Queen Elizabeth Photo Review - Deck Tours - Menus - Drinks Lists - Programs

[megacruiser]

I am truly enjoying your review as well as the magnificent photos. Our crossing in January cannot arrive soon enough. Thanks again.

 

Mike

 

Absolutely delighted to get this feedback.

 

Many thanks

megacruiser

[megacruiser]

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. Avidly following & recollecting happy times doing the same journey a couple of years ago.

Keep up the good work!

 

Many thanks for taking the time to comment. It's nice to hear when others are connecting with what I have posted.

 

Kind regards

megacruiser

[megacruiser]

Thank you! You just confirmed our plan to leisurely stroll through Korcula next month. Love reading your review!

 

Great to hear this. Perhaps the Korcula Port Guide will help you plan your route. Basically we turned right on leaving the jetty. Then turned left into the first major opening after the fancy hotel on the front. Then follow the route upwards and to the left, passing the church and intersecting all the lovely little alleyways. Keep more or less in that same direction and you come down again and then out near where that cafe is with the tables overlooking the bay towards the ship.

 

Kind regards

megacruiser

[den21]

So looking forward to our visit to Korcula at the end of November, wish we could guarantee the sunsine, your photo's looked like you had super weather.

[bunkrest]

Wonderful review, Elizabeth is the only ship I haven't tried yet after your review I can't wait..

 

 

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[megacruiser]

 

 

 

 

One side of the Lido is for waiter-service alternative dining; but it is too bright...

 

 

 

 

This evening we decided to try the waiter-service “Indian Bistro” alternative dining in the Lido. On QM2 the same menu was served within Kings Court and referred to as “Coriander”, and I loved it.

 

The food was much the same here. We were brought a variety of starters and then pretty much all the main dishes to share...

 

 

 

 

 

Cappuccino Creme Brulee for dessert...

[megacruiser]

The fact it was only $10 per head is neither here nor there. It either works or it doesn’t... and this was the latter. The food itself was absolutely fine but I didn’t enjoy the meal at all; and it really shows how much factors other than just-the-food can have a bearing on the overall enjoyment of the dining experience.

 

Part of the reason it worked so well on QM2 was the way the actual dining tables were partitioned off from the normal buffet-serveries and food preparation areas, by means of sliding decorative panels; blocking out not only the glaring light and extraneous noise but also providing a more secluded and calming atmosphere. The lighting was also more subdued; tables were dressed with colourful runners; and flickering individual lights within glass cowls added a certain intimate charm.

 

 

 

QM2 Coriander Decorative Sliding Screens...

 

 

 

QM2 Table Setting with intimate background lighting...

 

 

 

The Lido completely failed to deliver the appropriate ambience for an intimate dining experience; external bright-lighting and background noise ensured there was no chance of that... When the Maitre D’ enquired as to how the meal had been, I was unequivocal in highlighting the issues responsible for the failure; and in suggesting a remedy... The installation of decorative roller-blinds that could be lowered during service; that seemed to me like a pretty obvious and relatively-easy way of replicating the sectioned-off-effect afforded by the movable panels on QM2. They could be installed all the way along the alternative dining section, on the wooden panels just below the ceiling, and just above the glass screens, in the photo below...

 

 

Bright light and noise floods in from the food preparation area...

 

 

No one has ever mentioned anything like this before, he said... I looked at how empty the place was and thought yes, one visit here was one too many; and no way would I even consider trying out any of the other options like Jade (Asian) or Prime (Steak); far less the Chef’s Table which, at $225 per head is not exactly a drop in the ocean; and for canteen-like lighting-and-noise it is almost a bad joke...

 

 

Rant over... next, Dixieland Jazz in the Garden Lounge, an altogether more pleasurable experience...

[dancourt]

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this review, I am thoroughly enjoying reading it and looking at the photo's.

 

Susan

[bunkrest]

Just goes to show,last year we dined in coriander on QM2 and thought it was awfull the food was lovely but there was a constant stream of people walking past us going from A to B,not only fellow passengers but waiters pushing huge trollies with plates and cups and saucers obviously re stocking the other parts of the Kings Court Buffett area, we couldn't stop laughing...

 

 

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[megacruiser]

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this review, I am thoroughly enjoying reading it and looking at the photo's.

 

Susan

 

Many thanks for commenting.

 

Regards

megacruiser

[megacruiser]

Just goes to show,last year we dined in coriander on QM2 and thought it was awfull the food was lovely but there was a constant stream of people walking past us going from A to B,not only fellow passengers but waiters pushing huge trollies with plates and cups and saucers obviously re stocking the other parts of the Kings Court Buffett area, we couldn't stop laughing...

 

Oh dear that sounds even worse. When I was aboard, passengers not dining at Coriander were directed to the opposite side of Kings Court. I do remember I dined very late, so not sure if that had a bearing, but no trolleys or noticeable traffic near where I was sat.

 

Thanks for alerting others to the possible danger. Cunard ought to know that these issues significantly affect the overall experience and are important; not mere trivialities. Attention-to-detail is all-important and is what can make the difference between the mundane and the exceptional.

 

Kind regards

megacruiser

[megacruiser]

An indisputable strong point of Cunard is the fact that they have two orchestras on board; one for the theatre and one for the Queens Room for ballroom dancing and so on. At some point in the cruise they usually bring the two orchestras together, and even add in some of the other musicians like the string quartet, harpist and so on; to make one huge combined orchestra that sounds fabulous.

 

On this occasion it was only the orchestra from the Royal Court Theatre; redeployed to the Garden Lounge due to the fact that this evening’s comedy show had no need of an orchestra. Dixieland Jazz “Under the Stars” is a reference to the fact that this lounge has a partial glass ceiling in a sort of large conservatory style. I’ll be covering the Garden Lounge on my deck tours; but for now you get a glimpse of it in the first photo below. The lounge was busy; standing room only latterly. The musicians’ enthusiasm made the music all the more enjoyable and was well appreciated by the audience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow, if all goes to plan, I hope to post Deck Tours of Decks 1, 2 and 3.

[bunkrest]

Looking forward to tomorrow 😄

 

 

Sent from my iPad

[tawnyowl33]

I am enjoying your review. We are sailing on this ship on 14 November and this is our first Cunard cruise. Looking at your photos, I am surprised to see a shower curtain in the bathroom. I was expecting a glass screen.

 

We, a party of 4, have booked 2 guaranteed balcony cabins. We've just been allotted 2 cabins on Deck 4, one forward and one aft. Will the forward cabin have noise issue, being just above the theatre?

 

We dined at the 3 Speciality restaurants when we were on Celebrity and had enjoyed the experience. I was planning to try the Asian cuisine at the Lido. Having read your comments I am not so sure. Did you dine at the Verandah? If so, did you enjoy it?

 

Look forward to your next instalment.

[megacruiser]

I am enjoying your review. We are sailing on this ship on 14 November and this is our first Cunard cruise. Looking at your photos, I am surprised to see a shower curtain in the bathroom. I was expecting a glass screen.

 

We, a party of 4, have booked 2 guaranteed balcony cabins. We've just been allotted 2 cabins on Deck 4, one forward and one aft. Will the forward cabin have noise issue, being just above the theatre?

 

We dined at the 3 Speciality restaurants when we were on Celebrity and had enjoyed the experience. I was planning to try the Asian cuisine at the Lido. Having read your comments I am not so sure. Did you dine at the Verandah? If so, did you enjoy it?

 

Look forward to your next instalment.

Thanks for commenting.

 

The Deck 4 cabin could be affected by noise from rehearsals by day; and from evening shows up until about 11.30pm.

 

I too like trying speciality restaurants as can be seen in my other reviews. In this regard Cunard really only has one truly suitable venue. It was Todd English on QM2 and The Verandah on Queen Elizabeth. We dined there on the last night and weren't disappointed. Full review and photos to come.

 

Kind regards

megacruiser

 

 

Sent from the train...

[Highly Sociable]

 

I too like trying speciality restaurants as can be seen in my other reviews. In this regard Cunard really only has one truly suitable venue. It was Todd English on QM2 and The Verandah on Queen Elizabeth. We dined there on the last night and weren't disappointed. Full review and photos to come.

 

Kind regards

megacruiser

 

 

Sent from the train...

 

Looking forward to your review of Verandah as we are dining there next Sunday to celebrate my DH 64th birthday

[megacruiser]

Looking forward to your review of Verandah as we are dining there next Sunday to celebrate my DH 64th birthday

 

As I may not have posted my review of The Verandah before you dine there, I will say that I felt the Degustation Menu was very good value for money at $35. The Pigeon dish was the only disappointment for me (the chocolate sauce was too sweet, I felt), but the other five courses were all excellent. My friend went a la carte and I was surprised that his Lobster starter was exactly the same size as mine from the tasting menu. It cost more for his three courses than it did for my six... but he did get to experience the special Rum Baba, prepared tableside...

 

Hope this helps.

 

Kind regards

megacruiser

[Scrapnana]

As I may not have posted my review of The Verandah before you dine there, I will say that I felt the Degustation Menu was very good value for money at $35. The Pigeon dish was the only disappointment for me (the chocolate sauce was too sweet, I felt), but the other five courses were all excellent.

 

I never spoke to one person who liked the pigeon in chocolate sauce. When I finally ate at the Verandah, I had the a la carte menu (and everything was fantastic).

[megacruiser]

 

 

 

Although the deck plans show the Royal Court Theatre is located forward on Deck 1, the main entrance is on Deck 2 and it will be covered on the Deck 2 Tour; Deck 1 is really used mainly as an exit... So this batch of photos relates to the area on the plan above.

 

 

Grand Lobby lower level...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking from Grand Lobby towards the central elevator lobby...

 

[megacruiser]

Purser’s Office...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shore Excursions and Future Cruise Desk...

 

 

 

 

 

White Star Service Charter on display...

 

 

 

 

 

Access to Medical Centre on Deck A below...

[megacruiser]

Connexions located where it says iStudy...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[megacruiser]

I have spent most of the day sorting, editing and uploading photos to Photobucket, but I will not manage to post Deck 2 and Deck 3 tours tonight. I intend to post again tomorrow.

[Adammara]

Megacuiser

 

Looking forward to tomorrows issue! We are contemplating a cruise on QE or QV next autumn, and your postings are convincing us we need to try one of them. We last cruised on QE2 in 1991!

[Rebjon]

We were in a balcony cabin on Celebrity Constellation recently and were opposite a stretch of blank wall with a lot of noise coming from it which came through the ceiling and into our cabin. It was very noisy and sounded like a toilet flushing continuously. The cabin's air con was also quite loud so the two together were pretty awful. When we complained the engineer who came to check said that there was a lot of air con equipment behind that wall and that it was functioning normally!

[megacruiser]

 

 

I will now guide you round Deck 2. In keeping with the direction from which the photos were taken, we’ll start in the Grande Lobby, facing aft, as we head towards the Britannia Restaurant. Access is via a long wide corridor on the starboard side.

 

 

We first pass the Britannia Club...

 

 

 

A peek into the Britannia Club whilst passing...

 

 

The corridor has paintings on one side and illuminated panels on the other...