david,Mississauga

I will not say yes or no, but I will tell you my experience. Our travel agent had given us a gift of a Verandah dinner on the QM2 so we graciously accepted it. I'm glad I hadn't paid for it. It was good, but I wasn't overwhelmed and thought the QG was much better. My reasons: the extensive QG menu plus à la carte options, flambée items and the lack of a trolley of raw meat being shown to us.

I have had an obstructed view cabin twice. Both were fairly far forward but we were able to choose one well in advance and had a partial view between lifeboats. I have no doubt that the QM2 is a very stable ship as most people will post, but it will bounce in rough seas. We also had a far forward PG cabin on Deck 10 once. We ran into heavy seas for one day on two of the voyages when we we were forward. I was almost thrown to the floor on one crossing and on another voyage my rib-cage made contact with the bathroom door one night. Fortunately no harm was done. But this will not deter us in the future as the chances are that the voyages will be mostly smooth. There have been only three nights on our total of 10 voyages on the QM2 (mostly crossings) when there has been uncomfortable motion.

I don't use wi-fi on ships. Fortunately on our two recent voyages both the QE and QM2 had computers, the former only in the library and the latter in the library and also the computer room on Deck 2. On the QM2 only three or occasionally four of the nine in the computer room were working. I was surprised that the speed of the internet was very good on the QM2, a little less so on the QE. I "paid" for the premium plan out of our CWC internet credit. On the seven-night QM2 voyage a package for the rest of the voyage was offered on day two: $90 standard and $120 premium.

Canada dropped its cruise ship rules as of the 1st of October. It is now up to the cruise lines. Cunard's requirements were even more strict than those of the Canadian government.

After reading all this rigmarole about testing I am so glad we were able to get a rapid test at a pharmacy for the two cruises we took from Canada: Vancouver and Québec. A detailed document was provided and the cost was a mere $40 or $50 with no tax. There were some temporary clinics near the terminal in Vancouver which charged $120 plus tax.

We used that laundrette a few months ago and I remember there were three of each - and they were all in working order.

On the QE in Princess Grill I was surprised we had a bottle of conditioner which I expected to have to request. But there was no bar of soap or the cotton balls and Q-tips. A sign in the bathrooms requests passengers leave the big bottles for the use of other passengers - just in case there was any doubt.

I have often thought that as well. I am used to it in restaurants in Canada, which is sad because we are officially a bilingual country. Looking at my menus from Cunard voyages in the last century they did not contain this silliness.

On the QM2 last week we ordered a French white wine from the bin ends page. Sorry, I don't recall the name, but it cost about $35.

As I mentioned a while back that is how Holland America was dealing with it on an Alaska cruise we took about six years ago. I found it amusing that a long queue would form outside the lower level every day about a half hour before opening time for dinner. Several people tried the open seating but soon transferred to the second sitting upstairs.

This seems to be a sudden change in policy. Just recently we have seen the same warning about dealing with insurance. At the time we booked and still at the time of final payment there was assurance that a full credit would be given if boarding was denied. It is rather sleazy for Cunard to have "moved the goalpost" after taking payment. We are presently on board the QM2, having boarded in Quebec. I admit we very nervous awaiting our test results the day before boarding.

This is no surprise as it has been rumoured for a while. There is a reference to the ending of restrictions for cruise ships. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/arrivecan-border-covid-end-1.6595710

According to some on-line comments, Halifax was spared the worst of it. On Sunday the "novascotiawebcams" showed a cruise ship docked at Pier 22. The sun was shining and the harbour was calm. As I type this (Monday morning) the webcam is showing Holland America's Zaandam pulling into Pier 22.

When we were in Skagway in early summer the locomotives used on all the trains we saw were the new ones. They are longer and painted mostly black. I suppose those older units are being kept in case some of the new ones get bad-ordered.

The spot for wheelchair assistance is not marked - or it wasn't as recently as June. It is on the lower level where vehicles drop off passengers. It is to the left of the baggage drop-off area. There are benches there and shore staff who will phone for a wheelchair and attendant if there isn't one waiting. From my experience the wait is short. On our June cruise aboard the Queen Elizabeth a person was waiting when we arrived at that spot. I can't guarantee if this works for other cruise lines, but with Cunard you can arrive well before the time on your ticket. I usually go down to the boarding area the day before (assuming there is a ship or two boarding) and ask the shore staff if the procedure has changed and have always been advised to bring my wife there between 10:30 and 11:00. The Vancouver terminal can be as bad as an airport, especially if there are two or three ships in. The attendants have been very friendly and will take you to check-in (which is on the upper level) then back down where you started, through security, then US border control and finally to the waiting area. They will stay with you until the ship boards. They can't go on board the ship, so someone from the ship will have to take you on board. Fortunately my wife can walk a reasonable distance so does not need further assistance once the worst is over.

I believe they all take at least part of the inside passage. The maps shown on the booking site are often inaccurate. I was told many years ago by a ship's officer that the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver Island and the mainline is not part of the inside passage, although many people consider it to be so. Ships departing Vancouver take this route north and also south if they are not stopping at Victoria. Many people prefer this route rather than being on the open Pacific. It appears that Seattle-based cruises always use the route to the west of Vancouver Island. In 2023 not all Cunard Alaska cruises are stopping at Victoria on the return. For the two Cunard cruises I have taken to Alaska the map on the booking site showed the QE taking the route on the Pacific both ways rather than the Strait of Georgia northbound. This was not true.

I don't know what amenities you get booking a suite on Princess Cruises, but the Grills experience on the QE was most enjoyable. The single sitting restaurants for both PG and QG - high up midships with huge windows - are for us the best reason for booking the Grills. The Grills lounge, although small, is very attractive. Also, there is ample deck space for the Grills. The only downside for PG, as mentioned in the previous post, is the stateroom: long, narrow and a tiny balcony. All PG rooms, however, are midships.

In June we purchased these on board the QE. The rep. confirmed that UK cruisers can no longer purchase these and that, understandably, they are not happy. Fortunately Canadians come under US rules.

I found that to be the case on a June cruise on the QE. I was interested only in internet use and nothing else. Because I had loads of OBC I took the premium after the first two days and it was just as bad as the basic plan. There was one advantage: I couldn't get on to Air Canada's site with the basic plan but it worked with premium.

One of the earlier notices about the Queen Anne said that ship would be doing Alaska cruises in order to provide "more capacity". When we were on the QE to Alaska this summer there were rumours by some crew that would be the case starting in 2024. We have seen preliminary itineraries for the QA for 2024 and Alaska is not on the list. So it appears the QE will continue with the Alaska cruises in 2024.

We have travelled in all four "classes" and it depends simply on finances as to which we book in. We have enjoyed every one of them and felt we got our money's worth each time and never felt hard-done-by in Britannia. The mention of festivities in the main dining room reminds me of a crossing we made during the Diamond Jubilee of our late beloved Queen. There were many decorations and a fabulous tea table on Deck 2. We noticed a lot of flags and bunting when we looked in the Britannia Restaurant. In the Princess Grill, where we were this voyage, there were two small Union Jacks on the M.D.'s desk. That was it. After dinner we were walking past the Britannia restaurant when I heard the singing of "God Save the Queen." This was followed by three cheers for HM.

The Canadian government has had some strict rules but has not mandated mask-wearing on board ships. On our Alaska cruise on the QE there was a mask order for the first three days. That order and other restrictions were lifted for the remaining seven days.

We did this not long before the pandemic. Our voyage was Québec - NY - Southampton. We originally booked the first portion, then months later decided to add on the transatlantic portion. We wanted two different categories so the bookings were separate. We had an obstructed view on the first segment and a sheltered balcony cabin for the second. When I asked the steward if we could leave the clothes on hangers he said that service was no longer available. He even checked with the housekeeping supervisor - a definite no. So we had to pack everything. We travel fairly light so there were only two modest-sized cases and one over-the-shoulder bag. Because we were changing cabins we had to empty out the safe. We put the few things in a small bag with our medications and cameras. We were assured everything else, including our large flower display, would be moved for us. We were told we should collect our new "key cards" from the purser's office the day before arrival in N.Y. We didn't want to go ashore so it was suggested in a leaflet from the purser's office that we disembark when the last call is made around 10:15 a.m. We did so and went through immigration, exited the building, then went back through different doors, went through security, then were shown to a holding area for in-transit passengers. We were allowed back on board at about noon. Returning, as you say, about 3:00 p.m., should make for easy embarkation. We were met in the lift lobby by the steward for our new cabin. "You must be Mr & Mrs David" he said. He showed us to the room (they didn't do that when we have been in PG or even QG!) and everything was there, including a half-full bottle of water I wasn't thinking about. We did not receive a further welcome bottle of Pol Acker, but there were no tears over that. We did receive all benefits for the second voyage, such as three cocktail party invitations and internet credit. We could have kept the same table in the Britannia Restaurant for both segments. The other four at our table were leaving in NY so I knew they wouldn't be offended if we asked for a different table. We recognised one of our favourite staff members in another part of the restaurant and were able to get a table in his section. Booking the two voyages separately also gave us one more segment credit which was needed to reach the Diamond level.

I won't get into the debate as to whether it is worth it or not or if it is fair to charge. I was interested in booking this several years ago. After reading the details what dissuaded me is my lack of stamina to stand for such a long period of time. Some of what is offered on these tours was indeed free many years ago. But I admit the paid tours on Cunard do seem far more extensive than anything I experienced. Although we have never had a tour of the bridge or the engine room on any Cunard ship, we have been fortunate to have done so on other lines. Bridge tours were commonplace at one time on many other lines. Engine room tours were harder to arrange. On the last voyage of the RMS Windsor Castle (Union-Castle Line) I really wanted to visit this room which was a steam plant. The purser said I had to write a note to the Chief Engineer explaining why I wanted to see it. I figured I would never get another chance to see a steam-powered ship's engine room again. I was right, and obviously the Chief was impressed. A small group of passengers was assembled and it was a most fascinating tour. We were advised to wear old clothes. There was a lot of climbing up and down steep stairways - almost like ladders. I understood why they wouldn't make it easy to get on such a visit. There were some ships on which an engine room tour was offered on request. One was on the S.S. France. It was quite an experience to watch the shafts spinning and steam swirling around with the ship going 30 knots on the Atlantic crossing. Somehow a visit to a diesel engine room doesn't seem as exciting.

Although I was born in the reign of His Majesty King George VI, I was very young at the time of his passing and I have no recollection of that. HM Queen Elizabeth II is the only head of state of Canada that I remember. My wife and I have travelled several times on each of the three Cunard "Queens" that were launched/named by Her Majesty. When we board the QM2 in three weeks I will probably shed a few tears as we pass by the lovely portrait of HM. God save the King.