Colin_Cameron

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..

13 hours ago, ballroom-cruisers said:

the dance professionals have never acted as general dance hosts in the past

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.

2 hours ago, alc13 said:

So, the change is that tips are distributed now instead of going to whoever provided the 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.

47 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

I know Canival Corp is US based.

But incorporated in Panama.

17 hours ago, RJChatsworth said:

Why couldn’t QM-2?

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.

On 7/1/2023 at 5:31 PM, exlondoner said:

... whether it is OK to come to breakfast in your night things.

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.

13 hours ago, Firedobber said:

Thank you. Definitely not a fuel odour, obviously "drainy" and usually when in port.

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.

@Charmaineluvsu I’m sure you’ve already thought of this, but I’d take a copy of that email with you.

22 hours ago, D&N said:

If that Meursault is still $160 as shown in the list from August 2022, it is very good value.

 

In France I'm seeing prices between €250 and €500 retail.

Not the first time I've found that. Early on in QM2's life I found that Penfold Grange 1990 was cheaper on board than retail at home.

4 hours ago, cardiffmatch said:

1) Are either of these dress codes an excuse to break out the white tie (tails etc) for the first time in years, or would straightforward black tie be more the way to go for either or both evenings?

 

2) If we did go with white tie, would we be the only ones.

I’ve worn my tails on numerous occasions on QE2, QV and QE (our QM2 trips have always involved flight weight limits.). On only one occasion have I been the only one. 

You may, or may not, be alone. Is that a problem?

There was a thread a while ago on the subject. Do a search on the forum on “white tie” or “tails” and you’ll find a few photos.

On QE (and QV) the Britannia Club cabins/balconies are the same size as most of the Britannia cabins/balconies. However the balconies on the deck 5 cabins on the in-step, directly above the lifeboats, are narrower than the others. I'm guessing that accounts for the reduced (minimum) size of the standard balcony cabins.

I'm also guessing that the 470 sq ft Club cabin is the accessible one. Why they don't mention the equivalent for the standard cabins I don't know.

Edit to add: The deck 4 cabins have deeper balconies than most.

Some countries may well still have such restrictions, or could have reintroduced them by next year, so I'm not saying they're wrong.

But what would happen if someone missed the ship at one port and it took them a few days to catch up with the ship at the next port, or the one after that? Would Cunard have cancelled the remainder of their voyage and deny them reboarding?

I'm not suggesting this as a deliberate course of action as there may well be some specifics of the place you left the ship, the place you tried to reboard, or anywhere you travelled to or through between those two points, that meant the advice they gave you is actually correct.

1 hour ago, Mr and Mrs A said:

Does everyone listen to the same music?

No. Not necessarily even you and the person you're trying to dance with!🤣

22 hours ago, Alsun said:

... could anyone tell me whether it is possible to buy a bottle of wine for consumption at home? 

Things change all the time but we always used to bring home half a dozen of the 20cl "Cunard Port for Two". I've just had a look and there's only four left, '92, '97 and 2000 (x2). I was really disapointed when they stopped doing these.

19 hours ago, Daisymabel said:

Interesting, that may be Cunard's policy so the decision will be made for us.👍

It may be now, but I’m fairly sure I’ve seen a photo a few years ago with the room set up as a double with upper bunks. There was a comment that this was what they had requested but wished they hadn’t. Getting in and out of the lower bed was really awkward as there was nowhere near enough room to stand up below the upper bunks.

On 5/6/2023 at 5:25 PM, exlondoner said:

Has anyone thought of tipping tender drivers?

We have come across two different captains driving tenders. Knowing the gentlemen involved they would think this a great idea.

I've found a Joseph Toole, Trimmer, age 36, arriving in New York in 1923 on the Carmania from Liverpool.

If that sounds likely to be him I can narrow the search using ~1887 as a DOB.