3rdGenCunarder

That sound like my father! Learning and understanding are the antidotes for fear.

DH said our trip to Iceland (circumnavigation by car) was his favorite of all of our trips. It's difficult to go there and not become interested in geology, even if you never were before. I remember that eruption. My BFF got a few extra days in Rome because her flight home was cancelled. The owner of the farmhouse that was shown in all the news pictures cashed in on his fame by establishing a museum about Iceland's volcanoes and that eruption. It has one of the best explanations of volcanoes and the interactions between fire below and ice above I've ever seen or read.

Even if you aren't susceptible to peer pressure, it's just so nice to be dressed for the occasion. It makes the evening feel special.

Ice cream is available at lunch and, I guess, at dinner. I was on NA's sister, Eurodam this past winter and there definitely was ice cream at lunch. I don't know what kind of cones they had, as I generally get ice cream in a dish to avoid drips. I think the nacho bars are gone from all ships, probably a result of covid safety. But the buffet has a taco station with all sorts of ingredients. I loved the guacamole, although the Texans I met said it was too mild for them! The buffet is set up in stations, so it's a good idea to take a walk around and see what appeals to you. They do post menus at the stations and also on the Navigator app. There's always an Asian station, Italian (pizza and pasta), "Distant Lands" which can vary in its offerings, and a carved to order roast with veg, etc.. Great salad station, and they build your salad for you, so there aren't a lot of people touching the ingredients! My go-to lunch is a nice big salad, and then I go to the taco station for chips and guac.

On our PG crossings on QE2 in 2003, we were allowed to use the QG lounge. And on QM2 in 2016, we used the lounge (mainly for tea, as we preferred the Chart Room for drinks) and the grills terrace. I was not impressed with the Grills Lounge on QE. It was just a bar with short hours and rather unpleasant bartenders. On HAL, the Neptune Lounge lacks a view, and the bar is a limited "honor bar," but there are nice snacks all through the day, Harney's tea, and a coffee machine that makes any specialty coffee you could want. I'm going to give QA a try. With my misgivings based on HAL's Koningsdam (too crowded and not enough shady outdoor spaces), I've upgraded my booking to PG, hoping to use the covered deck space on the sea days. I agree that the PG cabins on QM2 are much nicer than the long skinny ones on the other ships. I don't care about a tub. I'd rather have a decent sized shower. And it looks like I won't have to walk through a closet to get to the bathroom. I found that strange on QE.

I also got the impression that the eastbound is not on Cunard. Luggage Forward should arrange to pick up at a hotel and send the bag with the "posh frocks" to the ship. I've done it in the past from a London hotel to Southampton. If the EB TA doesn't end at a UK port, the shipping would be more expensive, but still should be available, especially given the length of time between crossings.

Yes, Tamarind and the Tamarind Bar are a nice addition. I love the Vistas, but I wish they had Tamarind. Last winter was my first cruise on Eurodam and I liked the ship. I had an aft veranda, and my only complaint was it was quite a hike to get to the spa.

Most of their cakes have too little flavoring. But there's the bread pudding, which makes up for the cakes in both taste and calories.

Unlike the Vistas, Eurodam doesn't have a lot of difference in balcony size. I thought I took a profile picture of the ship this past winter, but all I can find is a straight-on shot of the stern. If you look at the size of the balcony dividers, it looks like the depth is pretty similar on all levels. I think 4 might be wider on the side.

Welcome to Cruise Critic! The reason you couldn't buy it at such a late date is that they close out advance purchases in order to have time to load all the data onto the ship in time for sailing. I know that there were flyers in my room advertising the drinks packages and wifi packages. I think there may have been one for HIA, but I can't swear to it. If you do buy HIA, you won't get a drink card. Your room key will have HIA printed on it (they can print a new key card for you).

I copied and pasted the paragraphs into Word and ran spell check, which also produces a reading level score. Word says it's grade 7. I would have guessed a bit lower, given the large number of short words.

That mistake (not caught in time) was in an episode of The Love Boat. There were two HAL ships at Boston when I was there several years ago, and I recall being asked by several port workers which ship I was looking for. I suppose if you got all the way to the place where they scan your card, the error would be caught there.

I love finding those little tags. Discovered one just the other day on a t-shirt I sent to the ship's laundry last winter.

From the tasting on Eurodam this winter. I prefer the bread to crackers, but there should have been a bit more for between tastes. I don't remember which wines we had, but they weren't $100 bottles, of course. But a few steps above Ripple.

(1) I usually find your information helpful, but I dislike white chocolate (an abomination, that leaves out the best part of chocolate), so now I don't know what to have with Beaujolais. (2) I've been fortunate to have been spared the snobbiest of wine snobs at most tastings, but at one, a couple went on and on about the various "notes" they could taste and others were so impressed that they would say "oh yes!" or nod their heads in agreement to every observation. I wanted to say "I can taste notes of peanut butter!" just to see if anyone would agree. I've been to Napa and I can tell red from white. I always decant my wine---into a glass.

I did the tour on Zuiderdam. I remember being told about the second purpose of the flower cold storage. When we got to the stores area, and our guide opened the door to oneof the cold storage areas and we were greeted by a waiter holding a tray of champagne glasses. So we sipped while we browsed. On Zuiderdam, the tailor shop was far forward, and it was cool to see the curved shape of the hull from inside.

On an upper deck on QM2, there's a viewing window where you can look at the bridge. There's a sign asking people to not tap on the window!

WOW! I've done BTS on Zuiderdam and QM2, and both times we saw the engine control room but not the engine room itself. Cunard didn't allow photos, I don't know why.

They look smaller than mine, which is nice. How do they stick on a wall?

Thank you! 1. On Eurodam this winter, butter was served at breakfast at the toast station. Generosity varied. 3. Tea light is a great idea. I have a battery operated motion-activated night light for the room, so it's dark in the room unless I get out of bed. It takes a little experimenting to find the right spot for it. I loved the floor-level motion-activated night light in the K'dam Neptune suites. I thought they were putting those in all rooms on the new ships. 4. I'm sorry you didn't get Maine lobster, but I hope they're still stocking "the real thing" for my Iceland/Greenland cruise next year! 6. I've seen the water cartons elsewhere. MUCH better than the poptops, which can't be closed. 10, Yes, Norway is beautiful!!! Best scenery I've seen, even beating out Yosemite and Alaska.

You're asking a lot with this statement! 😛 But seriously, you're right that there are options for these ships. If AQV can't find a buyer, they may have to consider some coastal cruises just to make some money with these ships.

I agree. And since Trip Advisor started selling tours, the companies that don't book through them get pushed way down the search list. I google the exact title of the ship's tour and if I find it or something close, I compare the descriptions. Often, the cruise line just picks up the text from the tour operator's website.

I consider it a no-go area, so I don't bring it up.

I remember seeing a cruise that sailed around Florida and stopped in interesting places. I wanted to do that one, and the company disappeared. I thought AQV's itinerary for Mexico was pretty weak. I could survive without a pool on a hot cruise, but the Navigator and Voyager needed more shade on deck.

I have been very lucky with table companions. Last winter on HAL, I was at a table for 8. One couple rarely showed up, but the rest of us had a very pleasant time. We shared a love of theater and art--HAL couldn't possibly know that, it was just luck. I think Cunard does make some effort in terms of ages. Twice on QM2, I've been at a table of all singles, mostly retired and well traveled. Other times I've been with people whose backgrounds and interests are quite different. But people brought up with curiosity and good manners somehow know how to find something to talk about.