WantedOnVoyage

Well not quite... I suspect they are referring to R.M.S. SERVIA of 1881 which was the first CUNARDER built of steel and with electricity.  But she was not the first passenger ship with electric lighting, that was Inman's CITY OF BERLIN of 1879 and the American coastal liner COLUMBIA of 1880. 

History is fun and "firsts" are more amusing still, but tread with caution.....

On North Atlantic crossings... there is no season, just North Atlantic weather in all its glorious unpredicability. Think layers: a sweatshirt and a wooly-pully heavy sweater seldom go unused. And whilst it's warmer in August-September, it's often foggier and you'll feel the dampness more than a chill. And yes... it can be breezy on deck, too. It never feels as warm as the air temperature.

Now, you have me hankering for a crossing and a reserved deck chair, tucked up in one of Dennis Dawson's QUEEN MARY steamer rugs and a cup of beef tea...

1 hour ago, Victoria2 said:

Well forgive me if I overstep the mark here but if the first photo in foodsvcmgr's post is an indication on level of ladies' dress, I think  modern day attire beats it hands down!

Well not to worry: that is NOT a photo of QUEEN MARY's Observation Lounge when she was a Cunarder... it's a very recent one taken in Long Beach, California.

BTW, Cunard turned over the Observation Lounge on both QUEEN MARY and QUEEN ELIZABETH to Tourist Class. c. 1965. 

The Look Out Bar on QE2 was turned into the galley for the Britannia Restaurant under the misbegotten first of many outrages perpetrated under Trafalgar House ownership post 1971. 

In the U.S., at least, every time a booking is in any way altered, Cunard sends a new confirmation to the agent who then should forward it to you.  I am not sure if you can get these direct from Cunard if using an agent.  But Cunard certainly leaves a paper trail for what they do... either in response to you or your agent.  

Back in the old days, you could get a surprise collecting your ticket and Boat Train ticket at Cunard's old Berkeley Sq. office in London.  Like being downgraded from First Class to Tourist Class and winding up being in both on the way across.  But things are rather more easily communicated in 2024 than 1977.  And sadly, no more Boat Train direct to the ship's side, either. 

Well everyone is entitled to their opinions, even second hand but having had an article on the early days of QE2 published in "Ships Monthly", researched her extensively,  and vividly recalling, as an 11-year-old when she came out (boys in class brought in the famous "Ships Have Been Boring Long Enough" brochure), we thought she was "neat" and downright groovy. Summer 1969 was a pretty wonderful time all around and QE2 was part of it.  Every design and architecture publication of the era, on both sides of the Atlantic, had lavish features on her interiors. A real icon of an age of pure British design and craftsmanship.  And having sailed in her in 1977 and 1979 when most of her original interiors were intact, I thought they were superb. And so did a lot of others. 

30 minutes ago, Clewgarnet said:

I think a lot of people also dislike anything new and/or different. Exactly the way a lot of people hated QE2 with her disgusting modern décor when she first entered service!

Says who?  QE2 interiors were tremendously admired when she came out as a symbol of "Swinging Britain".  Not sure where you get the idea her interiors were considered "disgusting" by anyone...  

Nice to see they finally painted the 'ol QV which was looking rather woebegone in May and should be tickety-boo when we return end of September. 

Nice to know there will be another S.S. FRANCE devotee aboard....

1 hour ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Oh, hell, no.  My eyes!!  😵‍💫  My panic-inducing clutter phobia would have me running screaming from this area.  😭

 

I am enjoying the reports and pics!  (Except ^^that one.)

 

 

Nothing like a relaxing swim in the middle of Wembley Stadium, eh?

Princess Grill

Did you get the revised confirmation issued by CUNARD showing the balance fully paid?  And on the date you paid the agency? That is the key... it's not what you paid the agency, it's what Cunard received... and when. That will be reflected in the revised confirmation which is auto generated when the agency pays Cunard the final balance.  

Really?  How bizarre.  I have used my credit card to purchase travel via British agencies and it always shows the actual supplier.  

All very curious... the credit card statement would never show "ABC Travel"... ever. It would always shows the vendor i.e. Cunard or British Airways. A travel agent is just that... an agent for steamship lines, airlines, hotels.... not the provider of the service or the vendor.

I would go straight to Cunard on this one.  They should be able to tell you in 23 secs. what was received by them (which is all that matters) and when.  

Do be aware that if you use an agent, all the nagging "we want your money" e-mails will still go to the agent. Not you. And neither would "your booking has been cancelled" as we did not get final payment in time. It's the responsibility of the agent to forward this to you.

BTW... did your agent send you the Client Copy of your reservation confirmation when final payment was received by them from you?  This is automatically sent to the agent and will show the total amount paid in and 0.00 owed.  

Distressing.  I put in four plus decades in the "travel business" and never heard of anyone getting "bumped" from a confirmed, paid for cabin or even guarantee... either in the days of berthing books or computers.  

What is odd is that you could access the booking after final payment, too... had that not been paid in for whatever reason, the booking would have been cancelled the and presumably not show in "My Cunard"

Personally, I would reach out directly to Cunard on this... I appreciate there will be "you have to speak to your agent" reflex action... but ask to speak to the supervisor. He or she can at least offer some explanation as how this happened and what THEY intend to do about it. In the end, Cunard has your money (we presume) and the ultimate provider of what you paid for. It sounds like the payment may not have been posted by Cunard properly. 

Oh dear... does QUEEN ANNE have "pickleball" too.... I think henceforth I will make the sign of the cross everytime I see or hear of this vessel and run in the opposite direction.

As for Cunard children, I have seldom encountered any who were not at least as well behaved (and often better dressed) than some of their adult counterparts.  Then again, you lot have probably never sailed Tourist Class on LEONARDO DA VINCI and RAFFAELLO and not have the slightest idea of bambini ferali italiani so my bar is set very low. But I was aged 16-17 when I sailed in these ships so I guess I was a demi bambino myself.  

You don't often see young gentlemen and young ladies in evening attire anywhere in the world except on a Cunarder. So may they continue to be welcomed aboard. 

Or back to paying to reserve deck chairs.... sign me up!

Or one can contemplate a deserted Yacht Club on QUEEN VICTORIA, once packed with live music, and devoid of life (or sound) during "Silent Disco"....

I wish I could sit in on a modern course in "cruise management" or 'cruise marketing" and hear some of the course topics:

1. The Importance to Aspire to New Customer by Alienating Present Ones.

2. "It Would be Ever So Nice if You Weren't Here":  Tips To Avoid the Annoyance of Repeat Customers

3.  "Are They All Old Fogies": How to Aspire to Attracting Hip Gen Z Cruise Passengers

4.  Identifying 12 core values of your product that you can whittle away within two or three seasons.

I suspect there is no room for "auditing" such classes as they must be packed for every company... including Cunard has nothing but their graduates running the company now it seems.

Well ditto from our QV cruise in May... we had simply delightful, efficient, friendly and gracious service from almost every single crew member we encountered.And not just in the Grills, either. Many were familiar faces, too, and remembered by name.  We were in PG but elsewhere in the ship, too, no complaints.

Now... there were service lags and lapses to be sure... 20 min waits for drinks in the Commodore and Chart Room not uncommon and seemed to get worse later into the voyage.  And yes, LONG waits between courses in the Princess Grill restaurant. But I don't blame the point contact stewards for that.... behind the scenes in the galley and indeed a shortage of bartenders seems the issue. 

We are back on QV in October to "take her home" to Southampton and now do so mainly with the hope that so and so will still be aboard and yes, the crew matter to us more than the ports.... we hope the former are the same and know the latter will be, too!

Well.... how many stewards are still remembered today by their full name? How many?  I can still name many of my stewards by their first names and from nearly 50 years ago. And make the point of trying to address them by name now.  

But Dennis Dawson was special. Odd... I did not find him "crusty" at all.  I thought he was professional, quirky, dedicated to preserving "the old ways" and quite charming. To have him called him "monstrous" (really?!) by people on this site who never even met the man says more about his detractors frankly.  Dennis Dawson was Old School Cunard which... yes... some of us remember, cherish and hold on to.  

Pretty sure it's the Clyde... we got to do Greenock, Geirangerfjord and Liverpool on QE2's 1996 cruise.  

Are you sure this is Geirangerfjord??  Looks more like the Clyde to me....  and one of Stephen Card's paintings.  

7 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

Dennis!!! I don't like thinking of myself as an "oldtimer," but I do remember Dennis. Grumpy, but somehow, loveable. It was no longer a first-class deck, but available to anyone for a small fee. I remember the cushions--Dennis always said if he ever wrote a memoir of his time on QE2, he would call it "The Blue Cushion." And lap rugs, and elevenses, and afternoon tea, served in a proper teapot, tray brought to the little table by your chair. Sigh.

Sigh indeed.... Dennis was the last of the Old School Cunard crewmembers. With the wrinkles and mahogany skin complexion of a real deck steward.  And the most wonderfully outrageous "Dennis Tall Tales". He spoilt us rotten on our honeymoon and my wife just loved him. We met Dennis for the last time, in civvies, aboard QE2 in Southampton when he was just visiting some old shipmates.  Like so many oldtime stewards, he opened a pub in Hampshire. So none of those tall tales to go to waste even in his dotage.  

BTW, he unzipped one of those blue cushions for me and showed me what was underneath: the original zig-zag cushions from... QUEEN MARY! As were her steamer rugs, too. 

What I like is how thought out the "presentation" is... the sun hat adds an elegent touch to be sure. I would prefer something slightly less contrived personally but being "Dutch", Holland America likes a more ordered approach. 

Oh, well, "freedom" dining plate plonking, sunbed wars, jumpers on chairs in lounges, cafeteria table squatters and grill deck interlopers is the stuff of modern cruising and QUEEN ANNE its latest exemplar.  Time will tell if she discourages or enables more of it. 

No... it was reserved. Not "saved" or hoarded. I think you appreciate the difference.