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I know of one CT member that will be onboard (Frank), any others?
Ernie
quote:Originally posted by eroller:Just confirmed this crossing from NY to Rotterdam yesterday. Can't wait! Onboard will be Stephen Card, Stephen Payne, and Bill Miller. It promises to be something special.I know of one CT member that will be onboard (Frank), any others?Ernie
Sounds like an A-list of ship lecturers, wish I could have gone.
The price is good and so is the destination. My biggest problem is getting to NYC and then back from the Rotterdam. It would be really cool to take QM2 back!
quote:Originally posted by Cunard Fan:I seriously want to do this crossing...if for nothing else, then to see Stephen Payne and Bill Miller speak. The price is good and so is the destination. My biggest problem is getting to NYC and then back from the Rotterdam. It would be really cool to take QM2 back!
Hope you can make it! You would be hard pressed to find a better rate ever, especially considering the ocean liner theme of this trip.
I don't know if the sailing is truly sold out, or if HAL is just shuffling inventory? I guess time will tell.
Anyway it appears as if I might have booked in a nick of time!
quote:Originally posted by dmwnc1:Well Ernie, I must say I am a bit jealous! I haven't done a transatlantic (at least not on a cruise ship) and Rotterdam VI is one of my favorite ships. The pricing appears to be back on the website and $599 for an oceanview is a superb deal indeed. I hope you have a wonderful time!
Wish you were going! It really is a great deal.
I just checked availability and the sailing is still sold out. You actually have to begin making a booking to get to the true availability. Once you do that and are ready to pick a cabin category, that is when you find out the sailing is actually closed.
Interestingly enough, the July 3 sailing is still available. I thought this would be the more popular sailing being over a holiday. Neither sailing has done well considering the cheap pricing required to peak interest. I doubt we will see them repeated next year. I'm guessing crossings will go back to the semi-annual repositioning cruise on HAL.
quote:Originally posted by eroller:Wish you were going! It really is a great deal. Ernie
I can only afford one vacation a year so I guess it'll have to be the Millennium? See ya there.
quote:Originally posted by eroller:Hope you can make it! You would be hard pressed to find a better rate ever, especially considering the ocean liner theme of this trip. Ernie
I am almost a little surprised by how cheap this crossing is! I really hope I can do it...if I can find any room onboard! I will be talking to HAL later today to see what I can do.
Then only problem I have with this crossing is that I had hope that my first would be with my beloved Cunard, but if I can manage it, this one is to good to pass up.
quote:Originally posted by Cunard Fan:I am almost a little surprised by how cheap this crossing is! I really hope I can do it...if I can find any room onboard! I will be talking to HAL later today to see what I can do.
You can actually pull everything up online in regards to booking. Calling HAL will just give you the same information. Unfortunately the July 12 sailing is sold out, but the July 3 is still available and at the same great rate ($599 for inside or outside).
Good luck!
quote:Originally posted by eroller:You can actually pull everything up online in regards to booking. Calling HAL will just give you the same information. Unfortunately the July 12 sailing is sold out, but the July 3 is still available and at the same great rate ($599 for inside or outside). Good luck!Ernie
for some reason I can't do it on line. When I get to the cabin select, the "select" button will not appear.
quote:Originally posted by Cunard Fan:for some reason I can't do it on line. When I get to the cabin select, the "select" button will not appear.
I can't help you with the computer problem, but I can tell you that currently both the July 3 and July 12 sailings are sold out. Keep in mind that inventory can be a fluid thing, so it's very likely that one or both sailings may open up at some time in the future.
It's interesting how inventory works. On Monday morning I checked both sailings and both showed wide open in almost every category. Later on Monday the insides were suddenly sold out on July 12, which prompted me to move forward and book. I've seen entire sailings go from being wide open to sold out in an hour so I didn't want to chance it. On Tuesday I checked availability and the entire sailing was closed.
I suspect both sailings reached a certain number (how much they oversell by I don't know) which triggered Inventory Control to close them for closer evaluation. I know a lot of people are booked in guarantees and no doubt some upgrading and shuffling will be required to assign all the guarantees a cabin. Once that is complete it would not surprise me to see the sailings open up again.
I am still looking around but it really looks unlikely. It's a bummer because Stephen Payne is someone I have always wanted to see and Bill Miller was a nice bonus.
quote:Originally posted by Cunard Fan:Well it's starting to look impossible as flights to or from Europe are to pricey on top of the cost of the crossing crossing and other expenses.
Too bad. It's going to be a great crossing and the rates will never be cheaper. I think both sailings are now available again.
quote:Originally posted by eroller:Too bad. It's going to be a great crossing and the rates will never be cheaper. I think both sailings are now available again.Ernie
I am still going to try for it but as of right now, the cheapest flight I can find is LON to LAX on Air New Zealand for over $1,300 per person...that would be more expensive then everything else combined.
It is to bad that the voyage is not a couple of days earlier...other wise I could hop on the QM2 for the trip back! That would be a lot cheaper and funner...but unfortunately she is leaving Southampton on the 21th, the day before the ship arrives in Rotterdam.
quote:Originally posted by Cunard Fan:I am still going to try for it but as of right now, the cheapest flight I can find is LON to LAX on Air New Zealand for over $1,300 per person...that would be more expensive then everything else combined.
I wish you luck and hope it works out.
quote:Originally posted by eroller:Just confirmed this crossing from NY to Rotterdam yesterday. Can't wait! Onboard will be Stephen Card, Stephen Payne, and Bill Miller. It promises to be something special.Ernie
Ernie, I have to disappoint you as Stephen Payne will NOT be on board.He has been fired by Carnival some months ago and will not be a lecturer on these crossings.
Stephen Card and Bill Miller will be on board.
Regards,
Willem
quote:Originally posted by Willem:Ernie, I have to disappoint you as Stephen Payne will NOT be on board.He has been fired by Carnival some months ago and will not be a lecturer on these crossings.Stephen Card and Bill Miller will be on board.Regards,Willem
Thanks for the info Willem. I had heard this unfortunate news a little while back.
I'm not sure what the circumstances were regarding his dismissal from Carnival Corp., but I know he contributed a great deal to the company over the years.
I hope he lands on his feet and can continue using his skills to design innovative ships. I know I will miss meeting him on the crossing.
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