First time on the Cunard Line…… differences…..

[D&N]

1 hour ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

and had lunch at the Martinez in Cannes. Still not good enough!

They want everyone on the ship to do that though. Obviously not all in the Palm d'Or but spread around all the overpriced restaurants.

Monaco are quite clear that they only want ships of Oceania or Seabourn size with clients in the market for a pair of Louboutin shoes or something from Tiffany's.

[D&N]

2 hours ago, david63 said:

Whilst I don't disagree that itineraries (of virtually all cruise lines) are repetitive I think that it is unfair to say lack imagination. I suspect that arranging a ship's itinerary is far more complex than looking at a map and saying let's go here, here and there.

 

There is the physical capability as to whether the ship can get from port A to port B in a reasonable time-frame and if it can is there a berth available that will be able to handle that ship. Then there is the question as to whether Cunard has a port agent at that port and whether provisioning and excursions can be arranged. And one other thing that will be considered is what the cost of using a particular port is going to be.

 

With everything that has to be arranged that is why cruise lines only have one or two new ports in their itineraries each year and bearing in mind that such planning is done three, four or more years out.

Port capacity is another issue.

I remember watching P&O Arcadia bobbing around off the east of the Cap d'Antibes one day. It had been scheduled to call at Cannes but conditions in the bay were too choppy to tender.

Where they found to anchor would have been ok but the customs at Antibes would only accept a maximum of 850 passengers. I can't recall how many were onboard but it was over that number and they were refused.

It's mainly Regent that I've seen calling there.

[*Miss G*]

3 hours ago, D&N said:

clients in the market for a pair of Louboutin shoes or something from Tiffany's.

Aren’t we all. 

[Victoria2]

9 hours ago, PORT ROYAL said:

Diamond is the highest level of WC…. Have always had a “registration” (with stateroom number) being confirmed as a booking.  When posting, thought this was available to all D’s.  From one’s post, it appears now not to be the case.   My thanks for the correction.

Pre reg is showing one's interest and intent. It is no actual guarantee of a specific cabin.

It's then down to the cabin being booked. If an agent/ Cunard agent is not quick enough then any specific pre registration will not beat the quickest finger.

[Victoria2]

10 hours ago, exlondoner said:

How high do you have to be to get to book days earlier? I am diamond, and have never been given the chance to book (rather than register) more than a day or half a day early.

Pre reg is not a guaranteed booking.

We always 'pre register', i.e. show our interest and intent but it's finger on the button which gets the cabin which is why the first twenty seconds of bookings going live is quite nerve racking. 🙂

[PORT ROYAL]

1 hour ago, Victoria2 said:

Pre reg is showing one's interest and intent. It is no actual guarantee of a specific cabin.

It's then down to the cabin being booked. If an agent/ Cunard agent is not quick enough then any specific pre registration will not beat the quickest finger.

Obviously, over many years it appears our PCS was the quickest every time…… Have always taken it as read, that one’s specific early booking request will be undertaken, because it always had in the past.  Never given a thought on the process until these exchanges.  Note to self to show even greater gratitude in the future.

[aaaaa]

On 7/27/2024 at 5:33 PM, Lakesregion said:

Buffet is open 24 hours  rather than in short spurts. .

The buffet is open 24 hours, but not in a row.

[JT1101]

Back to the OP. A principal difference between Cunard and the rest is Cunard has its own subculture and a fantastically high repeat rate. There is a long history and traditions and they are proud of both. Queen Mary 2 for example has wall murals filled with the history of transatlantic sailing and of Cunard. Some areas forward have an almost museum like feeling to them. It attracts ship buffs with a sense of history but despite that the atmosphere borders on chummy. 

[shippmates]

7 hours ago, 2Oldpeopleinlove said:

Our most recent but one cruise stopped in Toulon, which was the entire reason we chose it…a one-hour drive from Marseille for our son and his family to come spend the day with us. It would be nice if more ships stopped in Marseille!

Costa cruise line sails out of Marseille at least they are in October of this year.

[shippmates]

I have done several TA on QM2 and Norway, New England and Canada.  I also wish they would get some different itinearies out of NY.  It seems when I want a different or unusual trip, I have been sailing on Holland.  They have been nice and service has been good, but they are not Cunard.  I am ok giving a little to get to cities I want to visit.

[3rdGenCunarder]

9 minutes ago, JT1101 said:

Back to the OP. A principal difference between Cunard and the rest is Cunard has its own subculture and a fantastically high repeat rate. There is a long history and traditions and they are proud of both. Queen Mary 2 for example has wall murals filled with the history of transatlantic sailing and of Cunard. Some areas forward have an almost museum like feeling to them. It attracts ship buffs with a sense of history but despite that the atmosphere borders on chummy. 

 

I love the ship paintings and memorabilia. QM2 probably has the most history on display, with the forward area and the large murals at elevator lobbies. QE has some display cases with mostly items from the first QE and some from QE2. She also has lots of paintings, including a gorgeous one of QE2 at Svalbard. QV has lots of paintings, too. Also models of her two older sisters, QE2 and QM2. I'll spend a couple hours on a sea day exploring the stairwells and bars to see what's on show.

 

QA, OTOH, lacks that pride. No sense of history. I found no memorabilia beyond a "cabinet of curiosities," which was more general stuff than nautical, and only two ship paintings. Yes, two, and they were mixed in with a hodgepodge of bad art in the pub. 

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

Cunard is probably most similar to HAL. Probably HAL about 5 to 10 years back on ships like the then Rotterdam. Cunard on a transatlantic is probably more mixed in age and nationality than a HAL cruise.  Cunard on a cruise is more British than American for style of entertainment, food and service. Both lines I am sure are a very civilised experiences. 

Edited July 28 by stephen@stoneyard.co.uk

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

33 minutes ago, shippmates said:

Costa cruise line sails out of Marseille at least they are in October of this year.

Thanks, but I’ve read too much about Costa to want to go with them. Our pattern has become flying from NY to Marseille, then coming home on QM2. That will be our October trip this year, too.

[exlondoner]

8 hours ago, shippmates said:

Costa cruise line sails out of Marseille at least they are in October of this year.

Cunard has a number of calls at Marseilles scheduled

[Victoria2]

12 hours ago, PORT ROYAL said:

Obviously, over many years it appears our PCS was the quickest every time…… Have always taken it as read, that one’s specific early booking request will be undertaken, because it always had in the past.  Never given a thought on the process until these exchanges.  Note to self to show even greater gratitude in the future.

I think 'quickest finger on the button' really comes into its own when there are very few of the cabins available to book in the category of choice.

For one of our booked cruises, there was literally one cabin released in the category we wanted and so available to book.

That's when quickest to the post wins and it's a nail biting 10/20 secs!

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, Victoria2 said:

I think 'quickest finger on the button' really comes into its own when there are very few of the cabins available to book in the category of choice.

For one of our booked cruises, there was literally one cabin released in the category we wanted and so available to book.

That's when quickest to the post wins and it's a nail biting 10/20 secs!

And demonstrates how very useful travel agents are.

[ExArkie]

I find the discussion on wanting new ports or itineraries interesting, since I have a completely different attitude: I want as few ports as possible on any sailing. QM2 transatlantic sailings are the best, and we have done that several times. Upcoming trips on other lines are a 9-night  transatlantic with one port stop and a 16-night transpacific with four port stops. We finish next year with a scheduled round trip (NY-NY) transatlantic on QM2 in December. Never done the round trip before, although we once did an eastbound crossing followed by a month's work in Ireland, then a westbound crossing. One advantage of doing contract work...

 

I do not begrudge anyone wanting variety and originality in the itineraries, and wish you good luck in getting them, but you can just put me on a ship and leave me on the ocean.

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

2 hours ago, ExArkie said:

I find the discussion on wanting new ports or itineraries interesting, since I have a completely different attitude: I want as few ports as possible on any sailing. QM2 transatlantic sailings are the best, and we have done that several times. Upcoming trips on other lines are a 9-night  transatlantic with one port stop and a 16-night transpacific with four port stops. We finish next year with a scheduled round trip (NY-NY) transatlantic on QM2 in December. Never done the round trip before, although we once did an eastbound crossing followed by a month's work in Ireland, then a westbound crossing. One advantage of doing contract work...

 

I do not begrudge anyone wanting variety and originality in the itineraries, and wish you good luck in getting them, but you can just put me on a ship and leave me on the ocean.

Yes! THIS!!!

[JT1101]

2 hours ago, 2Oldpeopleinlove said:

Yes! THIS!!!

Agreed. Cunard is more about the culture, enrichment, traditions and ambiance on the ships than the destinations it goes to. It's about a calm, relaxing atmosphere with a nice touch of chummy in it. It always has been. 

[david63]

2 hours ago, JT1101 said:

Agreed. Cunard is more about the culture, enrichment, traditions and ambiance on the ships than the destinations it goes to. It's about a calm, relaxing atmosphere with a nice touch of chummy in it. It always has been. 

But is that approach sustainable in the long term? I would hazard a guess that the number of passengers looking for that experience is declining

[exlondoner]

8 hours ago, david63 said:

But is that approach sustainable in the long term? I would hazard a guess that the number of passengers looking for that experience is declining

I would hazard a guess that the calm relaxing atmosphere is still much cherished. And the enrichment experiences very popular - which I admit does not make for a calm, relaxing atmosphere when everyone leaves the theatre together. 

[e&mcruise]

14 hours ago, david63 said:

But is that approach sustainable in the long term? I would hazard a guess that the number of passengers looking for that experience is declining

With the rising price of air travel at the pointy end of the plane, the interest for those without a fixed schedule surely has to be enjoying a multi day cruise for the same price as an uncomfortable and expensive airfare for 12 to 24 hrs? Don't get me wrong, the wonders of a Singapore Air A380 suite or the speed of a direct flight half way around the world is great but if you have no need for expediency, for the same price (or pretty close) as a Long Haul First Class Airfare you could be on a week long (and in some cases longer) cruise in QG. Perfect example being a TA from NY to London or vice versa. For us it is all about destination travel (i.e continent to continent) rather than specific ports of call.

[david63]

1 hour ago, e&mcruise said:

Perfect example being a TA from NY to London

That is not strictly true. It is a TA to/from NY from/to Southampton - London is around two hours away.

 

That logic is fine if those are your destinations but many will have additional travel once in NY and also when arriving/departing Southampton.

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, david63 said:

That is not strictly true. It is a TA to/from NY from/to Southampton - London is around two hours away.

 

That logic is fine if those are your destinations but many will have additional travel once in NY and also when arriving/departing Southampton.

And for many of the millions in England and Wales who live west of London and South of Birmingham, Southampton might be a lot more convenient than Heathrow, let alone Gatwick. Not invariably of course.

[e&mcruise]

26 minutes ago, david63 said:

That is not strictly true. It is a TA to/from NY from/to Southampton - London is around two hours away.

 

That logic is fine if those are your destinations but many will have additional travel once in NY and also when arriving/departing Southampton.

You are correct and apologies for being inaccurate (Southampton vs London) but I actually specifically mentioned "continent to continent" not port to port. If we are really being accurate it is Brooklyn to Southampton & vice versa.