TV Dad

On 4/4/2023 at 9:14 AM, edinburgher said:

Can anyone recommend a private wine tasting excursion in Bordeaux?

 

As nobody has yet replied, have you looked at the official Bordeaux Tourist Information website for possibilities?

Top right to choose your preferred language, along the top for private tours also wine and vineyard tours where you might find something.

Thanks for the tip. I have already tried that and found wine tours. I was hoping someone would have a recommendation. I guess you and I are the only wine geeks on the board! 🍷😁

We never had a problem with high end wines. I am guessing they use a Corivan. Besides, if you sip the wine and you think it is off, let the sommelier know. He should make it right. He's on commission and he wants you ordering that next glass of wine.

You are limited in choice, only by price, and not even then! On our QM2 cruise, in March 2023, I would order a double grey goose and soda. The bartenders would bill bill me for two singles and a separate mixer.  Same with wine pours, If a 6 oz pour was $10 and a 9 oz pour was $13, they would charge us for two 6 oz pours to keep us under the limit.

One tip, if you like martinis, order chilled vodka with olives (or a twist). Same drink, different class. It kept me under the $12 limit.

Feel free to bring any mixers, spirits and wine you desire.

Can anyone recommend a private wine tasting excursion in Bordeaux? All the ship's tours feature one chateau. We'd like to visit 2-3 if possible.

Thanks!

Sorry. No. Just Australia

YES! We just finished a cruise on QM2. Self-administered test was fine

On 12/22/2022 at 8:25 AM, Victoria2 said:

Customer Service has been amazingly superb on a few counts for us over the years and I take it for granted that's normality but it's obvious it's not the excellent record which will be remembered as less than satisfactory news always triumphs over the good stuff.

Sadly.

Anytime I am not satisfied with a restaurant, cruise line, store, etc., I stop giving them my business. And I do what you folks did too, I tell people about it. It's the best way to get a business's attention!

We bring:

- an over the door shoe holder. We actually hang it in the closet and it gives us a ton of extra storage space. Easy access too)

- A battery powered candle provides ambience for romantic nights. (Real candles are illegal)

- Alcohol or bleach wipes to wipe down the cabin (remote control, door knobs, light switches, refrigerator handle and other things the cabin steward may forget).

- Extra pair of  glasses

- photo copies of passport

- Extra phone charger

- Post-it notes

- Final tip. . . . if you get lost easily, or have difficulty remembering room numbers, bring something to decorate your cabin door with! A photo, a drawing, anything yu can tape up to make it easy to recognize.

On 2/1/2023 at 9:45 PM, jhuntermartin said:

1.  Queens Grill Cabins - Is the actual restaurant any different than the Princess and Britannia Restaurants.

 

2.  Butlers - I like the idea of them packing and unpacking me.  Helping me with formal attire.  I'm terrible with a bow tie.  Anticipating your needs is nice and catering to them nice but is it all that great?  I saw Cunard's marketing video on YouTube about Cunard Butlers.  Is the service that good?

 

3.  Dress - I realize that Cunard PRIDES itself in it's nearly 200 years of business.  Is is always a suit or tuxedo every evening?  

 

4. Passenger Comradery - I get along with people and given the fares for Grill Suites especially Queen's Grill Suites.  Who exactly sails with Cunard?

 

1. Queens Grill Restaurant is the Disneyworld of Dining. Anything you want you can have! It's magical! As long as they have the ingredients on board, they will make it for you. I have never experienced anything like it, in 40 years of cruising.

2. I never challenged my butler on the last cruise. I think of them more as a glorified cabin steward.

3. In the QG, every gentleman wore at least a jacket or a tie after 6:00. Not always a suit, but at least a sport coat. Sometimes, a tie and no sport coat. Sometimes both. Formal night is VERY formal.

4. We made numerous friends at both dinner and in the private Grills cocktail lounge. If you make eye contact and say hellow, you will make friends easily.

Bon Voyage

18 hours ago, bitob said:

    Every other cruise line I sail includes free wifi, multiple devices.  For what I am paying for QG it seems tacky.

I heartily agree! In this day and age, premium cabins (with premium prices) should get ammenities such as free wifi. 

On 1/13/2023 at 1:02 PM, steve4031 said:

As a first timer I would definitely enjoy a talk about the differences between the QM2 and a regular cruise ship.  

I agree! What makes it an ocean liner? 

On 1/18/2023 at 8:34 AM, Tomliverpool said:

 We have worked in the food industry for many years and wanted to experience the dining in one of the grills.

You will not be disappointed! While I have only done Queens Grill, I can tell you the meals, service, presentation are exquisite! 

We love the private grills lounge for pre-dinner cocktails. We met many new friends in there. 

After dinner we would head to other entertainment areas. 

Our RSSC cruise ships stops in the small ports of Torbay and St. Malo next summer. Anyone have experience in these two small ports? We're looking for suggestions: Excursions, museums, private tours, quirky things to do?

Thanks, in advance!

Does anyone know of excursions available from the port on Kangaroo Island, Australia? We will be there March, 2023.  Thanks, in advance!

My wife and I had a cozy table for two in the Queen's Grill. However, we had no problem socializing with adjoining tables. In fact, we became fast friends.

If you do not get the table size you desire, keep that award winning smile on your face and don't be afraid to start a conversation. You will have new friends in no time!

I think the best parts of the Grills Experience are the private lounge and restaurant. 

By the end of day one the bartender knew our drinks preference and offered them up as soon as he saw us. And while it could be because we had a drinks package, I had no trouble getting a generous pour (double).

In the restaurant, we had our own private table for the entire cruise. We could socialize with adjoining tables, if we desired, or embrace ourselves in private conversation.

Our maître 'd knew us by name after the first day. Our servers knew our drink preferences, and even how we like our food prepared! At one breakfast, the runner brought out my wife's meal and the server stopped him. The bacon was not crispy enough for my wife's taste! 

Once, at lunch, I told our server we were in the mood for Italian food. At dinner, we were prepared a delicious Italian feast with all our favorites!

I have never been treated so well, by a dining staff, on any of my 25+ other cruises. 

That is why I am a Grills fan!

On 9/27/2022 at 5:33 PM, bluemarble said:

... (p)lease let me know if you are seeing dress code and theme schedules for 2023 yet. I was given the schedules for QV's 2023 World Voyages quite a while ago. I don't have any other 2023 schedules beyond those for early January 2023 already included in the documents above.

Thank you for doing this for your fellow cruisers! My wife is eagerly awaiting a schedule for 2023. We're cruising Australia on QM2 and she has shopping on her mind!

On 8/15/2021 at 2:52 PM, cruisin from florida said:

In order to circumnavigate the globe on the trip, we are thinking about flying Tampa > London > Perth > Uluru > Cairns > Sydney ... then NZ cruise, then Transpacific cruise to Hawaii then flying > California > Tampa..

 

Who knows what flights may be available by then. But we can dream!

We are traveling from Tampa to Australia in March, 2023 and also want to see Sydney, GBR and Uluru. I'm researching right along with you. Good Luck.

I am a newbie on Viking Ocean voyages. However, I have sailed more than a dozen other lines both big and small. So, I feel qualified to warn future Viking cruisers, Viking has a few practices that are not standard in the industry and not good for passengers.

Specifically, final payment is due 18 months before sailing! EIGHTEEN MONTHS?! The industry standard is six months. Viking keeps your money for a year longer than any other cruise line! I find that unfair to passengers.

Also, to get the lowest possible fare on Viking, passengers must pay cash (e-check). It's disguised as a 3% bonus for paying cash. But let's face it, every other cruise line lets customers use credit to book their lowest possible fares. Viking's policy prohibits cruisers from taking advantage of credit card perks like rewards points and complimentary travel insurance. Not to mention the added financial protection credit companies offer in uncertain times (Crystal Cruise passengers learned that last year).

Full disclosure: I still chose to book a Viking Cruise. No-one pointed a gun to my head and said I had to choose Viking Ocean Cruises. I could have sailed on any other line and NOT paid full fare 18 months out. I chose to book Viking because it offered an itinerary I wanted, at the time I wanted to sail. 

However, future cruisers should realize Viking Cruises is not the industry standard. In my opinion Viking is quite below standard!

Does anyone have a recent Silversea wine and cocktail list they can post? I'm wondering what the premium wines and alcohol pours are... And what the upcharge is for them. We're not cruising until July, so I'm sure there will be some changes. But I'm a first time Silversea cruiser and I'd like a rough idea.

Thanks In Advance!

I can recommend PK Travel as a private guide in Athens. I've used them four times for various tours.

We found and booked a private cruise out of Rhodes. 

Armida Sailing

Thanks for taking DW and me along on the cruise, through Cruise Critic. Your posts and pics were marvelous!

We were scheduled to join you and had to cancel because of Covid. Fortunately, Regent gave us a complete FCC and we are booked on a wonderful cruise in 2023. Portugal to England!  

Does anyone have experience or suggestions with private sailing charters in either Rhodes or Souda Bay?