T5LHR

I mean, airlines and hotels have been doing this for ages... Was only a matter of time before it became more popular for cruise lines. 

I have made use of it on airlines, best one managing an upgrade from Johannesburg to London from Economy to Business for £400, which was the minimum bid. Sadly, it was on Virgin Atlantic, shockingly bad seat and woeful service, but at least I managed a little sleep and could elevate my feet. 

I don't think it is something that I would consider for a cruise. I put a lot of effort into finding a stateroom that is where I want it, including sometimes paying a higher price within the grade to secure one in the right place. I don't want to end up somewhere that will annoy me for the sailing, and especially having paid more to do it. 

I always like to unpack properly (if cases are there, which they have never not been...) and get myself settled and sorted in my stateroom. My friends I am travelling with this time, I know, prefer to start drinking straight away, but I will take my time to make sure all is hung properly, away in the drawers and cases away out of sight under the bed. I can't stand a messy stateroom... I like it to be sharp as a pin. 

Then, if I haven't ordered flowers before hand, I will go and see if there is a flower order desk/table somewhere off of the grand lobby selling arrangements and order one or two for the stateroom. 

Then a walk around the deck and a tipple to start the departure across the Atlantic off properly. 

ok

2 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Absolutely infuriating. Best to employ a travel agent to endure the hassle.

But when the agent tell you they can't guarantee you will be booked either, then what's someone to do? 

Either way, hope those who got on enjoy it. I will spend my birthday on dry land. 

What an absolute cluster flip that was... 

Website is a shambles. TWICE I had a booking, once for Queens Grill and once for Princess Grill, and by the time I got through the payment screen, "Sorry, no rooms in that grade available" DESPITE having an actual room number on my booking summary on the screen in front of me. 

58 minutes to speak to someone on the phone, and by the time I got to that stage, the best he could offer was a deck 8 lifeboat obstructed cabin. 

I declined. 

What an absolute waste of time. 

Will be my last attempt at booking with Cunard for some time. Will do my September B2B and think that will be it. 

I note, they soon deleted their Facebook post promoting the sailing as it was just a litany of people telling them how shocking the booking process was and how many people were disappointed they couldn't get to book because of their poor planning. 

22 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Don't know but I have received an email from one TA with prices for all grades of cabins and also seen at least one other advertising it on Faceache.

The agent I spoke to this evening is just taking booking details, they won't have access to inventory till everyone else does at 13:00 tomorrow. She did say to me that there is a possibility that if I make a pre-registered booking with them, it might not go through. So I am not going to risk it, and try and book myself. 

I just spoke to two cruise TAs and both say they can't book it yet, not till tomorrow. 

5 hours ago, majortom10 said:

Now on sale with TAs at a very good price.

 

 

How can it be on sale with TAs but not with Cunard yet? 

I don't tend to suffer from sea sickness, but on my second crossing some years ago, we had some particularly bad weather off of the south coast of Ireland. So, I went and got the Dramamine tablets from the ship, took one, had a sleep for two hours and was fine for the rest of the journey. Now, I take them for every sailing, starting the night before boarding and one a night when I go to bed for the rest of the trip. Haven't had anything else ever. 

I think prevention is a safer route if there is ever the possibility of something happening. 

I am onboard in September for 14 nights Southampton-New York-Southampton and will be doing the same again. 

I intend to go by myself a little happy in Manhattan on turnaround day, have a spot of brunch in a favourite hotel and then come back to board the ship again... 

If you leave the terminal and come back during normal boarding, as a "transit" passenger, is there.a queue jump? Or only if you chose to remain in the terminal and re-board when the ship is cleared? 

On 11/5/2022 at 4:12 PM, exlondoner said:

It does show that at times Cunard is helpful and sensible.

And also, I think it helps if people approach them with the right attitude. I wasn't demanding or saying "you MUST change this for me free of charge!"... I was polite, friendly and asked if there was a possibility. 

Just to finish this one... 

I was very fortunate to get a very helpful person on the phone, who after speaking to their manager, was able to change the booking for me as a "change" instead of a "cancel and re-book", so I didn't have to pay any cancellation fee. 

So, I am back in my comfort zone of Sheltered Balcony on deck 5 for the trip which makes me a lot happier, both in myself and my wallet. 

15 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

To assist

 

Flexible booking terms.
Correct as of 3 August 2022.

 

For peace of mind, it helps to have added flexibility. With our fee-free flexible transfer policy you can transfer your Cunard Fare booking on one occasion, free of charge, up to the date the balance for your holiday is due. The new booking must depart within 12 months (or 6 months if transferring from a World Voyage or World Voyage Sector).

 

This policy may be changed or withdrawn at any time without notice.

 

For holidays booked prior to 3 August 2022.

 

For any bookings made prior to 3 August 2022, if you wish to reschedule your holiday you can make one further booking transfer, free of charge, up to the date that the balance for your holiday is due. This is available on both the Cunard Fare and Early Saver type. However, the new booking must be of equal or higher value and must sail within 12 months of the original departure date (or 6 months for a World Voyage or World Voyage Sector).

 

For holidays booked from 3 August 2022 onwards.

 

For any bookings made after 3 August 2022, if you wish or need to reschedule your holiday you can take advantage of our free flexible transfer policy if you’ve booked on a Cunard Fare type. This means you can:

 

• Transfer your booking once, free of charge, up to the date that the balance for your holiday is due (90 days prior to departure).
• Transfer your booking to a Cunard voyage of equal or higher value.
• Transfer your booking to a Cunard voyage sailing within 12 months (6 months in the case of transfer from a World Voyage or World Voyage Sector), of the original departure date.
   

If you wish to transfer your booking you should call our Customer Contact Centre or your travel agent if you booked with them.

 

This policy may be changed or withdrawn at any time without notice.

Hey, thanks for that... Yeah, so its not going to work... Best bet to try and appeal to them to let me change cabin grade on the current booking instead and hope I get someone willing to do it. 

Hi All, 

Been some time since I have been on here, life got busy as it always seems to, and pleasurable things like cruises took a bit of a back seat. 

I had a big chunk of FCC from Covid cancelations (40th birthday B2B on QM2 in 2020), which, through elements of availability and my schedule for work, was used to re-book for September 2023. When I re-booked for that one, I went for a Balcony on 11, glass front and all that jazz, and meant paying another £2k plus, on top of the over £3k of FCC. Things have changed a little now and it is going be a bit of a stretch to justify nearly £5.5k for that cabin. There are sheltered balcony cabins available for just over the FCC amount, and I want to move to one of those... But... I am not sure, having read through T&Cs if I will be able to do that... 

I "was" going to ring, use the FCC change clause to move to something completely different that I don't actually want, then ring straight back and change back to my original sailing, but in the lower category sheltered balcony. It is the only way I can see that will make it "work"... Unless I am completely missing another option? 

Any nuggets of advice would be welcome... Or just a thumbs up on the call, book something else, then call back and book back to original sailing plan...? 

I hope all are well 🙂

T5

1 hour ago, Bazz100 said:

I would think you would only get the original cash amount retuned in money. The bonus FCC may be returned as FCC or may be forfeit,

Sorry, I should have been more clear... I would not expect to get 125% of my original booking as a cash refund, just the amount I originally paid... 

I feel this will inevitably lead me to cancel my B2B sailing on May 7th 2021. I re-booked from May 2020 using my 125% credit. 

My friends who were going to do one way don't want to do it now next year, and I being so close to the proposed end of the "Pause in Operations" does not fill me with hope that it will take place at all, and if it does that it will be a particularly enjoyable experience. Had my friends been onboard it might have been OK, but I imagine there will be social distancing and a lot of changes to the way people interact, and as a solo for 2 weeks, I just don't think it is something I want to spend £4,000 doing. 

Does anyone know if I am still able to claim a cash refund for the booking? Even though it was booked using FCC from a cancelled booking? 

T5

🙁

On 6/9/2020 at 12:45 AM, Eric2005 said:

 

Glad to hear that but I saw a big increase in trans-Atlantic fares.  The Cunard rep confirmed that.  

The Cunard rep confirmed what? That the sailings YOU were looking at had gone up in price? Or ALL transatlantic sailings had gone up by a "big" increase. 

If it were me... Apart from a few select World Cruise sectors... 

Southampton - New York - Canada - New York - Southampton. 

About 3 weeks with just a handful of ports to get off at, and lots of time on the ship. 

Perfect. 

Or if I were in the US... 

New York - Southampton - Fjords - Southampton - New York. 

Not a fan of hot climates, so going north over south will win out every time. 

🙂 

I have re-booked for next year and the price was almost the same. I think less than £100 difference, I can't remember now. 

I have heard rumour of some changes to the service onboard, passenger number capping and other restrictions on types of passengers onboard, and if any of it comes to fruition, I will look to cancel. 

I transferred my May 2020 to May 2021, and if there is something that takes my fancy before then and I happen to be able to afford it and off work, then sooner than then if I can. 

Very sad to read, but as said, not unexpected... The whole of the leisure and travel sector is in its boots at the moment... Along with BA's proposed 12,000 job losses and massive changes to Ts and Cs, and other airlines either headed for total collapse or similar reductions, its a worrying time for all in the sector. 

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

Just click on "book now" and go further into the booking form and it will give you options of Cunard Fare or Early Saver. Just be wary that prices are increasing we looked at one 2 days ago and has since gone up £50pp and the prices are a lot dearer when they were first released so in effect Cunard are not giving you anything extra with the supposed 25% FCC.

Noticed the same with pricing... Definitely going up. 

When I re-booked a week or two ago, the agent said that the ship was getting very full for May 2021 and it took quite a while to find a decent location of cabin in the category I wanted. 

Pressure of new bookings and changed bookings... I honestly think that cruising and crossings will come back sooner than people seem to think in terms of demand and passenger numbers. 

Or just, whomever puts the super reliable and never incorrect information on Wikipedia has just gone along with the popular narrative and put it on there? 🤷‍♂️

2 hours ago, bluemarble said:

I just remembered there are photos of the QM2 obstructed view balconies that can help illustrate what those bulkheads look like on a balcony. Here's the photo of obstructed view balcony 8108 showing the bulkhead on the right and the standard shorter balcony divider on the left.

Thats perfect, thank you! 🙂

Mine is a sheltered balcony on deck 5, so will be a little more "enclosed" 

42 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Yes, these are what are known as "vertical fire zone" boundaries.  The ship is divided into a number of fire zones that divide the ship from port to starboard, and keel to uppermost deck, and can have electricity and ventilation secured for the entire zone, and the fire doors closed, to prevent the spread of fire, and without affecting any other zone.  It looks like QM2 is divided into about 9 of these fire zones.

 

I'm assuming that "deck 1" is the main crew "I-95" deck, and if so, this is what is called the "subdivision deck", below which the ship is divided into watertight compartments that act as fire boundaries as well.  There will be passages through these bulkheads, but they are closed with hydraulically driven watertight doors, that are kept closed at all times while at sea, and which can be remotely closed from the bridge.  A ship the size of QM2 will likely have 14-18 watertight compartments along her length.

Fascinating info... Thank you very much! 

I love learning things like this. 

Hopefully I will manage to get on the behind the scenes tour on the trip and see some of this. 🙂