Back in Southampton and ready the QE!

[aday10]

I wanted to write about my cruise experience as I have thoroughly enjoyed reading other peoples this last year, especially found them helpful with all of the covid changes/restrictions on the ship! 
 

I am travelling with my partner (no cruise experience) and my grandparents (25+ cruises). I personally have cruised on 18 Cunard cruises, so experienced. However none of us have experienced the Queens Grill Suites, although grandparents did get upgraded to princess grill with my Sister!

 

We decided to test ourselves yesterday afternoon, and have tested (all negative, yay!) this morning before making our way down to Southampton. We have stayed overnight here for the past 7 years, as it starts our holiday early, and as we are allowed to get on the ship slightly earlier, we can head off shortly after check out the next day. And we have made the decision to do this time around as well. 
 

Now fingers crossed we all test negative at the docks tomorrow and we will be able to board the lovely Queen Elizabeth. It’s been 7 years since I was last on her, so I am looking forward to it. Since covid hit, this is the closest I have got to a cruise, with 4 being cancelled, so I have all my fingers crossed that it all works out. 
 

I am aware there are a fair amount of covid cases onboard and just hope that everyone is feeling okay and gets home safely tomorrow! I have seen on the roll call a few people have tested positive in the last week and sadly will not be joining tomorrow, which is such sad news. 

[Host Hattie]

Thanks for starting a new thread and have a wonderful time. I'm looking forward to reading all about it.

[Electra 7]

1 hour ago, aday10 said:

I wanted to write about my cruise experience as I have thoroughly enjoyed reading other peoples this last year, especially found them helpful with all of the covid changes/restrictions on the ship! 
 

I am travelling with my partner (no cruise experience) and my grandparents (25+ cruises). I personally have cruised on 18 Cunard cruises, so experienced. However none of us have experienced the Queens Grill Suites, although grandparents did get upgraded to princess grill with my Sister!

 

We decided to test ourselves yesterday afternoon, and have tested (all negative, yay!) this morning before making our way down to Southampton. We have stayed overnight here for the past 7 years, as it starts our holiday early, and as we are allowed to get on the ship slightly earlier, we can head off shortly after check out the next day. And we have made the decision to do this time around as well. 
 

Now fingers crossed we all test negative at the docks tomorrow and we will be able to board the lovely Queen Elizabeth. It’s been 7 years since I was last on her, so I am looking forward to it. Since covid hit, this is the closest I have got to a cruise, with 4 being cancelled, so I have all my fingers crossed that it all works out. 
 

I am aware there are a fair amount of covid cases onboard and just hope that everyone is feeling okay and gets home safely tomorrow! I have seen on the roll call a few people have tested positive in the last week and sadly will not be joining tomorrow, which is such sad news. 

I hope you are all negative and hope you all have a wonderful time

I am on the cruise that follows you and have fingers crossed that we will be good to go unfortunately I still work on a hands on job so I have to hope all my clients are negative so I can keep myself safe hope you have a safe journey I had wondered if your cruise would be delayed so ship could have a deep clean you must let us know 

[Lakesregion]

It will be interesting to see how they can turn the QE around in less than 24 hours when they docked with a large number of positive coviders on board including crew.

[BouncingWheel]

We believe we are more or less the last Coviders to disembark (at 10:40). We are on deck 8 and went in last so all those on Decks 5-7 will disembark before us and after the non coviders.

 

obviously no immediate rush to clean our cabins (not allocated) so that should not delay things. The crew are constantly cleaning so I think they will do as normal - if not then my bet was they would have scrapped the cruise and deep cleaned like others had done. 

 

As yours is a shorter cruise I would expect the number of quarantine cabins needed to be minimal.

 

Stay positive - enjoy the cruise - keep us all updated especially with what the daily program is like as it was lacking on this cruise and your feedback will be great to see if things pick up.

[aday10]

Thank you BouncingWheel! I hope you get home safely, and haven’t got too fair to travel. I am hoping you will still get breakfast this morning and get taken care of before you are taken off. 
 

Yes I did think as it’s a shorter cruise, ours could just be cancelled, as this has happened in twice a couple of months ago. 
 

I have not received anything from Cunard to indicate a later boarding time, so we are aiming to head down around 12. Hopefully all will be well. 

[bluemarble]

Just heard on VTS radio that QE is planning an on time 16:30 departure.

Edited March 30, 2022 by bluemarble

[bluemarble]

QE has called in that they are waiting for "1 or 2 passengers".

 

Edit to add: All passengers now on board. Should be underway shortly.

Edited March 30, 2022 by bluemarble

[ace2542]

10 minutes ago, bluemarble said:

QE has called in that they are waiting for "1 or 2 passengers".

 

Edit to add: All passengers now on board. Should be underway shortly.

This cruise will be a big sign of how things will be moving forward.

[Host Hattie]

I have moved posts discussing Covid on the last cruise to here

Please do not disrupt this new thread 

 

Thank you

 

 

 

[aday10]

We got up at 8am and headed down for breakfast at 9am. It was a relaxing start to our day. 

 

We left for the testing centre at 11.45am and did get lost of the way. We luckily found it and there was a small queue, it took us around 20 minutes at the testing centre, and we then headed for ocean terminal. At CPS we had a short wait before they sorted us out, and I have to say I am slightly disappointed that there is no one to help us get the luggage onto trolleys and given to the staff to go on the ship. 

 

We then headed inside and after about 5 minutes, we got our results to say we are all negative! We went to the desk and checked in, headed for the priority security (which took longer than the normal security) and this took about 15 minutes in total. We finally boarded at 1.20, so about and hour and half in total! Plus our luggage was waiting for us, which was great. 

 

We went to the queens grill restaurant for lunch at 1.40, had three courses and got out about 3.40, it was very busy, unsurprisingly! We then headed back to the room and unpacked, chilled a bit and I then showed my boyfriend around. 

 

We have been asked to wear masks when walking around indoors which I completely understand and happy to do so! Just thankful to be back cruising. We also got two complimentary masks waiting on the bed for us to use. 

 

We set sail around 5.20, and now I’m about to get ready for dinner, going to see if we can make it to the 7.15 quiz, although not sure if the grandparents will be up in time! 

[rakkor]

48 minutes ago, aday10 said:

We have been asked to wear masks when walking around indoors which I completely understand and happy to do so! Just thankful to be back cruising. We also got two complimentary masks waiting on the bed for us to use. 

 

 

Jane found the "round your head" masks kept riding up and messing her long hair, so she asked our steward if he had any of the "over the ear" types and he duly delivered to much happiness.

 

[Jonem2001]

Not wanting to hijack @aday10’s thread, but I’m also aboard and offered to upload some current ephemera for people in the thread from the previous cruise.

 

It feels very normal still - as people have mentioned up-thread, masks and buffet service have returned to minimal risk modes.

 

Tonight is Gala Night, and tomorrow a sea day (I’ll stick the Daily Planner for tomorrow on when I get it later, for completeness). If anyone has any questions today I can answer them whilst we’re in Amsterdam and I still have 4G signal. Wi-Fi service, as mentioned elsewhere, is… poor, so tomorrow will be relaxingly incommunicado I suspect! 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by Jonem2001

[Host Hattie]

Thanks for posting the Daily Programmes, I hope you're having a good trip.

[Jonem2001]

2 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

Thanks for posting the Daily Programmes, I hope you're having a good trip.

Absolutely first rate, I have to say! This cruise was supposed to have taken place in November 2020; but was delayed twice due to COVID and once due to Storm Arwen. Fourth time lucky, and couldn’t be happier to be on board.

[Jonem2001]

Tomorrow’s ‘Sea Day’ Daily Programme for completeness!

[Host Hattie]

Thanks for posting.

Lynne Truss as a lecturer should be good, it looks like you're back to a full schedule. Enjoy your formal night and your sea day.

[Jonem2001]

On 4/1/2022 at 7:35 PM, Host Hattie said:

Thanks for posting.

Lynne Truss as a lecturer should be good, it looks like you're back to a full schedule. Enjoy your formal night and your sea day.

Lynne Truss was very droll, and possibly the best Insights lecturer I’ve personally enjoyed.

 

The entertainment staff switch over after this cruise (last of the winter block, I believe?) and they put in an excellent ‘Hollywood Nights’ performance for the gala. And the live music and dancing tuition offerings seemed much appreciated by those partaking.

 

I was on QM2 last month and I have to say this cruise feels much more akin to a full, pre-pandemic programme compared with that; so I feel very grateful. Such a shame the preceding one was so impacted. Honestly, I haven’t noticed any disappearances amongst nearby tables or heard any health-related announcements at all. A short cruise length here probably helped.

 

I shall be disembarking tomorrow a happy (albeit slightly overfed) passenger!

[aday10]

Apologies for not updating, barely looked at my phone the whole holiday!
 

31st March 

We woke at 8am, made ourselves coffee and got ready for breakfast. We knocked for nanna and grandad and headed up for breakfast just after 9. I got the melon and eggs florentine. I can’t say the main was that nice, I would have preferred it hotter, and the portion was too large! The smoothie was lovely though, a nice extra. 

 

We tried to get in the grills lounge for a coffee but it was packed and all the tables were full, so we ended up getting a coffee from the lido and sitting in the card room for a bit. 

 

We headed for lunch at 12.30ish, and it was lovely sitting there as we had a window seat and could really enjoy cruising up the canal. The food was yummy and a lot quicker than yesterday. We then headed back to the room for a nap. My grandparents stayed asleep and we went to the golden lion for a drink and to play dominos. The weather in amsterdam was pretty awful so we didn’t get off. We got ready for dinner and then did the wipeout quiz, we did even worse than yesterday! Then it was time to get a photo again and head for dinner. I ordered the lobster off the Al a charge menu and it was amazing! My boyfriend ordered steak off the daily menu, and asked for the Parmesan and truffle fries that were on offer at lunch time to be told this wasn’t possible. But when they brought his main out, they removed the normal fries from his plate and replaced them with the fries he requested. Our dinner was lovely, as were the desserts and the petit fours. We went to the golden lion and enjoyed the drinks and music, although the drinks menu is limited and when I asked for other cocktails, I was told they didn’t have the ingredients and to order off the menu. We dropped grandad back off at the stateroom and went to the night club for 2 more cocktails before heading to bed ourselves. 

[aday10]

1st April 

We woke at our usual 8am time and got ready for breakfast. My grandparents decided to not get off the ship as it was snowing, so it was only the two of us that got off. We walked around for about an hour in the city centre, and then got back on the ship around 1ish, collected nanna and grandad and went for lunch in the Queens Grill again. Could not fault it! We then popped into the lounge for a latte and played some card games before going back to the stateroom for a nap. I enjoyed a bath, with the jets on and I have to say I was very impressed! 

 

Tonight is the black and white ball, even though the tv says red and gold! Most people were dressed smartly, but there were a few who were not. We enjoyed the wipeout quiz again, although we lost! Dinner was nice, although I had lobster off the daily menu and it was not as good as yesterdays. I did also find part of the shell still attached to the meat which we not enjoyable. 

 

We went to the show tonight and it was amazing! It was the performers last show before they get off on Sunday and they were great! My boyfriend was very impressed, although we were both very thirsty during the show and I do miss being able to take the drinks into the theatre. We then went to the golden lion and met nanna and grandad for a couple more drinks before retiring. I noticed I’d got a rash covering around 60% of my body and have no idea where it has come from, it seems like I am allergic to something on here. 

[Host Hattie]

Thank you for your reports. The rash sounds worrying, I hope you're OK ?

[aday10]

2nd April 

 

We got up at our usual time and headed to breakfast, it was good, and it was snowing at sea. We noticed a few people in the hot tubs! 

 

We skipped lunch today and went to afternoon tea at the princess grills. I have to say it was disappointing. We arrived and we’re not welcomed, had to wait for a table and then given a menu with two tea options, when we asked for those we were told it was English afternoon tea, and for me to get the Earl grey was more hassle for the staff. The food was lovely but if you want the full Cunard afternoon experience I’d head to the queens room, 100 times better, and you are welcome there. 

 

Sadly when we got back to the room it was time to pack and then get ready for dinner. It was extremely busy in the restaurant, as nearly every table had ordered one of the dishes that are completed at the table. I tried caviar after my starter, and I have to say it was presented beautifully. We then waited around 45 minutes for a mains, and sadly my sea bass was very bland. Dessert was lovely though! We went to the casino for a bit, but were not lucky, and then finished off in the queens room. 

 

When we got back to the room we noticed we had another bottle of Pol Acker waiting for us, so that has also been packed with our bottles of spirits. With regards to the spirits, my grandparents didn’t receive theirs until this evening, even though I chased it up on the second day. I don’t think this was good enough. 

[aday10]

4 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

Thank you for your reports. The rash sounds worrying, I hope you're OK ?

It’s still not gone, and I noticed it got worse when I was in bed, so I am wondering if it’s the detergent from the sheets, I shall see how I get over the next couple of days, but I will pop to the chemist tomorrow! 

[aday10]

Currently now on our way home, we got up at 7am and got to breakfast at 8.10am. It was lovely and we didn’t feel rushed at all. We got back to our room at 9am and the room had been cleaned mostly and we collected our luggage and headed to the lifts. We had to wait about 10 minutes for a lift (we would have walked down, but my grandparents can’t manage 4 flights of stairs and their hand luggage). We got a lift all to ourselves and our luggage was waiting for us. CPS was a simple as ever, and we were on our way home by 9.30am! Should be home by 11.30am. 
 

I have noticed I have been sneezing this morning so will do a test once I am back. My Nan has been coughing and sneezing, but she’s been doing daily tests and all are negative, so I most likely have caught what she’s got. 

[aday10]

Overall we had a lovely cruise and the covid rules in place did not affect our holiday. My boyfriend would like to try a longer cruise and we are going to look at doing a transatlantic on the QM2, as this is something I have always wanted to do.
 

As it was only 4 night cruise, we didn’t need the extra space of the suite, although it was nice! The canapés were left for us with no description of what they, so the first two nights we did not touch them, and after that our butler didn’t bring them. My nan got hers every night and enjoyed them though. 

 

We were never offered fresh fruit in the suite, and we did not receive any chocolates on embarkation day, when I asked about this he said they were not available. We didn’t need them, but when you book the suites, they are listed. The bath and shower were incredible, I can’t fault it in the slightest! 

 

The queens grill restaurant is nice, but the quality of the food was exactly the same as the Main dining room, and while it was nice to have the same table for all meals, I wouldn’t say it was worth the 3k more. I did noticed  it seemed like when you would ask for something different it could me some trouble convincing the waiters, but they did accommodate us mostly, and always friendly. i have also only recently started to eat fish, so I would receive the menu the day before in the main dining room and also have an Al a crate menu, so if wasn’t very different for me. It was nice having the extra options to choice from for my partner and grandparents though. 

 

The entertainment was really lacking. I understand with covid, it has to be scaled back, but on a 4 night cruise I would expect them to not repeat a show, and there were two nights were we had a folk band playing in the theatre/queens room and the comedian.  I would have rather of had two shows with the singer and dancers, or something exciting, like acrobats. We only went to one show in the end. 
 

We enjoyed the music in the golden lion, but it finishes at 12am, even though there were loads of tables left which is a shame. And the nightclub is good, but as it’s the only place open after 1, it gets busy and you struggle to get a table. 

 

There was not much mention of Covid on board, and I did not see any rooms quarantining. We did have to wear our masks throughout the ship and most people stuck to the 4 people in a lift rule, although we didn’t mind more people joining us if they needed to. 

 

If I was booking a short cruise, I’ll stick with the main dining room, or pay a little extra for a club, but not for queens grill as to me it’s not worth it. We didn’t touch our spirits as we like to enjoy the bars, but I think If I was booking a weeks cruise then I could see that you could dine in your room with a couple of drinks on a few of the nights. I would like to try princess to compare as well, so I’ll start looking for deals tonight aha. 

 

If the queens grill is cheap enough I would book it again, but definitely not for a short cruise as there’s not enough time to enjoy the extras you are paying for, as you want to enjoy the ship. 

 

Since I have been cruising for 13 years now, I have noticed a decline in Cunard, which does frustrate me. I remember the first couple of cruises, there being a lot more cocktail options, larger menu options etc. Covid has affected it a lot and I hope that it will get better but I doubt it. 

 

There were 100s of people not dressed smart enough for my liking, dresses I would wear in the day time are being worn as evening dresses, and men in jeans and T-shirt, women in Ugg boots and leggings. It’s really disappointing as really jackets should be required every evening. 

 

Pros of Queens Grill

• Lovely bath with jets and a powerful shower 
• Coffee machine 
• Sparkling and still bottles of water 
• Canapés (if you want them) 
• Extra space 
• Slightly larger balcony with cushions blankets etc
• A wallet for your card to go in (I think this is just a grills thing?)

 

Cons of the queens grill

• afternoon tea could have better service 
• Need more waiters in the Queens grill as waiting times are a little long 
• No chocolates in the room on embarkation day
• No offer of the fresh fruit 
• Our butler didn’t do much more than what the usual stewards does (although we were not hosting any parties in our rooms) 
• Grills lounge is very small 

 

Pros of the ship

• very clean and staff friendly 
• Can leave luggage in the room on the last day whilst you have breakfast and then collect it 
• A fair amount of photographers on the evenings 
• shops and art gallery has a nice selection of items
• Everywhere was open and lots of quizzes on offer

 

Cons of the ship 

• not as much entertainment, especially after 12am 
• Buffet area after 12am is not available really 
• Drinks Menus are scaled back (seems like this happens every couple of years) 
• Room service for vegans/vegetarians/pescatarians after 11pm is very limited 
• Dress code is non existent 
• Lager was flat from both bottles and on draft