Windsurfboy

The outstanding advantage of going direct is the ability to make instant decisions. You arrive at airport, find plane cancelled, only other plane is another airline in 2 hours. You need to be able to either ring airline , or stand at customer service desk and say , "put me on that plane". Not ring up 3rd party hoping they pick up out of hours and wait for them to contact airline and get back to you. Of course Cunard will pick up pieces if it all goes wrong, but by then it's too late.

Our approach to risk is never travel on same day. If you are going to arrive one day early you might as well arrive 3 or 4 days early or longer and have a extra holiday. But we have the time to take that approach. I don't mind talking to airlines directly, I think I understand rules ( Uk/EU 261) as well if not better than most travel agents.

Sorry I meant pounds

Of course one must always compare Cunard to direct scheduled airline. Its all about risk management vs saving and choosing exact flight you want. If you are going a week before, saving wins, on the day, security of Cunard wins. Talking as a European, (Even if you book through Cunard) only CONTROL you have is always book a EU or UK airline, and have a thorough knowledge of UK/EU 261. This gives you very extensive rights if flight is cancelled or delayed when other airlines are still flying. Armed with this knowledge you can normally get airline to rebook you, even on another carrier same day. If they refuse buy another ticket with someone else , they will have to reimburse you. This is where you may have to make decisions on the spot. Getting hold of third party TA or even Cunard out of hours could hinder this. Yes some will say they don't have spare cash for another ticket. Then don't cruise. Some may well say other airlines , Singapore, Qatar, ... have better service. Thats true, but not as answerable to CAA.

From UK one way fares are extortionate for most direct flights , so it's miles , or Cunard. Return flights, we'd always go at least a few days earlier so book directly with airline. Book directly as has been said before, if you book with TA , it doesn't have same protection as booking with Cunard. If things go wrong much easier to deal with airline yourself than via 3rd party , often time matters. If you have to fly on the day, then go with Cunard. However don't automatically expect them to hold ship for more than an hour or so the economics don't stack up unless there's a planeful. But they will be responsible for getting you to next port.

At 2euros per head the fixed price taxi (mini bus) shuttle is good value, although need to wait for at least 4 pasengers. We saved energy by using shuttle as we were planning on walking up rock and back. On way back had to use bus from WW2 tunnels and then shuttle as legs wouldn't work.

But the dog ate my boarding pass, and I'm 2,349,00th in-line for the throne so surely I can arrive early.

Love your description of the interlopers in crows nest. Glad to see dress code being enforced. Personally I don't think football shirts are appropriate anywhere in a cruise ship after 6pm

Thanks

What time do yu have to leave cabin?

I know this is going off piste, not linked to orginal post. But on Saga the only reason for a suite is space, no meaningful benefits compared to other cabins. Primarily because the benefits in any Saga Cabin are so good, what more could you want. In all cabins can order any drink in your room. Perhaps this is one reason suites on Saga aren't the first to sell out unlike many other lines.

Good luck , no bad cabins on Saga Guarantee cabins , will not be as cheap as initial price at launch. If you find you like Saga , then the £90pp to preregister puts you towards front of queue for best price. It is 100% refundable, comes off your deposit and you can ask for it back at any time , hence it is a good investment. You can select a cabin at below the guarantee price. Can preregister on board or by phone.

I agree we always go midships. Despite their fancy azipods , or perhaps because of them , I don't find the Spirts good in rough seas. The Cunard queens ride rough seas much better. Yes they are 78000 tons vs 59000 for Saga, but that shouldn't make that much difference. Perhaps an old fashioned single screw and matching hull design has been perfected over years The Spirts are super smooth and quiet up till 4 meter waves, then things go bad quickly. May be another software glitch, adaptive control systems need to be set up correctly, or they can over correct.

On the cruise I'm on on same deck at same discount. The aft suites are 15% bigger but only 8% more. The forward suites are the bargin nearly twice as big but only 22% more. But those who feel the sea, midships is a must

The flaff was for the butler not me, every time he replaced a bottle I had to sign a form, one copy for him one for stores.

I doubt if staff can sign out a bottle, bit of a flaff even for a suite. To save room steward work if it's an after dinner drink , can just bring anything back from any bar. This shows the suite benefit of a bottle is actually not much of a benefit. Especially if you don't like same drink each night.

Phinda is one of best safari reserves in KZN. They could most likely arrange road transport. Be aware you are talking £700+ a night . However you 2ill be one of a few people feel like you are on own, will get close up and personal with wildlife. Not something on a ships tour

Good wildlife reserves near Durban, 2 or 3 hour journey will get you nearly real thing (have to go to Botwana , Kenya, etc for real thing) then plenty of flights Durban to Capetown. Get a Durban based tour operator, will be luxury and relatively cheap. Book air tickets yourself on line. Remember can leave most luggage on ship, and travel light

Do they have any ordinary non Electric bikes,

Depends where you are, with 25% of outside space (not QM2) taken up by grills deck, the passenger space ratio (for outside space) for non grills passengers is below par.

They bought two new ships at exactly the wrong time, but no one could have predicted what was to come. It all depends whether they borrowed money at the historic low interest rates with long-term bonds , good thinking. If they borrowed with say 5 year bonds Or shorter, getting cheapest short term loans, then the trouble is very much to come, and can blame management for that. We love Saga ships and crew, but management could do better. Firstly not very efficient, has some expensive ways of administration. Also a bit erratic in decision making, one minute panicking and handing out full refunds, next minute denying any resposibility for breakdowns. Unlike the bigger lines don't have a senior ex captain in head office to advise Captains give them someone to talk to. If the ships are operating at high capacity, it is a profitable business, so will be in demand. Given it's all balcony, high space ratio , hence the prices they charge, will demand high level service. It's impossible to run ships of this design as cheap and cheerful. Cabins too expensive , would never get any repeat business. I'm not worying, either Saga wil survive, or established cruise company come to rescue, or get money back from credit card.

At 5000 passengers Queen Anne would have a passenger space ratio of 22, which even the massive family ships beat, it would be the most dense ship on the water . So rep was talking rubbish. With a Passenger space ratio of 37, QA is a bit better than P&Os big ships at 35, but not in a different league. Cunard ships are mass market. Nice mass market , but space wise except QM2 , the queens are nothing to shout about.

Did Saga ring you on your English phone. As we don't have roaming in S.A. we have a local SIM , so planning to give them that number +27.... ...

If I change my number in my Saga, will Saga ring you if you are abroad, or do they only ring you in UK.

Do they disembark by deck , do suites get priority