Hurricane Kyle may have flustered the good Queen, but the Category 2 storm couldn't keep her down. It did however, cause a one-day departure delay, necessitating removal of Portland and half of our Boston ports of call. To the company's credit, the Commodore kept passengers informed, and we all understood the need to avoid turbulent waters before commencing our 7-day vacation on this grand dame of the seas.
EMBARKATION: The boarding process presented one of the few notable let-downs. Upon taxi arrival at the Brooklyn Black Falcon Cruise Terminal, a luggage handler wearing jeans and a yellow union shirt indicated he could take our bags. He bore no cruiseline identification, so we didn't know if he was simply working independently (presumably for tips) or represented the cruiseline. So although awkward, we declined his offer and continued with our bags towards the terminal entrance.
We soon spotted uniformed Cunard agents, but they were only there to tell us where to go and which line to use. Nobody indicated where to leave our bags, nor offered a hand, so we proceeded to the check-in counter where it became evident we could take our bags directly on board. In our estimation, the first customer-contact is essential to setting the tone of any trip. We'd suggest large, clearly marked signs with directions, and white-gloved, uniformed Cunard agents to greet each arriving group of passengers.