Back on Queen Anne again.

[Victoria2]

6 minutes ago, ShipboardSteve said:

Now if only they could hand out those over ear sound muffs for those who want to watch and enjoy the loud sounds of the events on the screen and leave those who prefer a quieter atmosphere some peace - or even have quiet music as an option instead of the football or tennis?

Was your big screen day time experience noisy?

The Open had no sound when I watched it.

 

Now the evening concerts screened  'had life' but then that's what concerts are all about. A great Queen with Adam Lambert screening had a great audience. The Hans Zimmer concert was reasonably attended but the Two Steps from Hell concert had a  sparse audience which was others' loss as it was superb. The name could have put folk off though! 😄

[sogne]

29 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

That sounds a bit quick !

Excellent waiters suitably rewarded.

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, ShipboardSteve said:

 

The cabins that become free you are welcome to book, and enjoy the excellent service that Queen Anne offers.

I’m already booked thank you. 

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, Ukulele girl said:

We were on QA last week in MDR upstairs and found very slow service most nights when we sat down for dinner at 5.30. We were usually out by 7.10 having had 3 courses plus coffee. Sound levels were fine. I have sensitive hearing and my husband has hearing aids and we both found it to be comfortable. 

I don’t see three courses and coffee in 1hr 40mins amounts to very slow service. Much faster and I would have felt rushed.

[exlondoner]

45 minutes ago, sogne said:

Excellent waiters suitably rewarded.

Didn’t you feel rushed?

[si_boy]

59 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Was your big screen day time experience noisy?

The Open had no sound when I watched it.

 

Now the evening concerts screened  'had life' but then that's what concerts are all about. A great Queen with Adam Lambert screening had a great audience. The Hans Zimmer concert was reasonably attended but the Two Steps from Hell concert had a  sparse audience which was others' loss as it was superb. The name could have put folk off though! 😄

The Queen with Adam Lambert concert on the big screen last night was amazing, great sound quality providing an awesome atmosphere.
With the roof open until late, almost an open air concert.
Quite a few watching as we were getting ready to leave Rotterdam, which was amazing btw.

Volume not as high for the football commentary this afternoon, but then you got the noise when Arsenal scored!!

[sogne]

1 hour ago, exlondoner said:

Didn’t you feel rushed?

Not when u r going  down Sogne fiord and nordfiord in glorious sunshine + passing Larvik birthplace of my father.

[Winifred 22]

6 hours ago, ShipboardSteve said:

I had hoped the dining would have been sorted out as a matter of highest priority by the managers.  Clearly it is not, and we are now cancelling all our existing bookings on Queen Anne - when I go on a cruise I certainly don't want this kind of hassle every evening. It would totally ruin my holiday. 

I was on the 14 night Med cruise July and August. No issues with dining in Britannia whatsoever. Fixed 2nd sitting table for one.  Hot food served by pleasant efficient waiters. Only one night longer wait but I had ordered 2 courses off menu. Had to say much better than QM2 in May. I would sail again in a heart beat. Only reason not booked anything until December 2026  is I have  4 QV and 3 QM2 jollies first. Certainly hassle free. 

[majortom10]

16 hours ago, Winifred 22 said:

I was on the 14 night Med cruise July and August. No issues with dining in Britannia whatsoever. Fixed 2nd sitting table for one.  Hot food served by pleasant efficient waiters. Only one night longer wait but I had ordered 2 courses off menu. Had to say much better than QM2 in May. I would sail again in a heart beat. Only reason not booked anything until December 2026  is I have  4 QV and 3 QM2 jollies first. Certainly hassle free. 

I think the only real problem they are having on QA is Open Dining. People book with the thought of just turning up at a time that suits and can vary day by day. I know in July they weren't happy about that and seemed to be struggling.  They expected you to book a time for every night at begining of cruise which defeats the idea of Open Dining.

[TouchstoneFeste]

On 8/31/2024 at 4:23 AM, si_boy said:

Currently on Queen Anne and said to my wife about passengers getting the toilets confused when I overhead ladies saying they had mistakenly gone into the gents only realising when they saw the urinals.

Are the rooms not marked at all, or is the signage just confusing? Pix?

[si_boy]

3 minutes ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

Are the rooms not marked at all, or is the signage just confusing? Pix?

Signage is confusing, no text and the images are very similar. Sorry no pix.

[si_boy]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

I think the only real problem they are having on QA is Open Dining. People book with the thought of just turning up at a time that suits and can vary day by day. I know in July they weren't happy about that and seemed to be struggling.  They expected you to book a time for every night at begining of cruise which defeats the idea of Open Dining.

So last night, a much better service. Same time and seated in a similar area as the night before.
What had changed?

A lot more servers and wait staff working the tables.

The MDR was as busy with guests as the night before, but no queues to get in.
We stayed for coffee and petit fours and everything felt right, no long waits between courses and it was a pleasant 1 hour 45 minutes. Food was hotter too.
We overheard others talking about how slow it was the night before,

I am sure it hadn’t gone unnoticed.

[Victoria2]

15 minutes ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

Are the rooms not marked at all, or is the signage just confusing? Pix?

Doors have what I would term modern signage and to be perfectly honest, I didn't find them confusing at all.

[Colin_Cameron]

1 hour ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

Are the rooms not marked at all, or is the signage just confusing? Pix?

Where the rooms are side-by-side the difference in signage is clear. Where they are not together the sign on the 'Gents' is ambiguous.

[TouchstoneFeste]

43 minutes ago, Colin_Cameron said:

Where the rooms are side-by-side the difference in signage is clear. Where they are not together the sign on the 'Gents' is ambiguous.

I've decided I may not want to know what that means.

[Victoria2]

44 minutes ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

I've decided I may not want to know what that means.

It's a UK, well worn and common shortened form of Gentlemen.

 

'Going to the Gents' is probably the equivalent of a term I heard in the US 'Going to the John' and to probably answer the comment, I can tell the difference of a stand alone loo sign on QA.

Edited September 1 by Victoria2

[exlondoner]

41 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

It's a UK, well worn and common shortened form of Gentlemen.

 

'Going to the Gents' is probably the equivalent of a term I heard in the US 'Going to the John' and to probably answer the comment, I can tell the difference of a stand alone loo sign on QA.

Though I’m very good at reading words, I have terrible trouble with pictograms. I have been known to stand in front of loos for a minute or two, trying to decide which I am.

[*Miss G*]

10 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Though I’m very good at reading words, I have terrible trouble with pictograms. I have been known to stand in front of loos for a minute or two, trying to decide which I am.

 

Same!  Some can be really ambiguous.  It helps when they are close to each other so I can compare the two.  I have noticed, more and more, that they are now being designated as universal toilets so they do not distinguish between male and female.  I have seen this in several countries.

 

Speaking of ambiguity… my worst experience was in Manchester Airport!  I saw the “Toilets” sign, with arrow pointing toward a back hallway.  I followed it down to where I saw some doors.  The only one I could find said “Wudu Facility”.  I kept going down to the end of the hall but could see nothing which might look like a toilet.  I came back out, checked the “Toilets” sign, again, to make sure I was where I was supposed to be, then went back down the hall to look again.  Finally, I decided to peek in the Wudu Facility.  It was the ladies toilets!  You know you have gone too far to be inclusive when a lady can’t recognise the door to the ladies.  🤷‍♀️

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Same!  Some can be really ambiguous.  It helps when they are close to each other so I can compare the two.  I have noticed, more and more, that they are now being designated as universal toilets so they do not distinguish between male and female.  I have seen this in several countries.

 

Speaking of ambiguity… my worst experience was in Manchester Airport!  I saw the “Toilets” sign, with arrow pointing toward a back hallway.  I followed it down to where I saw some doors.  The only one I could find said “Wudu Facility”.  I kept going down to the end of the hall but could see nothing which might look like a toilet.  I came back out, checked the “Toilets” sign, again, to make sure I was where I was supposed to be, then went back down the hall to look again.  Finally, I decided to peek in the Wudu Facility.  It was the ladies toilets!  You know you have gone too far to be inclusive when a lady can’t recognise the door to the ladies.  🤷‍♀️

So much for protected safe spaces for women - a legal requirement in the UK. 

[ShipboardSteve]

A Wudu facility is a special 'cleansing' room before going to pray!  Perhaps this was essential in the modern world of passenger flights!!

[*Miss G*]

5 minutes ago, ShipboardSteve said:

A Wudu facility is a special 'cleansing' room before going to pray!  Perhaps this was essential in the modern world of passenger flights!!

Even more “essential “ is being able to go to the toilet when you need to!

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, *Miss G* said:

Even more “essential “ is being able to go to the toilet when you need to!

True but every day is an education.

 

I've googled loo signs after this thread and there are some cracking 'pictograms'! Love the 'crossed legged' ones of both obviously male and female!

[*Miss G*]

6 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

I've googled loo signs after this thread and there are some cracking 'pictograms'! Love the 'crossed legged' ones of both obviously male and female!

 

That was me!! 😂

[Colin_Cameron]

I love these ones that I saw at a bungee jumping facility in New Zealand.

[exlondoner]

15 minutes ago, Colin_Cameron said:

I love these ones that I saw at a bungee jumping facility in New Zealand.

That skirt must be made of metal.