Hello Victoria

[Solent Richard]

We are currently sailing day two of three sea days heading towards Port Elizabeth.

 

We were delayed by over an hour leaving Reunion as we disembarked a Medivac case.

 

Nice to witness a passenger being asked to leave the Commodore Club in the evening for not being in the correct dress. A guy with no jacket.

 

It's the Senior Officers Party this evening and the final Production Show. That will be just FOUR formal (Gala) evenings on a 19 night cruise.

 

The food in Princess Grill continues to exceed expectations, the weather is excellent and the internet is good. 

[Solent Richard]

We must be in a pretty unique position with both the Captain and Deputy Captain being Irish.

 

 

 

[Solent Richard]

Our final sea day before arriving at Port Elizabeth and we have once again been blessed with glorious weather.

 

Last night was the Senior Officers Cocktail Party and once again there was no tray service circulating around the guests. 

 

Needless to say yours truly has latched onto this fact and called upon an old naval tradition of ‘minesweeping’. In this case heading back to the entrance aisle and collecting additional drinks from the welcome line.

 

It was also the final production show - well the third that has been performed during our 19 nights onboard - nothing spectacular I’m sorry to say, they've all been something of a disappointment and certainly not the ‘spectaculars’ billed by our Sally.

 

We did however enjoy a new group to us who performed the night before last - Troubadour. They were four guys who certainly proved infectious and enthusiastic if not quite a Frankie Valli tribute. 
 

Edited April 9, 2019 by Solent Richard

[deck chair]

Hi

 

I have sailed with Cunard countless times since 1992....in the  last two -three years there has been a definite decline in the quality of both the World Club affair and Senior Officers Party.  Hard to get drinks/service after you enter and little if any food.  It is getting to the point that it is not worth going.  Perhaps that is Cunard's intention.  Both parties now are mob scenes and I feel sorry for elderly passengers who can't find a seat due to the crowding.

 

Cunard really needs to restructure the world club and create an additional  higher tier with more perks such as free laundry and more free internet time.  And a real senior officers party  The staff on the ship continue  to tell me voyage after voyage that Cunard is looking at it.  I'm not holding my breath.  I will ask them again when I am back on board the Queen Mary in late July for the fashion week crossing. Stay tuned.

 

Deck Chair

[Elephant1151]

I concur with Deck Chair .After our last cruise on QM2 in February I wrote to Cunard about certain aspects of the cabins and World Club benefits.  I suggested they brought Diamond benefits more into line with those offered by Princess for their Elite guests ie, free laundry and dry cleaning for their higher level Diamond members. 

 

Princess also offers a mini bar set up per voyage with water and soft drinks included  and canapes on each formal night. Their Officers Parties are smaller affairs, not quite like on the Vistafjord/Caronia when they were held in the Captains  quarters. The best Officers parties are on the Exotic voyages and World cruise sectors when they are held late morning and are not so crowded and a good selection of snacks.

 

Cunard has a large number of repeat guests but the rewards to these  loyal guests are poor compared to other Carnival brands.

 

 

 

[deck chair]

2 hours ago, Elephant1151 said:

I concur with Deck Chair .After our last cruise on QM2 in February I wrote to Cunard about certain aspects of the cabins and World Club benefits.  I suggested they brought Diamond benefits more into line with those offered by Princess for their Elite guests ie, free laundry and dry cleaning for their higher level Diamond members. 

 

Princess also offers a mini bar set up per voyage with water and soft drinks included  and canapes on each formal night. Their Officers Parties are smaller affairs, not quite like on the Vistafjord/Caronia when they were held in the Captains  quarters. The best Officers parties are on the Exotic voyages and World cruise sectors when they are held late morning and are not so crowded and a good selection of snacks.

 

Cunard has a large number of repeat guests but the rewards to these  loyal guests are poor compared to other Carnival brands.

 

 

 

Hi

 

I am wondering if you got a response from Cunard line regarding revamping the CWC.  Thank you.  BTW, I remember the old Ward Room parties on the QE2....and the parties hosted by  those officers who also hosted tables.  All gone.

Deck Chair

[Elephant1151]

Cunard responded to certain of the matters raised, but sadly not the WCC benefits.

[Solent Richard]

Today is our final sea day as we sail between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town where we disembark tomorrow.

 

Our day in Port Elizabeth was just great. We had planned walk the ‘ Donkin Trail’ ...

 

 

...and once we had successfully circumnavigated Cunard’s misinformation about shuttle buses and how not to walk through the port, our day was complete.

 

We clocked up 9.25 miles on my wife’s Fitbit, climbed the Campanile...

 

 

...and later I managed to also climb the lighthouse for some great shots over the town...

 

Port Elizabeth  didn’t feel overcrowded with cruise ship tourists. Probably due to the number of coaches going on the various safaris. I actually counted 40 coaches and the Port visit team had regularly announced that most tours were sold out. All good stuff for us shareholders I guess.

 

 

The only niggle yesterday, not for us though, was the South African immigration procedure. Queues stretched around the ship from the Queens Room to the Britannia Restaurant and there were the inevitable attempts at queue jumping. As I mentioned, we weren't affected , we went down around 25 minutes early and were fourth and fifth in the queue respectively. 

 

The (some would say) dreaded labels have arrived ready for tomorrow’s disembarkation and soon it will be time to gather our thoughts on how good this cruise has been and what we have learn’t about the latest changes taken onboard by Cunard. 
 

[Solent Richard]

On 4/9/2019 at 11:35 PM, deck chair said:

Hi

 

I have sailed with Cunard countless times since 1992....in the  last two -three years there has been a definite decline in the quality of both the World Club affair and Senior Officers Party.  Hard to get drinks/service after you enter and little if any food.  It is getting to the point that it is not worth going.  Perhaps that is Cunard's intention.  Both parties now are mob scenes and I feel sorry for elderly passengers who can't find a seat due to the crowding.

 

Cunard really needs to restructure the world club and create an additional  higher tier with more perks such as free laundry and more free internet time.  And a real senior officers party  The staff on the ship continue  to tell me voyage after voyage that Cunard is looking at it.  I'm not holding my breath.  I will ask them again when I am back on board the Queen Mary in late July for the fashion week crossing. Stay tuned.

 

Deck Chair

 

I shall certainly be adding one or two comments when we get home: basically what you are both saying is most valid.

[deck chair]

54 minutes ago, Solent Richard said:

 

I shall certainly be adding one or two comments when we get home: basically what you are both saying is most valid.

Thank you, Richard....the more voices the better!

Deck Chair

[roscoe39]

On 4/5/2019 at 3:27 AM, Solent Richard said:

If Roscoe is looking in Dragana, Voyage Sales,  sends her best wishes to you. 

 

She joined my wife and I for a Veranda Lunch today...

 

I'm pleased to say I fully approve of the new verandah concept. The lunch was excellent.

Gidday from Down under Richard, sorry I've been out of commission  for bit so have only just logged on and seen you have been onboard and in fact now about to get off.

 

Hope you enjoyed your time, i'm looking forward to South America next year , if you see Dragana, pass on my regards and tell her she had better lay off those Verandah lunches or she'll never fit in to her most glamorous gowns...

 

enjoy your trip home...

 

regards 

Edited April 12, 2019 by roscoe39

[Glenndale]

On 4/11/2019 at 2:20 PM, Solent Richard said:

 

I shall certainly be adding one or two comments when we get home: basically what you are both saying is most valid.

 

Do you have any PG menus that you could post please?

Did you notice any fall in the standards of the quality of the food served?

Thanks 🙂

[myjillian]

On 3/30/2019 at 7:22 AM, Solent Richard said:

On Sunday my wife and I were amongst 451 passengers who joined Queen Victoria in Singapore as she heads back to Southhampton having completed the Asian sectors of her 2019 World Cruise.

We are now one week into the cruise having called at Kuala Lumpur and Colombo and are currently heading across the Indian Ocean towards our next stop, Mahe.

 

So perhaps a good time to offer an update on how we are finding our return to Queen Victoria. 

 

We booked a Princess Grill suite some 18 months in advance, on a cruise only basis, for the 19 night Singapore to Cape Town leg:  arranging our own flights as and when they came into range and pre and post cruise stays at hotels of our choice.
 
Embarkation at Singapore got off to a bad start. Queen Victoria was one of two ships at the Marina Bay Cruise Terminal. The other,  ‘Genting Dream’ - catering for Asian passengers was on a full passenger  turnaround. With no obvious dedicated priority boarding avenue there was one almighty scrum taking place as security screening took place prior to reaching the respective ship check-in desks.

Having convinced ‘security’ we were indeed entitled to ‘priority’ boarding we were eventually fast tracked down the ‘mobility issue’ channel and once through security on into the Cunard check-in area. Unfortunately having reached the check-in desk Cunard’s computers crashed en-masse and it took a further 50 minutes of re-booting before check-in could once again proceed.

It’s a while since we last did a Cunard fly-cruise and maybe my surprise at not being greeted by a photographic assault team may well be unfounded.

 

We sailed that evening and the following day was our first port of call, Port Klang for Kuala Lumpar.

 

The next three days were sea days as we headed out of the Malacca Straits and on to Sri Lanka and our call to Colombo.

While my wife and I continue to conduct ourselves to our own entire satisfaction we have come to notice a number of issues not to our entire taste while other aspects are more than satisfactory.

 

Perhaps the most noticeable observation is the decline in standards of dress and the lack of any real enforcement when a standard has been particularly set in certain areas. The Royal Court Theatre and the Queens Room most notably.

I do recall a thread on here some time ago lamenting the reduced area of the Chart Room. Well to date we have never seen it anywhere near full on any evening.

 

On a bright note I am more than happy to report that the food in the Princess Grill has been of a variety and standard that has far exceeded both our expectations.

 

Also spotted a number of members of Cruise Critic onboard and enjoyed a social drink with one or two.

 

Needless to say we are fully involved most days and regret that time does not always allow posting  on a daily or regular basis. I will however endeavour to make one or two more updates in due course.
 

 

 

I loved reading your post and your command of the Kings English.

[deck chair]

 Hi Richard

 

Perhaps one reason the Chart Room isn't crowded is because of the crowded  squeezed in furniture, much of it uncomfortable  and too low to the floor, and the lack of  real music.  No draw....Calling it the Chart Room does not make it the Chart Room we all remember.  I was sorely tempted to book the 56 day South American cruise on the QV in 2020 but the  unfortunate changes made it impossible to do so.  The pictures posted were taken in the day while at sea.

Deck Chair

 

Edited April 13, 2019 by deck chair

[tv24]

Deck Chair:  We dearly long the Chart Room on the QM2 for the great music, spacious and comfortable design.  On the Victoria, not so much and we don't spend much time there.

[Solent Richard]

On 4/12/2019 at 6:18 PM, Glenndale said:

 

Do you have any PG menus that you could post please?

Did you notice any fall in the standards of the quality of the food served?

Thanks 🙂

 

Good afternoon Glendale.

 

Here are some of the menus we experienced in the Princess Grill...

 

 

*****

 

*****

 

 

And one of the A la carte...

 

 

*****

 

 

The a la carte changed on a weekly basis with the Dover Sole, Rack of Lamb and Duck a la Orange remaining at each change.

 

I have to say that the standard and quality of food in the Princess Grill exceeded both our expectations and were certainly equal to our previous offerings experienced in the Queens Grill.

 

 

[Solent Richard]

On 4/13/2019 at 2:18 PM, myjillian said:

I loved reading your post and your command of the Kings English.

 

Thank you most kindly.

[Solent Richard]

On 4/12/2019 at 6:18 PM, Glenndale said:

 

Do you have any PG menus that you could post please?

Did you notice any fall in the standards of the quality of the food served?

Thanks 🙂

 

Notwithstanding the above I can go one better with a few photographs.

 

Pork Fillet en croute...

 

 

 

Crusted Rack of Lamb...

 

 

Duck a la Orange....

 

 

 Poached fillets of Dover Sole (Not from the a la Carte)...

 

 

And an  old favourite, Roast Prime Rib of Beef...

 

 

 

[Glenndale]

Thank you Richard for the menus and the ‘food porn’ photos.

We haven’t sailed in the Grills for a while and were put off by changes we read about a few years ago when it was being reported that the A la Carte choices had been reduced.

Good to see Dover Sole on the menu even though it has to be pre ordered now 😋

[Solent Richard]

On 4/12/2019 at 5:09 AM, roscoe39 said:

Gidday from Down under Richard, sorry I've been out of commission  for bit so have only just logged on and seen you have been onboard and in fact now about to get off.

 

Hope you enjoyed your time, i'm looking forward to South America next year , if you see Dragana, pass on my regards and tell her she had better lay off those Verandah lunches or she'll never fit in to her most glamorous gowns...

 

enjoy your trip home...

 

regards 

 

Message passed.

 

Here's hoping you are much improved health wise.

[luckymal]

On 4/4/2019 at 3:27 PM, Solent Richard said:

If Roscoe is looking in Dragana, Voyage Sales,  sends her best wishes to you. 

 

She joined my wife and I for a Veranda Lunch today...

 

I'm pleased to say I fully approve of the new verandah concept. The lunch was excellent.

Glad to hear Sally, still on ship, with a bit of luck she may be on vacation when we board the Q V in June,  but on the down side Vragana may  also be on leave, very help with her duties.🍷🥃

[roscoe39]

16 hours ago, Solent Richard said:

 

Message passed.

 

Here's hoping you are much improved health wise.

thanks Richard, maybe meet you on board next time around...regards Roscoe

[ukellie]

On 4/6/2019 at 8:10 PM, Bell Boy said:

 He certainly is.  One of the best 'Male Social Hosts' ever to grace a Cunard ship. Outstanding !  

He was on QV and as stated was leaving when we got to southampton

I have to agree best host we have seen on any cruise ship and  he will be a sad loss

good luck to sadeki whatever he does next 

[Solent Richard]

On 4/30/2019 at 7:56 PM, ukellie said:

He was on QV and as stated was leaving when we got to southampton

I have to agree best host we have seen on any cruise ship and  he will be a sad loss

good luck to sadeki whatever he does next 

I of course would beg to differ.