ClipperinSFO

Ouch!  I would try to repair, as this is a model pre-remastering in 2017 and thus has the ship's original configuration.  The new models may have the post 2017 config with the added BC cabins on Deck 13.  

I am fully expecting the sartorial vibes/standards for a early an Spring cruise around Japan on QE to be different from our usual winter TA's on QM2, where there seems more reason to be more formally dressed every night almost.  Will seem slightly odd packing a dinner jacket for such a cruise, but here's hoping it it won't be out of place.

As an FYI we love the Cunard dress code, and are drawn to QM2 for that very reason, usually wearing some form of formal dress 5 out of the 7 nights, with the first and last nights excepted of course. As for a Japan cruise on QE it will probably just be in black tie the formal nights and jacket and tie (?) for the others.

5 hours ago, ClipperinSFO said:

 

Is QE Panamax, i.e. able to fit through the original locks?

Excellent.  I know QE has done Canal transits before, now it looks like there will be more in her future. Count me in, especially since she fits through the old locks!

3 hours ago, TheOldBear said:

Hardy souls are seen on the promenade, as the deck 8 & deck 6 access by the pools is available [with some hardy souls attempting the hot tubs]

Being a "hardy soul" helps you to relish the drama of a winter crossing.  

2 hours ago, foodsvcmgr said:

Anxiously awaiting specific itineraries, should also include seasonal trans canal positioning voyages.

Is QE Panamax, i.e. able to fit through the original locks?

We have done several winter crossing (they are the best!) and interestingly, once you are away from land on either side, its  quite reasonable -- 50's and 40's - but with a stiff constant breeze.  You need to be more worried about New York and Southampton where there are more likely to be more "realistic" December temperatures.  Still each crossing is different however.

My advice it is to pack layers, scarf and gloves and get ready for some gorgeous seas and skies.

Thanks for the encouraging insights @alc13.  What was the split of guest nationalities if you can remember?  

We too are regular TA Cunard passengers, experimenting next year with a QE 10 day cruise around Japan.  No idea what to expect in terms of dress code, food, vibe and fellow passengers.  I am assuming (hoping) there will be some nods to local culture and cuisine.

I have heard good things about the enrichment talks that focus on the ports and history of Japan - so eager for that high quality aspect of Cunard to be translated to a Japanese cruise.  

On 11/3/2023 at 7:19 AM, chengkp75 said:

Since she was a steamship (hence the SS designation), that was most likely lighting off a boiler, which almost invariably involved incomplete combustion.  One of many reasons there are very few steam ships around anymore (mainly just LNG tankers).

Here's a recent picture of one of RCI's Anthem of the Seas "docked" in Geiranger Fjord.  It's no wonder the Norwegians are moving to zero emission ships in the Fjords -- hopefully this trend will spread.   

49 minutes ago, 57eric said:

When is the end of a cruise ever relaxing? 

When you're on a back-to-back! 🙂 

Fwiw -- I like getting off the ship around 8-ish.  The vibe on the ship changes so dramatically on the day of arriva that it's really hard not to feel like a guest that has overstayed his welcome at a great party.  Also getting off QM2 is somewhat painful, so I just like to rip the band-aid (plaster) off quickly, and early and get back to my non-QM2 life. I hung around onboard once until around 10am waiting for a limo pick-up, and it felt weird and uncomfortable.

I have called an Uber on a couple of occasions to pick me up at the Brooklyn terminal with no issue at all. One time we also had Cunard transfer booked, but DH took it to EWR for his flight, and I needed a separate ride for my flight home ex JFK.  We are a mixed marriage in terms of airlines, but thankfuly united in terms of cruise lines.  🙂  

Thanks for all the pictures -- it's gratifying to see my favorite Lady getting a much needed "spa day" as it were.  

On 10/30/2023 at 11:32 AM, techteach said:

Highly recommend the brightly colored straps to wrap around your luggage. They don’t always land in the proper group and they make finding them much easier at the airport as well.

Air Tags are also super helpful.  

We also disembarked from Elation on the 21st in JAX and used the Hub App to grab for our debark time. It was very slick -- and disembarkation like embarkation (we had a late slot for that as well) was really painless vs other ports and cruise lines.  

There was that weird glitch when it first became available where all the debark time slots offered seemed to be in PM, vs. AM and they had to cancel everyone and start over.   Otherwise it was great.

Overall, I thought the Hub App and the Wifi in general was wonderful.  First time on Carnival and it was one of the more impressive aspects of the trip. 

19 hours ago, bitob said:

That is not the point.  Cunard has a duty to its passengers to do everything it can to retrieve the luggage and return it to the owners.  This is not about casting blame.

My point in my post relating it to "United breaks Guitars" is that it's a potential PR black eye for Cunard.  You turned your baggage over to them and did not get it back.    

1 hour ago, bitob said:

Absolute radio silence from Cunard 

 

unbelievable

Cunard should take a lesson from United Airlines. Remember the "United Breaks Guitars" incident back in 2008 when they brutalized a musician's checked guitar on the ramp, while he watched in horror from the plane?  I am sure Cunard doesn't want a song written called "Cunard Sinks Luggage" or something to that effect. 

We also struggle a bit with their itineraries, as we prefer more sea days than their typical cruise offers.  That said, the Norway cruise was excellent, and all the 6 port stops during the 9 day cruise were very well chosen and operated and weren't too much of a distraction from enjoying the ship itself.

Hi everyone, below is the link to my review of our recent Europa 2 Norway cruise (somehow it got tagged to the Baltic).  

Happy reading.  

https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=706210&et_cid=3718426&et 

Hi everyone, below is the link to my review of our recent Europa 2 Norway cruise (somehow it got tagged tot he Baltic).  I will also post it over on Luxury Cruise.  Happy reading.  

https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=706210&et_cid=3718426&et 

On 8/27/2023 at 4:48 PM, jeff74 said:

A piece of advice that I'd give anyone stateside that is booking on Hapag is to request to pay in euros.  At least at the time when I booked, the conversion rate to USD that the cruise line was using was 1.2 USD per EUR which was at the time and still is a fair amount over the spot rate.  Going this route will end up costing us about $2600 less and I've bought a EUR/USD ETF to hedge FX risk for my remaining amount that is due next year.  If you don't want to go through the trouble of hedging you can always "let it ride" and go ahead and pay the balance early if the fx rate starts moving adversely.

Thanks Jeff -- this is an excellent piece of advice, and I am not sure why it didn't occur to me to do this.  We needlessly overpaid on this last cruise.  There are lots of options these days for paying in foreign currencies, so this coaching is very helpful.

On 9/11/2023 at 1:35 AM, cathaana said:

HL's Europa 2 has entry-level cabins with bath tubs. Food is quite good. Your price-point should work as well, even with drinks being extra. Enrichment might be a bit limited in English but it's certainly there.

 

I second what Cathaana says about Hapag-Lloyd Europe 2.  We are just off a Norway cruise with them and had an excellent experience in every respect.  

I would also suggest you check out Cunard's Grill suite cabins as they have bathtubs.  More importantly for us, Cunard has really outstanding enrichment lectures.  Their three (soon to be four) ships are all in the 2100 - 2700 passenger range. 

We just got back from Europe 2 through Norway and loved it. I just submitted a detailed review and will post a link once approved.  It was a great experience in every respect. 

@frogfish12 Gary Bembridge is just back from his trip on Hapag-Lloyd’s Hanseatic Inspiration, and did a live chat today (at 1800 BST) largely covering his experience.  You can go to YouTube and watch it, and gain some insights into what it would be like. As always, full of great insights.  As an Fyi, he does cover other cruise related topics.

Thanks so much @Host Jazzbeau, very much appreciate your asking.  The answers make sense, of course, and it is also a bit like chicken and egg.  I don’t get the sense that Hapag-Lloyd is very serious about focusing on English language guests and POS, despite their two “international ships”.  From what I can tell so far, as a non-German, you really have to seek them out and want to travel on them.