exlondoner

Carnival and Cunard are very different, but plenty of passengers enjoy both. Don’t expect them to be alike and you’ll have a nice time. You can avoid the Gala Nights, but they are one of the things that make Cunard distinctive, and one of the things most passengers most enjoy. So you might feel you were missing out if you didn’t participate.

They will do UK immigration on the ship as it crosses. If you are continuing on the next voyage you can stay aboard.

Well we had one in QG on QV last time, so they may be reappearing. Latest brochure claims atlases too.

Actually, while offensive in terms of equality, it does make it even easier for women. So much easier than for men,

Is that really all it says? What about women?

And, if you take that at face value, a Scotsman would be fine for formal nights in a kilt (national dress), but on informal nights would need trousers. Infinite holes can be picked, as with any distinctions of this sort.

I would hate to use the word deliberately of anything perpetrated by Cunard shoreside. 😀 In fact I rather suspect some of their stuff is written by people unaware that UK and US English can differ.

Except the term dress shirt is unclear, meaning something different depending on where you are.

I think that may depend on nationality. US passengers are welcomed home, the rest of us are considered aliens, as if we have come from space, and appear to be considered as dangerous. Mind you, the same happens at Heathrow in reverse, except for being called aliens.

Maternity leave? 😀

I believe it is often allocated to those approaching retirement, as a sort of farewell present.

And a much enjoyed perk for them.

Yes, the Exeter line has been sadly degraded over the years, with much single track past Salisbury. Gone are the days when, as a child, I travelled to Woolacombe on the fabled ACE. Luckily (for us) the Southampton line is rather better.

Yes, it is odd how often people get to the front of the queue and appear astonished to discover they need to remove their outer garments, despite the notices everywhere telling them to do this.

That really does seem daft.

Mind you, on some cruises, by the time they have let in Grills, Diamond, Plats, and possibly BC, there are only a few people left behind. The only reason I can see for keeping people outside is if the terminal itself was very crowded even though the check ins weren’t busy.

You would think there would be huge scope for it in the area of wine, but, oddly enough, I can’t recall encountering any.

I assume they are not so brazen as to sell tickets for those days?

You are unlucky. We are still getting two and hour from Bournemouth to Waterloo, so there are probably more from Southampton. They rarely have engineering works on the main line in the holiday season, so between about now and October. That leaves landslides to worry about.

Is it bad manners to mention you admire someone’s dress? Surely not. It is only disapproval one should be wary of expressing, I should have thought? On the other hand, perhaps it is not as simple as that, for, if someone expressed admiration to me, I should assume they were being sarcastic, which isn’t good either. So perhaps it is best not to say anything in any circumstance.😀

I am still wearing a long black dress I bought for my first crossing in 1997. Luckily it was flowing rather than tight fitting.

Of course people care - or at least take an interest in - what others wear. Clothes bore me, though I always manage to keep to the dress code, which is easier for women anyhow. But nonetheless I greatly enjoy seeing elegantly dressed people in their finery arriving for formal night. It is far more fun than seeing people arrive in sweaty T-shirts and grubby shorts, and I think a number of smartly dressed people enjoy the impression they make, so they hope people care. So, as a sort of enjoyable aesthetic experience, I definitely care. On the other hand, I doubt I should notice the minutiae of male dress so long as nothing is too minute. 😀

No breakfast kidneys or seasonal berries in Britannia, I think. That’s not minimal.😀

Yes, I think it comes down to this. If you can book in advance and commit to a specific time outside the morning rush hour, the trains are pretty good value, especially if you can travel on Mondays and Fridays, when far fewer people go to work. I would never think of going to London any other way. On the other hand, if you turn up to buy an open return starting in the morning rush hour, you may need to take out a mortgage to cover it. 😀

Yes, I think it depends very much on when the ship is ready for passengers. If they have started letting people on board, then the terminal gradually empties, and there is room for those who arrive early. But if there is a delay, then the terminal will be too crowded and they will make you wait outside. I think it may well have thinned out by 2 pm, but 12.30 is probably the busiest time.