Happyboating

I've often seen Phase Eight, Collection 8, dresses worn onboard, in fact, I've got a few myself:

http://www.phase-eight.com/fcp/categorylist/collection/collection8

The trick is to wait until they have a sale which happens quite often in the UK.

Having just looked, I see that David Jones department store, in Australia, is now stocking the Phase Eight brand so is this the sort of thing you're after:

http://shop.davidjones.com.au/djs/en/davidjones/honesty-scuba-dress

I see they also have a New Zealand online outlet:

https://www.ezibuy.com/shop/nz/search?q=%3Adefault%3Abrand%3APhase+Eight%3Astore%3ATBS&sort=default&page=0&seemoreselectedFacets=

And this green dress may be of interest to you:

https://www.ezibuy.com/shop/nz/phase-eight-elsa-silk-maxi-dress/p/144805

Of course, you may well find something in New York, before you sail, but I'll have to leave it to one of the locals to guide you as to where to go there.

In any event, enjoy shopping.

Hi Chirk

Many thanks for the link that you have posted, however, I notice that it is only for 30 minutes and the programme to be broadcast on Thursday is for 60 minutes so, whilst I have no doubt that the two programmes are similar, I would respectfully suggest that they are, in fact, different. My tv magazine usually indicates with an ®, after the programme details, if the programme is a repeat and, on this occasion, this isn't indicated - if it had have been I wouldn't have posted the details. I shall indeed watch the link that you have kindly posted, however, I shall also watch the one to be broadcast on Thursday. I hope others will find both programmes interesting too.

Nicky

Sea Cities:

Liverpool's cruise terminal manager, Angie Redhead, organises a visit by Cunard Line's cruise ships, and a charity swim across the Mersey becomes a major challenge.

The Pursers Office arranged for me to see a dentist when we were in Norway, on the QM2, a few years back - I've never been to the Medical Centre on any of the ships. The first port we stopped at was too small to, apparently, find one - although another passenger got off determined to do so - but once we got to a larger port an appointment was made for me, as chengkp75 says, via the port agent. I was taken to the dentist with a member of the ship's staff, who also needed an appointment, along with another member of staff who was going to see a doctor in a nearby building. Once we had all completed our appointments the cab took us back to the ship - Cunard paid for the cab as I was just an "extra" whilst it was transporting staff. I was very pleased with the service that Cunard provided although, unlike the other passenger, I wasn't in pain - my tooth had broken but the nerve hadn't been exposed. I too have also met the "dentist" in the spa but, like others, I'm unsure of her qualifications - perhaps someone currently onboard can ask her and post the answer?

Lynn told me that she does sometimes read CC - she told me that she likes the look of the new Winter Garden (Carinthia Lounge) - so I'm quite sure that she's reading your kind comments.

I've just finished speaking to Lynn (Jimsgirl) on the phone and she sends her best wishes to everyone, however, after 50-60 cruises - about 30 of which were taken on Cunard - due to health reasons her cruising days are now, sadly, over. That, of course, doesn't stop her reminiscing about her mornings sitting in Sir Samuals, knitting, and her evenings, drinking a glass of wine whilst listening to the music, in the Chart Room. She does occasionally pop in and take a look at CC, however, due to the limitations of only having the partial use of one hand, she can no longer post.

I booked a BY cabin on deck 5 for next summer a few weeks ago in anticipation of a refurbished room. We're a bit miffed but hey-ho we'll get to see the other refurbs such as Kings Court and the Winter Garden.

Like you, we booked a BU stateroom on deck 4, in July this year for July next year. As soon as I got home and saw this thread I called our travel agent to see if we could move to a BU stateroom on deck 6 but, not surprisingly, deck 6 is all sold out. Never mind, as you rightly say, we'll still get to see the other changes and, in fact, we'll also get to see the brown carpets for the first time as our last few voyages have been on QE and QV.

Hi keithm

I've just spoken to Lynn (Jimsgirl) - I call her landline via Skype - and she's well and still enjoying life. Her hands aren't so good though - they don't always behave as she wants them to since her stroke - so typing can be difficult hence her not posting. She still doesn't think she'll be able to cruise again but you never know......

Safarigal

Thank you so much for this link which I have started to watch - I will watch the rest of it later. I just wish I was in the cathedral for real.

Hi Shogun, thanks for the link - I've just watched it. Say "hi" to Donna too.

Nicky

Hi Summergee

Was your hubby's photo in there?

Last week a Princess ship was in Ringaskiddy on May 7th, the guests were bussed into the City Centre, then caught the train to Cobn.

Staff in the Cobh Heritage Centre told us that Princess changed their schedule and docked in Cobh on Tuesday 5 May, much to the annoyance of a lot of their passengers who, understandably, had booked that particular cruise so that they were in Cobh for the Lusitania anniversary commemorations on Thursday 7 May.

I agree that if there is no other ship docked in Cobh that day, that it does seem odd that QM2 can't dock there - unless the tides aren't deep enough for her to dock that day. As we all know, QM2 has a deep draft.

Hi Hattie

Thank you so much for the links. We've just disembarked from this voyage but whilst we were involved with the commemorations, we had left Cobh before the media coverage was released and, sadly, because there was interference in the port of Dublin, which prevented us from getting a satellite signal, there was no TV onboard - in any event, I think another story dominated the news on Friday!

The number of little boats that participated in the evening procession into the harbour, replicating bringing the survivors/dead ashore, was very moving. A very good turnout by the locals. I can't wait to watch our voyage DVD when we get home.

We've just got back to our stateroom, having been ashore all morning, and have found that we've been given a complimentary 175 anniversary pin each and, best of all, a complimentary hard backed book entitled "The triumph of a great tradition, The Story of Cunard's 175 Years" by Eric Flounders and Michael Gallagher with foreword by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. Having just taken a quick look at the book it is superb - THANK YOU Cunard for such a lovely gift.

I understand that the tandem formation didn't take place yesterday? We reached a point where we had to get ready for dinner and so had to stop waiting for it to happen as we were told it would. We were told, from the bridge, that the reason for the late departure was that the Balmoral was turning round in the space that we needed to use, just as we were about to leave.

We are starboard side aft so I'm getting a better view from the bridge cam on the TV but as we turned right, for a short while, I did get a couple of photos. It's now starting to rain so the webcam now has splodges of rain on it!

I shall Google for good photos later although as we've been allocated a table for 10 I'm hoping that one of our table mates will have some good photos - I will find out later.

A black helicopter is now flying over us - they should get some good photos.

Here is a photo of the Household Cavalry in the Queens Room this afternoon. I'm afraid I'll never win a photography award but at least you can, sort of, see them!

Gerald has just pointed out that there's a whole bunch of other craft following us out.

QE has just pulled out behind QM2 and in front of QV. The procession is now taking place.

We're on QV. Our lines are just being dropped now and the Household Calvalry are playing on the quayside - they played in the Queens Room earlier. We've just been told the QM2 is leading us out of Southampton in procession - QM2, QE and then QV. The exciting news is that once out of Southampton, weather permitting, we are all going to open up and cruise in tandem - all three of us side by side.

Hi lilstrlett

Firstly, welcome to the Cunard board. I have no personal experience of taking a dog onboard but this link may be of some help:

http://theroadunleashed.com/posts/qm2_kennels_faq

When we went Round Britain three of our menus were presented inside a commemorative booklet. I seem to recall that the booklets told the history of Cunard as one of our ports of call was Liverpool - the spiritual home of Cunard. We actually arrived in Liverpool at midday and I can honestly say that we've never experienced a welcome like it - it was amazing. I envy those going to Liverpool, by road or sea, at the end of May - you will have a truly amazing time. I presume the booklets that we'll receive on the Lusitania Remembered cruise will tell the story of the Lusitania.

Even though a lover of well-trained quiet dogs, I don't fancy being the next occupant of a kennel. So, do these dogs share the stateroom with it's owner/keeper or is there a kennel on board, as is the case with QM2 I believe?

When we were on a TA, a few years back, we met an assistance dog - I didn't ask what she (her name was Polly) was trained for - but the couple who owned her told us that she stayed in their stateroom but that her box toilet was placed, a few cabins along, in a staff corridor. Apparently whenever she used her toilet they then rang the Kennel Master who came and cleaned the box. I also seem to remember that they were staying on, after Southampton, and going to the Norwegian Fjords, and then back to Southampton and New York, and they had been clearly told that they could not take the dog ashore in Southampton which, of course, meant they couldn't go ashore either. Polly was a LARGE dog, so no-one could miss her, and we joked that she could have been saddled up and used to give the children onboard a dog ride! I think, from memory, that she was a Newfoundland breed. I honestly can't remember if she wore any sort of "jacket" but if I can dig the photo out, that I took of her, I'll take a look.

Thank you Lynn. As we were watching Vicky leave Gerald said "we should be waving at Lynn now". As it's now gone 1am here I'll email you tomorrow.

Nicky

We've just watched her leave too. We'll be boarding her when she arrives in Southampton on 3 May - can't wait.

I called the 800#. Only available to be pre-ordered before your voyage begins...

That sounds like a good excuse/incentive to book another cruise.