Colin_Cameron

Hi,

 

When you say slight mobility issues is tendering likely to be a problem?

 

Dubrovnik: When we've been there there has been a shuttle. Don't remember paying for it and it may have been provided by the port, or the local chamber of commerce or something like that rather than Cunard. It dropped us just outside the main gate to the old town where the hop-on-hop-off sightseeing bus leaves from. Its never happened to us but I believe that sometimes the ship anchors and tenders directly into the old town. This could be seen as either more, or less, convenient. Inside the old town the main street is flat and paved in smooth, polished marble (slippery if wet).

 

Rhodes: It's 20+ years since we were there. At that time we docked right outside the gate and just walked, but the ships are much bigger these days so I'll leave that one for someone else.

 

Mykonos: There is a pier but we've never docked, always tendered. Again this would put you in the centre of town.

 

Izmir: There is a lovely garden/promenade that runs along the waterfront all the way from the town to around 100yds from the pier. I know you have a tour booked but if you have time to kill it makes a pleasant stroll.

 

Hope this is of some help, Colin.

In practice however the slackers among the crew would have no reduction in pay for lousy service and indifferent attitudes.

 

Isn't that what management is there for?

 

It's their job to manage their employees. Not mine.

do they offer a ‘wine package’ on board similar to P&O – where you can buy a selection of (6) wines at reduced cost?

 

On a couple of our FO cruises there have been wine tastings where you could order 6, or more, bottles (could be a mixed selection) at a discount.

 

Didn't notice this on our last cruise so maybe it was an unsuccesful trial, or maybe I just missed it.

 

Regards, Colin.

It also seemed strange that anti bacterial hand gels were being used as they have no effect whatsoever on viruses.

 

I have questioned this for many years. I was once told by a ship's doctor that the main benefit of the gel is that people get fed up with having sticky hands and GO WASH THEM!

 

Regards, Colin.

I'd be mortified if they sang to me.

It is possible to get your revenge.

 

Many years ago I had a birthday on board, another gentleman had a birthday and the third couple at the table were on their honeymoon. Every second night the waiters were at the table singing "Happy Birthday" or "Let Me Call You Sweetheart". Our waiter happened to mention that his birthday was the following week. What he didn't know was that we were on back-to-back cruises.

 

On the night of his birthday everything went as normal until he went off to the galley for the desserts, when we produced the cake, balloons, streamers and whatever that were hidden under the table. When he returned his look of confusion, turning to shock, turning to embarrassment was priceless. When we sat him down at the table and all sang "Happy Birthday" to him he really looked like he wished the ground would open up and swallow him.

 

I wasn't really surprised that he would remember it when we met him years later but it has also been mentioned to us by the maitre d' and other waiters at various times.

 

BTW that is the only ship I have ever been on where the waiters can sing in tune, both as Cunard's Crown Dynasty and as Fred Olsen's Braemar.

 

Regards, Colin.

Hi Colin, we did Caribbean and Cuba this February and had a wonderful time as I am sure you will too.

 

Hi, Yes, you mentioned it on the roll-call here. Any hints or tips to pass on? Probably better to put it on the roll-call rather than hijacking this thread.

 

Regards, Colin.

...really looking forward to it.

 

Hi Lanky Lad,

 

You mentioned elsewhere that it didn't live up to your expectations. Was this due to the disappointment over the eclipse or something to do with the ship or the rest of the cruise?

 

I'm curious as we're booked for the Caribbean & Cuba next Jan.

 

Regards, Colin.

Sadly this wonderful part of sailing on a Cunard liner went out with the first Irish terrorist bombing ...

 

Not quite that long ago.

 

We had guests on board in 1999 and (Aug)2001. I believe it all stopped one month later.

 

Regards, Colin.

Oh thats great!

 

Looking forward particularly to sushi at sea a couple of nights hopefully :)

 

On a couple of our cruises, once on QE and once on QV, there were large groups of Asian passengers on board and sushi was available on the buffet every day, lunch and dinner.

 

Regards, Colin

Hi Jill and Clive,

 

Yes, there are quite a few of us. Check out the roll-call here.

 

Regards, Colin.

Late one evening, I heard a terrible banging sound, and woke to find it was the divider swinging back and forth in the wind.

 

QM2's Maiden Transatlantic was fairly rough at times. We had breakfast one morning with a couple who told us they had been wakened by a terrific banging and clattering during the night. When they looked out at the balcony in the morning their balcony divider was GONE!:eek:

 

Sweet dreams, Colin.

Hi Barbara,

 

I can't comment on the quality of a ladies cut but I was very happy with my (gent's) cut on Boudicca last September. It took a little longer than I'm used to and I wondered if she was cutting each hair individually. My request for her to only cut the grey ones was met with a confused look:confused:

 

I imagine all the ships have the same, or at least similar, prices. These are now five months old but it will give you an idea.

 

Ladies wash & cut £25

Wash cut and blow dry short hair £35

Wash cut and blow dry long hair £40

 

Have a great cruise

 

Regards, Colin.

A quick online search answered my own question! It was changed back following it's refit after the Falklands War (when the larger funnel replaced the original thin funnel).

 

The refitted funnel certainly looked better!

 

I can't find my "Official History" just now with the dates but I'm sure the thin funnel was painted red (and the hull light grey:eek:) after the Falklands in '82 and converted to the fat funnel with the new engines in the winter of '86/87.

 

Regards, Colin.

What a great book!

 

But full of inconsistencies.

 

"The ship names should never be divided due to wrapping." Yet in the very next paragraph we find "Queen" at the end of one line and "Victoria" at the start of the next.

 

'" Single/Double Speech Marks'" do not use. Then, 'The Only Way to Cross'

 

And then there's the ongoing confusion/misunderstanding over apostrophes. You could make a case for, "Queens Room" and "Queens Grill" (instead of Queen's Room and Queens' Grill) in the deliberate absence of all apostrophes, yet we find "Churchill's Cigar Lounge", "Admiral's Lounge" and "Sir Samuel's".

 

You could argue that I'm being pedantic, but isn't that the whole point of this booklet?:D

I found the same recently on P&O. Bottle of Bombay Sapphire £19...its on offer at £18 in Sainsbury's at the moment. Obviously I waited till I got home and stocked up!

 

It's worth looking very closely at the details. Bottles sold on board tend to be 1litre whereas supermarket sales tend to be 70cl. Also on board sales are sometimes "Export Strength" 43% (or even 47%)alc as opposed to the more usual 40%alc.

 

Obviously these aren't hard and fast rules, just something to watch out for.

 

Regards, Colin.

On the honor system strictly from memory I believe one came from John Brown and the other Fairfield, the difference on deck being ventilators.

How many days voyage do I win? LOL

 

I thought Lusitania was from John Brown's, and Mauritania from Swan Hunter. But now you have me wondering.

 

Colin.

... "bread-and-butter teachers" ... How would you interpret the term?

I'm not disagreeing with Slow. Depending on the context it could also be taken as someone who earns their living (their bread and butter) from teaching as opposed to someone who teaches for a couple of hours in the evening.

 

Regards, Colin.

... you may find the Sally-Anne Cha Cha a little tricky at first.

Agreed.

 

A popular dance at almost every UK dancing venue is the Saunter Together.

I knew I had missed an obvious one.

 

Regards, Colin.

Which sequence dances should we learn first?

 

Only suggestions: Square Tango, Rumba One, Mayfair Quickstep, Sally-Ann Cha-Cha, maybe the Catherine Waltz.

 

There are obviously loads of others but these are some of the most widely known. Watch out for that Mayfair Quickstep though, you'll find it danced at two different speeds. Having danced it for years at a standard quickstep tempo, I'll never forget the first time I found it being danced to some sort of Irish "Riverdance" type of tune. Whew! Wasn't expecting that!

 

Regards, Colin.

On our last QM2 crossing one of the top sailors was A DOG!!!

 

Being in the dog-house doesn't seem so bad after all.

 

Regards, Colin.

Right. Can't say I've seen anyone wearing "Tails" on QM2, but then again, I have no experience of the more 'exclusive' areas ;)

 

Was about to say I wear mine regularly on board but just realised I've never done so on QM2, just QV and QE.

 

Like Pepper, I'd say I've seen at least one other wearing tails on each cruise/crossing and sometimes several. On QV's Maiden Voyage it was probably into double figures.

 

Also have to agree about the cape & top hat. That may be OK for Victoriana Night (on QV) but in general best to do without.

 

Have a great trip.

 

Regards, Colin.

I can thoroughly recommend the observation deck at the forward end of Six Deck as a vantage point ... J

 

I certainly agree with Cruachan that the forward decks (5,6,7 and 9) are the best spots, if they're open.

 

If they're closed then all the top deck places are likely to be very busy, but you could try the little raised area on top of the Yacht Club. It's high enough for you to see both sides. If you're in the Grills then the Terrace or the Upper Terrace are ideal. There's also the aft end of deck 9, around the pool or deck 10 just above it.

 

For a different perspective, and possibly the quietest area, try the promenade deck (deck 3). You'll be more on a level with the buildings rather than looking down on them.

 

Just to help get you in the mood

 

Have a great cruise. Regards, Colin.

There was so much salmon at this time that it was the cheapest food available.

 

I'm not that old (although I have a friend who thinks otherwise) but even I remember when salmon was considered cat food:eek:

 

Regards, Colin.

Has anyone attended insights programs featuring any of these speakers? They are listed as scheduled on the Queen Victoria next February and March.

 

Thank you for your replies.

 

V505

2nd - 17th February 2015

Shirley Jones

Actress

...

 

Shirley Partridge... My first teenage crush. Are there any cabins left? Price is (almost) irrelevant. How do I explain this to my wife? This isn't good for my blood pressure.

 

Come to think of it, if she can (still) go to David Cassidy concerts why should I have to explain anything? Also, just noticed wife's birthday falls during this cruise. Could I gain some Brownie Points by taking her away for her Birthday?

 

:confused:

Not exactly what you're looking for but hopefully close enough.

 

This is an inside delux on Queen Victoria. This one isn't a four-berth but the size and layout will be the same as (or perhaps a mirror image of) your's. The fourth bunk will either pull down from the ceiling or fold out from the wall above the sofa.

 

 

 

 

Friends staying in balcony cabins have been amazed when they've seen the space we have in one of these and I know of two couples who then booked one for their next cruise. I think you've made an excellent choice of cabin for the family.

 

Enjoy your cruise, Colin.