might be interested in this seen on my morning stroll

 

HMS Burnham began life at USS Aulick, built by Bethlehem Steel in Quincy Mass in 1919. She was transferred to the Royal Navy by Lend Lease and served through WWII. She last served at the RN Reserve Fleet at Milford Haven. So one presumes the marker commemorates that event. 

[Host Hattie]

I believe the date refers to her arrival at Pembroke Dock to be scrapped. The marker is just outside the wall of the former Royal Dockyard.