The difference between A4 and B5?

[lara68]

I booked from the Internet agency www.*****.com I booked both segments of our TA as "Quaranteed". When I looked at my "eticket" it said I was in an B5 for one crossing and an A4 for the other. As of now, I still don't know what cabins we'll be in.....

Lara

[Salacia]

Hi Lara. I've only been able to book "guarantee" within a specific category, so I have no experience of booking an open "guarantee" which could place you anywhere on the ship. If Voyage Personalizer isn't showing your cabin numbers yet, Cunard might still be working out cabin assignments. On one occasion, I've was assigned a cabin number and then a week or two before the voyage, assigned an even better cabin. I understand that it is also possible that sometimes cabin assignments are not known until you check-in for boarding.

 

Have you sailed on QM2 before?

 

Cheers,

Salacia

 

P.S. I think it's against CC rules to mention a specific travel agency

[lara68]

oops, new to CC, didn't know that. We've sailed on NCL a few times and on Celebrity we done quite abit of cruising. We've never been on Cunard, thought it would be very different to sail TA and on such a different type of line. We are scheduled to go on Azamara, SE Asia in February. That should be a completely different experience...

[Salacia]

Lara68, my bet is that you're going to have a great time on QM2! Enjoy! -Cheers, Salacia

[bluemarble]

Here is a portion of Crane's QM2 photo showing the location of the two B5 sheltered balcony staterooms on the starboard side of deck 4 (staterooms 4223 and 4225).

 

Lara, I have also shown the location of one of the A3 staterooms with a glass fronted balcony on deck 8. An A4 stateroom is essentially the same as a A3 but with the view obstructed by lifeboats.

 

[rrunner]

I have a photo taken of QM2 when she was in Boston over the 4th in 2009. Not sure how to post the hull shot but here is my read on the B5s. There are two "windows" in G32, the forward ones being under B5 cabins 4212 and 4225. Directly above the four B5s are B3s - 5238, 5240, 5259 and 5261. Further aft are B3s 5244, 5246, 5263 and 5265 followed by C1s 5248, 5250, 5267, and 5269.

 

The balconies on these B5s look just the same as the other sheltered balconies

 

I agree with bluemarble that the confusion stems from the "early days" when the deck 8 cabins were B5s (have an old QM brochure showing them).

 

So maybe the reason for the B5 designation is the possibility of a bit of noise from G32

We had 2 B5 staterooms last year. Cabin 8043 - B5 premium balcony - very slight obstruction by a small rescue boat. Cabin 8063 - B5 premium balcony - obstructed by a much larger life boat. In a few weeks we have a B2 which is an in hull balcony cabin our favorite.

[William Dean]

We had 2 B5 staterooms last year. Cabin 8043 - B5 premium balcony - very slight obstruction by a small rescue boat. Cabin 8063 - B5 premium balcony - obstructed by a much larger life boat. In a few weeks we have a B2 which is an in hull balcony cabin our favorite.

 

Both of these cabins have now been regraded as A4.

[Salacia]

We had 2 B5 staterooms last year. Cabin 8043 - B5 premium balcony - very slight obstruction by a small rescue boat. Cabin 8063 - B5 premium balcony - obstructed by a much larger life boat. In a few weeks we have a B2 which is an in hull balcony cabin our favorite.

 

Hi Rrunner. A CatB5 on Deck 8??? Ouch. I (we) thought B5's were only on Deck 4, and A4's are on Deck 8? I see 8043 as being Cat A4, but I could be wrong on that. Could it have been that you booked B5 guarantee and were upgraded to A4?

 

B2's are on Deck 5 and 6, right? Which Deck do you like better?

 

Lucky you sailing in a few weeks :)

 

Cheers,

Salacia

[hcrane]

Hi Rrunner. A CatB5 on Deck 8??? Ouch. I (we) thought B5's were only on Deck 4, and A4's are on Deck 8? I see 8043 as being Cat A4, but I could be wrong on that. Could it have been that you booked B5 guarantee and were upgraded to A4?

 

B2's are on Deck 5 and 6, right? Which Deck do you like better?

 

Lucky you sailing in a few weeks :)

 

Cheers,

Salacia

 

Hi Salacia,

 

There were B5s on deck 8 - they were regraded to A4s after April this year (2010) I think. Not having ready access to my old brochures, I can't be 100% sure but when I get back to mission control I will look them up. Could scan them for "reference" and with bluemarble's help, get them posted here.

 

BTW, I have a deck plan of QE2 from '80 which shows EVERYTHING in each cabin/stateroom - the whole thing opened up is about 2 feet by 3 feet! Not at all like the deck plan I got last November on QM2 -- a horizontal plan, not one from the top. Took jimgirl's advicd and cut up a deck plan from a brochure to carry on board - cut out each deck as a strip (think AAA tripticK) and stapled them together - helped a whole lot the first week on QM2 - going to have it with me when I reboard end of this October.

 

Best regards

Crane

[Salacia]

Partial quote

I booked from the Internet agency

 

I booked both segments of our TA as "Quaranteed".

 

 

Lara, I hope you don't mind if I go slightly off thread by asking about booking "Guaranteed".

 

Has any Cunarder experience of booking "Guaranteed" without specifying a particular category? Neither my travel agent nor Cunard ever offered such an option that I am aware of, so it's new to me. Thank you.

 

Salacia

[William Dean]

Has any Cunarder experience of booking "Guaranteed" without specifying a particular category? Neither my travel agent nor Cunard ever offered such an option that I am aware of, so it's new to me. Thank you.

 

Salacia

 

Firstly, and to harp on with one of my personal bugbears, a Cunarder is a ship. Not a person who travels on a Cunarder.....

 

Now, having got that out of the way, a guarantee that you would be on the ship would, in essence, be a D8 guarantee. There is ALWAYS a minimum category stated, whether a Q1 guarantee (yes, I've seen those) or a D8 guarantee........

[Salacia]

Firstly, and to harp on with one of my personal bugbears, a Cunarder is a ship. Not a person who travels on a Cunarder.....

 

Now, having got that out of the way, a guarantee that you would be on the ship would, in essence, be a D8 guarantee. There is ALWAYS a minimum category stated, whether a Q1 guarantee (yes, I've seen those) or a D8 guarantee........

 

William Dean,

 

Cunarder is a ship??? Crikey, I get a ship in my mailbox every few months then. Alas, I have never been on a ship named Cunarder. For whatever reason, the Cunard Line, in their publications, address me (generically) as Dear Cunarder. Nevertheless...

 

My question was based on the previous posting of a person who stated that she booked "guarantee"---no specific category. Ergo, there appears to be at least one instance where NO minimum category was stated. And that was new to me, and apparently also new to you.

 

 

Salacia

[Salacia]

Hi Salacia,

 

There were B5s on deck 8 - they were regraded to A4s after April this year (2010) I think. Not having ready access to my old brochures, I can't be 100% sure but when I get back to mission control I will look them up. Could scan them for "reference" and with bluemarble's help, get them posted here.

 

BTW, I have a deck plan of QE2 from '80 which shows EVERYTHING in each cabin/stateroom - the whole thing opened up is about 2 feet by 3 feet! Not at all like the deck plan I got last November on QM2 -- a horizontal plan, not one from the top. Took jimgirl's advicd and cut up a deck plan from a brochure to carry on board - cut out each deck as a strip (think AAA tripticK) and stapled them together - helped a whole lot the first week on QM2 - going to have it with me when I reboard end of this October.

 

Best regards

Crane

 

Hi HCrane. I thought the re-grade of B5/B6/A4 happened in 2009 (or maybe that's just when the changes were announced?)...and after those changes took effect without much fanfare, there was a re-grade on some Grill staterooms.

 

Wow, that deck plan from QE2 from the '80's sounds like a true collectors item. In the past, QM2 cabins were furnished with a pocket size schematic of the ship measuring approximately 2 1/8" x 3 1/2" when closed, and 16" x 9 1/8 when opened. Happily I saved a couple from previous voyages, because none were available last time I was on board. (Of course they're too small to much detail, but good enought to keep me from getting lost.) I hope they haven't been discontinued.

 

Are you all packed for your voyage yet? :)

 

Cheers,

Salacia

[Salacia]

Firstly, and to harp on with one of my personal bugbears, a Cunarder is a ship. Not a person who travels on a Cunarder.....

 

quote]

 

William Dean,

 

I understand that in the past, a Cunarder was defined as a steamship operated by the Cunard Line, and The Cunarder referred to boat trains.

 

But Cunard steamships and the boat trains are defunct. The terms 'a Cunarder' and The Cunarder have new meaning.

 

Salacia

[lara68]

".....My question was based on the previous posting of a person who stated that she booked "guarantee"---no specific category. Ergo, there appears to be at least one instance where NO minimum category was stated. And that was new to me, and apparently also new to you. "

 

Salacia,

When I booked "quarantee" it was a balcony quarantee. THey also mentioned it could be obstructed or with a "covered" balcony. When I looked at my eticket I discovered the type of class. I don't know if that helps.

Lara

[rrunner]

Hi Rrunner. A CatB5 on Deck 8??? Ouch. I (we) thought B5's were only on Deck 4, and A4's are on Deck 8? I see 8043 as being Cat A4, but I could be wrong on that. Could it have been that you booked B5 guarantee and were upgraded to A4?

 

B2's are on Deck 5 and 6, right? Which Deck do you like better?

 

Lucky you sailing in a few weeks :)

 

Cheers,

Salacia

Hi Salacia - we were not upgraded. However you are correct - the new brochure is showing 8043 as A4 for this year and next. . Cunard does circles with this catagory. We are platinum members and in the past have sailed in B1 B2 and B3 cats. - they are low - we also like mid ship with a sheltered balcony. My husband is not a good sailor - these cabins have the least motion. You will not notice any difference between deck 5 or 6 - sometimes one deck lower costs a little less. If I have the choice I like to be near stairway B - a good location.

[bluemarble]

Hi Salacia,

 

There were B5s on deck 8 - they were regraded to A4s after April this year (2010) I think. Not having ready access to my old brochures, I can't be 100% sure but when I get back to mission control I will look them up. Could scan them for "reference" and with bluemarble's help, get them posted here. ...

 

Crane

 

Hi, Crane.

 

No need to scan anything. I have just about every imaginable variation of the QM2 deck plans from 2005 to the present already downloaded as pdf files that I can convert to jpeg images and post here to show the history of the stateroom categories on decks 4 and 8 over the years.

 

I may take that on as a project for this evening or this weekend just to provide further documentation for this thread.

[Salacia]

".....My question was based on the previous posting of a person who stated that she booked "guarantee"---no specific category. Ergo, there appears to be at least one instance where NO minimum category was stated. And that was new to me, and apparently also new to you. "

 

Salacia,

When I booked "quarantee" it was a balcony quarantee. THey also mentioned it could be obstructed or with a "covered" balcony. When I looked at my eticket I discovered the type of class. I don't know if that helps.

Lara

 

Hi Lara, yes, thanks it does help to know that you booked a "guarantee balcony". I didn't know that option was possible (my travel agent never offered it). I've booked "guarantee" within a specific category on several occasions, most often B4 or B3. But the idea of booking a "guarantee balcony" is very interesting, especially if it's done as a special offer price-wise. Since I now know that nothing is obstructing the view on B5, it's all good :)

 

When is your voyage Lara?

 

Regards,

Salacia

[lara68]

Hi Salacia,

Our Eastbound TA begins on 10/12/10. Our Westbound begins 10/19/10. Obviously, we're getting very excited. We've never been TA nor have we ever sailed Cunard. Your postings and those of others have really helped me. Thanks so much!

Lara

[William Dean]

My question was based on the previous posting of a person who stated that she booked "guarantee"---no specific category. Ergo, there appears to be at least one instance where NO minimum category was stated. And that was new to me, and apparently also new to you.

 

A guarantee with no grade specified must be the same thing as a D8 guarantee. You can call it want you want, but in practice it is a D8 guarantee.

 

Same as a Balcony Guarantee is an B5 guarantee. Calling it a Balcony Guarantee doesn't change this - although it may be easier for new cruisers to understand, and therefore for travel agents to sell.

 

As for Cunard and The Cunarder publication it is accepted that Shoreside do not know their rear ends from their elbows, so to speak.

 

A Cunarder is a ship of the Cunard Line. The Cunarder train is the train that travelled to a Cunard ship - hence being named after the generic term.

 

:)

[Salacia]

Hi Salacia,

Our Eastbound TA begins on 10/12/10. Our Westbound begins 10/19/10. Obviously, we're getting very excited. We've never been TA nor have we ever sailed Cunard. Your postings and those of others have really helped me. Thanks so much!

Lara

 

Hi Lara. Wow, only a few weeks to go before your voyage---that is exciting! My next QM2 voyages aren't until Nov and Dec. Have you been checking Voyage Personalizer on cunard.com to see if you've been assigned a specific cabin? I do that every few days even though I know my cabin assignment could change between now and the voyage. The suspense is part of the fun, but it is also a bit nerve-racking :) Anyway, the final assignments have always worked out well for us in the past, and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised too :)

 

While I haven't taken a Trans-Atlantic voyage yet, there are many here who are very expert in that area, so please feel free to ask any remaining questions you might have about Crossings if you haven't found answers on previous threads. BTW, have you checked out the Roll Call forum for your voyage?

 

Regards,

Salacia

[NomDePlume]

There is a very laid back roll call for the Eastbound TA here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1112826 :cool:

 

See you on board...

[Salacia]

Hi Salacia - we were not upgraded. However you are correct - the new brochure is showing 8043 as A4 for this year and next. . Cunard does circles with this catagory. We are platinum members and in the past have sailed in B1 B2 and B3 cats. - they are low - we also like mid ship with a sheltered balcony. My husband is not a good sailor - these cabins have the least motion. You will not notice any difference between deck 5 or 6 - sometimes one deck lower costs a little less. If I have the choice I like to be near stairway B - a good location.

 

 

Hi Rrunner. I find Cunard's re-grading odd because I don't see A4 as being a big improvement over B4, but that's just my personal opinion. :) On one QM2 voyage, we had a cabin on Deck 6 which my husband really liked because he found the mid-ship location so convenient. The one thing I didn't like about it was that the scent of whatever was being served at Kings Court permeated our balcony and hallway at various times. But I haven't read anyone else complaining about that, so it must be just my problem. Anyway, I'm a happy camper with an in-hull balcony on Deck 4 or 5:). (I've found that for Caribbean voyages, balcony cabins on Decks 11 or 12 are great as long as sea sickeness isn't a concern.)

 

Regards,

Salacia

[Salacia]

.

 

The Cunarder train is the train that travelled to a Cunard ship - hence being named after the generic term.

 

:)

 

Interesting. :)

 

Although it was before my time;), apparently there were three trains named The Cunarder, according to information found here http://www.thecunarders.co.uk/The%20Cunarder%20Boat%20Train.html

 

From what I read at that website, those train rides to the ship must have been quite an experience.

 

 

Cheers,

Salacia

[lara68]

Oh Salacia,

I'm constantly "checking" my Voyage Personalizer to see if my cabin/s have been assigned. You are so right, that is part of the fun. Getting really excited!! I will let you know when I find out. Where are you going next on the QM2? Do you only sail Cunard?