Looking for a definition of cabin categories on QM2? BEWARE Another recategorizantion

If you go to http://www.cunard.com/ and click on ->"Our Ships" -> Queen Mary 2, you will see a box that says "Explore the latest Deckplan of Queen Mary 2"

What you will find is not the current cabin category description for BB and BC categories. According to that webpage, BB and BC will be recategorized in 2014, and that is what is what is reflected on the that webpage. For voyages departing before 16 May 2014 (M405A), you need to look somewhere else for a description of BB and BC categories.

Sad news for anyone who booked an upcoming voyage through their travel agent in a BB Cat Guarantee based on what Cunard calls "the latest Deckplan" - instead of booking the glass fronted balcony they thought they were booking, they'll be in an in-hull balcony. Bait and switch, or just another website flaw?

Salacia

According to the old deck plans that I have, the BB category staterooms were all on decks 4,5,and 6 and on the new plans these are called BC category. The new BB category is the old BC on decks 8, 11, and 12.

According to the old deck plans that I have, the BB category staterooms were all on decks 4,5,and 6 and on the new plans these are called BC category. The new BB category is the old BC on decks 8, 11, and 12.

Thanks Scrapnana, I'm familiar with the old category, and what you stated was also my understanding of the new BB category, but that turned out not to be the case. I booked a BB category Guarantee on an up-coming cruise, but I was recently assigned an in-hull balcony. When I enquired, I was told that the cabin categories had been changed.

Would you please point me to an official Cunard website that defines the new cabin category locations? As I wrote previously, the "current deckplans" on the Cunard website do not reflect the actual descriptions of current BB / BC categories.Thank you . Regards, -S.

Thanks Scrapnana, I'm familiar with the old category, and what you stated was also my understanding of the new BB category, but that turned out not to be the case. I booked a BB category Guarantee on an up-coming cruise, but I was recently assigned an in-hull balcony. When I enquired, I was told that the cabin categories had been changed.

 

Would you please point me to an official Cunard website that defines the new cabin category locations? As I wrote previously, the "current deckplans" on the Cunard website do not reflect the actual descriptions of current BB / BC categories.Thank you . Regards, -S.

I used the current deck plans from another site and compared them to the new ones for which you gave the link.

I used the current deck plans from another site and compared them to the new ones for which you gave the link.

Thank you. I also looked at the deck plans from another site, but the cabin categories were incorrect based on what I was told by a Cunard rep today. The Cunard website as cited above is also incorrect, as confirmed by the Cunard rep and my travel agent.

[Open Question] So, where does one find an accurate account of cabin categories on an official Cunard website for a QM2voyage in 2013 ? Thanks, -S.

Hi, Salacia.

Thanks for your post about the revised QM2 deck plans.

What you have found looks to me like it is indeed a change in the QM2 balcony categories which Cunard is planning to implement beginning with voyage M405A departing 16 May 2014.

If I start a booking on cunard.com for QM2 voyage M404 departing 9 May 2014, here are the balcony categories that I can select:

If I start a booking for QM2 voyage M405A departing 16 May 2014, here are the balcony categories that I can select:

What I suspect is going on is here that Cunard has taken note of the potential glitch in the current categories which we have discussed before. Under the current arrangement, the lower midship sheltered balconies are category BB which could be considered an upgrade from the higher forward glass-fronted balconies in category BC.

The new system resolves that potential problem by switching those two categories around. After this change, the forward glass-fronted balconies will have the higher category designation BB, so one will no longer run the risk of being "upgraded" from an unobstructed glass-fronted balcony to a sheltered balcony.

Of course this change is bound to cause plenty of confusion. It reminds me of that old "B5" category confusion of years gone by.

Here is a link to the current QM2 deck plans for voyages prior to 16 May 2014.

http://www.cunard.com/documents/2013%20deck%20plans/queen%20mary%202%20-%20new%20deck%20plans.pdf

And for those who have not seen it yet, here is the link to the new QM2 deck plans which apparently are going into effect beginning 16 May 2014.

http://www.cunard.com/documents/2014-2015%20deck%20plans/qm2%20deck%20plan.pdf

Regards,

John.

Thanks Scrapnana, I'm familiar with the old category, and what you stated was also my understanding of the new BB category, but that turned out not to be the case. I booked a BB category Guarantee on an up-coming cruise, but I was recently assigned an in-hull balcony. When I enquired, I was told that the cabin categories had been changed.

 

Would you please point me to an official Cunard website that defines the new cabin category locations? As I wrote previously, the "current deckplans" on the Cunard website do not reflect the actual descriptions of current BB / BC categories.Thank you . Regards, -S.

Agree this would be enough to make me mad.

You might get an upgrade if you are lucky.

Hi, Salacia.

 

Thanks for your post about the revised QM2 deck plans.

 

What you have found looks to me like it is indeed a change in the QM2 balcony categories which Cunard is planning to implement beginning with voyage M405A departing 16 May 2014.

 

If I start a booking on cunard.com for QM2 voyage M404 departing 9 May 2014, here are the balcony categories that I can select:

BA - Balcony Higher Deck Mid

BB - Balcony Sheltered Lower Deck Mid

BC - Balcony Higher Deck Fwd

BD - Balcony Sheltered Lower Deck Fwd/Aft

DA - Balcony (obstructed by lifeboats) Higher Deck Mid

DC - Balcony (obstructed by lifeboats) Higher Deck Fwd

If I start a booking for QM2 voyage M405A departing 16 May 2014, here are the balcony categories that I can select:

BA - Balcony High Deck Mid

BB - Balcony High Deck Fwd

BC - Balcony Low Deck Mid

BD - Premium Balcony Low Deck Fwd/Aft

DA - Balcony High Deck Mid

DC - Balcony High Deck Fwd

What I suspect is going on is here that Cunard has taken note of the potential glitch in the current categories which we have discussed before. Under the current arrangement, the lower midship sheltered balconies are category BB which could be considered an upgrade from the higher forward glass-fronted balconies in category BC.

 

The new system resolves that potential problem by switching those two categories around. After this change, the forward glass-fronted balconies will have the higher category designation BB, so one will no longer run the risk of being "upgraded" from an unobstructed glass-fronted balcony to a sheltered balcony.

 

Of course this change is bound to cause plenty of confusion. It reminds me of that old "B5" category confusion of years gone by.

 

Here is a link to the current QM2 deck plans for voyages prior to 16 May 2014.

 

http://www.cunard.com/documents/2013%20deck%20plans/queen%20mary%202%20-%20new%20deck%20plans.pdf

 

And for those who have not seen it yet, here is the link to the new QM2 deck plans which apparently are going into effect beginning 16 May 2014.

 

http://www.cunard.com/documents/2014-2015%20deck%20plans/qm2%20deck%20plan.pdf

 

Regards,

John.

What a good explanation, thank you.

What a good explanation, thank you.

Yes, bluemarble, I agree with Whitemarsh, a very good explanation (even I can understand it :D). Thank you!

best regards,

seasidegal

Agree this would be enough to make me mad.

You might get an upgrade if you are lucky.

Hi Aussieflyer. When I spoke with a Cunard rep about this, she said I could speak to my travel agent about paying for an upgrade if one was available. But I'm not going to pay more for what I thought I had aready booked. My travel agent advised me that the in-hull balcony is the final cabin assignment for my upcoming cruise. I haven't made final payment yet on the second cruise I booked for this year as Cunard has given me a lot to think about! -S.

Bluemarble, thanks for that information. Regards, -S.

Hi Aussieflyer. When I spoke with a Cunard rep about this, she said I could speak to my travel agent about paying for an upgrade if one was available. But I'm not going to pay more for what I thought I had aready booked. My travel agent advised me that the in-hull balcony is the final cabin assignment for my upcoming cruise. I haven't made final payment yet on the second cruise I booked for this year as Cunard has given me a lot to think about! -S.

Salacia:

First, thank you for starting this very informative thread. Second, how very disappointing (and upsetting) to book a certain cabin category, and through no fault of your own, to discover it was not the proper category you desired.:(

best regards,

seasidegal

I think it's called "moving the goalposts"

David.

Hi, Salacia.

 

Thanks for your post about the revised QM2 deck plans.

 

What you have found looks to me like it is indeed a change in the QM2 balcony categories which Cunard is planning to implement beginning with voyage M405A departing 16 May 2014.

 

If I start a booking on cunard.com for QM2 voyage M404 departing 9 May 2014, here are the balcony categories that I can select:

BA - Balcony Higher Deck Mid

BB - Balcony Sheltered Lower Deck Mid

BC - Balcony Higher Deck Fwd

BD - Balcony Sheltered Lower Deck Fwd/Aft

DA - Balcony (obstructed by lifeboats) Higher Deck Mid

DC - Balcony (obstructed by lifeboats) Higher Deck Fwd

If I start a booking for QM2 voyage M405A departing 16 May 2014, here are the balcony categories that I can select:

BA - Balcony High Deck Mid

BB - Balcony High Deck Fwd

BC - Balcony Low Deck Mid

BD - Premium Balcony Low Deck Fwd/Aft

DA - Balcony High Deck Mid

DC - Balcony High Deck Fwd

What I suspect is going on is here that Cunard has taken note of the potential glitch in the current categories which we have discussed before. Under the current arrangement, the lower midship sheltered balconies are category BB which could be considered an upgrade from the higher forward glass-fronted balconies in category BC.

 

The new system resolves that potential problem by switching those two categories around. After this change, the forward glass-fronted balconies will have the higher category designation BB, so one will no longer run the risk of being "upgraded" from an unobstructed glass-fronted balcony to a sheltered balcony.

 

Of course this change is bound to cause plenty of confusion. It reminds me of that old "B5" category confusion of years gone by.

 

Here is a link to the current QM2 deck plans for voyages prior to 16 May 2014.

 

http://www.cunard.com/documents/2013%20deck%20plans/queen%20mary%202%20-%20new%20deck%20plans.pdf

 

And for those who have not seen it yet, here is the link to the new QM2 deck plans which apparently are going into effect beginning 16 May 2014.

 

http://www.cunard.com/documents/2014-2015%20deck%20plans/qm2%20deck%20plan.pdf

 

Regards,

John.

Thanks for the update.. what about outside(window) and inside cabins? Any changes?

Thanks for the update.. what about outside(window) and inside cabins? Any changes?

No, I am not seeing any changes other than balcony categories BB and BC being swapped. Here is the statement that mentions categories BB and BC on the new deck plans. No other categories are mentioned.

Regards,

John.

No, I am not seeing any changes other than balcony categories BB and BC being swapped. Here is the statement that mentions categories BB and BC on the new deck plans. No other categories are mentioned.

 

For stateroom grades BB and BC on voyages departing before 16 May 2014 (M405A) please refer to the deck plans online, as the staterooms have been recategorised for 2014 and are reflected here.

 

Regards,

John.

Thanks Scrapnana, I'm familiar with the old category, and what you stated was also my understanding of the new BB category, but that turned out not to be the case. I booked a BB category Guarantee on an up-coming cruise, but I was recently assigned an in-hull balcony. When I enquired, I was told that the cabin categories had been changed.

 

Would you please point me to an official Cunard website that defines the new cabin category locations? As I wrote previously, the "current deckplans" on the Cunard website do not reflect the actual descriptions of current BB / BC categories.Thank you . Regards, -S.

Unless I'm reading this all wrong, you say you've booked a BB for an upcoming cruise and have been assigned an in-hull balcony cabin. So you have been given what you booked surely? BB this year = in-hull. Next year the BB cat will be a BC glass-fronted balcony.

The only people seemingly worse off will be those who have booked a BC for next year after 16th May and could end up with a BB (in-hull).

Unless I'm reading this all wrong, you say you've booked a BB for an upcoming cruise and have been assigned an in-hull balcony cabin. So you have been given what you booked surely? BB this year = in-hull. Next year the BB cat will be a BC glass-fronted balcony.

 

The only people seemingly worse off will be those who have booked a BC for next year after 16th May and could end up with a BB (in-hull).

Hi Ray. Yes, you're reading it right. I booked a BB Category Guarantee, going by what is labeled as "the latest deckplan for QM2" (see http://www.cunard.com/cruise-ships/queen-mary-2/

Admittedly, that was really quite silly of me to think that was the current deckplan. I knew the cabin categories changed in May, and I though the "latest deckplan" reflected that, but what I now think is that apparently there will be another change, if what is refelected on the "latest deckplan" is in fact accurate. There has been no announcement by Cunard, so maybe there'll be no change and the "latest deckplan" (the one that isn't current but may be the "future deckplan") will disappear from whence it came.

BTW, during my telephone conversation with the Cunard rep, I asked her to take a look at the "latest deckplan" on the Cunard site. It was the first time she had seen it. She said it was wrong, and had no idea why it was there. "We've been hearing about problems with the website" she said. After a few seconds pause, we both laughed since that had to be the understatement of the year!

When she told me that, having booked a BB Cat Guarantee, I would have a glass fronted balcony on Deck 6, I knew the conversation was going nowhere. (Nice lady though, very polite and a good sense of humour.)

Cheers,

Salacia

Hi, Salacia.

 

Thanks for your post about the revised QM2 deck plans.

 

What you have found looks to me like it is indeed a change in the QM2 balcony categories which Cunard is planning to implement beginning with voyage M405A departing 16 May 2014.

 

If I start a booking on cunard.com for QM2 voyage M404 departing 9 May 2014, here are the balcony categories that I can select:

BA - Balcony Higher Deck Mid

BB - Balcony Sheltered Lower Deck Mid

BC - Balcony Higher Deck Fwd

BD - Balcony Sheltered Lower Deck Fwd/Aft

DA - Balcony (obstructed by lifeboats) Higher Deck Mid

DC - Balcony (obstructed by lifeboats) Higher Deck Fwd

If I start a booking for QM2 voyage M405A departing 16 May 2014, here are the balcony categories that I can select:

BA - Balcony High Deck Mid

BB - Balcony High Deck Fwd

BC - Balcony Low Deck Mid

BD - Premium Balcony Low Deck Fwd/Aft

DA - Balcony High Deck Mid

DC - Balcony High Deck Fwd

What I suspect is going on is here that Cunard has taken note of the potential glitch in the current categories which we have discussed before. Under the current arrangement, the lower midship sheltered balconies are category BB which could be considered an upgrade from the higher forward glass-fronted balconies in category BC.

 

The new system resolves that potential problem by switching those two categories around. After this change, the forward glass-fronted balconies will have the higher category designation BB, so one will no longer run the risk of being "upgraded" from an unobstructed glass-fronted balcony to a sheltered balcony.

 

Of course this change is bound to cause plenty of confusion. It reminds me of that old "B5" category confusion of years gone by.

 

Here is a link to the current QM2 deck plans for voyages prior to 16 May 2014.

 

http://www.cunard.com/documents/2013%20deck%20plans/queen%20mary%202%20-%20new%20deck%20plans.pdf

 

And for those who have not seen it yet, here is the link to the new QM2 deck plans which apparently are going into effect beginning 16 May 2014.

 

http://www.cunard.com/documents/2014-2015%20deck%20plans/qm2%20deck%20plan.pdf

 

Regards,

John.

Hi Bluemarble. Thanks for your research regarding booking on the Cunard website. I have done some comparison, looking at two US on-line travel agents. I found no reflection of a change in BB or BC categories for voyage after 16May 2014.

While the old B5 category was a bit of fun, I suspect that the BB/BC issue is going to be less so in months to come, as Ray indicated.

I am unable to view the Cunard UK website from NY.

Open Question: what does the UK website state about a recategorization of cabins in 2014?

Salacia

Hi Bluemarble. Thanks for your research regarding booking on the Cunard website. I have done some comparison, looking at two US on-line travel agents. I found no reflection of a change in BB or BC categories for voyage after 16May 2014.

 

While the old B5 category was a bit of fun, I suspect that the BB/BC issue is going to be less so in months to come, as Ray indicated.

 

I am unable to view the Cunard UK website from NY.

Open Question: what does the UK website state about a recategorization of cabins in 2014?

 

Salacia

Hi again, Salacia.

I just checked three of the big name U.S. on-line cruise booking sites for the May 16, 2014 crossing and saw three different results on each.

1. One site listed updated descriptions for categories BC and BB corresponding to the new 2014 QM2 deck plans found on cunard.com:

When I attempt to book a BC cabin, it does offer me cabins on deck 6.

When I attempt to book a BB cabin, it does offer me cabins on decks 11 and 12.

2. Another site listed the descriptions for categories BC and BB corresponding to the current 2013 QM2 deck plans:

But then it gets interesting!

When I attempt to book a BC cabin, it actually offers me cabins on deck 6 despite what the cabin description states.

When I attempt to book a BB cabin, it actually offers me cabins on decks 11 and 12, again despite what the cabin description states.

3. Another site also listed the descriptions for categories BC and BB corresponding to the current 2013 QM2 deck plans:

On this site, when I attempt to book either a BC or BB cabin, all it offers me is the choice of "Guaranteed Cabin". This site appears to be confused as to which cabins are actually assigned to the BC and BB categories. All other balcony categories allow me to select a specific cabin.

As fas as Cunard's UK site is concerned, I am able to check that site. It shows the same category descriptions as the US site.

I do find it a bit odd that the Cunard sites list category BD as "Premium Balcony" on the May 16, 2014 crossing and they list categories DA and DC without including the phrase "(obstructed by lifeboats)". That's another potential point for confusion.

At any rate, I agree that we are in for a bit of a bumpy ride before this all gets sorted out. There is certainly the potential for considerably more confusion with this category switch than with that previous discussion as to whether or not category B5 was obstructed.

Hope this helps some.

Regards,

John.

When she told me that, having booked a BB Cat Guarantee, I would have a glass fronted balcony on Deck 6, I knew the conversation was going nowhere. (Nice lady though, very polite and a good sense of humour.)

 

Cheers,

Salacia

Indeed!

 

I am unable to view the Cunard UK website from NY.

Open Question: what does the UK website state about a recategorization of cabins in 2014?

 

Salacia

For stateroom grades BB and BC on voyages departing before 16th May 2014 (M405A) please refer to deck plans online, as the staterooms have been recategorised for 2014 and are reflected here.

BB = Balcony, Forward, high decks 8, 11, 12

BC = Balcony (sheltered) Midships, low decks 4, 5, 6

http://www.cunard.co.uk/documents/2014-2015%20deck%20plans/qm2%20deck%20plan.pdf

Ray, yes, that's what she said, "glass fronted balcony on deck six. I told her there are no glass fronted balconies on deck 6 - or decks 4 & 5, but I don't know if she believed me.:) Based on a handful of conversations with them over the years, I have the impression that they aren't very familiar with Cunard ships at the US call center - most of their calls are regarding Princess cruises.

Anyway...

Ray & Blue Marble, thanks for the info regarding the UK site. Since the May 2014 switch in BB & BC categories appears on both sites, looks like it's for real. I hope Cunard works out the kinks before the ship hits the fan!:eek:

Ray, yes, that's what she said, "glass fronted balcony on deck six. I told her there are no glass fronted balconies on deck 6 - or decks 4 & 5, but I don't know if she believed me.:) Based on a handful of conversations with them over the years, I have the impression that they aren't very familiar with Cunard ships at the US call center - most of their calls are regarding Princess cruises.

 

Anyway...

 

Ray & Blue Marble, thanks for the info regarding the UK site. Since the May 2014 switch in BB & BC categories appears on both sites, looks like it's for real. I hope Cunard works out the kinks before the ship hits the fan!:eek:

I concur that this swapping of the BB and BC categories on the QM2 as of May 16, 2014 is for real. I am sure there will continue to be plenty of situations with travel sites that haven't corrected the descriptions of those categories on their web sites and travel agents that will provide incorrect information about those categories.

But so far at least, I have not found an on-line booking site that will actually allow me to select a specific BB cabin on decks 4,5,6 or a specific BC cabin on decks 8,11,12 for voyages departing on or after May 16, 2014. So that's a good thing.

Now there certainly could be issues for those on-line sites that only offer a BB or BC guarantee while listing incorrect descriptions of those categories. That could cause situations similar to what happened to you, Salacia, where you booked a BB guarantee for a 2013 voyage based on the 2014 deck plans and then found out that category is actually something different in 2013 when you received you cabin assignment.

Only time will tell how much confusion this will cause. I am anticipating seeing more than one thread in this forum in the future asking questions about what's up with categories BB and BC on the QM2.

Regards,

John.

Subsequent to the previous posts, I have found that there continues to be confusion regarding booking a Category BB and BC cabin for voyages after 16May 2014.

Passengers need to be aware of of this apparent change. Neither Cunard shoreside Rep nor my travel agent was aware of the change as it appears on both the Cunard Uk and US website.

Just a heads up. -S.

I only wish I still had the option to select a specific deck from among 4, 5,or 6 once I had made the decision to choose a sheltered balcony. I prefer Deck 5 but too often the booking websites only show me a single deck within the cabin category and it's not Deck 5.