Victoria2

You rugby shirt should have its own passport! 🙂 Due to a broken toe, I've done all my Christmas shopping on line but have been very lucky with the nominated carriers. Worked so far.

We haven't received one either and I guess we could be called reasonable clients as we get recognised in other ways. The state of the post over here might mean it's stuck in some sorting office or we might not be getting one this year. Am I bovvered! 😀

Apart from the fact we can't message each other privately. I would love to be able to do that as I have been on cruises where I know other members I'd like to meet, have also been on the ship and as I don't join roll calls, a private message would be so useful.

A little hard to do if a chartered booking was accepted by Cunard after ''you'' had booked. I am almost sure a refund would be hard to come by but by golly, I'd let my feelings be known if an outside company was advertising discrimination against ''regular passengers'' who had paid their fare in the confidence the ship, as advertised by the company, was theirs to utilise.

If I happened to be booked on a ship which was ''featured'' as such in any advertising blurb, I would copy or send a link to the Cunard CEO and any other top brass personnel I could think of and complain. Bitterly. If I happened to be a ''regular'' passenger who used the Queens Room, regularly, I would ''suggest'' I got a refund.

Of course it should have been be refunded and asap.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but we let our agent deal with any refunds owing from Cunard, which he does, very efficiently.

I think it’s time to differentiate between traditional and true or real. All Cunard cruises can be termed ''true''. Not all can be termed ''traditional''. Anyone who comes off a Cunard cruise, long or short and has had a thoroughly marvellous time, has had a true, aka proper Cunard experience. Full stop. The traditional Cunard cruise itineraries of the last century probably [just surmising here as I don't know] didn’t contain four or five night cruises. The modern Cunard itineraries certainly do and they’re very popular. That is not to say one is true Cunard and one isn’t. They’re different aspects of the company’s offerings. The traditional is still offered as is the less so. One could debate which is the true Cunard, floating across the Indian Ocean, with nothing better to do than reach for the glass of something cold by your side whilst lazily watching the azure blue sea slip by or slipping on another layer of thermals before venturing out into the cold Arctic weather for yet another active day. Different, but both true Cunard experiences and both enjoyable which is the mark of a successful and therefore true Cunard cruise. As a non Cunarder but a staunch Cunard client and having experienced long and short cruises in cabins from an inside ( solo and with the best nights of sleep ever onboard a ship) to Q2s I will say on all my holidays, I have experienced the different aspects of Cunard trips and to repeat, just because they’re all different, doesn’t mean they were not all pukka Cunard experiences. I have been on a few shorties and on all, I can say I had a great time, as did my fellow companions. I went with Cunard newbies on two occasions, a couple who are now Cunard converts. They experienced a hectic, elegant Cunard which was hugely enjoyable, great fun and different but still no less a true Cunard experience so to imply Cunard aren’t attracting clients from their shorties doesn’t hold water in my experience and the ball was most definitely, not dropped. Admittedly, this was all pre Covid and some Cunard changes such as waiting in your cabin for departure rather than being herded into disembarkation groups[thumbs up from us] has meant behind scenes preparations are more apparent which has for some reason proved upsetting for some. No more upsetting than for staff who have to cope with the recent changes and smile through them.

Apart from the faded elegance [my perception] of QM2 which spoils the atmosphere for me, I agree with you on the different itineraries. A Med cruise on QV had a different feel to it compared to a Northern Europe one although I think most guests were well dressed and rounded, especially after two weeks of beautiful food! 🙂

Oh I SO agree with you. Luckily, I don't feel at all inadequate with my own Cunard experiences and I'm sure you and thousands of others don't either. 🙂

When making a comment, one assumes the opening topic is under discussion. However, when quoting a specific comment, addressing the contents of that comment specifically, unless further clarification is given, means there can be no misunderstanding . I'm not so hidebound as to think one particular ship exemplifies Cunard in the 21st century. QM2 maybe the flagship and for that deserves a special place in the Cunard family but her sisters are also Cunard and for that I and thousands of others, have experienced Cunard. A ''true'' Cunard experience means all who travel on a Cunard ship feel they have had a wonderful time.

You're right, it would. As I'm guessing a fire pit wouldn't pass SOLAS standards, it is most probably a light dome of some sort.

Interesting. I thought deck 11 hot tub when I saw the plans but a skylight might shed light on the lounge.

As have I. Fourteen nights max length on QE but around forty nights on QV.

It does look a tad pokey doesn't it. Afternoon tea round at ours then! 😅

Yes. QV/QE, A windowless [if the plans are to be believed] lounge on QA will be interesting. Might be a restaurant again. Might not too. We will find out in '24. 🙂

So out in the sticks has a better atmosphere? 🙂 Think we'll stick to a table upstairs. If most prefer the Queens Room, then more space and tranquility upstairs for us.

Atmosphere is such a subjective feeling. Passing by, I thought the QR too busy and too fussy and not my kind of place for a peaceful afternoon tea.

I have yet to take afternoon tea in the Queens Room as it always looks too busy. Getting a table for afternoon tea [for him, a cup of, for me] in the Grills' lounge could prove difficult, especially on wet days and whilst it certainly doesn't appear as popular an event now it's held in PG, we like the tranquility of the bright and airy PG restaurant especially as we can gaze out at the ocean.

Also outside on deck 11 although purists might be unhappy at the sight of Early Grey served in an earthenware mug! When wrapped up in deck blankets on a cold day, taking the fresh air, a hot mug of tea is most welcome.

I refer you to comment 20.

Having family members who are or were members of their college Ents team, middle earth wasn't forefront in my thinking. Never took to Tolkien 👎 although I soldiered through a few books when I was at college. Avoided them ever after!

Although I'm totally, utterly, completely QV biased, my comments are actually based on staff comments.

I know but in my world as opposed to anything middling, Ents is/are the entertainment/organisers of such. A small amusement I guess.

Really? I can't do cryptic. Add gold and it might be a Gala Ball colour scheme but then if the orcas are badly dressed, they wouldn't be following a suggested theme but then if they were back in the sea, they wouldn't be following any dress code. Then again, it might be a Tolkien reference but the inference there is unkind so it wouldn't be that. Would it? Oh well. 😕