exlondoner

Half term is usually the last week in October.

Jane

Sorry, tried and failed to delete this for repetition.

But a seven day crossing would be hard to fit into half term, unless it began on a Sunday.

Jane

Thanks, Mark. I'm wondering if there are English school holidays in October. Hopefully someone based in England will be able to advise.

Half term is usually the last week in October.

Jane

Because we usually have a reasonable amount of credit, I rarely think of booking until we are on board. We have never missed out on a trip we wanted to go on, although occasionally trips have been changed after we've booked. Sometimes the prices have been the same as they were before the cruise.

Jane

Thank you. I was beginning to think it had vanished.

Jane

I wrote one for our Baltic cruise a few days ago, but it hasn't yet appeared, it was very positive.

Jane

No, it was only free if you'd paid the right sort of fare - not for everyone.

There was a charge $6 single for some saver fares on QE two weeks ago.

Presumably they got fed up with people moaning that they didn't leave or arrive when they said they were going to. Given the moaning skills of a minority of Cunard passengers, it's hard to blame them.

Jane

There was a shuttle on our cruise on QE a couple of weeks ago.

Jane

The staff have given up, same on QM2 in March last year, Sydney to HK. Formal nights, Adidas Track suit tops mixed up with the Dinner suits...ugly.:evilsmile:[/quot

 

 

But the poster said he had seen quite a few people turned away for not wearing ties. That hardly suggests the staff have given up, as you phrase it.

I suppose it depends what you are comparing. If we are to compare with the good old days, our QE2 dinner menu of 1999, which I looked at last week, has far fewer dishes, particularly when you consider the current alc changes weekly. On the other hand, the lunch menu in 1999 was much more extensive.

Whenever I've been on a Cunard cruise in the school holidays, there has always been a reasonable number of children. I was once passed on the stairs by a gang of about twelve seven year old pirates, with hats and cutlasses. They seemed to be having a good time. The ship absorbs them very well, so the child averse are not inconvenienced. I have noticed older children seem, somewhat improbably, to enjoy the dancing classes!

There are usually a few in the grills. They are treated like honoured guests and behave accordingly, in my experience.

I think you'll have a lovely time. And your children may be hooked on Cunard for life.

Jane

That's quite right, but there is a difference between the situations.

I think the difference with ports being changed and this is that ports is probably (or at least should be) down to external influences, such as weather.

This one is entirely the choice of Cunard. The unavoidable is unavoidable. This one was avoidable, or at least should have been had it been for Cunard's irresistible desire to make a profit twice over. And then not to communicate with those who've paid a dare to complain??

But what is the problem exactly? You are on the ship, which is wonderful, the bars and restaurant will be open, as will most of the amenities of the ship. The ship will leave late, which may give splendid views, but it won't arrive late in Southampton, because it can go a bit more quickly. In fact you may get the chance to see what she can do, which rarely happens nowadays. OK, the shops and casino may be closed on the first night, but you can waste your money later on.

Jane

I really can't see any reason for discontent.

The train service is not particularly fast, but generally reliable and efficient. If you get on at Waterloo, unless there are unusual pcircumstances, you will get a seat. Personally, I don't think it's worth booking first class. What is worth booking, if you can, is in advance, as it can make it much cheaper. Be aware that there is not an awful lot of room for luggage, but you will manage.Jane

Thank you for your comments Vic II.

 

The issue with the shops are that they take up valuable space. I don't know how many people shop there but I bet it's not profitable. Instead of making The Chart Room smaller, they could for example have decreased the size of the shops.

 

The pool decks are perhaps like this on any cruise but I doubt that it's carried out with the smugness I'd seen on QV.

I think this explains to me your real problem with the trip: you didn't enjoy your fellow passengers. When one is reduced to imputing theoretical levels of smugness, it can only be to confirm one's prejudices. There is a similar thing with the library where you assume the only motive for reading 17th century poetry is to look intelligent before others. It could simply be a desire to make use of a restful holiday to expand one's cultural knowledge. Probably misguided, but nonetheless laudable.

But for me this sort of carping rather detracts from the many sensible, if often exaggerated, points your articles contain.

Thanks. This sounds like a, possibly misguided, effort on the part of Cunard to keep up with the times, now gin and Prosecco are suddenly fashionable. Still doesn't seem particularly pretentious, though I'm sure they hope it will make them money.

Thanks. I read it as a description not a name, very stupid of me. I still don't really see why it's pretentious.

While so many things are subjective, and enjoyment is a matter of opinion, I felt I had to comment on the worrying number of minor factual innacuracies I picked up in a pretty cursory reading. It makes me rather doubt the evidence for many of your views.

1. Air conditioning is not either hot or cold. I grant you can't turn it off, but you do have a choice of graduated temperatures.

2. The gin fizz bar? Why not give the name of it? As several bars on QV were moved in her refit, this would actually be helpful information.

3. You mention arbitrary food. As arbitrariness is a quality of behaviour I can't imagine what this means.

4. A large glass is 250, a small 150, so one is not twice the size of another. In an entire Cunard career of ordering small glasses on all three ships, I have never once beeen looked at askance. I wonder if you could have misinterpreted.

5. Tastes in music and lectures vary, and those on a cruise with only two sea days would be limited. It it seems odd to expect people not to enjoy piano recitals.

6. Riparian means beside a river bank. I don't see what this has to do with forms of music. I guess this could be a misprint not an inaccuracy. If so, I am still mystified.

7. You mention 3,000 other people. The passenger load of QV is about 2,000. To get up to your figure you must be including the crew, who hardly seem relevant to a discussion of passenger recreation.

8. You mention sitting in the theatre for two hours of a show, but these (rarely to my taste either) last 45 minutes.

Just a sample selection, but it did make me wonder.

I've never been in the Grill lounge but I believe it's bathed in white light and has rainbows and unicorns live there !

On QE at any rate the unicorn(s) is/are in the restaurant. On a mural.

Jane :)

In the Ts and Cs in the back of the 2016-8 brochure, it says you can transfer the booking to another person up to 4 days before departure, subject to certain conditions. There may be an admin charge. Sections 12 - 14 seem relevant.

Jane

They have not dropped those choices. At least they hadn't on QE two weeks ago. The QG breakfast menu was vastly more diverse than that available in Britannia Club, when I travelled in that a few years ago.

I think the lunch menu is much the same though.

Jane

Just to warn you that you may be doomed. We first went on Cunard in 1997, on QE2. Because it was a one-off holiday of a lifetime, we upgraded to QG. Now, all these years later, we still go on Cunard every year, and still go in QG. We are considerably poorer than if we had stopped after our first voyage, but it has been worth every penny. Nonetheless, you should know what you are letting yourself in for.:):)

Jane

No extra charge. No need to tip.

You can specify a time for breakfast, don't know otherwise.

Jane

Last year, and on all my previous QE voyages, that door was frequently used by passengers, in both directions from bar to deck and vice versa, and indeed by staff, when they took tea out, etc. When they don't want you to use it, because of heavy weather, they put red tape across. Otherwise, there is no problem going out and in.

Jane

Cruachan, you remind me of a number 88 bus.

Jane