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

[carlmm]

46 minutes ago, DukeBeetle24 said:

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

Not in my view. Why should it be good to take something away? There are so many venues where they used to and still could offer a wide variety of music and entertainment. No need to mess up the Queens room. 

In the past one could trust in the Queens room orchestra playing dance music every night, now maybe sometimes, who knows. Several evenings none at all. A Cunard trade mark deleted.

[Victoria2]

11 minutes ago, carlmm said:

Not in my view. Why should it be good to take something away? There are so many venues where they used to and still could offer a wide variety of music and entertainment. No need to mess up the Queens room. 

In the past one could trust in the Queens room orchestra playing dance music every night, now maybe sometimes, who knows. Several evenings none at all. A Cunard trade mark deleted.

Or the usage of a room tweaked so more passengers can enjoy the 'main' room.

[DukeBeetle24]

3 hours ago, carlmm said:

Not in my view. Why should it be good to take something away? There are so many venues where they used to and still could offer a wide variety of music and entertainment. No need to mess up the Queens room. 

In the past one could trust in the Queens room orchestra playing dance music every night, now maybe sometimes, who knows. Several evenings none at all. A Cunard trade mark deleted.

Oh well, most passengers seem happy that the venue is being used more for a wider mix of entertainment with a broader appeal, whilst still retaining elements of traditional. 

[sogne]

3 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Or the usage of a room tweaked so more passengers can enjoy the 'main' room.

Quite

[rhiannon84]

I see the Carinthia is now serving "evening savouries" at night. Am I right that this is new? Any ideas what's on the menu? 

[Pushpit]

3 hours ago, rhiannon84 said:

I see the Carinthia is now serving "evening savouries" at night. Am I right that this is new? Any ideas what's on the menu? 

Yes, the "Light Snack" line on the back page of the Daily Programme is new, it wasn't on the programme when I was onboard QV earlier in the year. It's down as the Chart Room, there isn't a Carinthia on QV (though there is on the other ships).  I think the Chart Room did have a limited range of breakfast pastries by the bar, so that aspect isn't new, but I don't recall seeing evening savouries there.

[Winifred 22]

16 hours ago, carlmm said:

Not in my view. Why should it be good to take something away? There are so many venues where they used to and still could offer a wide variety of music and entertainment. No need to mess up the Queens room. 

In the past one could trust in the Queens room orchestra playing dance music every night, now maybe sometimes, who knows. Several evenings none at all. A Cunard trade mark deleted.

As some who has no interest in ballroom dancing I am only too pleased to see the Queens Room being used for other activities  day and evening which I can enjoy and I am sure I am not alone in this view. 

[ElmaLee]

4 hours ago, Winifred 22 said:

As some who has no interest in ballroom dancing I am only too pleased to see the Queens Room being used for other activities  day and evening which I can enjoy and I am sure I am not alone in this view. 

The challenge is to provide a suitable range of activities to accommodate a range of tastes.  I have no interest in karaoke or pub quizes but I understand that other do.  i enjoy dancing and Cunard is one of the few lines which provides a "ballroom at sea".  Dancers have rights (and lefts) too 🙂

[david63]

19 minutes ago, ElmaLee said:

Dancers have rights (and lefts) too

Not all - some have two lefts😄😂

[King Amo]

When I was on QV a few weeks back, I would say there were only maybe half a dozen couples you would call experienced ballroom dancers, but many more novices who appeared to be very much enjoying the less pressured atmosphere of having others in a similar boat trying the steps and routines they had learnt in the lessons and practices. Having the room completely dedicated to ballroom and Latin would have left it pretty empty as most simply would not have had the repertoire to enjoy it to its fullest. 

 

The clientele on a Med fly cruise is not the same as on a transatlantic, or indeed a Southampton round trip, so Cunard is absolutely right to try and do more to provide more that people would find both attractive and accessible. They need to make sure all the spaces are activated, and everyone is having a good time. That may not please the hardcore dance crowd, but it is hardly like they are being completely pushed out. 

[carlmm]

Yesterday we stopped at Sorrento, a tender port.

As my my tables mates and me had decided to go to Capri, we wanted to be on an early ferry. This worked very well and Cunards handling was good. The papers said, handling out tender tickets would start at 8.15, purser's Office recommended to line up early, thus we met at 8 am. In reality there was no line, the distribution of tickets had started already 20 minutes earlier, we got ticket no 5, and were still among the first to tender at around 8.15.

Boarding the tenders was efficient, and we reached Sorrento such early, that we were able to take a ferry one hour before we had planned.

Now Capri: Beautiful. We thorouhly enjoyed sailing around the island ( tickets and boats available right where 8ne leaves the ferries), some apero, some shopping and museums and churches.

[carlmm]

[Host Hattie]

Sounds lovely, it's good to hear that the tendering worked well. 

[carlmm]

The sad part for many came in the evening: The last night of the one week cruise from Trieste to Civitavecchia. Packing and saying good bye to newly found friends.

 

Actually not only to new ones but also to old friends as I had the pleasure to meet and spend time with lovely people I know from previous cruises, too.

[carlmm]

Today the sun is still hiding. Maybe this makes it easier for some to leave the ship.

[carlmm]

As I had to change cabins on Monday, I did not go to Rome or any other further away places but just strolled around Civitavecchia itself. My stations included some churches, which were closed on earlier visits, a museum, a pharmacy and the beach.

Again I just can say that Civitavecchia is in that part of the city is a friendly small Italian town feeling place, worthwhile to visit for a day.

 

[carlmm]

Evening came and so did the sailaway party with good live music but unfortunately not many guest.

What did not come, and still did not come, was the sailaway. 

Instead the Cunard welcome set-up with water station and such was still up. As it turned out, there had been some kind of strike in the morning at least and other flight disruptions. New guest were still arriving far after the original time. Notably, a charter flight from Gatwick was 5 1/2 hours delayed. A couple on my new table was on that flight and thus joined is only the second night. They said everything was very annoying but the big welcome Cunard staff gave them really helped to forget the hussle - so friendly and almost enthusiastic.

[carlmm]

[Host Hattie]

That sounds like a very stressful way to start their cruise but at least the ship waited. That's the benefit of taking the Cunard charter flight.

[beaveh]

52 minutes ago, carlmm said:

Evening came and so did the sailaway party with good live music but unfortunately not many guest.

What did not come, and still did not come, was the sailaway. 

Instead the Cunard welcome set-up with water station and such was still up. As it turned out, there had been some kind of strike in the morning at least and other flight disruptions. New guest were still arriving far after the original time. Notably, a charter flight from Gatwick was 5 1/2 hours delayed. A couple on my new table was on that flight and thus joined is only the second night. They said everything was very annoying but the big welcome Cunard staff gave them really helped to forget the hussle - so friendly and almost enthusiastic.

Yes, I disembarked this cruise to fly back to Gatwick. I can confirm the flight was 5 1/2 late, as I was sitting in Rome airport.

The reason was the plane was due scheduled maintenance and theg couldn't find a slot for it at Gatwick, so they flew it out to Turkey instead. The pilot was pretty fed up as all the crew had been waiting at Gatwick since 6am, they were about to exceed their hours and the flight might get cancelled.  

[Host Hattie]

8 hours ago, beaveh said:

Yes, I disembarked this cruise to fly back to Gatwick. I can confirm the flight was 5 1/2 late, as I was sitting in Rome airport.

The reason was the plane was due scheduled maintenance and theg couldn't find a slot for it at Gatwick, so they flew it out to Turkey instead. The pilot was pretty fed up as all the crew had been waiting at Gatwick since 6am, they were about to exceed their hours and the flight might get cancelled.  

And an even worse way to end it.

[carlmm]

Today, thankfully finally, for the first time live music in the yacht club.

[carlmm]

Oh dear, I am well behind schedule. Cruise life is just to busy 😂.

Thus please ask if anybody is interested in any specific aspect of the QV or the cruise.

 

[carlmm]

A couple of days ago the port was Livorno, fom where I went to Florence using the bus service offered at the shuttle bus drop off point in the city centre. 

Compared to the Cunard offers it is cheaper, starts later, alows less time in Florence and is overall less convenient. At the end of the day they sropped us off right by the ship, thus fortunately no need to use the shuttle again.

Florence? Just beautiful as ever!

(Okay, and very crowded. Implying eg long lines at the accademia even with a prevooked time slot.)

 

[carlmm]

One more example of how overrun Florence is nowadays: Tickets to the cupolla/dome of the cathedrale were not only sold out but the first available date was 24th September, three weeks later.