How to retrieve i-cloud info when old Mac Book is dead

Surely that can’t be correct. The cloud is separate to a device. If you have your iCloud login details you should be able to download what’s stored in iCloud to your new MacBook. Do you know your Apple ID and password? Apple are very good at sorting things out but they can’t help without your Apple ID.

You should be able to copy photos and files from your cloud backup and save them on your new Mac. When you are in the ‘Files’ menu iCloud Drive should be listed in the locations available to copy from.

Yes defo should be able to retrieve from iCloud that’s what it’s for isn’t it ?
Ring or go into your nearest Apple shop they are usually very helpful I think the info you were given isn’t correct but you will need a password

From another device simply sign into iCloud and hit the retrieve button.
It’s what iCloud is for!

It was the man in the Apple store that told me I needed to have access to the hard drive on my old Mac before i could retrieve the cloud info. I told him I had my Apple ID but he just repeated that without being able to get into my old hard drive the cloud info could not be retrieved.
Don't know where to go next.

knspol Have you another Apple device?
If so type in Apple ICloud sign in.
You will get a page showing thumbnails of all your photos, numbers, Drive etc.
At the bottom of this page there is a data recovery option, click on this and all your data will be restored.
It really is this simple.