(Maybe) somewhat live from the Queen Victoria, Trieste to Barcelona

[carlmm]

Oh dear, if it needed any more signs of how much Cunard has changed:

 

- Entertainers constantly addressing the audience with "your guys".

 

- People having a noisy row in the theatre. Some angrily leaving, others shouting at others. Followed by discussions going on for minutes.

[exlondoner]

Don’t you think it may be people changing rather than Cunard?

 

What sort of entertainers? All of them? Constantly?

 

Was this row actually in an event or while waiting for something to start? Did you get to hear what it was about? Back on QE2, I remember a quite fierce row about saving seats.

[carlmm]

Tonights pre-dinner drink is both delicious and served in a beautiful, befitting glass.

Unfortunately it is true, as others have reported before, management has decided to cut down and not serve any canapees anymore. I realley used to enjoy this feature of the Commodore club.

Waiters are friendly and attentive.

The captain walked around and talked to many guests.

[Host Hattie]

Looks good, what was it ?

[carlmm]

4 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

Looks good, what was it ?

One of the drinks in honour of past commodores.

 

Edited August 28 by carlmm

[rog747]

On QA H418 around the Med a couple of weeks ago the evening pre-dinner cocktails in the Commodore Club were served with crisps/olives and nuts....if you were lucky LOL.

sadly no more small morsels before dinner it seems...

I still find the prices very good (reasonable) though for the drinks.

[carlmm]

3 hours ago, rog747 said:

On QA H418 around the Med a couple of weeks ago the evening pre-dinner cocktails in the Commodore Club were served with crisps/olives and nuts....if you were lucky LOL.

That is still the case.

 

Yesterday we were in Split. Walking time from the ship is at least about 15 minutes, more depending on your physical fitness.

Fascinating, how people made use of the Diocletian palace for centuries. For a better understanding of the history and the significance of many of the artefacts, I would recommend either a guided tour or a good guidebook or app. The main square is very small and was very crowded. Queues were also due to the limited number of people fitting into some of the sights, noteably the cathedrale.

[carlmm]

[carlmm]

Interesting were also museums. Here examples from the ethnographic museum and the museum of fine arts.

[carlmm]

Back on board, the aft deck was awaiting with sun, pool and music.

Unfortunately for quite some times people were using the pool as meeting point only, standing right in the middle and talking, blocking about two thirds of the pool. 

Water temperature was a refreshing 27 degrees.

Dinner was again a lovely event with nice table mates. One of them has to preorder his meals due to some medial conditions. Apparently Cunard takes very well care of this issues and makes sure only suitable food is served. 

On the other hand, not all of the item were perfect. Some guests got hard, dry meat.  Cheese and strawberries looked and tasted like being plated days ago.

The waiters are friendly and try to accomodate. The laying of the cutlery is not done properly but just in time for each course.

 

Edited August 29 by carlmm

[carlmm]

We skipped last nights comedian and went straight to the big band night. Here Cunard shines. Music, musicans and singers were great.

Dances were not announced, which at other times helps less proficient dancers.

Unfortunately it ended at 11.30 pm. Generally, Cunard appears to shut down ever earlier. I like to remember the days when live music was played in the Queens room and other places, too, until at least midnight. Just to be followed by the live Band in the yacht club until 1 am or so.

Of course, management has deleted the yacht club band already some time ago, leaving guests with a DJ only.

Today being a sea day, there was nice number of people in the yacht club last night. The music though was, for my taste and that of my table mates, terrible. We still made the best of it and danced sometimes. Nevertheless, one guest called the music horrible.

In past years this could be partly rectified by requesting some songs from the DJ. Not any more.

The blunt respond was, that they have to follow a list and are not allowed to deviate.

What ???

 

Edited August 29 by carlmm

[carlmm]

[carlmm]

Yesterday was a sea day. I took lunch in the Veranda restaurant, which was fully booked. Thus service was maybe a tad less attentive than when less occupied. Apparently some waiters were new there and not fully trained but all were friendly and the head waiter kept everything under control. I guess I will return.

The evening was designated as gala - red and gold. 

This leads to the unpleasant topic of dress standards. The first three nights were designated smart attire. I will not detail out how some interpretate this, but maybe it was even enough for Cunard as they distributed a letter to all guest, reminding that there is a dress code and almost pleading for adherence. Of course there are also a number of guest following the Cunard tradition of jacket and tie on all nights, notably not only older ones but also eg. several in there twenties.

Yet, now, gala night, short sleeved shirts to kahkis, beige suits, no ties, you name it. Some of these even lined up for the CWC reception with the captain, yet I did not see any in the Queens room, just dinner suits and dresses/gowns. Thus maybe there was some kind of minimal enforcement, or maybe I was just to busy talking to officers and fellow guests.

One charming young officers talked how much he liked his job and how much better Cunard takes care of crew and staff than other lines he had been on. Very good to hear!

The captain itself is young and just got promoted to this position. It looks like he enjoys the social part of the duties as he is well around the ship and gave a witty speech at the party.

Another bit of information from the party was the number of certain guests, 66 platinum and 34 diamond.

Drinks and snacks were available.

Overall a very lovely affair.

[carlmm]

Dinner was nice, including eg. monkfish and chateaubriand.

It was the first night, the Queens room orchestra was actually playing all the evening. Many dancers took the opportunity to particapte (well until the early closure of course).

The fun went on in the yacht club with, interestingly, very different music from the day before, mostly very danceable pop standards, with some latin thrown in. It was rather crowded and the dance floor was well used.

[carlmm]

Any questions? Maybe something I did not cover so far?

[Host Hattie]

Thank you again for the updates. Who is your Captain?

[LEESRE]

4 minutes ago, carlmm said:

Any questions? Maybe something I did not cover so far?

We were on the previous cruise, and on Gala Nights the Maitre'd did not let anyone in the MDR without a jacket, he had a rail at the entrance and asked gentlemen who were without a jacket if they needed one, if they refused then he said the Lido Buffet was open.

 I was quite impressed that they enforced this and long may it continue.

[carlmm]

37 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

Thank you again for the updates. Who is your Captain?

It is Captain Jonathan Ward.

[Host Hattie]

Thank you

[King Amo]

Interesting as Tom Connery was on board until 19th, at least. His wife and kids were on board, so perhaps that was the end of his stint and they all went back together. 

[sogne]

43 minutes ago, carlmm said:

It is Captain Jonathan Ward.

When we first met him 10 or so years  ago he was 2nd officer on QE or QV, can't recall which, when he used to give virtual bridge talks in the theatre.

[Planning to cruise]

Well done Jonathan Ward.  I always knew he would make it one day.  He was 3rd Officer on QM2 8 years ago.  Very sociable then.  On a long cruise our room was near the bridge.  If we were in the corridor when he passed he always spoke and also anywhere around the ship.  We spoke again last year when he was deputy on QV.    

[carlmm]

To give you an idea about what is offered on a seaday, ie. today.

[carlmm]

Some noteworthy details:

There are among others

a variety of Cunard insights lectures,

a dance class,

various deck sport activities

and a couple of fitness and art classes.

 

It becomes again very clear that ballroom dancing is not valued by Cunard anymore. Even today, gala night, there are only two sets of dancing replaced by a sing along 😮 in the Queens room later.

Last night the Queens room was used for a comedian, tomorrow it will be a party band. 

Edited August 31 by carlmm

[DukeBeetle24]

1 hour ago, carlmm said:

Some noteworthy details:

There are among others

a variety of Cunard insights lectures,

a dance class,

various deck sport activities

and a couple of fitness and art classes.

 

It becomes again very clear that ballroom dancing is not valued by Cunard anymore. Even today, gala night, there are only two sets of dancing replaced by a sing along 😮 in the Queens room later.

Last night the Queens room was used for a comedian, tomorrow it will be a party band. 

Surely a more balanced mix of entertainment in the Queens Room is a good thing? They haven't removed it fully.