Victoria2

A warm bathroom; a chilly bedroom and an in between sitting room depending on how cold we feel but the bedroom and bathroom are definitely many degrees apart! Re your experience, Cunard is pretty special for us and I am so glad to read you'll book again as it shows you thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The only slight fly in the ointment is the 2's go quite quickly so early booking is recommended which means planning way ahead!

I'm not bothered either but in the past we have had great chats with officers if they happen to be in our vicinity. It's far from sucking up to anyone, it's called being sociable. 🙂

I can't say we've had any problems with interior doors or storage space doors but then we keep interior doors closed in the cabin as we like different levels of air-con in the living, bathroom and bedroom areas.

For UK based T&Cs we booked two trips whilst onboard, for '24. The deposit was GBP350 per trip [£175 ea] and we got the $400 ea plus whatever the offered OBC was. The ridiculously low deposit is a great inducement in case we change our mind, especially when booking an expensive cabin,

Oh darn it. I didn't see The Captain when I gave the shops the once over. He would have been a great reminder of happy days. Grrrr, or grrrrrrowl! That Ursus looks more Canis Familiaris to my mind too. Still cute though. *Luckily, I have just remembered I have friends who have still to sail on Victoria this year. I will arrange a purchase. Phew. 🙂

No World Club events but we did have a glass of something fizzy, Pol Aker/Prosecco 'ish, given to us as we sat down for dinner on the first Gala night with a sort of 'compliments of the Captain' card.

It's great when in port and there aren't many passengers staying on board. Your scenario is even better, Looking forward to further posts from you.

Late show used to be at 10.30pm so 10pm is a definite improvement for us.

This is what I mean. If accommodation is of the premier importance, them QM2 seems to be the ship to plump for, eg I get the impression the PG cabins are superior in size or layout to the Vistas *and some QG cabins have extra bathroom facilities. For general dining ambiance and 'Grills' areas, not that I've cruised QG on QM2, I get the impression the Vistas are better. Depends what folk want out of their overall experience so naming ships and differentiating between PG/QG would help form a more accurate picture.

and as has been said many many many times, you were so unlucky with your experience. Never has a member of staff appeared to us, expecting a gratuity, never. I have always thought the [QG] staff on QV are better attuned to needs than QE but that's because we're known and completely biased. QE loyalists will disagree with me as they will be biased to QE. 🙂 I love sailing with our American cousins. They are always such delightful fellow companions and we were always delighted when Americans shared our tables for eight so yet again, you were so unlucky.

Maybe when we're talking 'Grills', we should be more specific when giving of our own experiences. QG or PG; QM2 or QE/QV as I am getting the impression it depends which ship is sailed on as to which part of the experience is better than others.

We have had lunch twice now, in the Steak House/Verandah. Both times we utilised our Diamond freebie. The only reason to do so was to join friends, one occasion being a farewell luncheon 'do' with six other lovely people we'd met on the last three segments of a world cruise. On both occasions, we were one of the very few occupied table/s in the restaurant. I can't say it was stuffy or pretentious as we were so busy enjoying ourselves with friends, and a little wine had been consumed on both occasions, we wouldn't have noticed or cared if it was. When we dined as a fivesome, the lack of other tables certainly didn't add to any atmosphere. Ignoring the seafood platter on the evening menu and which I shall investigate for QG consumption on our next cruise, as QG diners [that's an objective comment and not meant to be uppity] I can't say the lunchtime meals themselves were particularly memorable however grand the menu might appear and the lack of atmosphere at lunchtime would not entice us back to dine as a twosome.

Crispy/Peking Duck with pancakes and all the trimmings needs to be ordered three days in advance [shoot it, hang it, roast it etc 🙂 ] and has nothing to do with any pop up in case it might be thought a Bamboo offering. We don't cruise for less than ten/twelve days now so I usually order it three or four days into the itinerary. The pop ups are sectioned off in the evening and an effort is made to make it a pleasant experience with the table settings. ambiance etc. Definitely not Lido buffet style.

As I usually look at the following day's menu, the night before, I know when nothing floats my boat and pre order. The only time we use the Diamond vouchers is if we dine with friends and although I might not have experience of Verandah meals in QG, I do of Bamboo. I pre order either Mandarin chilli beef or Mandarin sticky chicken depending what's on the menu, I'm easy either way as both yummy. Just like the duck and pancakes, the Head Waiter tells me which night the Bamboo meal will be served to me. If I can do that from Bamboo, then the other pop ups will be accommodated. Hopefully, Verandah will be too although I'm not sure of the items which are an additional charge to the set price. We need a brave bunny to test the system. I'm willing to volunteer my services to the cause but that won't be until next year. Sadly.

I don’t call either of the Vistas inferior. In anything. Different from QM2 yes but I would no more book QM2 for anything other than a short jolly, than fly to the moon. As I don’t like the ship, an extra bathroom would not make up for an overall inferior cruise experience. Prospective newbies should do their homework, read the plans and layout so no surprises in store and as always, each to their own.

Not having asked for a Verandah offering, in the QG restaurant, I would work on 'most' rather than 'anything', but using the old 'if you don’t ask, you don’t get' phrase, it’s worth asking. You might not get exactly the same but pretty near it.

No

Ours too but as one who often eats dinner 'off', I request the following day's dinner menu when having after dinner coffee, to have a quick glance at to decide if the following dinner is an 'on' day, or an 'off' day. After a day or two, the menu is brought automatically for me to look at.

A slight difference in temperature from Singapore! 😀 Looks a tad nippy. An extra suitcase for the winter essentials and boots must have been on the packing agenda. Thank you again for your photographs.

If we ever want a quick lunch due to timings of an excursion, a tuna melt, with fries of course is our cabin 'go to'. Yummy 🙂

and replaced before wilting. A nice added touch to the dining table.

My lunches, -: Sushi, sashimi, tuna tartare, caprese salad, carpaccio, wonderful salads [to my own dictate of constituents] with lobster tail and prawns, seared tuna, blackened tuna...salads with dressings on the side Light, delicious and most certainly doable when ordered the night before or at breakfast. Enjoy

Or maybe anyone with limited English but enough about them to book a cruise on a foreign language ship, would understand the numbers and deduce which meals are taken within the times shown. Really, does it matter either way?

You've hit the nail on the head. Q.G. is discreet and attentive, not stuffy or pretentious. I am so glad you are obviously having a great time. 🙂

Staggeringly wonderful night photographs. Worthy of any commercial advertising blurb, and your others are super, too. Thank you