RJChatsworth

There were trips to Snowdonia and the Ffestiniog railway. I was hoping the one up Snowden would have been offered but it wasn’t. It had been previously but then Holyhead was bypassed because I think damage to the quay. The quay is very narrow but there seems to be some evidence of it being widened. When we got to the bottom of one of the two gangways off the ship we were stopped. The coach people were telling the ships crew to stop passengers getting off because the quay was overcrowded and safety might be compromised. An arriving coach had to proceed along a narrow gap between ship hoarding on one side and queueing passengers on the other. The coach had to go further down the quay to turn around and then come back to pick up passengers. There didn’t look to be enough room for more than one coach at a time. Once on the coach you went down a narrow causeway over water, perhaps one quarter to one half mile long, being one way at a time with no passing places and other traffic. This made the whole system somewhat slow and Maiden port or not it is hard to see how this could be much improved.

Exlondoner - glad you are out and about again. Our waiter began the conversation at dinner this evening with, ‘I’d be surprised if we went there again’ until I pointed out in August. The port shuttle was a bit chaotic but I have never seen one full-up coming back at 11am before!

Docked in Holyhead today. Must be the biggest dump I have ever been to in the UK. They can’t even keep the streets clean. The Town Crier was meeting everyone - they should have given him a brush! The only good thing about this place is its proximity to Snowdonia. Wish we’d taken a trip!

It has been said we are joining the Battle of Atlantic 80th Anniversary Celebrations in Liverpool on 3rd June but weren’t they last weekend?

At dinner in the PG last evening I asked about what had happened to the large metal semi-circular covers on the cheese trolley. I was told they had gone to QM-2. For whatever reason I know not. Maybe Osman has commandeered them!

I think it’s best on starboard side as you go down coast of Mull and close to Tobomory and it’s colourful buildings as I remember. Also seem to recall ship manoeuvring so both sides could see main town. Quite an impressive little place. However on port side, which we are this time, you go along mainland coast and see Oban.

Am afraid we won’t be around then.

Oh well, I must be old.. We go on QM-2 and QE in in next few months, but when we are back on QV in November it will be exactly 50 years to the month that we went on our first Cunard voyage, that was Cunard Adventurer in the West Indies in 1973. Do you think anyone in Cunard will notice and offer us a cupcake!

Victoria 2 - At World Club party someone had done some 2,700 nights. Was that you? We are bordering only 600!

But there seem to be lots like that! I have white hair and sometimes white trousers!

I am sure you are right Victoria2. Looking forward to not getting off tomorrow with the scenic cruising by Mull. Done it before but still very enjoyable.

Took the tender into Stornaway this morning. I hope even a fraction of all those coughing on the tender don’t have Covid or am I getting paranoid?! Had to go to the medical centre with a really minor issue but given a mask and temperature taken as soon as I went through the door.

Best wishes exlondoner from PG. Hope you are not suffering too much.

We are currently on QV in PG and agree with all the observations. In addition the pre-dinner tasters have gone but they had last November. The a la carte section is much poorer, the service can be very slow at times. There are only 3 tables for 6 or 8 as far as I can see. There seem to be no tables for 4. I’m told the vast majority of passengers want tables for 2 and they are now squeezed in with barely a hand width between them. The maitre d’ told me at the first lunch on embarkation day almost everyone wanted a table change. Certain areas of squeezed in tables looks more akin to a junk shop. I know I am exaggerating but it’s not a good look. The cabin steward told me they no longer deliver Britain Today to your stateroom unless you request it. Last Thursday the Pol Aker was definitely back on embarkation. We had the World Club Party tonight for the top three levels only. The 5.15 pm session was absolutely heaving in the Queens Room. I suspect the 7.30 pm party was just the same. It is only exclusive now to be not in the top three tiers. There can’t be anyone on the ship not in the loyalty scheme! The 5.15 party has the Captain speaking but he doesn’t introduce his senior officers like he does at 7.30.

Many thanks to those taking the trouble of replying to my question. I look forward to even more! Someone asked who A……… were. Arecibo Car Service.

Is it any easier these days in a yellow cab? Cab drivers in Manhattan didn’t have a clue how to get to Red Hook. One I gave the co-ordinates to didn’t know how to use his satnav. Another asked us to get out of his cab in an undesirable part of Brooklyn because he was so reluctant to wind his window down and ask for directions. We refused, he finally got us to the Marriott in Brooklyn and we changed cabs. I refused to pay him. Other drivers have admitted they didn’t know how to get there before we got in. Twice we called the well-known chauffeur company in Brooklyn beginning A…… to pick us up at the Crowne Plaza, off Times Square and they didn’t turn up but swore blind they did once even though we stood at the door for an hour waiting! I don’t need all this hassle on holiday. Anyone got a good reliable and uncomplicated way of getting from Manhattan to Red Hook, please? Don’t suggest the Wall Street ferry with luggage!

The not so well known ones in the Lido!

Last July, when in Britannia Club on QM-2 for 3 weeks, I asked the very same questions of the Head Waiter in charge. They don’t have a Maitre d’ in Britannia Club. We were in the inner room and not the main area as you walk into BC on the port side. This was the original BC before the introduction of the starboard side BC when the deck 13 A2 cabins were added. The Head Waiter told me the main area was for A1 cabins and the inner private room was for A2 cabins. The main area had more life in it so we requested a move to it. He refused our request but when we got to New York he moved us to a window table in the inner private area. He told me that the starboard side BC was generally for deck 13 A2 cabins but this wasn’t strictly adhered to. The problem with being in the inner room was the slow table service. Our waiter had tables in both areas, couldn’t see us from the main area so we tended to get neglected. He had to make a conscious effort of walking to the entrance to the inner area to see if we had finished a course.

Agree totally bluemarble, post #39.

On Cunard I have found the concierge service for Queens and Princess Grill passengers to be excellent. On two of the ships they sit at a desk in the Grills Lounge on another in a large room that provides tea/coffee and snacks for free and afternoon teas plus a load of magazines and other reading material. They save going to the lobby reception and queuing for service. They can sort out most problems except for dispensing cash. They book and cancel bookings in speciality restaurants, help with shore excursions, get problems in cabins like toilets sorted without waiting to see the cabin staff or leaving them messages. Similarly if your key card stops working. They have quick access to all services on the ship, provide help with internet problems and have printing/ photocopying facilities, keep ship newspapers for immediate provision plus Sudoku and crossword sheets. They have port maps that are better than those in the daily programme. They are useful for any queries including sorting out onward travel arrangements involving Cunard. You don’t have to think about who you should talk to to get matters resolved or questions answered. Whether those on P&O would be near as good I don’t know!

majortom10 - you say you think there is a lot of difference between Q1-Q2 and Q5-Q6 in terms of butler service, but in an earlier post you said you’d only been in a QG suite once. If your information sources are not hearsay I’d love to know what they are so that I might use them one day.

We have not received notification of speakers when in QG or PG. However, on sectors of the WC on QE-2 they used to put an A3 sheet in the cabin in daily grid format. Each grid square gave the date with the more important events. The speakers may have been listed in there along with the port (or at sea), dress code and theatre entertainment. Someone will remember, I am sure.

Ok, but I’m sure you are correct that for security reasons some speakers wouldn’t wish to be named in advance.

Victoria 2 - are you suggesting all those authors named on the Literature Festival at Sea have more secure homes? Perhaps they are able to afford such!

Thanks blue marble. I would have thought it in Cunard’s best interests to publish as before the pandemic. They seem to accept it useful to publish the theme events you mention, but not the single speakers. Perhaps there is another issue with them. Either too many cancellations or they have reduced their perks/remuneration and can’t attract them!!