"Back Home" on QUEEN VICTORIA (5-27 May)

[WantedOnVoyage]

We remember the “Welcome Home” sign over the gangway of the much missed CARONIA  and whilst not physically present over that of QUEEN VICTORIA, our 5-27 May cruise in her… Southampton to Cadiz, Malaga, Palma, Civitavecchia, Rhodes, Kusadasi, Istanbul, Santorini, Piraeus and Katakalon, ending in Rome… indeed felt like “going home.”  

For we QV devotees, it was great to see so very many familiar faces among both the passengers and crew from past trips and be remembered.  Much of the Princess Grill staff were familiar and we were favoured with that “best seat in the house” looking aft. Grill Lounge had the two best stewards we’ve experienced.  We love the QV and her crew love her.  So it was often a real family atmosphere. And we made new friends among crew and passengers alike. 

As for QV herself, sad to say she looked pretty woebegone… so different from October.  Externally, there is a dismal amount of stained and rusted paintwork, our balcony was so filthy we thought of buying a bucket and scrub brush ashore and cleaning it ourselves.  Although there was near constant (and often intrusive) scraping and painting, it never seems to get to the final white finish coat and QV looks like a spotty 13 year old. All the more embarrassing when we kept seeing immaculate MSC ships alongside us. Inside, she’s OK though but I think we got at most three linen changes… in three weeks. Not good.

Overall, the food and service in PG was exemplary although the nature of these segmented fly cruises lets Cunard repeat the menu every seven days which is not impressive at all. Escargot featured just once and the a la carte menu is as dull as dishwater.  I was favoured with three special orders of kedgeree for breakfast though! But table side preparation is minimal. Biggest failure are the epic waits (25 mins!!) between courses on many nights and this is an increasing issue. My wife who is celiac, sadly and surprisingly got gluten poisoning in the Verandah Restaurant at lunch the last day… first time that’s happened on Cunard. 

Yacht Club was back to somewhat normal… thankfully karaoke has been relegated to the pub and wretched “Silent Disco” remarkably exiled to the Ball Room (!).  Live music once and quite a few formal dance evenings to recorded music which were very popular.   Still our favourite room and most of the staff are regulars like us. 

The fly cruise pattern meant a changeover in passengers every week so the character of the ship changed too… often not for the better. In particular, a large contingent of Spanish speaking passengers who, shall we say, decided their  translation of Cunard dress code on formal evenings was shorts and tees and yes they were free to so dress.  Not good. I complained at the pursers office but Cunard wants cash not compliance.  Overall the dress code was vaguely 80% compliance with some astonishing non conformers.  

Oh… the day we disembarked, they introduced a bizarre new drinks menu that had all the crew shaking their heads. Some epic price increases and apparently martinis are literally off the list now… you have to ask for one and guess the cost. But lots of “hip” low alcohol cocktails and “smokey” ones whatever that is.  Who is making these decisions??? Astonishing really. 

All in all, great to have “been home” aboard QUEEN VICTORIA and worth enduring the return flight back, too.  Cunard runs an efficient Rome operation btw.
 

[aaaaa]

34 minutes ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

As for QV herself, sad to say she looked pretty woebegone… so different from October. Externally, there is a dismal amount of stained and rusted paintwork, our balcony was so filthy we thought of buying a bucket and scrub brush ashore and cleaning it ourselves.

Ugh.  Sorry to read this but glad that, overall, you enjoyed your time on-board.

[david63]

41 minutes ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

apparently martinis are literally off the list now

Better be back on by September or my wife will be having a tantrum!!

[WantedOnVoyage]

9 minutes ago, david63 said:

Better be back on by September or my wife will be having a tantrum!!

 

I was showed the new list the final evening and it induced an order two of the now "secret" martinis in succession... maybe it's a Roaring Twenties speakeasy atmosphere they are striving for.  I do like the crew reaction to it all... Cunard "management" is loved and respected by all. Not. 

 

I do pity the poor folks whose back to back cruises started with one list and ended with another and yes there are some eye popping price increases too so doubly painful for pay as you go drinkers.  

Edited May 28 by WantedOnVoyage

[foodsvcmgr]

Perhaps the new drinks menu was created by the same individual who changed the G&T glass to a red wine balloon as I experienced on QV last year!

I was able to request the proper tall glass however and the staff in Commodore quickly remembered to serve mine accordingly.

[Host Hattie]

27 minutes ago, foodsvcmgr said:

Perhaps the new drinks menu was created by the same individual who changed the G&T glass to a red wine balloon as I experienced on QV last year!

I was able to request the proper tall glass however and the staff in Commodore quickly remembered to serve mine accordingly.

I'm not sure where you are based but the Copa G&T glasses are widely used on this side of the Atlantic. 

[exlondoner]

2 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

I'm not sure where you are based but the Copa G&T glasses are widely used on this side of the Atlantic. 

Thank you. I was worrying I had been using the wrong glasses intermittently for the last fifty years.

[foodsvcmgr]

I’m in the U.S. and G&T or most any drink with one liquor plus a mixer is served in tall straight “hi-ball” or “Collin’s” style glass.

Had honestly never seen anything different in 65 cruises including 10 prior with Cunard or hotels or restaurants here or abroad.

Interestingly QV’s Filipina staff seemed to find it unusual also.

I stand corrected, but still prefer what I’ve always been accustomed to…..

[Host Hattie]

This is Cunard’s own advertising, I think the copa shape is supposed to help the aromatics.

 

[foodsvcmgr]

Thanks HH, makes sense in the vein of red wine breathing, odd that I’ve never encountered it prior.

[LEESRE]

Pity you did not say what the Eye Watering prices were for a cocktail?

 

How much have they gone up to please.

[WantedOnVoyage]

For starters, most anything that was flirting with $11.60 is now a flat $12 or more and most all of the wines by the glass are now $12, some reaching that from $9 ish.   The most outrageous increase, of course, happens to my wife's favourite Gusbourne English sparking wine which exploded from $12.30 to an astonishing $16.  There is a new prosecco (Cunard Private Label) replacing the now tedious Zonin and that is now something like $9.20 a glass.  

 

The bar tenders said they could do "my" Negroni and  cheap Gordon's martini for the old prices but you won't even find a price for a martini in the new lists fullstop. I think there are about four basic cocktails $12 and under now. 

 

I was shown these new lists as a courtesy in advance of their release so could not get my hands on one to give more examples.  But if you fancy "non alcoholic" "mocktails" (good grief), "smokey cocktails" (?) and "low alcohol" cocktails.... and prepared to fork over $13-14 a clip, it's all good. 

 

Hopefully some kind soul will post these new lists but if you were budgeting cost per drink vs. the drinks package, all this seems designed to make one opt for the latter. 

[NE John]

7 hours ago, foodsvcmgr said:

Perhaps the new drinks menu was created by the same individual who changed the G&T glass to a red wine balloon as I experienced on QV last year!

I was able to request the proper tall glass however and the staff in Commodore quickly remembered to serve mine accordingly.

I’ve been serving them at home in a nice red wine glass (with Fever Tree Indian tonic water of course) and it’s made a difference in enjoying a G&T. @Host Hattie maybe I was born on the wrong side of the Atlantic?  I actually knew who Midge Ure was!

 

Edited May 28 by NE John

[Victoria2]

10 minutes ago, NE John said:

I’ve been serving them at home in a nice red wine glass (with Fever Tree Indian tonic water of course) and it’s made a difference in enjoying a G&T. @Host Hattie maybe I was born on the wrong side of the Atlantic?  I actually knew who Midge Ure was!

 

For those of a certain age, Midge Ure co-ordinated Live Aid with Bob Geldorf  in '84 which might have brought him to the consciousness of the US.

[foodsvcmgr]

NE John - everyone has convinced me to try my G&T this way if this indeed is the normal/correct presentation on QV this September.

Clearly I spent too many years focused on the food and operations side of the F&B industry and should have paid a bit more attention to beverage lol… 

I also pack my cocktails with ice which I’m sure many here will disagree with also.

Just a matter of taste and what one is accustomed to really.

Thanks all for the interesting discussion!

[NE John]

19 minutes ago, foodsvcmgr said:

NE John - everyone has convinced me to try my G&T this way if this indeed is the normal/correct presentation on QV this September.

Clearly I spent too many years focused on the food and operations side of the F&B industry and should have paid a bit more attention to beverage lol… 

I also pack my cocktails with ice which I’m sure many here will disagree with also.

Just a matter of taste and what one is accustomed to really.

Thanks all for the interesting discussion!

Don’t forget plenty of lime. 

[rmsEtruria]

3 hours ago, NE John said:

I’ve been serving them at home in a nice red wine glass (with Fever Tree Indian tonic water of course) and it’s made a difference in enjoying a G&T. @Host Hattie maybe I was born on the wrong side of the Atlantic?  I actually knew who Midge Ure was!

 

Mary Ure—yes, barely. Midge, never heard of . . . .

[Germancruiser]

I more and more read of the slipping standards of Cunard. They should take care of their reputation- yes it is Carnival, who is repsonsible - but still...! I will see how the QM2 is doing in 10 days time.

[Victoria2]

4 hours ago, Germancruiser said:

I more and more read of the slipping standards of Cunard. They should take care of their reputation- yes it is Carnival, who is repsonsible - but still...! I will see how the QM2 is doing in 10 days time.

Don't believe all you read.

Wait until you experience it for yourself.

 

If standards were slipping as much as some imply, we'd be off to see what Regent could offer us and so far, we're happy bunnies on Cunard.

[Germancruiser]

Thanks Victoria2 and you are right- I am also still a happy bunny on Cunard.

[exlondoner]

11 hours ago, NE John said:

I’ve been serving them at home in a nice red wine glass (with Fever Tree Indian tonic water of course) and it’s made a difference in enjoying a G&T. @Host Hattie maybe I was born on the wrong side of the Atlantic?  I actually knew who Midge Ure was!

 

While I’d never heard of him. Or actually is it a woman? The only Midge I knew was, short for Imogen.

[exlondoner]

11 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

For those of a certain age, Midge Ure co-ordinated Live Aid with Bob Geldorf  in '84 which might have brought him to the consciousness of the US.

Oooops. Obviously not to mine.

[Victoria2]

1 minute ago, exlondoner said:

Oooops. Obviously not to mine.

He co wrote and produced one of the most famous releases of all times.

'Do they know it's Christmas', the charity singlr.

 

He also co produced Live Aid in the 80's, never mind his own music career.

 

He's a great speaker too. Pretty much an all rounder really.

[exlondoner]

Just now, Victoria2 said:

He co wrote and produced one of the most famous releases of all times.

'Do they know it's Christmas', the charity singlr.

 

He also co produced Live Aid in the 80's, never mind his own music career.

 

He's a great speaker too. Pretty much an all rounder really.

Sorry, not my scene. I wish we had had some classical afternoon concerts.

[S1971]

8 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

While I’d never heard of him. Or actually is it a woman? The only Midge I knew was, short for Imogen.

 

As well as Live Aid he was the singer with Ultravox, best known for the single Vienna, it's one of those songs that if you hear it you'll know it.