Colin_Cameron

Our last Cunard trip was two weeks on QE plus a 1/2 World Cruise on QM2. We had an Excell spreadsheet (nothing to do with me) that not only detailed what outfits, shoes, etc. were for each night, but also which case they were to be packed in. So that we could, if the worst happened, cope with the loss of one suitcase.

I'm trying to work out if you're looking at this as a positive, or a negative? I know which side my wife would come down on.

We were on time at the Verazano Bridge, and for the wreath laying off the WTC site, so I don't think that was the ship's fault. I'm fairly sure it was timed to suit the TV schedules. If you remember there were at least two TV stations broadcasting live from the ship.

There is a photo somewhere around the internet of Captain Warwick at the helm with the speed readout showing in excess of 30 knots, I forget the exact figure, taken during QM2's sea trials. During her maiden crossing, having been held up due to the weather for a couple of days, we were told around day four that we had "touched" 30 knots during the night. Maybe that's a technical term for 29.9, but it was fast.

But the problem may be that that's what the TA has booked (or something similar), without telling you. The "rate code" that they used will tell those in the know what type of fare they booked and therefor whether it should be eligible for the shareholder OBC.

Exactly what I was thinking.

Ray Rouse was the Cruise Director on QM2’s maiden crossing (I think the title was still Cruise Director at that time). I know because I made a deliberate effort to find out. On our eighth Cunard ship and who knows how many cruises, he was the first Cruise Director that I was completely unaware of, and also the first that didn’t know my wife and I on sight. On a ship that size, the latter can’t be held against him. On the former, the ball was clearly in his court.

I once got the attention of a drug dog. Getting back onto the ferry in Stornoway after one of my regular work trips the dog sat at my feet and tilted its head to the left. Before I even had a chance to panic the handler asked, "Black pudding?" I looked at the carrier bag in my hand then nodded. "You only need to worry if she tilts her head to the right. But she loves black pudding." For those who don't know, Stornoway is famous for it's black pudding and I always brought two or three home with me.

Twice, in our 30+ year cruising history, we've had waiters test their trainee/assistant by allowing them to take the dessert order then, once they have headed to the galley, asked everyone to change seats. I have to say with the greatest respect and admiration, that both those trainees/assistants passed with flying colours, and delivered the correct dish to the correct passenger. But the look on their faces as they walked towards the table when they realised what was happening ...😱

I once asked a ships doctor, many years ago, long before covid, what use an anti-bacterial sanitizer was against a virus? His reply was that its main effect was that people got so fed up with having sticky fingers that THEY WENT AND WASHED THEIR HANDS! 😁

Like you, we are regulars on Cunard, but we have also done more than a dozen on Fred Olsen with 5 on Balmoral including the same one-nighter as you (in 2019) and also in her previous incarnation as the Crown Odyssey. I don't think there's a single comment or observation that you've made that I disagree with. An excellent comparison.

The shape of that breakwater, but mostly your clue, suggests Ceuta, North Africa.

Borealis and Bolette don't have the buffet setup in the main dining rooms the way the previous ships did to allow them to display the chilled seafoods..

That may have been your experience, but it hasn't been mine. I have seen many of the male pros acting like an extra dance host in the evenings. Admittedly it's usually the men, and the women are standing at the side looking bored. For that reason I have asked a couple of them to dance and they were delighted because, "nobody ever asks." Thinking about it now, you're not totally wrong. One of the male pros told me they were allowed to 'pick and choose' their partners, rather than having to dance with anyone and everyone.

We once asked for a drink that my wife had had on a previous cruise but wasn't on the menu. The barman got a tablet and searched for the recipe. Then he said, "Oh! Do you remember who made it for you? Or even which ship, and when?" Surprisingly, we did remember the barman, and he flicked through a couple more pages to find the right variation. Now that's service.

That’s not my reading of things. The ‘drinks service charge’ was distributed amongst the ‘bar team’, including their behind the scenes people. The ‘Hotel and Dining charge’ was distributed to the waiters and room stewards, and their support people. If I understand what has been said above then then those two charges are now considered one pool.

But incorporated in Panama.

Because the tugs, pilots, line handlers, etc., etc., were all busy with those other ships?

My wife has found repeatedly over 30+ years that the cleaning of formal dresses on board is of a higher standard, and a cheaper price, than at home.

That's been my take on the plans as well.

I once saw a couple turn up to breakfast on Sagafjord in their night things. Him in dinner suit with tie undone, her in full length gown with heels in hand. But I suspect this isn't what you meant? 😄

A small windowless room. Sounds like a description of the original Grill Room Bar, latterly the Pricess Grill Lounge, on QE2. A wonderful cosy little space with a spiral staircase up into the Grill/Princess Grill. Its exclusivity was enhanced by it only rarely being shown on deck plans so was only used by those who knew about it. Re the Queens Grill Lounge, I remember a sign on a wooden stand outside the door with "Grill Passengers only" on one side and "Queens Grill Passengers only" on the other side. (I don't think passengers were called 'guests' in those days.) It could be turned depending on the numbers on any particular voyage. I only became aware it was reversible when one evening it was set for "Grill Passengers" and the person entering the lounge in front of us grunted and turned the sign round to read "Queens Grill Passengers". Clearly not happy about the lower orders having access to his lounge.

My favourite of this era was The Navy Lark, "Left hand down a bit". I'm trying to remember if these comedies followed, or were followed by, Two Way Family Favourites? I saw Jimmy Clitheroe live in the early sixties. In Scarborough IIRC. But back to the tie. I have been known to wear white tie on Black and White night, but other than that I too stick to simple black.

My first thought was bunkering fuel, but if it’s not a fuel odour then could it be emptying the sewage tanks onto a barge? I know in a perfect world going from a sealed tank to a sealed tank shouldn’t allow any odour release but we also know the world ain’t perfect.

We were in a similar situation a number of years ago. We got an upgrade at check-in. For some reason the people already in that cabin hadn’t been informed of their upgrade, and didn’t want it. So not only did we get our upgrade, we got theirs as well.