Mareblu

Sorry, meant to add that October is a long way off yet.  Maybe all testing requirements will be dropped by then.

Linda

9 hours ago, lissie said:

OK I have similar questions - but we are sailing out of San Francisco in July. We fly in about 7 days prior from Hawaii so our entrance to US test won't work. 

 

Cant do anything that requires a test to be mailed to us as we'll just be at a hotel. Do places like CVS and Walgreens do them - the official link Cunard provides has zero site for the whole bay area LOL 

 

We will have similar issues in Barcelona in October - but I'm not even bothering with that at this stage LOL 

Hi Lissie,

We will have a similar issue, as we fly into Barcelona only the day before QE departs.  I should think it wiser to find something at Heathrow, as we will be staying in an airport hotel after flying in from home.  Looking forward to meeting you aboard.

Linda

22 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Mareblu, don't worry. There are passengers on Cunard who have been known to raise a glass or two, or three, or four...😄

 

I would imagine quite a few passengers book drink packages and have yet to see any dancing on the tables or passengers passing out through over indulgence as I'm sure most folk know their limits as do I. I soon learnt to limit my after dinner  ''tea'' drinking, to one if we wished to make the late theatre show rather than me wobbling off to the cabin

 

We don't book them as  we like to choose our drinks as and when we want them but we have however, had a couple of pretty good bin end packages in the past. We have found on those [rare] occasions, our table companions are always willing pitch in and help clear out the unwanted stock. We're very helpful like that! 😄

 

As an habitual QGriller, I will be very interested in your comparisons between cruise lines.

 

 

Thanks, Victoria2.  We definitely have no intention of booking the drinks package.  As our cruise is for 37 days, $69 per day when we couldn't possibly imbibe the lot would be a ridiculous extravagance.  It will be quite lovely to choose a wine for each evening meal from the wine list.  We're also looking forward to enjoying a pre-dinner cocktail, something we never do at home, and a digestive glass (purely for medicinal purposes as the saying goes) after.  The only problem I foresee is the much-maligned wifi, which at the price Cunard quotes is very expensive, and by all accounts simply terrible.  Other cruise lines (not "party" lines) have included wifi in the fare for a long time.  When Oceania introduced it, it certainly didn't affect the fare;  this I know because I checked at the time.  Their wifi signal is strong and reliable, too.  Tradition, in this day and age, should have its limits.  It's a shame we're not on the same cruise.  I think we'd get along very well indeed 🙂 

On 4/11/2022 at 11:58 PM, WestonOne said:

They can enjoy it as fully as they like, of course.  I have no objection at all to that.  But I would not choose to go on something that looked like being primarily a 'party cruise'.

Some people like the very casual Carnival cruises.  Some people like the more formal Cunard.  Some love all inclusive holiday resorts, others are only happy in a tent in a wilderness far from as many as possible.   I have simply indicated my preference, no more.

As I have also said, though, I think the drinks packages are problematical.  It depends on the line you travel with, but let's let's take Cunard's, at $69 per person, per day.  which I am told is around 10 beers. Suppose  you have had 6, but feel perfectly happy and contented.  You can stop drinking while having totally enjoyed the experience, or you can have a seventh, and eight pint you don't really want, but you have paid for it, so why not?

Is that actually about enjoying your cruise, or putting you under some, perhaps slight, pressure to drink more than you intended?

I certainly have no wish to partake in a "party cruise" as you describe it.  Enjoying a pre-dinner cocktail, one or two glasses of wine of choice to accompany dinner, and on the odd occasion, a nightcap whilst enjoying the ship's musical entertainment much later is hardly a decadent riot.  We're looking forward to enjoying our QG experience on our first Cunard cruise later this year, and whilst we do enjoy convivial company and anticipate happy social interaction during our voyage, we would be dismayed to find ourselves attending a wake.  We have cruised with many lines over too many years to mention, including Seabourn, Silversea, Viking and Oceania.  All of these, with the exception of perhaps Viking, we have found to be comfortable, elegant and sociably enjoyable experiences.  While Viking was enjoyable, the cuisine and service were certainly below par.  Oceania seems to have the perfect balance.  We are also cruising with Oceania again this year, prior to Cunard, with a week in Cornwall in between.  It will be really interesting to compare the two.  I know from reading the many comments on the various Cunard threads that Cunard cruisers are extremely loyal, and that is to be commended.  It does not follow, however, that other experiences are "party cruises", although I do concede that you nominate only Carnival.  I have never cruised on Carnival, so couldn't possibly comment.  Having said all that, we are truly looking forward very much to our first Cunard cruise, and we may even become rusted-on adherents ourselves.   

Linda

1 hour ago, Blackduck59 said:

The sea has calmed considerably. 

In answer to your question @NSWP Les we did the included in your fare excursion which was basically a bus tour. Unfortunately we got a terrible guide and it was not very enjoyable. 

I'm afraid Viking has NOT lived up to the hype. Service is slow and unattractive. Specific requests are ignored and we really feel poorly treated in general. We could have done Celebrity for half the price.

Sounds like Viking has gone Walkabout in the Covid hiatus.  Makes me super pleased the two cruises we're doing this year are Oceania and Cunard.  Hang in there.

Linda

2 hours ago, ORV said:

In all my cruises I've never discussed swollen feet with anyone, and never had it myself, swollen waistline maybe, but not feet. 

It was a tad difficult to ignore with everyone around us discussing it.  Yes, I'm always more concerned about the swollen waistline.  

13 hours ago, bbtondo said:

I was on my first Viking Ocean cruise this past November in the Med.  It was obvious that there were many trainees. Hey, everyone was new at a job at least once.   I was pretty underwhelmed with the service and food on Viking and I really don't expect much. I've been on Carnival, Princess, Royal Carib and Celebrity.   

 

Hoping on my first O cruise this August it will be different. Sure looking forward to the wonderful food I keep hearing about!

 

 

We have only cruised once with Viking, but it was a long b2b (5 weeks in total).  We simply loved the decor:  elegant simplicity and functional spaces.  Entertainment was just right for us, and we particularly loved the lectures.  However, the food was way below par:  tasteless and overcooked, with the exception of the steak in the MDR, but there are only so many times per week you can order and enjoy steak.  Many passengers we engaged with had swollen feet from the excessive saltiness.  Not the healthy choice of cuisine one would expect of Scandinavian offerings.  The food in the Italian restaurant was really good though.  We are embarking our sixth Oceania cruise in September, and we know what to expect:  exquisite cuisine and wonderful service.  I think of Oceania ships as floating country clubs:  comfortable, understated, with as much fun and engagement as you wish to partake in each day.  The bars are intimate and relaxing, too.  You will love your Oceania experience, I'm sure.  Happy, happy sailing in August.

Linda

On 4/10/2022 at 6:53 AM, RD64 said:

Trieste is hardly a “Balkan” like city. You may be pleasantly surprised - it is an Adriatic pearl. I say this from experience as I have been there numerous times - my relatives live there. Although it is not Venice, there is much to see from a tourist standpoint.

 

Did you know that Trieste has the largest piazza in Italy? And it overlooks the Adriatic. A warm July night sipping an Aperol Spritz in Piazza Unita at a quarter of the price of Venice and you may change your mind about this “Balkan” gem.

Why be a lemming? Spend a Sunday at the Castello di Miramare and spend some time touring the castle and the gardens. You just may be pleasantly surprised. I could go on, but believe me - Trieste and it’s hinterland are all Italian!!!!

 

Oh, so very true.  La Serenissima is unique, and I completely understand your disappointment, but Trieste is indeed a jewel.  The Miramare is really worth a visit.  My husband is also from that region, but a little more towards the alps...Friuli in fact.  Here's a suggestion:  Friuli's regional capital, Udine, is only an hour by car from Trieste.  It is steeped in history, and its many beautiful buildings and galleries are not to be missed.  Also, the shopping is sensational.  Check out a Google map, and be adventurous.

Linda

Very best wishes to you both.  

Linda

6 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

Just had an overhead announcement calling about a dozen people to customer service. And we are still alongside San Pedro. We slip at 2300 hrs. I'm not sure we will be awake.

We just had some excellent entertainment in the Explorer's Lounge. An excellent singer/guitarist playing easy listening like James Taylor, Jim Croce and Don McLean. 

Envious....we loved the Explorers Lounge and met up with new mainly Aussie friends there every evening for loooong nightcaps 🙂  Hope your sailaway goes smoothly, and any medical hiccups are well handled. 

11 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Yep, I went to Sydney and built a Deck, obviously, I wasn't careful enough, tested positive when I got home.

So sorry you're in isolation.  Yacht Club's Snapper on the Lake:  Home delivery of the freshest, crispiest, beer-battered fish and chips ever, with a fresh salad, right to your door.  We order every few weeks, just to keep ourselves in control.  

On 4/8/2022 at 12:28 PM, Blackduck59 said:

 

We are in a "Deluxe Veranda" Les. We looked at the "Penthouse Verandas" but we didn't like the location of the ones available so saved about $1,000.00 total and went for location. We are starboard side on deck 5, near midships. In my view the posh suites are in crappy locations...High up and far forward or aft. Get any adverse sea state and your cabin is suddenly moving up and down faster than the lifts.

So I should fess up:  to our amazement and eternal gratitude, we were upgraded to the Explorers Suite (the posh suite you mention).  We later realised that our TA had leaked to Viking that it was our 50th wedding anniversary during the cruise, so I will never say that Norwegians have cold hearts 🙂  I was at first apprehensive, because our ES was as forward as suites get.  I feared that was not a good spot for a North Pacific crossing.  It was actually fantastic.  Orion is such a beautifully engineered craft that we hardly moved.  It was beyond spacious, and the balcony was huge, with an undercover area as well as open space, perfect viewing platform for the morning we awoke to the magnificent sight of the looming Hubbard Glacier in Alaska.  The only sad day was the day we had to disembark in Hong Kong.  For all of that opulence, outside of our suite nobody knew who has which suite, because Viking runs a very egalitarian experience:  no preference in  restaurants, shows, etc., no matter where you call home for the duration of the cruise.  I should also add that the crew, individually and collectively, was the most amazing, kind, attentive and efficient crew we've ever had the pleasure of sailing with.  I just know you'll love your Viking experience.  Enjoy every moment.

Linda

10 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

I will post some photos during the cruise. I don't do Blogs or Vlogs but will drop a few line from time to time. Who ever thought my little thread intended for our trip down under would end up being one of the places where I talk about a cruise a Pacific Coastal Cruise in North America.

You will absolutely love the Orion.  We sailed on her in 2019 for five weeks, from Vancouver to Hong Kong via Russian Far East and Japan.  Elegant, simple, Scandi decor, with comfortable spaces throughout just for sitting, reading, etc.  I loved that the reception desk provides fresh crosswords every day.  The cafe bar in the main atrium serves wonderful teas, coffees, and pastries.  No extra charges on Viking, even for house wines, etc.  The only problem was that much of the food was way over-salted, and we don't mind normal seasoning, but that was only our opinion, and maybe most people would be very happy with the cuisine.  Music and entertainment was just right, and lots of reading available through book-swapping stations.  We'll look forward very much to reading your blogs.  Will you post on this thread?  In the meantime, happy, happy sailing.

Linda

6 hours ago, NSWP said:

They were at a motel 'Taliva' just south of present Donegans - @ Araluen Motel.  Yes We did go there. Moved from Sutherland Shire to Batehaven mid 2004.

Yes, Taliva.  Batehaven has changed over the years, but in many respects it's still the same wonderful seaside haven.  It's been our other home for nearly fifty years, I'm shocked to say...since 1973.  Our children and grandchildren have enjoyed school holidays and family weekends with friends tagging along over decades.  We'll miss Michael and Shea though, but looking forward to trying the new venture in its place.  Looking at the radar today, I'm hoping our home isn't floating away, and also hoping you're not growing webbed feet, Les.  Maybe one day we can catch up and have a coffee at Crumb.

Linda

2 hours ago, NSWP said:

Yes, having golfed with Michael, and over 18 years frequented the restaurant probably monthly, I know them well. Yes, their steaks and oysters donegan were legendary.  They retired two weeks ago and new owner, with Italian theme. From reports supposed to be good. Will have to try them out.

Memories...Chef Shea with the tongs.

Thanks for posting the photo...I can almost taste the dishes.  Hope the new owners took notes on Shea's chargrilling technique.  Do you remember when the boys had the restaurant closer to the shops, with Danny (from memory) on the piano.  Magic atmosphere.  How long have you been in Batehaven?

On 2/22/2022 at 8:18 PM, NSWP said:

We might give Donegans a go been there a 100 times, owners are friends of mine. You can have chips instead of the spud, also oysters, fish, pork, chicken. They got it all just like Ronnie Donnies, lol.

I

Our favourite Batehaven spot, Les, for many years.  Now the boys have finally sold, our daughter tells us.  She posted the menu for the new restaurant on our WhatsApp the other day...looks really enticing, but no one will ever present steak at the coast like those Irish boys.  

Linda

Well, there you are:  it may be a storm in a teacup

On 3/24/2022 at 7:15 AM, lissie said:

Well its better than being randomly assigned to a table and finding you don't like the group and then having to ask the matre'd to move you and then have to explain why you disappeared if you bump into someone else from that table later in the cruise... 

 

For a s shorter  cruise you'd do it exactly once on the first night - that is kinda the point. Depending on the cruise though there would be turnover as people left and joined a longer cruise 

Absolutely correct.  We have enjoyed the company of some delightful dinner companions over our years of cruising (where, incidentally, while not Cunard, we have never, ever witnessed fellow passengers not suitably attired for dinner).  Conversely, there have been one or two occasions where people at the table didn't exactly agree on various topics, and the atmosphere became distinctly tense.  For our first Cunard cruise, which we are eagerly anticipating, we have requested a table for two to begin with.  We're quite sure we'll meet future dinner companions over a pre-dinner drink in the bar, and make ongoing arrangements if we all agree.  The only other contribution I have on the subject is that having several friends who've cruised with Cunard who disliked the set dining times, and the restrictions on relaxation time or extended waiting time before dinner, we have always avoided looking into a "Queen" cruise.  I was delighted to discover, purely by chance,  that in Grills, dining time is quite liberal.  I have an aversion to being told exactly which time I may consume my evening meal, if only because some evenings I may want to linger longer over drinks, or simply spend a little more time finishing a book before changing for the evening.  I'm very happy though, with the idea of the same table allocation, and with the prospect of meeting the same restaurant professionals each evening, and I'm sure that after a few evenings, we'll be enjoying the company of fellow diners.  I'm led to believe that the maitre d' will accommodate any such arrangement.  Having read all comments here, though, I do understand the frustration and annoyance of the removal of a long-standing tradition.  

I should add, though, that the same table is reserved for QG guests for the duration of the voyage, but the time of dining is anywhere within an approximately three-hour window.

15 hours ago, carlmm said:

No, this is not what Cunard is doing. According to all the reports, it is not an option. One cannot book fixed second seating.

 

Thus Cunard did not only drop down to the likes of less traditional lines they even went lower.

 

While some might not see this as a problem, it is for many.

 

Then I'm assuming you would decline a free upgrade to QG:  open sitting all evening.

Linda

On 3/16/2022 at 6:35 AM, NSWP said:

I think Honey might be mistaken there. 'We did this?' Come in spinner.lol.

Couldn't agree more, Les.  Of course we all desperately wanted cruising to our waters to resume.  We are booked on Queen Elizabeth Barcelona-Sydney, scheduled to arrive in November.  The desire to be aboard, though, pales into insignificance and smacks of self-indulgence when compared to the suffering in the Ukraine, the people left grieving and homeless in our own flood zones, and those still enduring hardship after our own devastating coastal bushfires.  The very last thing I would do is parade around cruise terminals shouting to the world that I'm deprived.  Other comments on here are correct;  the decision had already been made, and we are grateful that cruising can resume.  Now, speaking of protests, if only we could rid Canberra and region of the nutters wanting to eradicate life-saving vaccinations.  I notice there's a great contingent of them camped by the river this side of Braidwood.  I'm happy to be part of the silent majority feeling gratitude for the tireless work of our frontline medical workers, and yes, the government, and all who've contributed to keep us safe.  And......I'm delighted that, as expected, Dan Tehan announced during this last week that cruising will indeed resume.

Linda

52 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Faithful one? Surely you mean Fateful one? 😁

Actually Michael's quote, but I'm sure he meant fateful one.  I just didn't correct him.

9 hours ago, eamondzhang said:

The only three-night sampler on Ruby during the 2019-2020 season between 08 and 11 Feb 20..... Got off the ship three cruises before the faithful one.

 

Michael

Phew!!!

On 3/13/2022 at 7:07 PM, NSWP said:

I had a cruise last week, done it 6 times in the past 17 years. .Up ye olde Clyde Rver from Batemans Bay, highly recommended. No tipping, lol.

October 2019:  Viking Orion Vancouver to Tokyo, then stayed aboard for Tokyo to Hong Kong.  2020 cruise on Oceania cancelled for the common reason....but delighted with yesterday's announcement.  After the Ruby Princess fiasco, I guess the govt. had no choice.  Just got back home from down and back to Batehaven today PM.  Small world.  Scomo and crew have done the best job possible in the most difficult and dire circumstances over the past few years.  Walk a mile, as they say...

Linda

On 11/19/2021 at 7:39 AM, bluemarble said:

I have updated the "QE 2021-22 Dress Code and Theme Schedule" document above to show the newly-released QE replacement itineraries for 20 Feb through 3 Jun 2022. Naturally I don't yet have any information about the dress code/theme schedules for those new voyages.

 

If you happen to book any of those replacement voyages and find the dress code/theme schedule listed within the day-by-day Calendar in "My Cunard", please post the schedule here.

 

The same applies if you are on any other voyages still missing from the master documents above for either QM2 or QE.

 

As a reminder, to keep things simple all I really need is the ship you will be on, the dates of your voyage, the dates which will be "Gala" evenings and the themes (if any) for those gala evenings.

Tremendous work, bluemarble.  Thank you.  Only one missing from our QE voyage embarking 10 October, 2022 (Barcelona-Sydney) is 12 November:  Gala (Roaring Twenties).

Linda