Queen Anne Maiden Season

[Minnie29]

I’m looking forward to hopefully booking a Queen Anne cruise this week.

I understand that World club members can book from  1pm on Tuesday 6th?

I’m interested in a particular cruise and the obstructed view veranda cabins on Deck 4. 
Does anyone recommend pre-registering with a TA or booking direct with Cunard website? I’ve looked at the pre-registration but not sure if you can specify cabin numbers? Can you phone a TA or make specific requests?

In the past I’ve phoned Cunard on the day.

Thanks so any recommendations 

[majortom10]

If you pre reg direct with Cunard they don't tell you the price of the cruise after discounts on full Cunard Fare until it goes on sale. Also you cannot give any choices of cabin requests you just tell them cabin grade and they pick cabin within that grade. I rang yesterday and that is what I was told. I rang a well known cruise TA and they told price of cruise with past passenger discount and they gave extra discount on top. I also gave them 6 cabin choices within grade I want to book. If you pre reg direct it will be dearer with Cunard and you will not be able to pick cabin.

 

 

 

Edited December 4, 2022 by majortom10

[Minnie29]

So if I pre-register with a TA do they take a deposit or wait to see if they can get your cabin choice?

Do they phone you to confirm?

sorry to ask so many questions only I normally just phone Cunard on the day and hope they have what I want

[exlondoner]

37 minutes ago, Minnie29 said:

I’m looking forward to hopefully booking a Queen Anne cruise this week.

I understand that World club members can book from  1pm on Tuesday 6th?

I’m interested in a particular cruise and the obstructed view veranda cabins on Deck 4. 
Does anyone recommend pre-registering with a TA or booking direct with Cunard website? I’ve looked at the pre-registration but not sure if you can specify cabin numbers? Can you phone a TA or make specific requests?

In the past I’ve phoned Cunard on the day.

Thanks so any recommendations 

I have pre-registered with a TA, and specified my three preferred cabins. They will ring me on Tuesday to say which I’ve got. They have taken a deposit to be returned if they can’t get my cabin.

[majortom10]

46 minutes ago, Minnie29 said:

So if I pre-register with a TA do they take a deposit or wait to see if they can get your cabin choice?

Do they phone you to confirm?

sorry to ask so many questions only I normally just phone Cunard on the day and hope they have what I want

Mine have not yet taken a deposit just said will ring on Tuesday and if booked a cabin of my request they will take deposit then.

[Minnie29]

I have looked at the prices on Cunard website and one of the TA sites is advertising prices at a higher rate?

I think I will wait til Tuesday and book direct and take my chances as to which cabins they have left. 

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, Minnie29 said:

I have looked at the prices on Cunard website and one of the TA sites is advertising prices at a higher rate?

I think I will wait til Tuesday and book direct and take my chances as to which cabins they have left. 

It is because the fares showing on Cunard's website are Early Saver Fares and are cheaper because you don't choose your cabin or have a choice of OBC, free parking or coach travel. You also don't choose your dining time so that is why they are cheaper, the ones you have seen on. TA website if dearer will be Cunard Fare where you can choose all above and that is why they are dearer.

[buchanan101]

21 hours ago, majortom10 said:

If you pre reg direct with Cunard they don't tell you the price of the cruise after discounts on full Cunard Fare until it goes on sale. Also you cannot give any choices of cabin requests you just tell them cabin grade and they pick cabin within that grade. I rang yesterday and that is what I was told. I rang a well known cruise TA and they told price of cruise with past passenger discount and they gave extra discount on top. I also gave them 6 cabin choices within grade I want to book. If you pre reg direct it will be dearer with Cunard and you will not be able to pick cabin.

 

 

 

Yup - I've pre-registered for any P1 room on the fjord June trip with a TA - 5% Cunard member + 5% more (off the 95% figure). At one stage I was asking for Deck P2, failing that P1, but thought just P1 is easier (Deck 4 above a restaurant, Deck 8 also P2 beneath one)

 

On QA the 50+ P1s as far as I can see are indistinguishable on decks 5,6,7 all in the central column. Was thinking about one of those G6s up front, but...motion? (Yes it's June, but...)

 

 

[buchanan101]

16 hours ago, majortom10 said:

It is because the fares showing on Cunard's website are Early Saver Fares and are cheaper because you don't choose your cabin or have a choice of OBC, free parking or coach travel. You also don't choose your dining time so that is why they are cheaper, the ones you have seen on. TA website if dearer will be Cunard Fare where you can choose all above and that is why they are dearer.

Not sure about that. The fares on Cunard site for PGs and QGs at least are Cunard Fare.  The PG is obviously P2 at £2699pp. My discounted *P1* are £2526pp (so it seems £2799 Cunard Fare). I have $130 OBC pp, and supposedly* eligible for available upgrades.

 

(*I am being realistic - I will be near the back of the queue for free upgrades, only having done one trip before!)

Edited December 5, 2022 by buchanan101

[buchanan101]

22 hours ago, Minnie29 said:

So if I pre-register with a TA do they take a deposit or wait to see if they can get your cabin choice?

Do they phone you to confirm?

sorry to ask so many questions only I normally just phone Cunard on the day and hope they have what I want

£25 deposit with the one I've registered with. First time I've done that - they should confirm hopefully sometime after 1pm tomorrow.

 

 

[majortom10]

2 minutes ago, buchanan101 said:

Not sure about that. The fares on Cunard site for PGs and QGs at least are Cunard Fare.  The PG is obviously P2 at £2699pp. My discounted *P1* are £2526pp (so it seems £2799 Cunard Fare). I have $130 OBC pp, and supposedly eligible for available upgrades

Yes because Cunard  never sell QG/PG at Early Saver Fare because they are very popular and always sell at Cunard Fare. All other grades are available at Early Saver.

[buchanan101]

6 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Yes because Cunard  never sell QG/PG at Early Saver Fare because they are very popular and always sell at Cunard Fare. All other grades are available at Early Saver.

OK, but at least they do 5% off for previous customers.

 

BC will be the interesting one...they've greatly upped the numbers on QA (supposedly by 200%)... not quite so exclusive now, dining room looks about 3/4s of the size of one of  the Britannia floors. Current prices are about mid way between Britannia and PGs. 

Edited December 5, 2022 by buchanan101

[buchanan101]

18 hours ago, Minnie29 said:

I have looked at the prices on Cunard website and one of the TA sites is advertising prices at a higher rate?

I think I will wait til Tuesday and book direct and take my chances as to which cabins they have left. 

Surely unless you are being very specific you should be OK given it's only open to members on Tuesday?

[majortom10]

6 minutes ago, buchanan101 said:

OK, but at least they do 5% off for previous customers.

 

BC will be the interesting one...they've greatly upped the numbers on QA (supposedly by 200%)... not quite so exclusive now, dining room looks about 3/4s of the size of one of  the Britannia floors. Current prices are about mid way between Britannia and PGs. 

They do 5% discount for past passengers whatever the cabin/suite they book always have done. But never sell QG/PG as Early Saver.

 

[buchanan101]

6 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

They do 5% discount for past passengers whatever the cabin/suite they book always have done. But never sell QG/PG as Early Saver.

 

Quite happy getting 5% + 5%...the prices seem pretty reasonable compared with 2023 prices 

[majortom10]

1 minute ago, buchanan101 said:

Quite happy getting 5% + 5%...the prices seem pretty reasonable compared with 2023 prices 

2023 was always going to be expensive because so many people had FCC from cruises cancelled due to COVID. To put it into perspective we went on QE in 2019 for 12nts and paid £2700 for a Q6. You cannot get anywhere near that now that's why I think QG have gone very expensive.

[buchanan101]

13 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

2023 was always going to be expensive because so many people had FCC from cruises cancelled due to COVID. To put it into perspective we went on QE in 2019 for 12nts and paid £2700 for a Q6. You cannot get anywhere near that now that's why I think QG have gone very expensive.

That's a good price! Our recent QG trip (October 22) didn't seem much more expensive than when we originally booked in Feb 20 for Oct 21. (Shame I had only paid deposit on first trip by the time it was cancelled so my FCC benefit was tiny!)

 

Hopefully then prices may stay flatish for a few years, or reducing in real terms with inflation as it is...

[Minnie29]

Good advice. Thanks. Pre-registered with a TA and gave cabin number choices so fingers crossed. 
Much easier than trying to get through direct to Cunard at 1pm tomorrow 😊

[buchanan101]

All booked for QA to the fjords P1 Deck 7 😀

[buchanan101]

24 minutes ago, buchanan101 said:

All booked for QA to the fjords P1 Deck 7 😀

The TA booked the ONLY cabin in the whole P1 category with an adjoining door to next cabin (because that is a disabled access cabin), but I emailed and it was changed in 10 minutes

 

So far so good with this agent..

[Minnie29]

All booked successfully with TA. 
Got a call this afternoon confirming one of the odd configuration obstructed balcony cabins on Deck 4.

Very happy

[buchanan101]

2 hours ago, Minnie29 said:

All booked successfully with TA. 
Got a call this afternoon confirming one of the odd configuration obstructed balcony cabins on Deck 4.

Very happy

Ah - the ones at right angles so you get a nice long balcony (with a lifeboat in the way…) 

 

You’ll have twice the length of balcony as our PG - that’s the worst part of PGs on anything but QM2

[Selbourne]

We booked a Queen Anne cruise today and were surprised that our TA was able to confirm our booking and first choice of cabin within an hour of bookings opening, even though it’s our first Cunard cruise so we have no loyalty status. Apparently the exclusive booking window is virtually non-existent (or lasted a maximum of 1 hour) and it was the same last time as well, hence why our TA was expecting this to be the case. 

[buchanan101]

10 hours ago, Selbourne said:

We booked a Queen Anne cruise today and were surprised that our TA was able to confirm our booking and first choice of cabin within an hour of bookings opening, even though it’s our first Cunard cruise so we have no loyalty status. Apparently the exclusive booking window is virtually non-existent (or lasted a maximum of 1 hour) and it was the same last time as well, hence why our TA was expecting this to be the case. 

Maybe you wouldn't have been able to book yourself online without previous cruise status - different for TAs

 

off anywhere nice ? 😉

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, buchanan101 said:

Maybe you wouldn't have been able to book yourself online without previous cruise status - different for TAs

 

off anywhere nice ? 😉

Having done pretty much all ex-UK itineraries, the one outstanding was actually British Isles! The Queen Anne itinerary ticks every box for us. We didn’t want to do Guernsey, Dublin or France (most P&O ones do at least 2 of those) and we definitely wanted to do Belfast, Liverpool and the Scottish Isles. Also, only one stop (Edinburgh) is a tender port, which is great as my wife is a full time wheelchair user and is stuck on the ship at those.