Coffeepot

I spoke to Cunard today, QE2 doesn't take dogs anymore but Queen Mary does
very helpful young man told me if we have WP for Canada there is no reason why they wouldn't let us in, They would even arrange a hire van or car to be waiting for us, how nice is that, also some of the ships go on up to Halifax and Quebec,

christmasoompa

Just interested so thought I'd ask the question Daisyboo - if you don't fly then have you ever actually been to Canada? If not, how do you know that you want to live there?? Was just wondering!!

Oakvillian

Potentially naive question: is it even possible for a UK passport holder to get a US tourist visa any more, since the visa waiver thingy came in? I remember a lovely multicoloured full-page stamp in my passport in the mid-1980s, but it's just been a case of "fill in the green visa waiver form" whenever I've travelled there since 1990-whenever-it-was. Presumably the OP will have a destination address in Canada, I'd have thought that plus PPR documentation would be sufficient for even the most curmudgeonly US Immigration clerk?

Iain Mc

Re: US Customs, they're much friendlier at the port than at any airport I've ever been through - we told them exactly what we were doing (four day stop-over in New York and then on to Canada, one way) and there was no problem at all, we had our fingerprint scan and whatever and were wished a pleasant stay in New York.

JonboyE

They still exist, and are still required if you do not have a machine readable passport.

The visa waver program is only for people who will spend 90 days or less in the US as a tourist or for business purposes. I guess you would need to persuade the officer that your trip from NY to the Canadian border was a vacation. *

Of course, even if you have a visa they still don't HAVE to let you in. I am sure that 99.9% (approximately) of the time this will not be the slightest problem.

[Edit]* The Dept. of State's website says that transit through the US is normally permitted.

woofwoof

[QUOTE=Coffeepot;5820571]very romantic and a lovely way to start your new life, i really fancy it myself, not sure about OH he doesn't like going on the ferry to france gets sea sick[/QUOTE

Hello Coffeepot

My wife suffers badly from sea sickness (motion sickness) . We once sailed through the bay of biscay which is renowned for being a bit choppy, and she was that ill she nearly ended up on a drip because of all the fluids she was losing by being sick. But as my fear of flying is beyond belief and I'm a big baby, she decided to put up with a transatlantic crossing and see how it went.

Anyhow...as usual, within 12 hours of sailing her sickness started so we rushed to the medical centre, they gave her an injection and guaranteed she would be fine in the morning, and they where correct. She was fine for the rest of the journey. These people are obviously used to dealing with this problem and have a selection of magic potions to help in this situation. The proof of the pudding is we sailed through what was classified as a violent storm and it didn't bother her a bit

Hope this reassures your OH

Coffeepot

[QUOTE=woofwoof;5837036] Thanks WoofWoof,
I am sure he will be relieved to here that, Neither of us are afraid of flying,
if the timing works ok i think its a lovely way to Start a new chapter in our life, also as it will be pretty hectic in the run up it would be great to spend some time with each other and our son, very restful and romantic, The reason we are going to Canada
Did you find enough to do on the ship ? Which ship did you travel on and from where to where ? cheers

woofwoof

[QUOTE=Coffeepot;5837344]
No problem.

we sailed on the QM2 to New York from southampton...and then came back on it.....done it twice now.
Theres plenty to do.....bits and bobs for everyone.....the cinema runs films about 4 times a day, quite often films that haven't been released in the UK, theres art classes, craft card making classes, drama classes, lectures with guest speakers. I never thought I would but even I went to a lecture on the last one it was an ex FBI agent who got involved with solving murders by serial killers (morbid curiosity but fascinating stuff).....theres a spa /gym and salons etc

Theres a library which is at the front of the ship, when we've gone to get some books you find most of the people who get the front seats, with a great view over the ocean, are all asleep, it is quite hypnotizing staring out over the ocean.

Indoor pools, outdoor hot tubs at the back of the ship. Theres shops, they have art auctions, they have board games on tables with window views if you fancy it(we're now hooked on scrabble). Quizzes/bingo and other stuff operate in the boozers during the day and theres shows in the theatre in the evening, the most important thing they do is karaoke in the golden lion pub on the night not for me but the wife is hooked.

So theres a bit of what goes on, theres loads more but as you can see they really try to cater for everbodys different tastes

And one of the most relaxing things you can do is nothing at all...just put your feet up and chill

Daisyboo

Hi Christmasoompa

I have flown many times in the past, in fact I lived abroad for ten years. I haven't flown for the past 15 years. I've never been to Canada but I don't imagine I'm the only person that will settle there without having visited. It doesn't bother me, if I really disliked it that much (which I doubt) then I'd move on to an area that I did like.

Daisy x

Zoe Bell

if you are worried about sea sickness you can get a patch called scopolamine from pharmacies. The guys at the sailing club swear by it. You put it on and leave it on for four days.

sans

[QUOTE=woofwoof;5837758] OMG!!! Youv'e dunnit now woof she'll be off round the world on it eg spa's / Hot tubs/ salons / shops

Arris

Many, many moons ago (back in the mid 80's ) I worked as a kennel maid for Cunard on the QE2 - was the only ocean going liner that took pets at the time (may be different now-a-days).

We used to go direct from Southampton to Halifax (& also Southampton to New York & then on to Halifax) - may be worth looking into, don't know if they still do

Good luck with everything

Arris

Coffeepot

Thanks for that Arris QE2 doesn't take dogs anymore Queen mary does but only have a few kennels, they still do the same route and Quebec, must have been a great job?

Coffeepot

[QUOTE=sans;5839991] Not everyone gets them parked in there back garden you know

Reckon i could get used to that life some of the cruises are 90 daysm think i might go a little crazy by then, what do you mean i already am

sans

[QUOTE=Coffeepot;5840856] That woke you up I would never honestly truely say you was crazy