dubai to southampton - few questions

my sister and i are booked on the last leg of QM2s world cruise, and really looking forward to it, cruised with cunard 5 times but first time on QM2.

Question 1

we arrive in dubai on the 11/04/12 at 07.45am, and would have been travelling for approx 24 hours so just want to jump in a taxi to port, whats the earliest time we will beable to embark? as on our documents suggested boarding time is 2.30pm.

how long will it take approx from time of landing going through controls picking up luggage and taxi to port? anyone know how much approx a taxi will cost?

Question 2

on returning from southampton, whats the lastest time we can disembark?, as for us the train from southampton central with the best connections is 11.45am, earlier trains we would have change in london and would like to avoid this with luggage as it would be a nightmare!

Also would anyone know do the QM2 and Queen Elizabeth sail into southampton together on the 27/04/12,

thanks everyone

Also would anyone know do the QM2 and Queen Elizabeth sail into southampton together on the 27/04/12,

I'll leave the embarkation/disembarkation questions to others if you don't mind. But, on 27 Apr, the Southampton VTS site shows QM2 arriving at 0600hrs at the City Terminal, with QE arriving 30 minutes later at the Ocean Terminal. Sunrise is at 5.40 approximately so you should be able to see something of QE - but she will be well astern of you if both ships are on time. Your best bet for a sighting would be just after QM2 has left the Solent and entered Southampton Water. If QE is astern of you you should see her as she makes the big "S" bend turn to follow you into Southampton Water.

J

thanks for your reply.

my sister and i are booked on the last leg of QM2s world cruise, and really looking forward to it, cruised with cunard 5 times but first time on QM2.

 

Question 1

we arrive in dubai on the 11/04/12 at 07.45am, and would have been travelling for approx 24 hours so just want to jump in a taxi to port, whats the earliest time we will beable to embark? as on our documents suggested boarding time is 2.30pm.

how long will it take approx from time of landing going through controls picking up luggage and taxi to port? anyone know how much approx a taxi will cost?

 

 

thanks everyone

It took us about an hour to get through immigration and customs in Dubai, and I think it is probably about a half hour to get to the port, but my memory of it all is foggy due to the fact I was severely jetlagged (our route was Spokane - Seattle - San Francisco for the day - Hong Kong for the day - Mumbai - Dubai, using frequent flyer miles). We arrived at the port at noon, but the embarkation hall was very crowded, hot, and disorganized so we didn't actually get to embark until several hours later. There was a place to buy soft drinks and snacks in the embarkation hall which was good as we were very hungry, so you might think of seeing if you can get breakfast at the airport.

Although you may be rather tired, one option might be to see if you can arrange a car to pick you up at the airport and then drive you around to see the sights of Dubai for a couple of hours. If you are lucky enough to be berthed next to QE2 you may be able to get off the ship to get a closer look at her after you get on board.

I'll be on little sis Lizzie as we sail in to S'ton on 27th - I'll wave!

thanks everyone and missfrankiecat i will wave back!

Hi

We have just come back from Dubai on a cruise on Brilliance of the Seas and we are also booked on the QM2 last leg of the world tour.

We experienced a very long frustrating wait to get through passport control at Dubai. It was very busy at just gone midnight & took us a good hour to get through --- so much so our baggage had been taken off the conveyor & put in a pile when we finally got there.

Taxis are very efficient & cheap in Dubai. It took around 20 to 25 mins to get from port to airport and cost c.£10 including the tip. Please note that taxis will not take credit cards & you will need local currency for them.

I expect to get to Dubai for the QM2 & have the transfers to the port provided by Cunard. Like you I would hope to get on board asap but I will be prepared for them to take us to a hotel en route

Regards

Hi

thanks for your reply, and hope to meet you on board!

not sure what to do, by the time we get through airport controls and collect our luggage, maybe take our time at the airport, go to duty free to buy some wine for our room, and go for a coffee, and head out for the port about 11am, don't expect to board, unless very lucky! but maybe check luggage in.

or as someone else suggested arrange for car to pick us up take us on a tour and then onto port, only thing is will probably be too tired to enjoy tour, and as the ship is in dubai overnight we have the opportunity to explore dubai the next day.

anyone any suggestions?

thankyou

Hi thanks for your reply, and hope to meet you on board!

not sure what to do, by the time we get through airport controls and collect our luggage, maybe take our time at the airport, go to duty free to buy some wine for our room, and go for a coffee, and head out for the port about 11am, don't expect to board, unless very lucky! but maybe check luggage in.

or as someone else suggested arrange for car to pick us up take us on a tour and then onto port, only thing is will probably be too tired to enjoy tour, and as the ship is in dubai overnight we have the opportunity to explore dubai the next day.

anyone any suggestions?

thankyou

We are on the same flight from Heathrow to Dubai as you and wondering what to do, maybe we could share a taxi to the ship, but like you are saying maybe best not to rush to get to the ship! we would also like to buy some wine for our room.

Hi,

We are also joining the Queen Mary in Dubai in April. I also had questions about the embarkation proceedure as we arrive in Dubai around 0800hrs and the time we have been given to board is 1500hrs. So I emailed Virgin as we booked our flights and cruise through them, they have advised me that we are transferred straight from the Airport to the Cruise Terminal to wait for our allocated time. I had read different threads which suggested that we might be dropped off at a hotel along the way for breakfast etc rather than being left at the cruise terminal for many hours, however it would seem that this is not the case....

We sailed from Southampton Sept 2010 and arrived at the terminal many hours before our allocated time, perhaps we were just lucky but we were onboard and in our cabin ( inside)within an hour.

The only saving grace is that from what I have read, the Cruise Terminal seems to be new and have many amentities. However, after travelling from Northern Ireland a shower and a change of clothes on board will be more appealing than shopping. I still expect to get an itinerary from Virgin in the next day or two which will perhaps explain the finer details.

Tracy

Hi

 

thanks for your reply, and hope to meet you on board!

 

not sure what to do, by the time we get through airport controls and collect our luggage, maybe take our time at the airport, go to duty free to buy some wine for our room, and go for a coffee, and head out for the port about 11am, don't expect to board, unless very lucky! but maybe check luggage in.

 

or as someone else suggested arrange for car to pick us up take us on a tour and then onto port, only thing is will probably be too tired to enjoy tour, and as the ship is in dubai overnight we have the opportunity to explore dubai the next day.

 

anyone any suggestions?

 

thankyou

We will be flying out on Virgin for the cruise and our transfer is included.

I havn't thought about buying wine and anticipate that it would be taken from us as we entered the ship and "kept safely" for us until we concluded our cruise.

We´ll be arriving early in the morning of the 11th at Dubai, around 6 am. According to my Travel Office (who contacted Cunard) we will be picked up to be transported either directly to the QM2 or a hotel to refresh. Decision will be made on the very morning according to timing and situation.

It would be nasty to arrive in the heat, without a shower, tired, with sweaty clothes on and with a lot of luggage, after a two-legged flight taking the whole night. I expect to get a shower asap after clearing the customs at DXB.

I have been told not to worry, someone will care for us. Lets hope so, I´ll surely contact Cunard to confirm a week or so before we fly.

I have no doubt we will be looked after and would like to think we will not be left in the cruise terminal for many hours waiting to board. In response to the wine issue I have read on another thread that there is a 24 hour Duty Free located next to the place where we pick up our luggage. Cunard does not mind you bringing on a few bottles of wine etc for consumption in your cabin ....:)

I have no doubt we will be looked after and would like to think we will not be left in the cruise terminal for many hours waiting to board. In response to the wine issue I have read on another thread that there is a 24 hour Duty Free located next to the place where we pick up our luggage. Cunard does not mind you bringing on a few bottles of wine etc for consumption in your cabin ....:)

Thaks for the prompt Sailor Stan. I asked Cunard, Can I bring items of food or drink on board? The answer is on their site. I may be tempted if the prices are very good, it will offset some other expenses.

We are on the same flight from Heathrow to Dubai as you and wondering what to do, maybe we could share a taxi to the ship, but like you are saying maybe best not to rush to get to the ship! we would also like to buy some wine for our room.

hi jose

yes we are up for sharing a taxi, not sure if a normal taxi will take 4 persons with cruise luggage, but l would think there would be mini vans or people carriers at the airport.

l have also done the red sea cruise on celebration so will not be going to cairo, maybe just go to the beach that day.

bit dissapointed in the lisbon port being changed.

we have decided to fly from manchester down to heathrow now rather than the train.

only 5 weeks now!

sue

yes we are up for sharing a taxi, not sure if a normal taxi will take 4 persons with cruise luggage, but l would think there would be mini vans or people carriers at the airport.

l have also done the red sea cruise on celebration so will not be going to cairo, maybe just go to the beach that day.

bit dissapointed in the lisbon port being changed.

we have decided to fly from manchester down to heathrow now rather than the train.

sue

Hi Sue, might be an idea if you email me

lotus_4848 at hotmail dot com

Jose

A PandO cruise into Lisbon has also been changed, may be something to do with strikes in the Lisbon port.

This was January 2012

Portuguese port employees on Monday began a five-day strike which was expected to create bottlenecks for exports, one of the mainstays of the country's crisis-hit economy.

The strike was staged by an estimated 600 port employees in Aveiro, Lisbon, Viana do Castelo, Figueira da Foz, Setubal, Sines, and Canical on Madeira Island.

They were demanding measures to prevent the bankruptcy of an Aveiro port company, the closure of which would threaten 80 per cent of jobs in the port, according to union representatives.

The strike was expected to prevent up to 100 vessels from mooring and to cause losses worth tens of millions of euros, according to the Portuguese shipping agents' association AGEPOR.

It could also create bottlenecks for exports and for some basic product supplies, such as foodstuffs, according to media reports.