HeinBloed Blog: QUEEN VICTORIA - Southampton - Hamburg - 07-09 Jan 2024

[HeinBloed]

 

The first HeinBloed blog of this year takes us to QUEEN VICTORIA.

 

It's hard to believe that it's been 16 years since we sailed with her for the first time.

 

It was a love-hate relationship, and now we love it, but that's also because we have a lot of friends at Cunard who make sure we don't lack anything.

 

We, therefore, fly back to London City and spend the night in Stratford. From there, we get to Waterloo for the train to Southampton the next day.

 

https://heinbloed-cunard.blogspot.com/2024/01/tagday-0a-auf-dem-weg-zuron-way-to.html

 

 

 

 

I had a crazy idea to take the subway across London during the day.

 

Luckily, we're tough. With a lot of experience at Deutsche Bahn with train cancellations, the route closure to Southampton can't upset us any further.

 

We had to go to another London station and change trains once, but we got to Southampton earlier than planned. Above all, we were lucky in misfortune: we could experience first-class service on the Cross Country Railway. Wow.

 

We were even luckier in the evening: ARCADIA said goodbye to its world voyage, and we experienced the fireworks set off for her.

 

This time, not for Indians but for Dim Sum in Southampton. Delicious.

 

https://heinbloed-cunard.blogspot.com/2024/01/tagday-0b-auf-dem-weg-zuron-way-to.html

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, I must greet her early in the morning when she comes in.

 

But Fred Olsen's BOREALIS also comes in — the former ROTTERDAM from Holland America.

 

I am allowed to check in for the first time as a Cunard Club World Diamond member. But we have to wait because check-in starts unusually late.

 

But we are home very quickly: The German Cunard magazine Queens featured an article by Chrystal. She is happy that we have already translated everything for her.

 

Julieta ensures that Bruno can start our QUEEN MARY 2 Transatlantic as Diamond.

 

We meet Jonathan, Dominic, and Cullum, whom we know from our last trips.

 

But we meet you fellow passengers from VALIANT LADY: Lisa.

 

We finally managed to eat in La Piazza in the evening. We experience excellent service from Olga and Anniefildah.

 

My evening ends at a silent disco event.

 

https://heinbloed-cunard.blogspot.com/2024/01/tagday-1-auf-deron-queen-victoria-in.html

 

 

We enjoy the day at sea with a lot of peace. Just relax for a day. We met new friends from the forum Andreas and the Facebook group Wolfgang and Christiane.

 

We are happy about Izat and Desiree, who we know from before. Alex and Erwin deliver exceptional service.

 

The break from everyday life felt good.

 

https://heinbloed-cunard.blogspot.com/2024/01/seetagday-at-sea-2-auf-deron-queen.html

 

 

And the most beautiful short trip comes to an end quickly. In the end, I got my special breakfast again.

 

We're lucky the railway workers' strike starts later so that we can return quickly with the high-speed train ICE.

 

Cunard will continue on QUEEN MARY 2 from New York to Southampton at the beginning of January 2025.

 

In March, we'll be going on CELEBRITY INFINITY. Unfortunately, Israel and Egypt are deleted. Instead, Thessaloniki and Limassol get to know each other as new ports.

 

https://heinbloed-cunard.blogspot.com/2024/01/tagday-3-auf-deron-queen-victoria-in.html