exlondoner

The Transatlantic is like nothing else. Cunard obviously are aware there is nothing but the ship and have lots of enrichment activities of different sorts to occupy you. However, I have spent hours just staring at the ever changing sea and being amazed at the size of the earth. The fjords are very nice too, but not nearly so distinctive an experience.

The PG cabins on QM2 (unlike the Vistas) are so nice that I wouldn’t necessarily have thought it was worthwhile to upgrade to Q.

This is getting out of control.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8rx2xvj237o

10 minutes ago, david63 said:

Am I unique in not really liking window tables?

Possibly. And are you often seated next to the window?

Just now, Victoria2 said:

Right or wrong, I think it helps to be known as a frequent flyer for your preferences to be noted.

A choice wouldn't take precedence over a Q1 or Q2 but there are quite a few choice tables in any QG restaurant for example.

We now have  two certain tables we like on QV and QA and I would hope they would be assigned to us when boarding.

So, I should have been taking more cruises. And been more memorable. Perhaps you are right

7 minutes ago, Pear Carr said:

On embarkation day, whilst waiting to be allocated our table in PG, the couple in front were blah blahing about where they would like their table (window). Stanley advised that allocation was based on how early you had booked the cruise, finding this was the fairest, thus terminating any further discussion on his part but not their’s unfortunately.  We were very happy with our table and noted the couple in question were seated furthest from a window against a wall.

I don’t think this can be the whole story or, even granting priority for Q1s and 2s, at some stage over the last 15 years of booking cruises on release day, we might have been given a window table.

4 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

I'm eccentric like that! Or weird. or crazy. Take your pick. 🙂 Just a Millennial doing Millennial things...except being a foodie. If there's nightly sirloin or chicken, then my husband will be quite happy as he enjoys both! 

 

In my above statement, I said I was 1 - 4. I misspoke. I'd be 2-4 (venison and pork). Perhaps 3 - 4 given salmon is on the menu each evening. Thanks for the info!

Also they have a separate veggie menu, and, if you inform them in advance of allergies, they take them seriously, and of dietary requirements, for instance low salt, they can adapt menu items appropriately.

Goodness me. I’ve just looked more carefully. There were two emails, and I assumed one for me and one for my spouse, but no, the second one is for our August 2026 cruise. I really do feel filling that in would be tempting fate.

1 minute ago, DukeBeetle24 said:

Had four come through, covering the next twelve months - specifically about mobility scooters!

As I say, on the ball. Or the wheel.

46 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

I'm finally back after an extended weekend away - well, away from Cruise Critic. We had a lot of chores to do - the barn finally looks like it wasn't hit by a tornado! Our tractors have a place to park, the extra hay is all scraped out, all our poisons (pesticides) are neatly put away, and hand tools are hung where they belong. Whewwwww, I'd rather be on a cruise, but....

 

Looking at this first dinner menu of the cruise, I'm thinking I just might lose a lot of weight on Cunard. I would (hesitate), but order the medallions of pork. Must be a poor person's filet mignon? I suppose I could pair it with the vanilla cheesecake. But those are literally the only things (other than ice cream) I'd even consider.

 

I'm looking forward to better luck on future days!! And, since I'm on page 11, currently, hoping for some amazingness coming my way, via your trip, through page 16!

You seem to have a startling number of food dislikes, but perhaps you could take refuge in the always available stuff that they don’t mention on the menu, you know, salmon, sirloin, chicken. But then given your dislike of the things on the menu, I can see they might not do either. 🙁 Oh dear.

Despite their lamentable admin. and more lamentable IT, you can’t say Cunard aren't on the ball about some things. I had an email today, asking me to remember to fill in the on board needs questionnaire for our next voyage. We sail next July. 😀

2 minutes ago, buchanan101 said:

Or Queen Camilla... that doesn't sound right. Next Cunard may be Queen Katherine...?

 

I think @exlondoner was hinting that your handle here was based on the ship you liked...how dare he...

 

Booked QE for next Sept - only been on QM2 and QA so far... surely QE is 99% as good as QV? What is the main thing that makes QV better than QE? Thought they were very similar?

 

QV is mainly Med fly cruises these days and sailing round the med visiting places that I'd rather spend a long weekend at rather than a few hours doesn't really appeal to me, so not sure if and when I will sail on her

I actually prefer QE, the decor just seems slightly lighter, in both senses. But they are very similar.

19 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Don't know what name has anything to do with liking a ship. Victoria could be called Doris and I'd still think her the best cruise ship at sea although Queen Doris doesn't quite seamlessly roll off the tongue [sorry any Doris's here].🙂

Doris would not be inappropriate as the name of a sea nymph, according to Homer. 

2 minutes ago, buchanan101 said:

Are you saying it’s not Victoria’s real name…?

I couldn’t possibly comment, but it might be an easy inference.

5 minutes ago, buchanan101 said:

That thoroughfare is too narrow really for anyone, let along scooters. Just to get another fruit machine in...

 

If you were called Anne not Victoria you may think differently. 

I think it is the other way round. If she thought differently, she would be called Anne not Victoria. 😀

3 minutes ago, buchanan101 said:

Also @rog747 I expect it's the upgraded classes that give Cunard the profit on a cruise (and given QAs doubling of BC and PG numbers, they are probably the real cash cows given that the cabins are not really any bigger - PG cabins longer, but same pitch along the ship). The actual expense of provided a more comprehensive and sometimes more expensive menu items, plus a few fairly limited cabin perks cost way less than the price differentials between Britannia and grills*. Indeed, as you say, Cunard "exclusivity" is less than on other lines, and I like it just the way it is (travelling/booking PG mostly)

 

I guess in time they *could* make the Grills deck not the full width on QA with a corridor along one side... but...

 

I thought it was supposed to be the booze they sold that made the profit, and I suspect that may not be mainly Grills passengers.

1 hour ago, Wonky said:

Is it possible I wonder that there was some intent for the Grills Terrace to be “in the way”? To get other passengers to look in and think “ooh that looks nice, I’ll maybe try that next time”? Somewhat subconscious upselling. 

I should think it is more likely to make people enraged by Cunard’s ‘class system’, so they think never again.

10 minutes ago, ExArkie said:

I was trying figure out how one makes a ship traveling on an ocean go downhill. Aren’t oceans pretty much all at sea level, without hills?

When at school (dreadful days, long ago), we were told that one end of the Panama Canal was lower than the other. This may have been untrue, like so much of the rest of the stuff one was told.

4 hours ago, Canuker said:

Personally, starting at St. Pancras, I would not schlep baggage across London to Waterloo down on the Underground..

I'd take the 13:00 from St Pancras south to Brighton, arrive 14:18. This gives you time to pick up some midday refreshment at St Pancras to eat/drink on the train.

Then take the 14:43 Brighton to Southampton Central, westward along the south coast, arriving 16:31, in time for your hotel check-in. Again, giving ample time to change at Brighton. Perhaps a refresher at the station buffet.

Although it may take longer than via Waterloo, it's a much easier route with baggage - and likely cheaper, too.

Leave from platform "A" at St. Pancras, on a lower level than the Euro-star terminus; there are elevators and escalators. The change of platforms at Brighton (a terminus) is all on ground level.

The train terminates at Southampton, so no rush to get off.

This is all main line rail travel, it does not involve the Underground at all.

 

Trains to Brighton are frequent - about 4 an hour. The Southampton train departs half-hourly at xx:13 and xx:43. Lots of options.

 

Cheaper "Advance" tickets are bookable online at https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

Sorry, but as a Londoner, now living near Soton, I wouldn’t even think about this route. If you want to avoid escalators, get a taxi.

1 hour ago, DukeBeetle24 said:

Okay, I can't really see that on the footage towards the dignitaries. Emma Willis greets the crowd with "Hello, how are you? Yes, Liverpool!" and Matt Willis greets the crowd with "Hey, hey", Katie McCallister greets the crowd with "Good Afternoon Distinguished Guests", Captain Inger Thorhauge greets the crowd with "Distinguished Guests and the City of Liverpool"

Matt asks the crowd questions and uses the term "guys" when asking them if they're ready a handful of times and addresses the wider crowd as such, I think this is part of the presenters job to engage the crowd there. But I see nothing in that ceremony that suggests that's the approach of Cunard. It's a presenter addressing a crowd, both Katie McCallister and Captain Inger Thorhauge addressed the crowd as "Distinguished Guests".

 

It honestly just comes across as the presenters doing their job with keeping the crowd excited and building momentum and interaction. 

Thank you so much for laying this irksome canard to rest. It certainly not an approach I came across actually on QA.

Just now, NE John said:

That’s a sad and unfortunate story to hear but we all take certain risks doing a TA, whether we have WiFi or not. I worry about my 93 year old father every time I go away, whether on land or sea. But there’s nothing anyone can do one your into the “meat” of a TA. 

Absolutely. Actually, I would probably avoid informing someone until they were nearing land, even if wifi was available, as it would be so pointless.

Just now, WantedOnVoyage said:

It came from QA's christening... I believe it was the form of address her godmothers used in acknowledging the invited dignitaries, including the Mayor of Liverpool.  "Hey Guys..."

 

So nothing to do with actual travel on the ship. Perhaps they were addressing fellow Liverpudlians?

Once you are past Portugal, it should be warm or even hot during the day.

5 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

They really need to cut the water and dry cleaning for all those white gloves. It's Cunard for pitysake the white gloves are the selling point the tradition. The old timers expect it even the new timers expect it.

I have never had views on it either way or even noticed it to be honest.

11 minutes ago, david63 said:

Probably an attempt at recovering some of the massive losses that they have incurred or the old favourite "responding to customer demand"!

Spin is always amusing, but I am trying to imagine hoards of customers filling in satisfaction surveys saying please get rid of those white gloves, I hate not seeing fingernails, etc, and please stop those canapés, they are too tempting.

2 minutes ago, QA24 said:

They did make an announcement to that effect on safety and asked people to watch on the screens in the pub or on the cabin tv. All the people ignored it and stayed in place. Yes, Cunard should have been more forceful and we mentioned this on the post cruise questionnaire. Ultimately though, it's still down to the people who only think of themselves and just do what they want with no respect to anything else.

If that is the standard of behaviour, let us hope we never have to take to the boats.