3rdGenCunarder

😱

Not surprised. Other lines do that. At least there's some discount. About a year ago in a rare act of generosity, HAL changed their policy to just paying the extra cost plus service. It results in some odd small amounts when you check your account. I never buy the drinks package, but I've had it as part of a booking promo. I remember ordering a small glass of wine at dinner and the waiter asked if I didn't want a large one. I said no, I have the drinks package, so I'm staying under the limit. If I want more, I'll order another small glass. In the past the package has covered cocktails I like, and I can find wines under the limit if I stick to small glasses.

What happens if you buy something over the package limit? Pay the difference or pay the entire cost of the drink?

The Queens Room doesn't have the luxurious look as on the other ships. I hope it's better in person. I'm concerned about one comment in the section about the Pavillion. "Non-stop entertainment" could mean they blare music and show videos all the time. I hated that aspect of the Princess cruise we did--there was no outdoor lounging space that was quiet (unless you paid for the "retreat" area). HAL shows films at night, but during the day their midship pool area is not blasting music or the audio from films.

Sorry to hear dinner was so slow. Smart to go for the specialty restaurant rather than sit there with nothing to drink. Did they say why they're doing 2-hour slots on the thermal area? Are you able to sign up for days in advance or do you have to go each morning to get your time? And is there any seating near the pool other than the heated loungers? I like those in a separate room as on QE and QV, with normal loungers in the pool area.

Just to update, Cunard's shuttle ran between the port and downtown. It did not go to any other stops. I wish it had--I stood in a long queue to get the bus back to downtown from the cablecar.

Considering how the bookshop on QM2 has deteriorated, I wonder if low sales there caused Cunard to give up on the idea. Or perhaps it will be in a section of another shop?

I'm not loving the PG cabin. It doesn't look much different from Club. Same balcony and same balcony furniture. The room is a little longer, but I'd like to see what the closets are like. And the sink in the bathroom is ridiculous--I just know that's going to be splashy. Shower appears to be a nice size and I think I saw a wand as well as an overhead shower, so something positive there. What's with that wallpaper around the mirror? Looks like '60s pop art! Supposedly people disliked the wedge-shaped cabinet that divided the two parts of the PG room on the Vistas, but I did like it. Even a little separation between living area and sleeping area is nice and it broke up the visual of the very long space.

The single-seating dining room is the big difference in moving up to Club.

I tend to stop in my walking to gaze at the sea. I suppose this is better for exercise as there's hardly anywhere to stop and gaze.

Yikes, that's even more enclosed than I remember from being on K'dam.

The PGs on QM2 feel much more spacious than those on the vistas because of the shape. They also have larger balconies, which I like.

For years, we referred to QE2 as "The Queen," as she was the Cunard queen. When QM2 came along, she was "The Mary."

The low end of the range a good deal. I expected the high end to be closer to the difference, but still less than if you just paid for the upgrade. However, the math for my Alaska cruise doesn't bear out that assumption. For my Alaska cruise, the range to bid on Q3, Q4 from PG is $715 to $2285 per person, so $1430 to $4570 per stateroom. To book that cruise now in PG, Sailing Soon is $5,118 and Cunard fare is $7,998 (per stateroom) To book that cruise now in Q3, Q4 Sailing soon is $7,998 and Cunard fare is $10,878 But with the way prices change, your starting point in PG could be more or less than the fares currently available. All you can do is try some dummy bookings to see what the going rate is and decide if a bid is worth it.

The attraction for me is the aft balcony. I love those, especially for scenic cruising. Of course, I would love to get for one of the corners with the lovely wrap-around balcony.