Victoria2

Good Lord no. Would never occur to me to request it and anyway, they have far more to do on embarkation days than unpack us! The storage space was vast and after a while of QV vegging, I completely lost track of what was put where. A sign of a relaxing time so definitely not complaining. 🙂

You must think I'm a few sandwiches short of a picnic to use such local expressions and expect all to know what they mean! 😀

The Bell Captain of a rather well known hotel once told me donkey's years ago, he could often tell well travelled clients by the amount of their luggage, eg, less is often more. It's OK taking loads of bags S'ton -S'ton if you can fit them in the car/transport and indeed, we could have taken six bags between us on our last fly/cruise, but when numerous changes are involved, it's easier to pack 'carefully' and know we wouldn't need two porters at any stage. Packing 'carefully' becomes a way of life. However, each to their own style of packing. 🙂 Edit Plus, I had enough problems finding where I'd put the stuff we took this year. Any more clothes etc and I'd be calling in a search team! 😀

I like your packing strategy. My evening outfits are never laundered onboard. I wouldn't trust the process and I certainly won't launder delicates in industrial machines. Good luck on your '25 packing strategy. We have done half that length a couple of times with three cases between us but that did include long haul flights.

Golly. I admit I take enough formal dresses to cover the number of formal evenings but the rest are covered by black evening trousers and lovely tops. I'm not a dress wearer so mix 'n match, throughout the day too. Saves on luggage space. I learnt economy of cases many decades ago through travelling widely and for lengths of time.

Even today, I prefer the 'old' three evening codes but rolling with the times, we roll with it and my husband does like the fact he doesn't have to wear a tie if he doesn't want to. So he doesn't although jackets of an evening are still non negotiable. 🙂

My evening 'smart attire' could be worn on a Gala Evening apart from the fact I usually wear long formal dresses on those occasions. I don't, however, wear long formal on non Gala evenings although I used to wear maxi dresses occasionally when in the Tropics.

that not everyone sticks to the theme I would say the majority don't stick to a theme although b&W has more adherence than the others. Be a peacock in a flock of black? Absolutely fine. It's your night just as much as anyone else's. The themes are choices, not rules.🙂

QV definitely had those round dish thingys on deck three whenever we were in pirate waters. Had some chaps who 'looked as if they could take care of themselves and others' too. As passengers, our pirate drill just meant G&Ts with fellow cabin neighbours in the corridors as we followed drill protocols, although I'm pretty certain the G&T bit was a local tweak!😁

As a mere female, there's nothing clever in sneaking an accessory or two which takes a nod to a theme as it's dead easy. Going with a Cunard theme, be it a nod or going full blown is all down to preferences. To The Med, I'd say, pack as many wonderful dresses as you like, although 'long' every night might be a tad over egging it a bit. 🙂.

For what it's worth, the only 'themed' nights I participate in are red and gold, as I have a beautiful red and gold jacket, and the black and white theme, except I miss out the white bit. That's because I would be wearing these clothes anyway. My husband participates in the black and white Gala evenings, every Gala evening. I would say the majority of passengers don't bother to keep to themes. What is noticeable however,is the number of [male] fancy dress outfits creeping in to the Roaring Twenties evening. -think blow up guns to go with the Al Capone dress. For a very few, it's almost like a fancy dress competition.

Disgusting. Heads should roll! 👎 😁

jam19872016 I'd choose that [Lido] over the pub. or in your case, as well as! 😁 Looks pretty good to me.

Sort of except one version is covered in chocolate too. Perfect heaven!

Most of my foodstuffs come from M&S. Can't fault them. What I can't buy on the shop floor, I get from an Ocado home delivery.

It entirely depends on your cabin needs. We want very specific cabins so that over rides any extra benefit booking onboard can give.

but bear in mind, the itineraries will have been on sale for six or seven months so if anyone has specific cabins in mind, best to book early, shoreside or onboard.

McVities Cafe Noir My thoughts were actual coffee cream biscuits. Think they were Dutch or Italian.

Coffee cream? I'd have thought 'biscuit', that is a UK biscuit not US.

What was the survey hint for an extra charge in the MDR?

I think, if I ate the amount you do, I would need bariatric help to wheelbarrow me off the ship. 😁 Your dedication to culinary research deserves praise for that alone, never mind the rest of this really entertaining report. Love it. 🙂

No, not stupid, just one, like me who sees the library as integral to the Cunard brand. How often do you use the library on Cunard? I'm there, more often than not, every day and as vibrant as a library can be, it's busy. Just as I presume you have not the slightest idea if Cunard will replace the libraries with something income generating, neither do I, so you imply a Cunard library has its days limited, I say the libraries will stay on Cunard for the foreseeable future.

I have no worries about Cunard libraries. They are part of Cunard's culture and although jackets and ties might wax and wane of an evening, the libraries will stay.

Us too but they have been on the Feefo platform, if that's the correct term.