Cunard Cruisers - How are things where you are ?

[Pear Carr]

We have found variations in CPS charges and consequently have opted for Chilworth Manor for our Queen Victoria cruise in June - stay/park - and CPS for our November cruise on QM2.

[Bigmike911]

Queen Mary 2 is in Southampton and has some kind of mechanical issue that has caused Cunard to cancel the return to NYC which was to have been the termination of her Centenary World Cruise. How sad for her passenger, including those who booked just the Sou NYC leg.

 

It must a serious issue, Cunard is offering a full refund for the trip, plus 20% Future Cruise Credit. A disappointing start to the Atlantic season.

[delgirl]

4 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

I've been looking at parking for September and the price for CPS has shot up. I think I might need to find an alternative. Does anyone have any experience with other parking providers? 

We also have looked at CPS they want £99 for 3 nights

[Lanky Lad]

1 hour ago, Pear Carr said:

We have found variations in CPS charges and consequently have opted for Chilworth Manor for our Queen Victoria cruise in June - stay/park - and CPS for our November cruise on QM2.

I stayed at Chilworth Manor in February and enjoyed it so that sounds like a good option for 2024. However, I already have a hotel booked for September so an alterative plan needed. 

[buchanan101]

9 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

I stayed at Chilworth Manor in February and enjoyed it so that sounds like a good option for 2024. However, I already have a hotel booked for September so an alterative plan needed. 

I am looking at the Hilton at the cricket ground for 2024 - something like £300 for dinner/bed/breakfast 8 day parking and transfers both ways. 

 

[Host Hattie]

It might be worth posting on the British Isles or UK cruisers boards @Lanky Lad, it's a question that regularly comes up. 

We have used the cruise package at the Montague Arms a few times but that doesn't help. 

[Lanky Lad]

Thanks HH. I will do as suggested. Parking only for 2023. However I have 2 cruises booked in 2024 so a hotel and parking package  could be worth thinking about. 

[buchanan101]

11 minutes ago, Lanky Lad said:

Thanks HH. I will do as suggested. Parking only for 2023. However I have 2 cruises booked in 2024 so a hotel and parking package  could be worth thinking about. 

Even though we live in Cambridge there's no way I'd risk getting to Southampton on departure day - car breakdown, M25 blocked etc; last time we stayed on the Isle of Wight the night before with my OH's parents and even that made me a little nervous - what if the ferries stopped; though there are a number of options. The ferry back across was full of people travelling to the QM2

[sfred]

Best wishes to all ANZ'ers, and all visitors here in Australia-New Zealand, for a nice ANZAC day today 25 April.  Mrs. sfred and I attended the dawn ceremony this morning in Brisbane's ANZAC square.  It is always a very moving occasion.

[NE John]

2 hours ago, sfred said:

Best wishes to all ANZ'ers, and all visitors here in Australia-New Zealand, for a nice ANZAC day today 25 April.  Mrs. sfred and I attended the dawn ceremony this morning in Brisbane's ANZAC square.  It is always a very moving occasion.

We sailed by Gallipoli landing site on a 2012 QE cruise and I believe this is the Commonwealth memorial on the beaches in Turkey.

There are many memorials on that site so apologies for not getting the ANZAC one. 

We had a military historian on board that gave a stirring story of the battle, “Our boys took a thrashing on that hill” is the quote I most remember. 
 

I hope this picture adds to Memorial Day. 

[exlondoner]

8 hours ago, NE John said:

We sailed by Gallipoli landing site on a 2012 QE cruise and I believe this is the Commonwealth memorial on the beaches in Turkey.

There are many memorials on that site so apologies for not getting the ANZAC one. 

We had a military historian on board that gave a stirring story of the battle, “Our boys took a thrashing on that hill” is the quote I most remember. 
 

I hope this picture adds to Memorial Day. 

I wonder when Cunard will next venture towards the Black Sea.

[Kynance]

Hello from Cornwall, where it has been very cold and windy - probably our coldest visit in 19 years, outside of a new year trip. We have had rain but quite a bit of sunshine as well and at least we haven’t had any holiday disruption.  I do really feel for everyone affected by QM2’s technical troubles. 
 

We were at Poldhu Cove yesterday, which is a great surfing beach, if you are into that kind of thing. The photo below shows a bit of afternoon surf. Poldhu has a lovely cafe in the dunes, open 363 days of the year, so is a good place to visit whatever the season. You can get a coffee and bacon bap everyday except Christmas Day and Flora Day (a local festival held  in the town of Helston each May which involves a lot of dancing through the town’s streets!)

 

 

 

[naturelovergirl]

1 hour ago, Kynance said:

Hello from Cornwall

The photo below shows a bit of afternoon surf.

 

What a gorgeous picture!!!

We love Cornwall!

[Camgirl]

On 4/24/2023 at 12:52 PM, buchanan101 said:

Even though we live in Cambridge there's no way I'd risk getting to Southampton on departure day - car breakdown, M25 blocked etc; last time we stayed on the Isle of Wight the night before with my OH's parents and even that made me a little nervous - what if the ferries stopped; though there are a number of options. The ferry back across was full of people travelling to the QM2

Hi Buchanan101, we also live in Cambridge!! We would never consider going down to Southampton on the day, either. Far too risky.

We have considered using a park and stay package. We often stay at Chilworth Manor. However, we always take such an embarrassment of over packing, that we always end up preferring CPS. More expensive, I know, but sooo convenient and easy, and safe.

We have noticed that, for short cruises, the port parking is much more expensive per day, than for longer cruises.  

[Camgirl]

OK, just four days after my last comment, it seems we are going to have to do the last minute charge down to Southampton from Cambridge on the day! 

 

We managed to get a cabin on the QM2 coronation cruise. We even managed to get CPS parking. However, we have catsitter problems, as they (the catsitters) are away until Thursday. One of my sons can come in, but not on Tuesday. So we will have to leave at the crack of dawn on Tuesday, having fed the cats and set the automatic feeders for the period until our son can get there. 

 

Really anxious about the journey, but we will leave early, and just try to take it calmly and hope for the best.

Edited April 29, 2023 by Camgirl

[Host Hattie]

Congratulations on the booking and good luck for the drive !

[D&N]

We've had some welcome rain here the last couple of days. Question is whether the ground has been too dry to absorb much of it? We do prefer it dry and sunny but realise we need some moisture now and again, and we've not had much for a while.

The sun briefly broke through this evening resulting in a very nice rainbow.

 

[Lanky Lad]

After reading how long it can take for a passport renewal, I thought I had better get mine done ready for September. I submitted my application online on Sunday 23rd April and the new one arrived today.  

[delgirl]

23 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

After reading how long it can take for a passport renewal, I thought I had better get mine done ready for September. I submitted my application online on Sunday 23rd April and the new one arrived today.  

I can beat that. Did mine online 17 April delivered 21st April. Couldn't believe it. Did DH at the same time he is still waiting. Although has had a text to say it has been printed. My passport went to Corby his to Hemel Hempstead. Thought we would have to wait ages as they are on strike.

[D&N]

Can't beat that. But we were impressed renewing from France a few years ago. Did them a few weeks apart so at least one of us always had one in our possession. Less than 10 days each including posting old versions to UK. 

[Bigmike911]

I can say, without fear of contradiction, that no people on the planet can do pomp and pageantry like the British  That was visible in spades in the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla today.

 

Well done, to our British Cousins. You make us all proud. 

[Kynance]

Our famous Great British weather was much in evidence today for the Coronation but despite a truncated fly past, it did not seem to dampen the day for everyone who went to London. I watched from the comfort of home and I thought the ceremony was exemplary in mixing tradition and modernity. Everything seemed to go without a hitch and it looked like the King & Queen were relaxed and able to enjoy their day after the solemnities of the service itself. A great event reflecting the best of Britain and the Commonwealth. 

[naturelovergirl]

We woke up early in the States and streamed the Coronation through PBS online.

The music was beautiful.

I also loved the military members gathering in the garden after the coronation procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace. 

[D&N]

We missed most of it. We'd planned to have our first Saturday night in Nice for over 3 years. Public transport home to a small town about 8 miles from Nice can be problematic at night. We left booking until Tuesday lunchtime to make sure the weather forecast was reasonable (in case we had to walk home). Geppetto in Nice is a small restaurant and by that time no tables were available before 9:30 pm. We like to have choice of bus, train or UBER/taxi. By that time it would have been UBER/taxi or walk, so we opted for lunch instead.

We caught up with it all this evening. Probably better as it let us condense the day into a couple of hours, and flick to the ladies tennis final in Madrid in amongst it all.

And it was a lovely day here.

I thought about a tie, but thought it might just be a bit much for lunchtime here!

 

[Host Hattie]

I watched most of the Coronation before driving up to Derbyshire to stay with a group of friends overnight before we went to a wedding on Sunday afternoon. 

After recent damp weather it was a sunny afternoon and a lovely, informal wedding. 

More damp weather for the return journey yesterday so they were very lucky.