Experiences with Pied Piper? QE2 last Westbound Transatlantic Oct 08

[Oslo Dutch]

After the news last Monday's news I decided to have a go at the last QE2 Farewell voyage lottery. Pied Piper was having a good offer and I have allways been curious about them. I have pre registered on the last Westbound transatlantic voyage and will hear next Wednesday if I am lucky or not.

 

Anybody else thinking of taking a last trip on the Grand old Lady?

What are your experiences with Pied Piper? What can I expect as far as crowd, activities etc?

 

Reint

[JPEvans]

I called Pied piper yesterday to inquire about getting on the Oct 16th sailing. They told me to fill out the form from online and get it back to them. They said bookings don't open till the 27th. I'm going to fill out the form over the weekend. And hope for the best. I didn't realize that a lottery was in effect.

 

I've taken two groups with Pied Piper in the QM2, I enjoyed both of them.

[pnhmrk]

Anybody else thinking of taking a last trip on the Grand old Lady?

 

Reint - We're hoping to do the B2B. We've never used PP and are just going to book this through our normal TA.

[ATLfuzzy]

I am using PP for a 17August sailing out of Barcelona. I'm very pleased so far, the customer service is great and they actually NOTIFIED me to let me know about a price drop.

[Oslo Dutch]

After the news last Monday's news I decided to have a go at the last QE2 Farewell voyage lottery.

 

Well this is just an assumption from my side. I would assume, just like other QE2 booking requests, PP might get more demand than they can actually accommodate.

 

I really hope we might be lucky after all. PP seems to be right combination in between a full gay charter and a normal voyage.:)

 

Reint

[Cornus]

Anybody else thinking of taking a last trip on the Grand old Lady?

What are your experiences with Pied Piper? What can I expect as far as crowd, activities etc?

 

We've completed more than 25 voyages with Cunard and probably 20+ were booked using PP. Each one has been great, especially this past January's crossing on the QE2 when we had the best dinner table mates ever! We also did the Caribbean in April...again another fun table of ten, all part of PP. Next Monday were doing the four night to the Bahamas, in September we're taking the QM2 from NY to Southampton to join the QE2 40th anniversary sail around GB, and next January we'll be on the Victoria from NYC to LA....all booked using PP. We haven't had a bad experience yet. We also requested to be booked on the last TA of the QE2...*Farewell to America*...sailing from NY to Southampton on Oct. 16. We'll find out when they go on sale next week if we make it aboard for that one.

 

PP has a cocktail party the first night out so members of the group can get to meet each other. There is usually one more before the cruise is over. As I've said, we've had only positive experiences booking through PP and sailing on the QE2 and QM2.

 

Jack

[Oslo Dutch]

As I've said, we've had only positive experiences booking through PP and sailing on the QE2 and QM2.

 

Jack

 

Thanks Jack, well even if I don't get succesful on this occasion I might consider PP for other occasions. Is there anything else they do apart from the social get togethers? I've heard some time ago that PP was one of Cunard's best customers. Are there also Europeans travelling with them, or just North Americans?

 

Reint

[Cornus]

Thanks Jack, well even if I don't get succesful on this occasion I might consider PP for other occasions. Is there anything else they do apart from the social get togethers? I've heard some time ago that PP was one of Cunard's best customers. Are there also Europeans travelling with them, or just North Americans?

 

Reint

 

Although I've never met any Europeans as part of the PP group on the cruises I've taken, I'm sure some do book with PP. The table I raved about on our QE2 WCC was unusual...there were only five Canadians on board and three of them were at our table! Also on the Caribbean April cruise, four of the ten at our table were left handed....my partner [Tricyrtis] is VERY much into his left-handedness!

[Oslo Dutch]

Also on the Caribbean April cruise, four of the ten at our table were left handed....my partner [Tricyrtis] is VERY much into his left-handedness!

 

:) Yep, I am also very lefthanded....

[pnhmrk]

:) Yep, I am also very lefthanded....

 

There are a lot of us about aren't there:) I did a course at York College a few years ago. There were eight in the group of whom seven were left handed!

[Oslo Dutch]

After the news last Monday's news I decided to have a go at the last QE2 Farewell voyage lottery. Pied Piper was having a good offer and I have allways been curious about them. I have pre registered on the last Westbound transatlantic voyage and will hear next Wednesday if I am lucky or not.

 

Well, got lucky today I am on it!!!:D

 

Anybody else joining on October 10th, 2008?

 

 

Reint

[pnhmrk]

Anybody else joining on October 10th, 2008?

 

There's quite a few of us:) Visit the Cunard Roll Calls forum for the full list.

[cunardqueen]

Hey Guys!!

At least we have plenty of time to plan things so that neither the CC gathering,FODs or the PPs party clashes.

Thankfully we have no ports to get in the way so that should make it easier:D

Cheers

Myles

As Malcolm says pop over to the roll calls and have your names added

[pnhmrk]

At least we have plenty of time to plan things so that neither the CC gathering,FODs or the PPs party clashes.

 

You've missed out the Captain's Reception. The one for Caronia always clashes with the first FOD meeting:( And there'll be two Captain's Parties one on each leg of the trip. (I'm not so bothered about the party, I just don't like the thought of turning away a free drink or four:D )

[Cornus]

We'll be on the east bound QE2 final crossing leaving Oct. 16. We'll probably book the return to NYC on the QM2 while we're on board next week for the four day Bahamas cruise...unless we decide to stay *over there* for a few more days and then fly home.

 

Jack

[capeboy96]

I did the Winter Crossing this past Jan. on QE2 with PP. Had a great time and met lots of wonderful people onboard. Very much looking forward to being on the winter crossing again this next year. Also, booked on the final WB sailing from SOU to NYC.

 

I enjoyed sailing with Pied Piper more than doing a full gay charter. I've sailed with both Atlantis and RSVP but found the full charter was a little over the top for me. As mentioned previously, PP has 2 cocktail parties, one the first night and one mid-Atlantic. You will also have dinner with others booked through PP. I was surprised to see quite a wide age range. Cunard has FOD parties nightly, 5 or 6P, in the Yacht Club. Same club turned in to the late nite hang out around 11P nightly.

 

Rob

[BigGayBert]

Reint - We're hoping to do the B2B. We've never used PP and are just going to book this through our normal TA.

 

We had such a great time on our Pied Piper cruise....we will never cruise again without them! I would definitely consider booking through Pied Piper because you will be excluded from any of their events and shore excursions if you don't. We actually paid less than if we had booked through RCI or another travel agent (boy, did I spend alot of time looking, too!).

 

I also saw this on their website:

 

" We understand that you may already have a trusted travel agent that you use for your travel arrangements. Therefore, we do accept reservations from other certified travel agencies and will pay a standard commission to the agent. Please have your agent call us directly to make your reservation. In fairness to us, though, we ask that you state from the beginning that you plan to use your own travel agent and we can not assign to an other agency a reservation that has already been made directly with us."

 

Have fun on your cruise, however you book it!!!! :D

[Oslo Dutch]

OK, have added a return crossing on QM2 back to Southampton on October 16th.

I phoned Derek and he added the return voyage. Pity there is no PP group on there too.

[Cornus]

OK, have added a return crossing on QM2 back to Southampton on October 16th.

I phoned Derek and he added the return voyage. Pity there is no PP group on there too.

 

Too bad you couldn't have done the reverse...i.e. come over on the QM2 and return on the QE2. We booked the Oct. 16 on the QE2 mainly because this is her last transatlantic ever. Sorry we won't get to meet up, unless we happen to see you getting off while we're getting on! We may also decide to take the QM2 back to NY.

[pudding]

Hello Reint! I worked with you on RP! Couldn't believe it when I saw you picture. My Partner and I are booked on the QM2 for the tandem crossing with QE2 on 16 Oct 2008. Get in touch if you can!

Regards,

Michael F