kelly3399

We have used National Express both times we took the QM2 to and from England (as we don't like flying). Check out their website for extremely affordable prices and specials. Easy with luggage. Clean and comfortable with free wifi. Have a great vacation.

We have just booked our first NCL cruise on the GEM in October for the 10 night Canada/New England cruise. This is our first time at freestyle dining. Does the main dining room have set times that it is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Is there somewhere for small snacks in the afternoon and before bed? Is there juices, tea, coffee etc available free all day somewhere? Thank you in advance. Kelly

Yes I did call Cunard and asked and told my TA to also ask. I have BV category cabin on deck 6 and both guarantee it has been done. Kelly

I booked a BV and both Cunard and my TA say it has been redone. Kelly

It can also be found on YouTube.

Are there any advantages or disadvantages as to whether you choose a lifeboat or a tender in front of your balcony if you book an obstructed view room on deck 8? I am mostly wondering about any excess noise and/or commotion on days when we are at a port requiring the tenders. Thank you, Kelly

The Comfort Inn is under new ownership. They NO longer offer free shuttle to the ship. There are no taxis around and the car service they called for us charged us $14 for a short 2 block ride to the terminal. Kelly

There was no dry cleaning services at all during the November Caribbean cruise. The steward had no idea when it would be operating again.

We were on the November Caribbean cruise and brought our Apple iPad. We were on deck 5 aft and did not have a great signal from our room. It was slow and sometimes would drop out and then come back on. A few times I could not sign in at all. As I wanted to use the imessage feature i could not use the ships computers but found if I took my iPad to the computer room on deck 2, I always had a full strong signal. Speed, although still slow, was better than in my room as well. Kelly

I have used Arecibo going from Penn Station to the Brooklyn Pier and vice versa. I have only had a problem if I called in advance for a pickup later. If I call when I am ready they have arrived in 5 to 10 minutes. Very clean cars and polite drivers. One time they came with a regular car as i had forgotten to request a van as there were 4 of us. The driver called the office and requested the van and waited with us until it arrived. It was 2 a.m. on a deserted dark NYC street and we had 2 young children so felt very safe with him waiting instead of leaving us alone at the curb. And since they are stationed out of Brooklyn they will get you there from Manhattan without getting lost. Kelly

We were on board with our 2 grandkids aged 14 and 17. They used the card at meals in the Britannia for juice or pop and in any bar without needing an adult with them to place the order.

Yes we really noticed it up in buffet and was surprised to feel it on the higher decks. Can anyone say if this is in fact normal and we will find it again or was it a rare thing to have vibrations in the whole ship? I am not complaining here but just trying to be prepared should we book again. I know lots of you have sailed on her so can anyone else give a little insight? Many thanks, Kelly

We did a Canada/New England cruise aboard the Caribbean Princess in 2012 and greatly enjoyed the trip. We are now considering another cruise aboard her but there was one thing that bothered us about the last cruise. There was a constant vibration everywhere on the ship. There was no where to get away from it including our room (E318), the casino, the dining room, buffet, anywhere. You could always feel it subtly there and sometimes not quite so subtle. We have travelled on HAL Volendam and QM2 and have felt vibrations here and there but nothing of a constant. Is it still this way on the Caribbean Princess or was this an unusual situation? Thanks for any info. Kelly

Which hotel in Boston did you stay in? What kind of transportation did they provide to the ship? Thanks.

Oh that doesn't sound great. Do most of you get vaccinations , and which ones, before travelling to the Caribbean? Will have to visit my doctor. Thanks for the heads up. Kelly

The November 12, 2015 QM2 cruise to the Caribbean shows a port stop in Amber Cove. I do not see that port on previous cruises or on the 2016 cruises for QM2.

We have booked this cruise and am curious about this situation. Does anyone know what is going on with this port? Thanks, Kelly

Never thought of doing the B2B. I do like that idea too. We live in the Toronto area so for one way we could indeed drive to Montreal and spend a few days, fly to Boston to embark, then drive back home. Or we could do the B2B. Do they treat it as 2 separate cruises and therefore repeat the same nightly entertainment (movies and shows) on the return part? We do enjoy the nightly onboard shows, but not watching them twice in a row. Kelly

Thank you. We would really like to see as much of the St. Lawrence in daylight. So if we go Boston to Montreal would port or starboard side be the best for views? Kelly

We are looking at doing the Canada/New England voyage. We can go from Montreal to Boston or from Boston to Montreal. Are there in any advantages or disadvantages to the direction we pick? Thank you, Kelly

On our 2011 and 2013 transatlantic crossings there was a place to drop off your already filled out VAT forms in the Southampton terminal. I just asked one of the ladies and she showed me where. It was easy.

On my HAL Alaska cruise last year, I found the dress code to be very lax and nobody really seemed to care. Those who wanted to dress formally did and others simply did not. And a lot of those who did dress up for dinner on formal nights, actually changed back to casual wear after dinner, where on Cunard the dress code is in effect for the entire evening.

I am always surprised when reading about tips how those who have never removed them, or who do not believe in removing them, seem to know exactly what happens should someone choose to do so.

I have crossed the Atlantic 4 times on QM2 and have removed the auto tips twice and left them in place twice. My reasons for doing so are MY reasons. However, when I have removed them it has been shortly after boarding. I went to the purser's desk with my request to do so and was handed a form to sign. I was NOT required, or even asked, to give a reason. I was NOT asked to step into an enclosed area to explain. I was NOT ridiculed, scolded, chastised, taunted or made to feel uncomfortable or embarrassed or ashamed. If my name was then on a list for my cabin steward to see I can assure you I received the same wonderful service for my trips with and without the auto tip in place. Nobody is going to judge you for removing this tip. Cunard on the site calls it a "discretionary" charge that you may leave on, adjust the amount or remove. We should really stop scaring the newbies on this site.

My next trip has the auto-gratuities paid by Cunard. I wonder if ALL that money goes into the tip pot. :confused:

My voyage personalizer for my upcoming QM2 voyage is listing this "New Queen Elizabeth Theatre Company" as producing the shows in the Royal Court Theatre. Is this indeed a new production company with some new updated musical shows? Kelly

Just one more question if you don't mind. I see you have also done a transatlantic crossing on the QM2. I have done that crossing 4 times but this is my first "voyage". Were there any noticeable differences between a QM2 crossing and this 12 day voyage other than the port excursions? I love the crossings but wanted to be on board for Christmas this year. Thanks once again. Kelly

Hope you enjoyed the voyage now that you have returned. Was there new movies and entertainment every night or did they repeat? Will you be posting a review? Thanks for all the info you have given. Kelly