RJChatsworth

That doesn’t follow. A waiter told me that 70% capacity means sold out because certain Med ports have restrictions on numbers, plus cabins set aside for COVID isolation. True or false I don’t know!

Exlondoner - Sorry to read about your COVID on QM-2 and hope you soon recover. As you may recall my wife and I got it 3 days before arriving in Southampton after the previous 3-week Stateside voyage. Ever since catching it I have been totally exhausted. We were moved to 5095. Agree about the shower - I couldn’t have coped with climbing over the side of a bath to get to the shower. Cunard treated us very well and I wouldn’t, like some might, blame them for us catching it - just one of those things…..! We didn’t have to go in the ship!

Peckishpixie - I don’t like to dispute your facts because it might put doubts in one’s mind about other things. But why was someone trying to buy wine in the restaurant with an Amex card? Everyone knows you have to use your keycard and then the cost is automatically charged to the card you registered at check-in. We have just completed our 50th Cunard cruise and have never been disappointed so I don’t know how to take your post. We even lost our luggage for the duration of a voyage but didn’t blame Cunard as it was BA’s issue even though we were on a Cunard package.

A final point I forgot to mention. When we moved to the isolation cabin I left two one-litre bottles of Hilden still water in the fridge. There was none in new cabin. One of the first to ring us was room service and I asked for two bottles of Hilden water. Warm water was coming out of the bathroom cold tap. The bottled water duly arrived with a receipt for $8.97. When I queried it I was told that water via the cabin steward is free but the same water through room service attracts a charge. I didn’t know that before. It took a bit of persistence to resolve and get reimbursed. The water was taken away and replaced by two other bottles - perhaps the same ones!

Thanks HH. Home Friday, now waiting for single red lines. Cunard looked after us very well in isolation. There were about 22 cabins where we were and they all seemed to be occupied. There was the same number port side but I don’t know how many were occupied. The only downside was trying to raise the Purser’s Office. They were permanently engaged when you rang morning through evening. After about 10 minutes hanging on they would cut the call telling you to ring back. Hanging on a phone is not what you really want when not feeling very well! The medics called everyday and room service made sure you didn’t starve. The funny bit was when we were finally escorted off the ship at 1020. A man with spray equipment followed behind spraying where we had just walked including the lift as we got out.

I hadn’t seen shorts in the MDR in the evening before. They used to say in the UK avoid short booze cruises although I don’t hear that mentioned so much now. Perhaps the 7-day cruises out of NY are similar. I wasn’t aware of over-drinking but was aware of the camp site mentality by a significant minority in terms of dress sense and not wearing masks when asked to. I have never seen so many wearing shorts in the evening in the Royal Court Theatre and elsewhere where they were told not to go.

Ace2542. Free testing was still in existence last Friday when I enquired.

As a Brit when I looked into this CVS wouldn’t test none US citizens. When in transit last Friday off QM-2 I saw lots of pop-up ‘free’ antigen test centres with certificates on street corners. They told me they don’t test non-US citizens.

Thanks for kind messages. We are still feeling a bit rough but Cunard are looking after us quite well and the medics check in each day. On the ship we have worn masks and avoided close contact with others even in the Royal Court Theatre. We have not been to any bars on the ship. I asked the medics about Covid on the ship and they said they don’t know because passengers won’t come forward if they have got it because they don’t want to go into isolation. We think we must have caught it in NY last Friday. The medics said you really need to be in close contact with someone for 15 minutes. On the Cunard shuttle we unfortunately sat very close to someone, in both directions, who coughed non-stop and refused to wear a mask. Someone challenged him and he got quite nasty and shouting about some condition he had and the wearing of a mask. Twenty yards off the coach there was a big notice at the entrance to the Red Hook terminal stating no entry if not wearing a mask. He soon put one on!

Tuesday and another lovely day at sea. Yesterday my wife and I felt a bit jaded. Then after a restless night, this morning we did a Covid test and we both have it. The medics confirmed it with PCR tests. We have been moved to a sheltered balcony on deck 5 for isolation. We can order off the Britannia Club menu including a la carte.

Harpist, trio, pianist and guitarist, all take their turn at tea in the Queens Room. I know some who got on in NY are doing the round trip via the Med. I don’t know numbers. On this three week voyage I believe 400 are doing the Southampton to Southampton round trip if that is anything to go on. Out waiter says that ships are limited to 70% occupancy in some Med ports but I don’t know how true that is.

Sunday and a beautifully sunny morning with a pretty calm sea. Temp perhaps 16C/61F. In an earlier post on our way out to New York from Southampton I mentioned the number of passengers. On the return leg the Captain has reported 1803 passengers, predominately from, UK 597, US 541 and Germany 62. I think he said crew of 1078. These are considerably different from the outward journey. Happy sailing! Sure is here! Food excellent in Britannia Club too.

Should have added that getting off as an in-transit passenger in NY yesterday was the best ever. Didn’t even have to go to one of those immigration boxes that you see at all US airports and ports. The immigration officer stood at the head of a short line, looked at our passports and asked if we were returning to the ship later. Hardly had to stop to speak to him!

Saturday at sea and homeward bound to Southampton. It’s a sunny day now although we have had cloud. The Captain has just announced a passenger evacuation in the next hour or two. I think to Boston. He said at the noon address that we were some 140 miles from there if I remember correctly. A fixed wing aircraft will be overhead when the helicopter arrives. The passenger requires urgent investigations in a hospital. Do hope they are ok. Yesterday we went to Macy’s on the Cunard Shuttle - $49 each. It was a beautiful day in NY until we got on the coach to return and the heavens opened. There seems to be a different set on here since NY. The mask requirements haven’t changed but people are wearing them and in the theatre. I hope it stays like this. We have sailed many times out of NY and I have been aware, cos the Captain tells us, that the pilot disembarks about 45-60 minutes after passing under the Verrazano bridge. We are always on the starboard side and have never seen him disembark. Also I’ve thought it’s a long way out from NY! Now I know the answer as we are on the port side this time. The pilot boat comes from a much larger ship that seems anchored with landing stage and helicopter pad. The pilots operate from there. I have not seen anything like it before. The Captain says he’s expecting a smooth crossing with pretty good weather. What is not to like on the beautiful QM-2 with its good food and entertainment. Six days of relaxation to Southampton! Wow!

After beautiful weather in NY, Bar Harbor and Boston it was cold and raining stair rods in Halifax yesterday. At sea today and clear blue skies, tomorrow NY again. In Halifax it didn’t look as if anyone was getting off as one passenger ignored repeated requests to go to immigration on the ship immediately. A final threat about no-one getting off from the Bridge seemed to do the trick. I was beginning to wonder if they were wanted in Canada! I do hope the small but significant minority of passengers who disregard others will depart in NY. They have become more brazen as the week has gone on. An example is the Royal Court Theatre where significant numbers don’t wear masks and I have seen people drinking from wine glasses. They ignore the theatre announcements. On our last three QE voyages there have been people in authority in attendance pouncing on people for slipping their masks below their noses. On QM-2 there has been no-one in authority within the theatre and not even an officer walking through at any time. Certainly not when we have been there each evening. All the above is at a time when numerous people have been tannoyed and told to return to their cabins immediately and call the Purser’s Office. I am told these are Covid cases. If so presumably they have been awaiting the results of Covid tests. But why are they roaming the ship whilst waiting? Roll on New York!

Trips in NY seemed expensive if you have been there before and know the ropes. Tendered into the lovely Bar Harbor today on a beautifully sunny and warm day. Not wishing to offend but there has been a noticeable change in the demographic since NY. Rather than QM-2 being the classy liner that it is I think some think it is a holiday camp. Shorts in the evening in public areas, including the Royal Court Theatre, even seen them in the MDR in the evening. In the evening in the theatre on the last two evenings I could count five close by who took their masks off and not the same five. It was very different on the transatlantic crossing to NY.

Today the weather is good. The Captain says that sometime this afternoon he has to reduce speed to 10 knots as we transverse an area of whales on our way to Bar Harbor. It has been interesting to see the issues the Head Waiter has had to contend with since departing NY. He has kindly moved us to a window seat. A couple of guys ushered to our old table remarked, ‘You must be joking?’ before settling on what I would consider a worse table. Then an elderly couple almost demanding a window seat that at the time was empty although being told repeatedly it was already taken. Then a couple of women saying they wanted a table for two. When shown to one saying it was too small. But they are all that size………!

Further to my previous post. We were in transit today in NY. Everyone had to be off the ship between 7.30 and 10.00am. We went down at 0845 and there was an enormous queue with passengers disembarking with hand luggage. I asked the Cunard lady at the head of the queue whether we could go straight off as we were in transit. She said we should await the final disembarkation announcement just before 10. I said we were only here for the day and ignored her advice and joined the queue. About 10 minutes later the same lady came down the line asking for in transit passengers. We followed her straight off the ship past the horrendous queues of disembarking passengers with luggage. There was a 5 minute wait at immigration. It was quick as the officer didn’t take fingerprints etc although he did for those finally disembarking. Returning to the ship was also a doddle and we bypassed all those checking in. For the latter the Captain apologised for the long wait. Tomorrow at sea.

You can only remove it when eating and drinking. And no eating and drinking in the Royal Court Theatre or Illuminations. 93F in NY today. Went across on the ferry. Lunch in the Tick Tock Diner near Macy’s. Saw many free Covid testing Centres at cross junctions in NY. They all told me that they are only available for testing US citizens. I have read reports of people on CC suggesting them for Brits but that appears to be incorrect!

Tv24. Assume your Covid comment was outgoing from NY 3-weeks ago? Must support you about internet. For about 3 days from SO it was good in our cabin with router just outside the cabin except for occasional sending of emails. Then it went downhill fast and useless in cabin. Why? Now I resort to going to the Library and it is not quick there. Now I’m paying to be on the internet all the time but it constantly drops out as you move around the ship. Come on Cunard this is supposed to be the digital age?!

I haven’t heard about any Covid onboard but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any. Beautiful skies and almost calm today, New York tomorrow.

HH - Verandah excellent last evening after taking tv24’s advice. Too much, feel bloated today. About 50 there. The NY cheesecake was to die for! Came as a big round pie suitable for at least 4 people. The waitress said she could wrap the remainder to take to our cabin. We didn’t dare! David M - good to hear from you. You relate same issue with different solutions! You probably won’t remember but we were on an adjacent table to you in PG on a transatlantic yonks ago. After two days of dense fog and much rain the fog is lifting and the skies brightening. The sea is pretty calm. Last evening’s show was dire. An unfunny comedian, certainly to us, who had appeared on the late show etc. Very few were laughing, he tried to make a joke of it saying we were after an early finish, also comments about not being invited back. After about 20 minutes we gave up and left as did many others. Happy sailing!

Hi HH. Still be asked to wear masks outside cabin everywhere except when eating and drinking. A few slip them in theatre having passed through fashion police at door. A medic tells me no paracetamol as people buying them up fast from shop trying to avoid Covid detection.

The sun is trying to peep through dense fog, the ship’s foghorn is sounding - of course, we must be sailing by the Newfoundland Banks. A tip for future passengers on QM-2, the toiletry area is now minuscule in the clothes shop. No paracetamol, no Elastoplast/band aid, no hair mousse, no Colgate toothpaste although this has been replaced by a make I have never heard of. I don’t think I missed them and this list is perhaps not exhaustive! Hoping for a quiet day today once we have filled another form - the Canadian Customs Declaration.

This afternoon I succumbed to the queue and joined round the corner. After lunch we received a 7 page document showing how to complete the arriveCan form. I thought smugly that I had done that at home until I read that the QR code received from the Canadian Gov had to be shown at reception. I rang down and said I had shown ours at check-in but as that was shoreside the ship reception needed to see it. I raced down to be one of the first but too late. I think this will create a few queues! Went to a lecture by Derek Tedder, a well known TV presenter/reporter in UK. He said he’d seen ‘Advanced embalment course’ in Daily Prog. Glad I missed it!