Mareblu

I’ll gladly join you in reporting, Victoria2. I have absolutely no desire to sail on many of the vessels listed above. I have no need to lounge on a deck chair, either. I’ll have a balcony for that, should I find time in my daily routine aboard. My focus is on Queen Anne, the title of this thread. While I understand and appreciate learned and Cunard commentators, I respectfully request the negative posters to allow us to board, experience QA’s ambience, and submit our individual review.

Venice?

You’re so talented, Lyle. Your mother-in-law would feel honoured, I’m sure, with such a devoted gesture.

That’s fine, Les. I’m so glad you’re “going on a roady” as they say, and it sounds really terrific. It’ll be lovely to see family for Easter, too. Raymond’s and the Catalina had better still be there, or we’ll all have something to say😉 Keep well, you sound like you’ve moved to the perfect spot.

We’re boarding Vista in just over two weeks. We love the Oceania fleet, our last one, Sirena, is even smaller than Vista. It’s older though, and therefore not as modern, but still very comfortable. It depends also, of course, on the accommodation. We don’t cruise more than once a year, or even two years, so we always reserve a comfortable suite. We’ve never found an O vessel to be crowded, and we love the more intimate dining venues. Full is not necessarily crowded, but a vast MDR that’s full would seem crowded to us. At the end of May, we’re boarding Cunard’s Queen Anne, which is a much larger vessel. It will be interesting to compare two new ships from different lines. We’ve sailed in NCL’s Haven, which we really loved, on different NCL vessels. Much larger than any Oceania ship, but once outside the Haven, the ships did feel a little crowded, simply because there were more people aboard.

Oh, if only we could get there, Les. My apologies for not being in touch before your move. The one day we could have come down was the day before your move, so I left it to come another day, and now you're settled in, we'll do just that before we leave in a couple of weeks. I'll ring you later today, if that's okay?

That’s a shame, but welcome home. we haven’t had pies for so long, but strangely, felt Garran Bakery calling for lunch today. Delicious always.

Balmoral?

Windsor Castle?

How absolutely beautiful, Lyle.

Rather difficult to find by the dozen

Looks like really well organised activities, in Canberra too. Thanks Julie.

After Hawkesbury River’s Sydney rock oysters

I totally agree with your observations.

We had a memorable Titanic themed evening at our golf club a while back. Quite authentic and elegant ambience. Memorable because our Captain wished us a happy and safe voyage.

Maybe The Shire?

That sounds credible, just like in Italy. The cuisine of my husband’s birth region (Friuli) is typical of alpine and pre-alpine European regions, including cooler- water seafood from its Adriatic coast above Venice. It is completely different to the cuisine native to southern Italy. Of course, over time, offerings from regions further afield are tried, accepted and absorbed (pastas, classic desserts, etc.). i’m sure the same would occur in Mexico.

Reminiscent of Cappadocia, Turkey. Is it? I just don’t recall much vegetation.

I couldn’t agree more. “La Serenissima” is my favourite city in the world. My husband was born 100ks to the north, in beautiful Friuli, in the Julian Alps. We have been to Venezia countless times. It’s ethereal.

And for a truly luxurious experience: Tauck tours. They offer some superb experiences in the British Isles.

I’m sure you could.

If a tree falls in the forest…

Just an important correction: age limits in the UK differ between hire car companies. My husband will turn 80 during our Cunard circumnavigation of the British Isles in May. We are sailing in the Med on Oceania prior to flying to Scotland to collect our hire car. We embark Queen Anne after driving and staying in Scotland, England and Wales. We have already arranged car hire. We drove through Scotland and England 18 months ago when he was 78. The age limit for the company we always use (Hertz) is 85. To really immerse yourself in the diverse cultures of the magnificent British Isles and Ireland, a land tour is a must. We usually anchor ourselves in one spot for a few days, exploring that area, then move on to the next. For a limited tasting sample of the culture of each port visited on a cruise, simply enjoy the experience each day brings. For total relaxation and sheer pleasure, a sea voyage is a must for us, that’s why we’re bookending our land exploration with cruises. wishing you an enjoyable adventure, whatever your choice.

Thank you so much for taking the time to post your considered review. We are sailing with friends on Vista in a few weeks, and really looking forward to trying a new Oceania vessel. We've enjoyed Marina, Nautica and Sirena (a few times on Nautica) so it will be interesting to compare. No voyage is perfect, and food and wines are subjective commodities, so we don't embark expecting Utopia. It's always a great idea to begin from a positive perspective, we find, so we'll see.

Wherever it is, this image is spiritually ethereal. Congrats if you captured it.