Solent Richard

Confirmed on Social media yesterday evening. Casevac. 'Having said beautiful morning, now full of fog. Sadly now on way to St Johns, Newfoundland…for a heli vac…so sad this early in cruise. Captain said that there will be no problem getting to New York by Thursday….into the rain' She's back on course for New York now, timed at 08.39...

For those who may be interested there is an excellent fellow blogger covering Queen Mary 2's 2023 Centenary World Voyage. Here's the link.... www.theworldvoyageqm2.com As with all good bloggers there is a facility to receive update notifications by email.

I trust mine isn't too old for you... https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2017/11/04/star-clipper-java-sea-limited-edition-cruise/ *****

It's a question really. Does anyone know when Star Clipper will resume its Asian Cruising? My wife and I had a wonderful time when Star Clipper repositioned between Bali and Singapore... https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2017/11/04/star-clipper-java-sea-limited-edition-cruise/ ...and my mind was set on returning for a back to back on the Phuket/ Andaman Sea itineraries until Covid came along. I still live in hope that the popular Asian itineraries will return. ANY RUMOURS?

Like you, I wouldn't dream of eating dinner in a buffet restaurant having paid the prices currently being charged: or in the past for that matter. I picked up this video from a UK forum - harvested to keep it going - and did chuckle at one comment over there that basically said he lost the will to live after a few minutes watching. Of course my sympathy is with Celebrity. If folk like us aren't going to use the facility then what would one expect. In the interests of control you cut down the number of stations. Pretty obvious to me.

Yes, I've cruised solo on four occasions: twice with Cunard, though one of those was Britannia Club: I changed tables after the first night due to the table companions dining times not being compatible. It worked a treat as the Maitre d' arranged for me to sit with one of the guest speakers, Derek Redmond... Otherwise my advice to the OP would be to give Second Sitting a go: there usually is a system to place to sit similar guests together. My first solo, not with Cunard, proved most interesting, was a table for 8 with just two males and six females. That's a cracking story not for publication though. 😂😈

Wise chap. It's only when discussions like this come up that it even crosses my mind.

It of course all depends on both when you purchased the shares and how many cruises under the Carnival banner one has completed. For those of us who have Cunard, P&O, Princess and even Carnival ships to our credit credits I'm pretty sure if I spent the time going back to research my OBCs my returns, including the past wonderful dividends, I'm confident my original purchase price would have been well covered....

Good morning @PM, Presto2 Well it just so happens that I may be able to help you as it would appear from previous answers that my qualifications regarding sailings with both lines are indisputable. (Caribbean with P&O, Diamond with Cunard, and 7 Celebrity cruises to boot). There is of course quite a difference in the styles and life aboard the respective lines: though both hold a very 'British' ethos for cruising. While there is a little more sophistication with Cunard that generally comes at a price. My only surprise in your question, and of course I understand the reasoning, is that you've found an itinerary to suit with Cunard. One of the reasons my wife and I have more recently spent less time with Cunard is for that very reason: lack of variety in their itineraries. We tend to be the more archetypal older cruiser who believe cruising is about travelling the world and seeing new places rather than the same old same old itinerary often excused by the odd cruiser when claiming that the ship is the destination. Indeed, even more recently we have broken away from these two in order to widen the choice of ports of call: resorting even to the likes of MSC (albeit in their Yacht Club) But I digress. We happily cruise with both P&O and Cunard in the full knowledge that the onboard experience well suits us and we know what to expect. From what information you have given I would confidently predict you would have a very good experience on Cunard. You will hardly notice the difference in 'Formality'. Most P&O cruises we have done (adult ships) certainly have equalled the standards of Cunard on formal evenings with a similar number per week. Dining of course is subjective and while I would say Cunard maybe have the edge on quality when the wine and conversation are flowing any real difference pales into insignificance. The 'Decent Price' will more than compensate for the increased prices and gratuities - some of which are at your discretion anyway. And finally I would add that when we have done a 'fly cruise' with Cunard, and not arranged our own flights, then the Cunard experience has been the better of the two packages. PS. You still get your shareholder OBC with Cunard, subject of course to qualification.

Actually not necessarily so @exlondoner. From my readings on the various Cunard fb groups these folk brought both additional atmosphere and glamour to the voyage and generated considerable favourable interest.

Osman is part of the furniture, he looked after us on a Trans Atlantic as far back as 2016 with his famous 'Steak Tartare'...

There used to be a particularly good one on your doorstep, Tiffanys but I believe they may have closed in Southampton. Roman Originals have in the past been a good port of call for my good lady.

And she's underway once more. How caring to allow the passengers a good nights sleep. 😁

Queen Victoria hasn't got very far, she's currently sheltering off Falmouth from the raging gale currently battering the South Coast. (Source: Cruisemapper)

Cruisemapper has her well placed this morning. One of my neighbours joins tomorrow for the FULL World Cruise. He's been most grateful for some of my port guides.

For a Hamburg sailaway its always preferable to be on the Starboard side.

Nice comment from a friendly passenger currently onboard... "Just entering the English Channel (1pm ) . Captain has put his foot down as bad weather is forecast after midnight tonight . He’s hoping to be in Southampton before the wind picks up . Nice bottle of Malbec or whatever white you drink ready on everbodys dinner table last night . That’s a bottle per person , not per table . Very nice , thank you QV" Well done Cunard

Good morning Major. I've noted that here in the UK there are a number of 'TAs' who have in the past been employees of some of the larger online agents and who have purchased a named cruise agent 'franchise'. The majority of these franchise are sold and overseen by a reasonably well known cruise company operating in the UK. Hence with good reason an other member has indicated that the usual discounts, that you, I and @Bell Boy receive, are not forthcoming. There is an extra mouth to feed.

Exactly why I back up most of what I comment on with photographs, which some find unacceptable.

Farewell Cadiz Dry Dock….

I use the same one @Bell Boy. The preferred Cunard agent that got you to the Queen Anne event in London a couple of moths ago I believe.

Very much so. On the three groups I administer there has not been one critical comment. I'm a member of two other Cunard groups and they've also been most positive. As I said earlier, one of the latter groups showed some great photos of night life in Cadiz - something not always possible with' normal' visits.

Latest from my fb feed, bearing in mind the time difference (Cadiz is 1 hour ahead ).... '0920 and the sea is returning !!! Sail for Uk expected @ 1300 today' Comment attached to a video that shows Queen Victoria afloat and no gangway or service connections on the Starboard side.

From the horses mouth so as to speak. My friend made this comment just 20 minutes ago… The propeller is repaired and in the early hours of tomorrow morning 4am we are told they will start to fill the dry dock up . Apparently it is not just a case of opening the lock gate . It takes nearly 8 hours to fill it up enough to open the gates . After all this has been done and all the guy ropes are removed we will set sail to Southampton . It has been a great experience being in dry dock watching the work progress . The weather today has been lovely and we went ashore and had a lovely lunch of paella and a couple of glasses of white wine . I Do love an overnight stay in port .

Nor me but at least the crew were making good use of the Sports Court. 😁