Solent Richard

Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2 now berthed in Cape Town. If ever there was a prime example as to having adequate holiday insurance cover this has to be it.

@david63 My recollection over many Cunard and P&O sailings is that in the main not many chaps actually button up their jackets and, as @Bell Boy says, waistcoats went out with the Ark. Still, it's good to have a debate and maybe soon we will be treated to some photographs of pristine laundered shirts arriving back from the Laundry. Maybe even being enlightened on how much a dress shirt costs to be laundered. 😉😉

Live facebook and they're still not berthed - indeed one might suggest that the tours office could have started tendering excursions to Robben Island which they've passed God knows how many times today.....

Facebook groups have been alive with this problem all morning. Folk missing flights home and others missing booked tours. Here's the track up till 5 minutes ago...

Cheers @Bell Boy . We definitely share the same humour level. 😂

Good morning @Ditchcrawler Being ex Royal Navy I, like you, too take a certain pride in my appearance and often on white and formal shirts use a spray starch: bringing my own. I have never seen any starch spray for sale onboard any of Cunard's ships. Frankly I'd never trust my better evening shirts to the ship's laundry.

Still, I was interested to see both the menu, booking availability and pricing, and in particular the dozen huîtres at $25.00. That should certainly give the old 'libido' a timely boost.... The only downside to that is that I couldn't find one of my favourite tipples on the Sir Samuel's wine list..... 😂😂

Trust me, I'm always at my best before breakfast. 😂😂

Yes, I recognised that having received the Cunard email. The point I was making was that in the event a service fee is to be added to the Sir Samuel's lunch entry fare then the 'credit' would be enough to cover it. The usual communication problems continue as there is no indication as to whether or not a service charge will apply to the speciality restaurant published charges show in the OP's comment. What I can say is that when making my reservation I was only charged the indicated amount with no mention as to that being inclusive or exclusive of a service charge.

Well if it does include a service charge then the 'compensation' for the loss of the diamond privilege means two outings instead of one. (give or take the odd $)

Interestingly I note the pricing of the 'lunch' in Sir Samuel's comes in at $31.50 *. Recalling that Cunard's recent email (8 March 2024) stated that.... ' However due to the large number of Diamond members travelling, we will be unable to offer you your complimentary lunch benefit. Instead, you will receive US$35 per Diamond member, as on board spending money to spend as you wish' ...then one must assume that Diamond members can still enjoy the experience at no cost providing they are swift enough on the advance booking system. * Again I can only surmise that the £35.00 credit takes into account the added gratuity if there is one.

Well Thanks to @TowandaUK that's Sir Samuel's now booked; I have to confess there was little appeal in the other speciality restaurant menus particularly when on a reasonably short voyage.

Thanks for the 'Heads-up' @TowandaUK , I have to confess I'm not one for stalking 'My Cunard' on a daily basis: far more important life events to navigate. Still, I was interested to see both the menu, booking availability and pricing, and in particular the dozen huîtres at $25.00. That should certainly give the old 'libido' a timely boost.... ****** Job done..... 😂😂

Just a suggestion for you @buchanan101 for Quebec and Montreal, though not on a Cunard ship. We did an excursion to Montreal from Quebec. Here's the link if you like to scroll down to the itinerary section to see how we did both places... https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2019/10/28/arcadias-canadian-round-trip/ As for Sydney, well that was so good I even wrote a separate blog... https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2020/10/04/one-way-to-do-sydney-nova-scotia/ Yet another excellent day and a privately booked tour.

Good afternoon close Neighbour @mike x ftc . I've travelled Britannia Club on the Queen Mary 2 on a number of occasions and just thought that as no one has yet provided o photograph I'd jump in with one or two. As already mentioned there are a number of tables for just two guests Sharing... ...but I would guess the staff, being so obliging, would indeed find something for you even if no-one else wanted to sit with you 😄... ...and of course, there is the table-side service theatre to look forward to....

Exactly, and even more so when the diversity of other ship facilities come into the equation. Not a bad digression from the OP though as I've so enjoyed the irony of the comparators from a now defunct UK cruise forum where similar jousting and one-upmanship was a regular norm.😄 Personally I've sailed both lines and thoroughly enjoyed both and fortunately never the twain shall meet in their respective styles. 😉😉

Of course, if you've done it before, as we have, and Cunard repeat one of their excursions that we took in Boston, then I highly recommend this excursion to Salem... https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2016/08/25/one-way-to-do-salem/ ******* An outstanding visit by Cunard.

I'd go along with @NE John 's response. It's certainly unclear whether or not you've sailed Azamara previously. Having recently had my first and only experience with Azamara I'd say they and Cunard have little in common with each other: very different cruising styles. In my view there are so many intangibles that yo really have to make your own decision on what you really want from a specific cruise itinerary and drink choices wouldn't play too much in my decision making.

One wonders with the lack of pricing whether Cunard are introducing 'Dynamic' priced dining. OMG. I wonder who put the Aranya accompanying wine list together? At 12.5% ABV that Riesling Kung Fu Girl, at $50+ a bottle, would appear a must. 😄...

Isn't there enough life on one's table in one's chosen restaurant? I've never thought 'The Veranda' as being anything other than a step up in fine (at sea anyway) dining.

For those on the 'Early' sailings onboard Queen Anne I note that the drinks packages and prices have been added to the 'My Cunard' pages....

I would suggest that Cunard 's IT has a system trigger switch linked to 'days from' cruise that will switch the additional options on and a further one for actual bookings and pricing. Fortunately, as stated at # 17 I stated 'I'm certainly neither overwhelmed with the choice of options' and therefore aren't logging in daily hoping to grab a booking.

I'd wager that not many of us have done Borobudur from Semarang and certainly not with a Cunard excursion..... Ours was a whole new adventure onboard Star Clipper and what a fabulous excursion the Borobudur one was... https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2017/11/04/star-clipper-java-sea-limited-edition-cruise/ ******* ******** I was fortunately in the coach front seat and made a short video of the excitement of at the police escort....

I can only think @IB2 either missed reading my blog or didn't appreciate the photographs.... https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2023/08/02/one-way-to-do-flam/ Or maybe he boarded the wrong train.... ****** 😂😁

Have no fear @Drumbeat16 , this is Queen Mary 2 and I can safely state that my wife and I have experienced all levels of balcony staterooms on her and none have given cause for doubt as to the ship's seaworthiness in all kinds of weather: including the North Atlantic and the Bay of Biscay.