US Labor Day Sale

As if we didn't already have enough promotions going on in the US ("Sailing Soon", "Drinks on Us", and "Summer Savings Event"), Cunard has started a "Labor Day Sale" today through September 6. Looks like there are some good deals to be found on some sailings, not so much on others.

But one thing that I thought was a bit different is that this promotion includes a "Free Dining Credit in the Verandah". Here are the specifics on that offer from the Fare Details.

"^ Free Verandah Dining Credit (of up to $50 per person) offer is based on one visit to the Verandah Restaurant. Does not apply to third/fourth guests. Does not include drinks. Charges greater that this credit will be the responsibility of the guest(s). Reservations should be made early in the cruise to ensure availability. If the Dining Credit is not used it will be given as a non-refundable Onboard Credit."

So let me get this straight. You get a $50 credit to be used in the Verandah. But if you don't use it in the Verandah, it becomes a general $50 onboard credit to be used elsewhere. Sounds like a rather weak attempt to promote the Verandah unless I'm missing something.

I've seen that Verandah credit before, with the same terms about it being credited against non-refundable OBC.

The sale you're talking about hasn't landed in my inbox yet. Do the terms say anything about it being targeted (e.g., non-transferable, valid for named addressee)?

I've seen that Verandah credit before, with the same terms about it being credited against non-refundable OBC.

 

The sale you're talking about hasn't landed in my inbox yet. Do the terms say anything about it being targeted (e.g., non-transferable, valid for named addressee)?

Thanks for that. I guess I haven't been observant enough to have seen that Verandah promotion before.

The Labor Day Sale is not a targeted sale. Details can be found here on Cunard's US web site. A $100 non-refundable deposit is one of the key terms of the promotion.

https://www.cunard.com/cruise-deals/sale-3/

We dont get a free Verandah credit offer here in the UK the only thing we can get free is a look through the window watching US cruisers enjoying their free meal.

We dont get a free Verandah credit offer here in the UK the only thing we can get free is a look through the window watching US cruisers enjoying their free meal.

Cunard World Club Diamond members can get the Taster menu at Lunch.

We dont get a free Verandah credit offer here in the UK the only thing we can get free is a look through the window watching US cruisers enjoying their free meal.

Thanks for that. I guess I haven't been observant enough to have seen that Verandah promotion before.

 

The Labor Day Sale is not a targeted sale. Details can be found here on Cunard's US web site. A $100 non-refundable deposit is one of the key terms of the promotion.

 

https://www.cunard.com/cruise-deals/sale-3/

Thanks. I'm waiting for an offer that covers the June transatlantic from Hamburg. I guess it's still a bit too far out.

Check that - the "drinks on us" fare is available for the 21 June 2019 crossing from Hamburg.

In addition to the Verandah credit, the current Labor Day promotion includes very substantial reductions on at least some of the cabin categories, and not limited to immediately upcoming voyages. E.g., for the 12/15-22 Westbound crossing, P1 is reduced to $2,999.

Even with forfeiture of non-refundable deposits, and loss of OBC from our originally booked promotion, we could have gotten a $900 net reduction (total for2 pax) by cancelling and rebooking. Instead, we accepted Cunard's offer of an upgrade from P1 to Q5. We hope the difference between Princess Grill and Queen's Grill turns out to be worth $450 pp. Will someone please assure us that we made the right decision?

Thanks. I'm waiting for an offer that covers the June transatlantic from Hamburg. I guess it's still a bit too far out.

 

Check that - the "drinks on us" fare is available for the 21 June 2019 crossing from Hamburg.

Here's an announcement on Cunard's US site about a new "Three for All" promotion Cunard is starting in North America tomorrow. Your June 2019 crossing from Hamburg may also be included in this one.

https://www.cunard.com/cunard-experience/media-centre/press-releases/three-for-all1/

As of now the link in the promotion points to the "Drinks on Us" voyages.

For my future reference, the Oceanview category EF is $2069 on the June Westbound out of Hamburg. The "Three For All" promo promises "free" upgrade from Oceanview to Balcony.

For my future reference, the Oceanview category EF is $2069 on the June Westbound out of Hamburg.

The rate for EF through BV (highest balcony category on offer) is now $1899.

Yeah, that's a nice price drop ($820) for a BV and that $1899 base fare with included gratuities isn't a bad rate for a 9-day crossing in a sheltered balcony during the summer months. I might be tempted if I were considering that particular voyage, especially when I see there are still a few BV's available on deck 5 portside which would be my preferred location for that voyage.

Well, you talked me into it. The OBC is a little skimpy (all they show at present is my veteran's credit of $100, and I'll get shareholder OBC closer to the date) but gratuities paid is another nice kick.

I'd have preferred to wait until booking onboard since the OBC for that is substantial, but I have this for now. I couldn't find anything in this sale about nonrefundable deposit; I'm pretty sure that the promotion that just ended did have a nonrefundable deposit.

We're used to being toward the front so I booked BZ. They only had Deck 4 in BZ but I managed to get port side (the sunny side) above the corridor outside of Illuminations.

Right, the previous "Drinks on Us" promotion that just ended included a $200 non-refundable deposit. The current "Three for All" promotion includes an even lower $150 refundable deposit, so that's another benefit of waiting to book until now.

I like BZ's too and will book one over a BV when the fare is lower. We have a BZ booked for our July 2019 round-trip crossing. We'll be joining QM2 after your crossing from Hamburg and the Independence Day Celebration voyage which follows.

Did you just manage to get the last BZ cabin on your crossing? Category BZ is now showing "Sold Out" wherever I look.

Have a great time in Hamburg and during your crossing back to New York.

When I booked there were two BZs, both Deck 4, one port, one starboard.

The "midships" sheltered balconies (BV, I guess?) were back pretty close to the C lifts.

The current "Three for All" promotion includes an even lower $150 refundable deposit

 

If it doesn't say nonrefundable, it's safe to assume it's refundable?

 

Thanks.

Last week's non-refundable deposit was identified as such.

Cunard US booking terms are here: https://www.cunard.com/legal-information/

See Section 6, "Cancellation by You"

Where the booking isn't a specially-priced promotion designated as non-refundable, deposits are fully refundable until 120 days before sailing (on voyages of 30 days or less).

If it doesn't say nonrefundable, it's safe to assume it's refundable?

 

Thanks.

What Underwatr said.

It might also be helpful to point out that the Fare Details for the current "Three for All" promotion specifically refer to the deposit as a "Reduced Deposit" rather than a non-refundable deposit. There is a separate Reduced Deposit Cancellation table within the Cunard Line Passage Contract for North America (that Underwatr provided the link to) stating the timeframe before sailing when the cancellation fee kicks in as being the "Reduced deposit amount".

So yes, I think we can assume deposits made under the terms of the "Three for All" promotion are refundable up until 120 days or 150 days before sailing depending on the voyage length.

Uh oh.

It has come to my attention that the preceding Eastbound crossing to Hamburg arrives on June 16 and is on sale at the same fares as the Westbound I just booked. Five days is on the low end of what I'd like to spend between crossings but I've always wanted to sail over for about a week and sail back.

I need to see how creative my accounting needs to be for it to make financial sense compared to flying over a few days after the Eastbound had departed.

Hmm...

Cunard World Club Diamond members can get the Taster menu at Lunch.

It's my first voyage in December as a Diamond Member, but because I have completed more than him (ha ha) my husband is only Platinum level. Will I get a free lunch own my own or will I be able to take him along?

I was in a hurry and booked the westbound crossing directly with Cunard. When I realized the eastbound was also part of the promotion I ran the cruise through the bidding service before booking. It came back discounted enough that I've run the westbound through the bidding service as well. Now to figure out how best to cancel the Cunard booking and rebook through the service, with the goal of catching the same BZ stateroom (but there are suitable BU staterooms available at the same price even if I can't snag the BZ).

Can you transfer your existing booking from Cunard to the travel agent that you've found with the better deal? I've never done that myself, but have read on here that it's possible to do so.

I haven't used a bidding service either, so perhaps that complicates the booking transfer process.

I should try, although there are nominally higher grade sheltered balcony staterooms than BZ available at the same price. The cheapest travel agent this time around has online cruise booking only. In the past the agencies I've gone with had a toll free number and usually a specific booking agent. I guess that's one way they can make it less expensive.

The fare is coming in about 10% cheaper with the online agents so either way I'll shift my booking from the direct Cunard booking.

I was in a hurry and booked the westbound crossing directly with Cunard. When I realized the eastbound was also part of the promotion I ran the cruise through the bidding service before booking. It came back discounted enough that I've run the westbound through the bidding service as well. Now to figure out how best to cancel the Cunard booking and rebook through the service, with the goal of catching the same BZ stateroom (but there are suitable BU staterooms available at the same price even if I can't snag the BZ).

What is a bidding service? Is that like the company William Shatner does commercials for?

Thanks

Unfortunately it is against our CC guidelines to share the names of Travel agents or other booking services.