Chance of getting on farewell voyages

[sullaRaffaello]

Hi

 

As all the agents have been accepting pre-registrations I guess they have calculated it from the number of people that have pre-registered and handed over payment details.

 

P

x

 

I was told on several occasions when I called Cunard that no one, including travel agents, had any access to anything, including prices, until 9:00AM EDT June 27th

[Poodlecrazy]

I think what is happening (and anyone who knows more feel free to correct me...) is that anyone who wants to go on these voyages have registered with their travel agent, the travel agents do seem to have prices and they are pretty consistent so they must have come from somewhere (?), they give their credit card details etc and the authority to the travel agent to book within a certain remit i.e. cabins / prices.

 

Then at 2pm (that's UK time) when Cunard 'opens the doors' the travel agents will make, or attempt to make, the bookings that they have pre-registered.

 

I presume as Cunard have calculated that they are potentially 5x over subscribed that the travel agents must have given an indication to Cunard as to how many pre-registrations they have.

 

P

[ocngypz]

I think what is happening (and anyone who knows more feel free to correct me...) is that anyone who wants to go on these voyages have registered with their travel agent, the travel agents do seem to have prices and they are pretty consistent so they must have come from somewhere (?), they give their credit card details etc and the authority to the travel agent to book within a certain remit i.e. cabins / prices.

 

Then at 2pm (that's UK time) when Cunard 'opens the doors' the travel agents will make, or attempt to make, the bookings that they have pre-registered.

 

I presume as Cunard have calculated that they are potentially 5x over subscribed that the travel agents must have given an indication to Cunard as to how many pre-registrations they have.

 

P

 

 

I honestly have never heard so much bull in my life. The only rates we have are the leadins which were in the press releases. There is no access to all rates by anyone.. no rez agent at Cunard, no travel agent. And shame on any agent who tries to force the issue with their clients. There is no pre registration at Cunard. What we agents do have is our client's wishlist.

 

An agent who is insisting on deposits upfront and "claims" rates are rising, etc. ought to be ashamed of themselves. A smart agent NEVER deposits anything until they have a fax confirmation sitting in front of them.

[Poodlecrazy]

No need to be rude.

 

They haven't taken a deposit, but they have got credit card details in order to process the booking as soon as they can.

 

So what are the figures that have been mailed out to people - Karie I believe you have had a mail with prices?

[Dorchester]

I was told on several occasions when I called Cunard that no one, including travel agents, had any access to anything, including prices, until 9:00AM EDT June 27th

 

Well, it seems that Cunard tell you (or don't tell you) a different story to the one that we get from Cunard!

 

Whilst on board QM2 last week, we were informed by the Captain over the public address system that he had just received an e-mail from the CEO of Cunard regarding the sale of QE2. He then proceeded to read the e-mail to everyone over the p/a, and all guests had copies of this announcement delivered to their cabins the same day. A separate sheet was attached that gave dates, details and prices of all cabin grades for the amended schedule.

 

Further, when we arrived home yesterday, there was a letter from Cunard telling us about the sale of QE2, together with a further copy of the "New Autumn Voyages" flyer giving full details and prices of all of the new voyages.

 

David

[Poodlecrazy]

Thanks Dave - thought I was living in a parallel universer for a while there and had dreamt seeing the prices:D

[ocngypz]

No need to be rude.

 

They haven't taken a deposit, but they have got credit card details in order to process the booking as soon as they can.

 

So what are the figures that have been mailed out to people - Karie I believe you have had a mail with prices?

 

Poodle: It wasn't directed at your but at some agencies which are goading their clients.. and scaring them by telling untruths.

 

Now some people started to book the old 10.27.08 itinerary which Cunard then closed to bookings. It has not yet been reopened.. though the date is showing in our reservation system.

 

If bookings were so rapid for the last voyages, why is the 10.22.08 (the inexpensive 5 night sailing which has NOT been changed... WIDE open?

 

The rates listed were "from" rates... not a listing of QS down to M7.

[jgsmuzzy]

I got rates for every cabin.

 

The link is here

 

http://www.cunard.co.uk/uploads/QE2.pdf

 

Obviously, these are the rates for UK bookings, they include relevant air fares.

[pnhmrk]

I got rates for every cabin.

 

So have I - on certain cruises and in Sterling. The only thing I've got in US or Canadian dollars gives lead in rates only. If you want to do any variation on the four farewell trips (such as a back-to-back crossing) Cunard will not give prices.

[Poodlecrazy]

Ah that explains it, could it be for once that the Uk is getting more information from Cunard than the US?! :p

[Toffeegirl68]

The rates were listed in detail on both sides (!!) of the flyer that Karie and I (amongst others) received. ie. in USD & GBP.

 

They may not have been loaded / released onto the booking system to sneak a peak at before now.

 

Hope all of your heart rates cope over the next 25 mins / couple of hours....

 

Jo

[pnhmrk]

I presume as Cunard have calculated that they are potentially 5x over subscribed that the travel agents must have given an indication to Cunard as to how many pre-registrations they have.

 

I think that could be scaremongering. One of the agents I spoke to had five or six prospective bookings - the other (UK based) said that we were the first people to express an interest in booking. They did quote a rate but I suspect it consisted of a lot of guesswork.

 

Where did the 5x oversubscribed come from? (Why do I suspect it is from a travel agent?:D )

[3rdGenCunarder]

Ah that explains it, could it be for once that the Uk is getting more information from Cunard than the US?! :p

Ha! Good one! I don't know why you think we get better info over here. Cunard markets QM2 well in the US, but not QE2. Once they moved QE2 to be their European ship, they assumed people in the US wouldn't want to sail on her, and that we'd all flock to QM2. For a while,the voyage finder at the US website wouldn't even bring up all of QE2's sailings.

 

Fifteen minutes to go. GOOD LUCK, EVERYONE! I hope you all get the sailing and cabin you want!

Kathy

[jgsmuzzy]

Malcolm, I know that Cunard are doing the flight reduction e.g. £150 each per voyage if you are not taking the air option. We have already had the £300 knocked off the QM2 eastbound for the return leg. (it can be added back on should we not get on the QE2 westbound!)

[Poodlecrazy]

I agree the 5x thing is probably one category of cabin and on one of the voyages and is probably nowhere near the situation overall. I guess time will tell...

[pnhmrk]

Malcolm, I know that Cunard are doing the flight reduction e.g. £150 each per voyage if you are not taking the air option.

 

I spoke with Cunard yesterday. They said that the allowance in lieu of a flight was normally £150pp but they could not confirm if they would be offering that option for these cruises.

[Toffeegirl68]

Can't be oversubscribed in advance - I just booked my parents via cunard.co.uk

 

Jo

[3rdGenCunarder]

Jo, did you get an actul booking, or fill out a booking request? In the US, we can only do a request, and I don't know how binding that is.

Kathy

[pnhmrk]

I just booked my parents via cunard.co.uk

 

Jo - was that one of the new trips? I've just checked on Cunard's site and all the new cruises don't look to be showing properly.

[Toffeegirl68]

Booked on E817N

 

Took ages. System v. slow

 

Have confirmation number and everything

[GAV BOY]

Jo - was that one of the new trips? I've just checked on Cunard's site and all the new cruises don't look to be showing properly.

 

Malcolm ,i got voyage to Dubai up, but then it gave you 9 options under the heading Autumn Getaway in 2007, seems to have gone pear shaped !

 

Gavin :cool:

[Toffeegirl68]

It took me 30 minutes start to finish.

[Bramcruiser]

Jo, did you get an actul booking, or fill out a booking request? In the US, we can only do a request, and I don't know how binding that is.

Kathy

 

The UK website allows people in the UK only to book online. Something I wish the US website would allow since many of the other cruiselines have moved towards online booking and virtually every airline does it.

 

David

[GAV BOY]

I booked the Five night trip ,next October 22nd , but it seems to have dissapeared !

 

Any idea why ?

 

 

Regards,

 

Gavin :cool:

[pnhmrk]

I booked the Five night trip ,next October 22nd , but it seems to have dissapeared !

 

Any idea why ?

 

I noticed that trip was missing when I looked this morning. I also noticed that E820 - Mediterranean Odyssey is now showing as fully booked.

It's been an hour since they went on sale - I'm just waiting for my agent to get back to me:)