Winifred 22

Yes I suppose it it was all open dining it would work.I would miss having a fixed table. As I always eat on my own I would hate to have to worry every night what the set up would be and if I would get a table for myself. I couldn’t justify Britannia Club or the Grills as a solo especially when Grills supplements are 200% as opposed to 175% for other grades. The solo cabins are so scarce and can be more expensive than paying the solo rate on a two person cabin anyway.

This would also be not popular as when would you fix the time for ? I eat after 8 and would not want to eat earlier and can appreciate those who want to eat around 6 would not be pleased to wait until after 8. I can’t see the numbers justifying it on the cruises I have been on. Britannia was not half full for my sitting or anywhere near it .

They can be enforced now if the staff at the terminal chose to. Just turning up is not a thing now in Southampton. You could be asked to wait outside the terminal in a queue until your allocated time. May not always happen but it’s something to be aware of.

I think there are also posts on here about being able to store luggage for a fee so you don’t have to take all your cruise wear around with you on youyr travels in between. As someone from UK who just cruises Southampton to Southampton I can’t advise you but plenty on here will be able to. I have met many folk onboard who do this though.

I was told the crossings are set by Cunard and not the master. I was told the eastbound crossings clock change was to help the crew not have to lose an hour’s sleep at night. How true this is I don’t know but would seem reasonable. Offering alternative dining venues will obviously attract people away from the main dinning room and given there is a charge for some venues, Cunard will not be concerned. There are many reasons people chose not to eat in the MDR. I don’t think it’s right to assume it’s because the food is poor quality or less appealing. Less people in Britannia makes for a smoother service for those there.I would guess too that a table with fixed dining will only be used twice per evening but an open dining one at least 3 times distorting the impression of how many folk are eating in Britannia. I don’t think officers eating on masse in public restaurants is a thing now post COVID. I have never felt the atmosphere lacking . Yes I too have resorted to the always available options occasionally but that is because I am picky and fussy not because of poor offerings.

What a shame I was on part of the TA crossing and loved every minute of it including food, entertainment and insight talks and so did the people I met. I was in the Britannia restaurant and couldn’t fault the food or the service.

That’s what I thought French toast was

My son in law has a perfectly acceptable dinner suit from M &S . Stock in store can be hit and miss these days. Your best bet is to order for in store collection at West Quay. You can specify the date and they hold things for a week so pick a date a few days before you will be in Southampton. If you need to order several options you can try them all on in store and then refund straight away what you don’t want.

Yes you can. I took some pre made cocktails in a can to enjoy on my balcony of an evening.

Glad you all enjoyed it. I thought it was a lovely mini break and with great weather thought there was a lovely atmosphere onboard. Hopefully lots of the new cruisers enjoyed themselves and will come back again.

I never said I liked custard, that was a reference to a main ingredient of the dish not an accompaniment. So I also don’t eat big portions I have never have mash with any of my meals on my numerous Cunard sailings across the fleet. Actually been around schools for many more than 29 years and as I said never have been served the type of meals I eat on Cunard but hey ho happy to be Cunard’s target customer / demographic for Britannia and proud of it. Cunard’s competitors are welcome to their contemporary offerings they certainly won’t be sampled by myself. P &O are the most rogue I would go as regards sailing either another line. Roll on November and December and being back onboard.

Oh I love bread and butter pudding. Cunard’s lemon one is one of my favourites . Can’t remember bread and butter pudding at school. I suppose we must have had it. I make a short cut one in the slow cooker with hot cross buns and fresh custard from M &S. Real cheats recipe.

I have only ever seen this available when booking onboard but others may have experience of this. Onboard was a fixed rate of £175 pp

I don’t know where you went to school but there is no way I could compare my school dinners nor the school meals I ate during my 33 years as a teacher, to the enjoyable and perfectly delicious meals I experienced every where on board during the last 14 night T A I did in August and more recently a 3 night short break.

There was free shuttle last year Christmas and also the hop on hop off buses have a stop right outside the exit of the cruise terminal building.

Oh the Canaries cruise sounds wonderful. I have done that Itinerary on QE before she left our shores for down under and really enjoyed it. I am sure you will too. I did Spain and Portugal on QV pre Christmas last year and the decorations etc.. and the atmosphere were amazing. Going to do a 5 nighter this Christmas just to see the docorations.

What did you choose for your next QV cruise next year ?

Glad you had such an amazing time.

It’s my understanding watching several well known you tubers too, there is pressure to tip individuals over and above this as well.

I understand it’s more like 20 to 30 mins walk form the port I walked into town and had been walking a good 20 mins and I was told it was still another 10 or more mins to walk again gets very booked up.

You can buy them at the railway station but there is usually a queue and often very few available . Once was one of the first off and ran over and there were only a few left for later in the day that was on Iona. On a QM2 visit there was more availability. They don’t check the tickets on the return and the two times I bought mine from the station I did not have to specify a return time. I did come straight back but plenty didn’t. They are not that frequent. I don’t think it makes any difference what time you go . I wouldn’t chose the very late one because of being back on board in case there was a delay

Very easy think was about £5 return . Drop off was by the entrance gates.

I get onboard usually between 12 30 and 13 : 30. Go straight to my cabin collect my card go to muster station and then Golden Lion. Then to Britannia to check my table. It is my understanding there is no set time to do it. The only thing set is the captain’s announcement when everything shuts down. You can listen to it from anywhere you can hear it !! If everyone turned up to their muster station at 4:00 it would be a tad busy.

Definitely pre book last time I was there in May P&O had block booked all the early ones and very little left to buy on the day especially with p m trips not a lot of choice and because of needing to be back onboard. Tip I was given travel up with window seat to the right back down change to left.

I think I read somewhere it was September they were available . They were doing a roaring trade on the Le Havre 3 nighter last week but in case people are not aware the short cruise offering is 90$ pp not the usual rate.