Liberal_Baggie

A number of great step forwards. I will bring my own sail away flags then... I've still got a couple left from the last time!

Ah Odemwingie what a great player! He got a club cap recently as all ex players are now  and a great reception from the crowd he has retired from football now though its a very short time at top.We have slipped back down the league a bit!.2012 was my first time on QM2 we went and found our sister town in New England and all the other new old towns great trip. Looks like you had a great time except for your car damage still a memorable trip and that storm how did Mary handle it?  Thanks to your Son for putting that together.

We live by the side of the canal near the glass cone which you may remember is just about the last glass cone standing in England.Stourbridge glass should be on the QM2 really its been manufactured here for 400 years maybe we should start a campaign? Im back on board on the 14th for the super transatlantic via Iceland cant wait... thanks again for the film David Sheppard

Wow so what’s the connection to the The Black Country I’m from Stourbridge so was amazed to see your video of Some of our local tourism hot spots.Also I’m s big baggies fan so impressed that you took in a game at the Hawthorns. Boing Boing baggies all the best👍😀🚢

Thanks for the thinking of that Idea Mark Bear and Big Mike do you think that it would be possible in a Q5 room not sure it has a table that 3 could get round, maybe the coffee table? I will ask as you recommend in any case and see if its possible for One night. Thanks for the advice. 

Thanks very much for the feedback! very pleased I can have Doom Bar in the"free bar"  I understand perfectly the point about the QG meals but I would hope to get to go a couple of times out of out 14 nights Once my Mom is settled in with her table mates. In any case we are vegetarian so i'm not sure that our food would be any better than we normally eat in the Britannia which is pretty good in my view.

I have had the QM2 upgrade fairy work her magic. I booked a princess P2 grade cabin for my 60th year having had several happy cruises in Britannia, and I find myself bumped up to Q5 queens grill wonderful.. however I need some advise. Can you ask for bottled real ale in place of the larger beer that is normally in the fridge? And could I ask for say a bottle of Gin for Elaine and Janet to make G+Ts some tonic water with and a nice bottle of wine?

 Janet my mom is in an inside on Deck 10(she decided to come with us again but later than usual and she is on a fixed pension) so not far way from us on Deck 9 so we can have some early evening drinks free of charge great! with canapés and maybe a party or Two can be organised. Janet has asked for late seating in Britannia on a table for Eight and we hope to join her for most evenings but we are assigned to the Grills. Can I phone Cunard and get this sorted or do we take a chance and try to get it sorted on board? I would hope we can also have a couple of meals Elaine and I in the Grills Once we are sure my Mom has found dinner friends in Britannia. Is it possible that an extra special tip might enable my mom to join us in the grills for a couple of nights? We are on for 14 days western crossing and Iceland in July then staying on in USA for a couple of weeks before the dreaded alloy tube in the air nonsense back home. Any experience of a mixed booking like this?

I would recommend the Vintage Volga car tour  arranged  by Cunard it was expensive but you can book it for Two people on line and add a third no problem on board through the tours office as the whole backseat is a large bench easily seating Three large adults. You get a driver/ car owner who is very proud of his car and a guide who sit in the front and will take you all around the city and stop for many photo opportunities and ours was much fun. Its rounded off by high tea in a Five star hotel and we invited our guide to share with us and took cakes back to the driver too. One of our holiday highlights and would also say the hidden tour of St Petersburg, going down the underground, The pie shop and the Market was really great too. The Rusky folk evening on the other hand is a waste of time, recorded music and daft dancing avoid at all costs.It's really a terrible evening go to the ballet.. we should have!

When they come round with the coffee in your dining room just insist on an Expresso they have a machine in the galley and can provide you with whatever you want. The coffee pot the waiters have is full of awful bad coffee so get a fresh one from the machine.They have soya milk if Vegan too.

I have just been on a fantastic Baltic cruise on board Queen Victoria.Tremendous experience with a lucky draw of Ten Fab table mates in Brittania restaurant. The ports of call were all very interesting including an overnight in St Petersburg which gave us Two days to get to see the lovely sights of Russia truly great holiday.

I just feel the need to call out Three very cheap and nasty food and drink Items Cunard needs to change I think.

1. Cunard Baked beans they are vile and very cheap there should be a premium baked bean such as Heinz or Waitrose/Tesco own brand. It spoils my breakfast choice as a vegetarian and next cruise I am thinking of bringing my own if nothing changes.

2. The thin cut and weak brown bread. Its really time the bread was better quality I don't eat this crap bread at home so why cant we get decent wholemeal bread on board a quality ship?

3. The garbage coffee served in the Brittania restaurant.Surley they should be serving quality coffee at all times, the stuff we are served up with I wouldn't drink this at home and I would be embarrassed to give it to anyone so why should it be served on a premium cruise liner?

Any body else feel the same way about the beans bread and coffee being third class rubbish or is it me?

Yes but you are on holiday and does it really matter! I mean if you wanted to save money why not rent a blow up boat and sit on it in the local swimming pool and have beer at your local midland pub and sleep in your own bed.Its only a bit of money and you can't take it with you!

Mom Janet, Elaine and I will be on Queen Victoria on 10th August. All three Queens are in Southampton that Friday and all Three are heading off Eastbound towards Hamburg and Norway.:) Different destinations but it might be possible that Cunard will do a bit of a celebration thingy? Anyone in the know? chance to wave some flags around and have a nice sailaway in any case.Maybe a bit of dancing queens?

Yes just order what you fancy in advance, but always at least Two veggi choices sometimes Three these days thank goodness on the main menu which is what we have all been shouting for long and hard! I don't no why anyone would eat meat in any case,kind of backwoodsman thinking these days. Vegie sausages available on QV breakfast room service too so enjoy! We are campaigning for a fully fruitarian menu to be rolled out across the fleet! after next years Vegan rollout across all the ships.

You don't get fellow men and women to change there ways by not talking to them. Free trade promotes good will and understanding. We are all citizens of the world and should be free to roam where we like.Imagine no countries its easy if you try. Lets hope for an Exit from Brexit too.

I was on Queen Victoria last August greek islands cruise very lovely and very hot. One night I forgot to put my jacket on and in the Golden Lion was told "sorry sir I cant serve you without a jacket after 6pm. I went and got mine on straight away, came back and asked the barman (overweight and unpleasant were his best features) why he hadn't got one on? No answer just whistled to himself and scuttled off without an answer. Bloke was a joke.

I would buy the whole trip if I were you and leave most of your stuff in the cabin whilst you have a break in new York.Just explain to your state room attendant that you won't be on board for a few days. No one can stop you doing that its your room and as long as you tell the attendant and give him or her a good tip no one need know.Iwould also tell your table mates you will be missing for a few days.I cant believe you will be the only ones doing that.Good luck.:D

Queen Victoria is class apart from the silly round backs to the chairs in the Lido in all other respects just wow.

That's great to hear I will try to order in Britannia if you can get vege sausages from room service, must be a good chance then!

Oh I welcome the vegetarian options.. Idea:cool:ly I would like much more vegetarian food to be available suggestion... like vegetarian sausages for breakfast!! and there should be at least Two vegetarian options at every alternative dining venue. Cunard is going in the right direction but needs to do even more for vegetarians I would need to see fantastic vegetarian food options in the Grills before I would book up to that level. Looking forward to being on Queen Victoria in Athens on Saturday!

Hi Jim,

Have a lovely crossing good to read your travels again much appreciated.

This is great get some pop corn. I've only had to move once from a loads of money Essex based group with lots of gold bling on a booze cruise on QM2.Lady Sheppard and I were unable to lower ourselves to the UKIP and dangerous dogs table topics so we fled the next night to the earlier sitting. We then had a madman million dollar republican landlord from Brooklyn who was flying the everthing is wrong with the world flag and worse refused to buy himself on price issue, a glass of wine. We dumped him as well and ended up having a wonderfull indian meal on the last night in the special restaurant that they set up in Kings Court, but on our own. Having said that I'm looking forward to QE for a table of Eight on the 26th July better be good company!

Queen Victoria was swapped with QM2 for refurbishment before the world cruises.I guess that the share owners demand a return and couldn't justify having Two ships out of revenue earning in the same year. The original poster is correct to point out the obvious problems in lack of maintainance and poor quality of the ships hull paint wise.Fading orange tenders as well. He was a bit over the top about Paul the entertainment manager,maybe Cunard should rotate that position a bit more however. I wont be going back on QM2 until after the next refit and to be honest this year (as its in a bad shape) is the one to give QM2 a miss.No point in defending QM2 it needs a massive amount of money invested in it.

Hi I wonder if anyone can help me.I've booked a Two week cruise on Queen Elizabeth Q513 and paid a deposit on Two staterooms on the Cunard fare as I wanted a balcony for me and lady Sheppard with a room opposite for my mom and late dinner. I was offered it with on board credit to a total of $765. Now I see Cunard are offering a free drinks package and as the Three of us all like to drink a fair amount on holiday it seems to me i've been sold a right pup. Or will I get it? Should I demand Cunard upgrade me to that offer? Anyone else concerned?

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Thank you very much for taking the time and trouble to share all your photos and information. Having been on "The Mary" Three times I have booked a Two week Cruise in August from Southampton on Elizabeth I do think that I will miss the Bars and size/space of QM2 but hope to be won over. Cheers!

I was there two years ago and it was still touristy and very tacky.

Hi Capnpugwash!

I would say hire a car and see a bit of NewYork state as well as the Falls?

Hi I always take on at least six bottles and take one bottle per night to the table.The Sommelier will be happy to look after it for you and will always be interested in your choices. We normally run out and end up buying another couple of bottles from him anyway on a 7 day crossing!We end up pre dinner starting at least one bottle in the cabin. Its still much cheaper to pay the corkage charges and I like to buy from my local wine store as part of the holiday build up.