Victoria2

Golly, not only am I not a Cunarder, but being a bit dumb and all that, I didn't realise a ship's bell was so important. We have only cruised since late eighties and mid day has always been announced with the ship's whistle, as have other announcements. As exlondoner indicated, I am amongst the bemused as to why I should be glad it's not easily found when I didn't know it should exist! 😕 I also didn't realise Queen Anne has a 'vibe'. I say Queen Anne rather than ' Annie' [which was the nickname I coined with affection and not to be used in a derogatory sense by me], in order to show my serious side. She doesn't have a 'vibe', new or old any more that QM2 has a 'vibe'. Cunard ships have an atmosphere and as QA is different from her sisters but fundamentally the same too; she will attract newbies to Cunard and thus helping to keep Cunard alive and kicking.

Could start a whole new enterprising venture. Can I put our fridge fairy into the mix? I'll undercut the bars with G&Ts and Sauvignon Blanc. Oh and beers too. Butler might think we have a right pair of winos here but what the heck. To quote a rather well known slogan over here 'every little helps'! 🍷

With you Planning to cruise Buy your own sun bed for the cruise duration? No, No No and did I say NO!!!!!!😅

All crew need to do is 'patrol' the decks, mentally or physically mark an empty sunbed and move 'stuff' from empty sunbeds after, say, half an hour. We saw sunbed reserving on the Grills deck on QA on the couple of sunny days in May but no need in July as it was flipping cold!

Realms of fantasy...for the time being.

cruiseny4life , it's called tradition and it's a tradition many, many Cunard passengers look forward to. I find servers walking/marching out to the Radetzky March, Baked Alaska Parade or Afternoon Tea, kitsch to say the very least but traditions often are and I wouldn't change either marches, for the world! I just make sure I'm not there for them! 🙂

No flasks provided in QG, just mugs of lovely coffee to have on a very cold [-8C with windchill apparently in Isafjordur] deck 11. Take a hot water bottle, just in case you sit out on deck.

Golly, I wish our QA room service breakfast toast was crispy. I wrote on the form 'toast, not warm bread!!!😄 The QA lunch and dinner rolls [ I don't have any so this is from my husband] are absolutely fine or they were on QA May and July. Some of the rills are hard but that's the nature of the roll. The softer ones weren't as hard and the cheesy rolls, great. I can recommend the jammy doughnuts as long as you don't mention the fact you like them. Then there's a spot of doughnut overwhelming until you admit defeat and say stop! 😄

other circumstances, Not a clue unless something such bathmophobia is perhaps involved? There are so many different issues around it could be very difficult to pinpoint them all. That could come under another tick box 'None of the above statements apply to me but I need to make you aware of my medical or mobility needs'

Half the fun is in the planning. Concentrate on the positive 'cos there is so much to look forward to. You will have an amazing time.

The reasons for assistance are quite complex and not everyone who needs assistance requires an evac chair. I have a 'Understanding your needs' form in front of me, a copy of one of the forms submitted for future bookings. One of the boxes one can select asks/says 'I have a non visible disability such as hearing or visual impairment, I am neurodiverse or I have another medical problem'. Then under what level of assistance etc [i have shortened the quote] 'I require an evac chair [then under a certain weight]' I require and evac chair [over a certain weight] ...................................... So we can assume those who are not mobility challenged will get assistance in the case of an emergency but it will not be an evac chair, I am sure I read somewhere [I have a vested interest in filling out assistance forms] that one to one assistance will be provided to guide folk who need it eg an arm to lean on, guiding down the stairs etc.

The evacuation 'chair' will be the transportation. The wheelchair won't be used. No idea what will happen to an assistance dog but it too won't be required in an evacuation situation. That does not preclude their use on the ship in normal circumstances.

I am SO glad this thread shows we're not alone in being happy being onboard with a good book and plenty of coffee and can't be bothered fitting in any 'activities' if we don't feel like it. I got off the ship once in 2x14 days this year. Mind you, we sailed both itineraries many times so nothing new to see really. Folk weren't happy about the weather on both of our cruises this year but blankets and hot coffee and we were wrapped up on deck watching the world and waves go by. Considering we didn't do much, I slept like a log every night which is highly unusual for me these days. Sea air rejuvenates!

I think 'you' have to have had experience of service dogs to k now how utterly wonderful they are. They are totally different from 'comfort' dogs. I'm not a canine fan at all after being bitten by a dog when a youngster but a friend of mine is seriously disabled and has an assistance dog. Her dog can even open doors for her and put clothes in the washing machine. It can fetch the phone, pick up dropped items and is generally a canine 'butler'. Without Daisy, my friend would be in a nursing home and it's a village delight to see her being walked by my friend who trundles along in her specially built power chair.

and that's why I take all reviews from 'unknowners' with a huge dose of salt. It's also why I value reviews and comments from fellow CC members when I have got to know their cruise history and their opinions on many issues.

Most major hotel chains have the availability of day rooms. They aren't specifically 'day', just regular rooms to book on a temporary basis. We have utilised a few over the years.

Totally agree and an added note, if a friend of mine could turn up in crocs [black of course and worn due to enlarged foot problems, not to be contrary] accessorising his DJ on Gala nights, then no one should be concerned about flatties, good looking or 'sensible'. Don't forget, the opinions expressed online will be from a minute percentage of actual passengers. Enjoy.

Final advice to ernnnn . Most/all the folk you'll meet onboard will not be evaluating your sense of dress and if they are, they won't be 'advising' you of their opinions. The Maître 'd might/might not though, we don't know as it seems very ad hoc as to jeans/polo worn in MDR for dinner and so could I suggest you pack a more conventional shirt and a pair of chinos as a fall back and you can decide once onboard which you think appropriate. Whatever you decide, if you go ahead and I hope you do, have a wonderful holiday and please come back and tell us all about your experiences.

No shrinkflation in size for mine either but £1.75 to £2.70 since Covid certainty has some kind of 'flation'! 🙁 Still, I pay it rather than not have it. A bit like Cunard I guess. I'd rather have the present Cunard than none at all.

Thank you Host Hattie , but yet again, Cunard fudge the issue by using the phrase 'smarter fabrics' for their 'Smart Attire' advice. What is a 'smarter fabric'? I know what Cunard mean but then we have kept to the dress advice of a decade ago [apart from losing the tie]. If Cunard won't use specifics, they can't expect compliance from passengers who have differences of opinion on what constitutes 'smarter fabrics'. Shall we debate the differences between 'pique knit' and 'jersey knit' on a collared shirt? I think pique is 'smarter' than a jersey knit and so would that make a pique knit polo [it has a collar] acceptable? At least the Gala advice is clear although I would have written 'cocktail dresses and trouser suits' rather than 'cocktail dresses, smart trouser suits...'. The world has changed. Dress sense has changed and if Cunard want a certain style of dress, then say so. Don't leave it to personal interpretation and if they do leave it to personal interpretation, 'they' and 'we' shouldn't be be surprised at the differences of opinion on the subject.

Justin Hayward's Blue Jays was an album, not a group [I have it along with all the Moody Blues albums].

Does the QV programme have the same wording as the QA programme Hattie posted?

Oh my 😁Do kilts do daywear? Will any one other than a proud Scotsman, or person, let's not get personal, know the difference [so my answer would be 'it's fine']? Or are they made of blue jean denim so we would all know and so be ready to add our five pennyworth into the mix!! Seriously now. What's the difference between day kilts and the full Monty? I would have thought kilts are kilts unless it's the regalia which goes with a 'dress' kilt.

Ours have been the pod type and I tried to follow instructions but I must be a coffee machine thicky as I couldn't get it to work. No problem as I love my Cap Colombia instant more anyway although the milk onboard does give it a less than perfect taste.

This is the place to ask Cunard questions but you must realise 'dress' is a contentious issue peculiar to this board and you might not like some of the less objective remarks. Cunard [and I'm not including QM2 in this as I think her passengers adhere to advisories more, especially on a transatlantic] has toned down it's dress code since Covid, much to the angst of many but the fact remains, as a cruise line, it's less casual than many. There is nothing stopping you giving QV [our favourite ship] a whirl to see if you like her or not but if you could add a pair of chinos to your wardrobe, you might find you would be more in keeping with 'advisories' which might become less advisory and more a directive. Whatever you decide, passengers on Cunard are no different to any other cruise line. No one looks 'down' on anyone and most are lovely, ordinary folk, hopefully, just as we are. The difference is there is a less informal approach in the main restaurants, especially if the new dress points in the Daily Programme are to be believed, of an evening. That's all. I do hope you'll try Victoria. She's charming. 🙂