new2crooz

Sadly, I have had a very different experience this weekend with White Star Luggage Service. There was no White Star Luggage cage, basket or representative (before, in or after Customs) when we returned to Southampton so had to leave bag with a baggage reclaim hall official. She soon turned her back on it, which was quickly apparent as I took a photo of where I left it as wasn't at all happy with the fact there was no collection point or any arrangements for such bags.

40 hours or so later, the DHL tracking is still showing nothing, and I am extremely worried now that my bag has been lost or stolen. This experience has totally ruined my memories of the cruise.

White Star and DHL don't have any operational phone lines at the weekend, and when I phoned Cunard customer services, they weren't able to contact anyone either. Cannot express just how disappointed I am with Cunard at the moment, especially as noone appears able or available to help me.

So sorry to read that you had a poor experience when disembarking QE on Saturday.

I hope that the situation has now improved for you, that you've had some good news.

Or if not, that today will bring a resolution to your issue.

 

Interestingly, you may have been very unfortunate, two friends also departed QE on Saturday and have said it as one of smoothest and quickest departures from a ship they've ever had. I know this report doesn't help you, but the chaos in the terminal doesn't seem to have affected everyone.

 

Good luck, please report back with news (good or otherwise) until this is resolved to your satisfaction, thank you.

 

All good wishes,

Still nothing in the DHL tracking. White Star and DHL numbers not operational since I got home so will have to wait until Monday. In the meantime, I have emailed both with details of the problem and I also wisely took a photo of where I left my bag (with another person's bag which also was using the service).

I guess the chaos was at a particular time. I left quite early (before 9am) when most of the bags were in the hall and made it near impossible to get through with a trolley unscathed. I presume the people who got through easily weren't using White Star Luggage Service?

As soon as they announced the change to City Terminal on Friday, I phoned the purser to ensure that the White Star Luggage cage would also be moved to City Terminal, and they reassured me that everything would be in place for our arrival the next day. Yet, when I arrived, no sign of anything to do with White Star Luggage, and officials pretty clueless on the matter when asked. Very disappointing, as I did everything I could to make sure the process would go smoothly.

Utter chaos at Southampton this morning with QE docking at a different berth than originally planned due to bad weather. Baggage claim hall was a shambles with everyone running trolleys into peoples legs etc. It was difficult to find bags even with their colour coding.

Most worrying though is that there was no White Star Luggage Service cage at Customs on arrival today and one of the ladies helping in the baggage claim hall told people to leave bags with her. Now, some 16 hours later, DHL tracking is still not showing anything about the pick up of bags.

Has anyone else encountered problems with the shipping of their bags today on return to Southampton?

Anyone from Cunard here able to say what happened to bags left in the luggage hall for DHL shipping?

If the DHL shipping of bags back to your home does actually work, when do you find out which day it will be delivered back to you so that you can arrange to be in when it arrives?

Very, very worried about my bag.

I should have been more specific. O2 may have a roaming agreement for contract customers but for PAYG customers you won't be able to connect. No roaming possible on giffgaff (who use O2 in the background) either.

Thanks for the clarification as did consider taking spare O2 PAYG phone instead of my smartphone.

Three seem to offer Maritime roaming, at some very hefty prices compared with the quoted Vodafone rates. Will use very, very sparingly and using a small tablet for general browsing (phone has my contacts, not the tablet).

I assume tips can also be in GBP or Euros as well as US dollars which won't be carrying? Thanks.

Thanks so much for very helpful information.

Where is the best place to view the ship and see the ship as it sails off when docked at the Ocean Terminal?

Any advice on what is a good and fair tip for very good service from an individual, given the other payments already deducted from our cards?

Thanks Robbie_3. Can I assume that can download emails by linking to the ship's internet whilst keeping Data Roaming switched off on the smart phone?

I will have to remain in touch by mobile/text during my Cunard trip. Will my smartphone automatically transfer to the MCP or 90112 screen the moment I am on the ship, or only once we have set sail and are well away from my normal provider's signal?

My Samsung S4 has many different data settings. Which ones should I switch off to ensure that there are no data charges? Is switching off Data Roaming sufficient or do I need to switch off the other Data check boxes I have found in different menus on my phone?

Which ISP has the best maritime charges or are they all the same (eg. £3 per minute per phone call, £1.25 per minute to receive calls, 50p per text, free to receive texts)?

Thanks for any advice on keeping these costs down.

I'm taking a nice bottle of port on board in Nov as I fancied a tipple on the balcony in the evening, should be no problem carrying this in the hand luggage according to others on this thread.

My thinking exactly. Indoors if the early winter Siberian winds head in our direction :eek:

How strict are Southampton on the "no spirits" policy? I would like to take a bottle of red wine and a bottle of port or sherry onboard as they don't offer things like port/sherry in the Grills mini-bar. Has anyone taken a couple of bottles (rather than the quoted one bottle of wine) including port? Does Port classify as a spirit? Thanks.

I like the idea of having a "cruise suitcase", ready to go at the drop of the hat. Has anyone ever got any really brilliant last minute cruise deals to make use of the "emergency cruise case"?

What we need is more on land occasions to wear all the delightful outfits we buy. Perhaps there is a market for new innovative hotels which give you the cruise/transatlantic experience on dry land. Anyone know of anywhere that offers something similar? London or country hotels would be a good place to start.

I am going to be really overdressed on the next pub crawl :D

Wish lived nearer Southampton so could jump on cruises if opportunities arise.

Thanks for all the info. Disappointed re: BBC1 as was very much hoping to keep uptodate on Strictly;-( I do recall on the transatlantics that got BBC news for first half of journey and as got closer to the US, got Fox News. Had hoped being in the Med that would continue to get BBC, but Sky News will be great if there. Will just have to wait and see.

Is there a good range of DVDs to borrow on the ship, and do we have to pay for borrowing them? Similarly, is there a cost to borrowing books from the library?

Thanks.

Similarly, what kind of devices can we attach to the TV to watch pre-downloaded movies/shows? Would a tablet or USB stick work on QE TVs? If cabins have DVD players, is it free to rent DVDs from somewhere (where)?

Thanks.

What channels do you get on cruises to the Med including as far as Greece? Will any of BBC1, ITV, BBC News and Sky News be available during part or all of the trip? Thanks.

Thanks for your replies. Anyone used White Star on return to Southampton?

I understand that Whitestar luggage can be left outside cabin for departure off the ship the next day and picked up in the dock to take through customs and then onto a DHL cage.

Which label should one leave on the bag the night before? The Whitestar DHL or should I take an extra printout of a luggage label from my Personaliser? Or both labels?

Thanks.

Can you order coffee any time you want in your cabin for free or do you need a coffee card? Is all room service apart from alcohol free? Thanks.

It will be a formal night so just wear normal formal clothes. The masks are optional. A (very) few people wear them all night. Others put them on for the parade around the room. This is still a minority of the people in the ballroom.

 

If you visit Venice, you will find some lovely masks to buy. You can also buy masks on the ship for around $20, if my memory is correct. The alternative is to make your own to match your dress. You can buy blank masks in craft shops. Cover them with a few layers of tissue paper to match your outfit. Brush this over with watered-down PVA glue to harden it. Then perhaps cover with a decorative net fabric. (Duct tape on the back of the mask holds that down.) Glue on sequins and feathers or fabric flowers.

Thanks for the information. Beautiful mask.

Whilst we are discussing clothing, I notice on my cruise that there is a masquerade ball. What do ladies wear for that and do we all need to take masks? Are there masks to purchase or borrow on the ship? Thanks.

Our butler had a sense of humor

 

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Awww... adorable. Did you bring Sammy with you or are there bear companions in the cabins? Hope get butler with sense of humour as it adds to both their and our enjoyments of the trip.

Not sure where you are located, but many shops in the UK will have long dresses in now it is Autumn.

I shop online John Lewis, House of Fraser and they had long dresses on offer this week. I shop a lot online, but I always have my long dresses made to measure so they are all one off's. Have you thought of having a dress made? Do you have a good dressmaker?

Cruise wear can be bought in many shops in the sales in the UK and Southampton is great for cruise wear shopping.

I buy things when I see them whether I need them or not. I call it "just in case" shopping.

I buy just in case I may need it, and seeing as I have been cruising since 1980 I know there is always a strong chance I will get to wear what I have bought. Build up your cruise wear gradually and look out for bargains. You can find nice cheap evening bags on places like Ebay and even long dresses.

Happy shopping till you drop. :D

Someone mentioned earlier that they have seen your amazing gowns on a previous cruise. Yes, John Lewis site is one place I have been looking. When I asked in local stores about dresses, they said I should look around Christmas time for party wear... unfortunately that will be a little late for my cruise. But, I will use this cruise for inspiration on the outfits that work well, and then look out for the bargains at Christmas and in the New Year sales.

Yes room service can supply a jug of hot water and a cup. Alternatively you can obtain the water in a cup by going to the Kings Court or Lido.

 

M=AR

Thanks. Sadly, I can't even get a cup of water from a counter to a table without spilling on dry land, yet alone on a ship in rough seas all the way to my cabin ;)