Saga Rose Greenland Voyager August 2007

[Druke I]

Queen Victoria is 90,000GRT, and a modified Vista (HAL hull).

 

Not sure what your definition of a mega-ship is - but she is panamax (able to fit in the current Panama Canal).

[Host Sharon]

Can you tell us more about the QV? Is she a megaship, are there multiple "special" restaurants? Were you roller-blading from bow to stern and back again? Are there plenty of spaces for quiet deck-chair activities?

 

Ruby

 

I suppose she is a mega-ship in comparison with most of the ships you sail on, but she is one of the smallest "new" ships and no - you didn't need roller blades!

 

I would say she was prorbaly the most glamorous ship I have travelled on. A beautiful ballroom, lovely two-deck restaurant but still intimate, and a theatre with boxes. The library is again two decks and the largest at sea I believe. I didn't like the deck areas so much and there didn't seem to be a lot of space for laying in the sun if you wished. I did like the Winter Gardens with sliding glass roof though. Only one speciality restaurant - Todd English, very small casino, in fact a very traditional and classic ship in most respects. On board activites are mainly dancing, quizzes, shuffleboard, classical music concerts etc.

 

I have lots of photos here

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/sharonp40/CruiseShipsQueenVictoria#

 

 

If you want to do a Transatlantic or Transpacific Marion - I would choose QM2. She is designed for long ocean voyages and has a proper deep hull and long bow to cope with rough weather. Not sure I'd want to be on QV if it got very rough.

Edited October 29, 2009 by ships cat

[Druke I]

Thanks for the photo share.

[MMDown Under]

I suppose she is a mega-ship in comparison with most of the ships you sail on, but she is one of the smallest "new" ships and no - you didn't need roller blades!

 

I would say she was prorbaly the most glamorous ship I have travelled on. A beautiful ballroom, lovely two-deck restaurant but still intimate, and a theatre with boxes. The library is again two decks and the largest at sea I believe. I didn't like the deck areas so much and there didn't seem to be a lot of space for laying in the sun if you wished. I did like the Winter Gardens with sliding glass roof though. Only one speciality restaurant - Todd English, very small casino, in fact a very traditional and classic ship in most respects. On board activites are mainly dancing, quizzes, shuffleboard, classical music concerts etc.

 

I have lots of photos here

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/sharonp40/CruiseShipsQueenVictoria#

 

 

If you want to do a Transatlantic or Transpacific Marion - I would choose QM2. She is designed for long ocean voyages and has a proper deep hull and long bow to cope with rough weather. Not sure I'd want to be on QV if it got very rough.

 

Thanks for that tip.

 

Thanks for the photos. It certainly looks a regal ship. I loved the Winter Gardens, theatre boxes, two story library and afternoon tea, plus your balcony room looked inviting. What is the Chart Room?

[MMDown Under]

Are you still using your Kindle, Saga Ruby?

 

I read a report which stated that people with Kindles read many more books than they read previously in hard copy. Do you think that would be true?

 

I have been reading a cruise brochure, where you click on the corners to turn the page. Would that be like a Kindle?

 

Must be a senior now, as I had to click on the largest of three sizes of A's to be able to read the fine print (cabin costs, etc.).

[Host Sharon]

The Chart Room is a bar Marion. It sounds like you were just reading an online brochure. A Kindle (they have just hit our shops now along with the Sony Reader) is a hand-held device onto which you download books, so in theory you could carry your whole library in something the size of one paperback.

[MMDown Under]

The Chart Room is a bar Marion. It sounds like you were just reading an online brochure. A Kindle (they have just hit our shops now along with the Sony Reader) is a hand-held device onto which you download books, so in theory you could carry your whole library in something the size of one paperback.

 

I was wondering where the name "Chart Room" came from. A room where they originally kept the charts/maps came to mind?

 

Re the Kindle, I was wondering if the on line brochure worked the same way, eg you click on the corner to turn the page.

 

I'm intrigued by the Kindle, which sounds perfect for travel.

[Kapricorn]

I'm intrigued by the Kindle, which sounds perfect for travel.

 

The Kindle seems like a useful device. Right now I am reading a 953-page Don Quixote which is kinda heavy in my hands. I found this book in my favourite bookshop in Juneau last July, and decided that at this stage in my life I should start to read some of the classics.

 

Donald.

[MMDown Under]

The Kindle seems like a useful device. Right now I am reading a 953-page Don Quixote which is kinda heavy in my hands. I found this book in my favourite bookshop in Juneau last July, and decided that at this stage in my life I should start to read some of the classics.

 

Donald.

 

Yes, the Kindle would be wonderful for big books especially. It would be great for cruising on those ships that have a tiny library of books in English.

 

Are you enjoying Don Quixote, Donald?

[Saga Ruby]

Are you still using your Kindle, Saga Ruby? I read a report which stated that people with Kindles read many more books than they read previously in hard copy. Do you think that would be true? I have been reading a cruise brochure, where you click on the corners to turn the page. Would that be like a Kindle? Must be a senior now, as I had to click on the largest of three sizes of A's to be able to read the fine print (cabin costs, etc.).

 

Marion - my joke is that my Kindle2 has become my 3rd arm. When I have it on Charge, I miss it! I bought my Kindle on April Fool's Day this year and, in just now checking my archived (already read) books, I have read 46 books since April, give or take perhaps 2 or 3 books which I started to read then deleted due to lack of interest. But, as you can see, I have read well over 40 books since April which is an astounding number and about 3 times the rate I used to read with "real" books. Who knew?

 

I had to laugh at your comment about changing fonts - if my eyes are tired, I might temporarily change to a larger font and sometimes the e-books are published in different-sized fonts so I use whichever size is comfortable. A comment about lifestyle usage for Kindles - I haven't seen an onboard evening's entertainment in years. In the past, I toted hardcover books or, more recently, used the library books onboard. Now with my Kindle, I'm one happy woman - I took 12 books loaded for the Black Sea cruise and read most of them in the quiet of the evening - and the total weight was less than 10 ozs. The Kindle has made a most propitious mark on my lifestyle - definitely one of the best things I've bought in decades. I would never leave home for foreign or domestic travel without it.

 

Look on Amazon's website - they tout their Kindles with great pride and you will see the configuration of the buttons on the device. I like the Kindle2 because it has a nice keyboard at the bottom of the device which the original Kindle did not. And Amazon has brought out a new "international" Kindle which you can use all over the world for downloading books. That is a new version since I purchased my own Kindle2.

 

A Kindle (they have just hit our shops now along with the Sony Reader) is a hand-held device onto which you download books, so in theory you could carry your whole library in something the size of one paperback.

 

Ships cat - You are spot-on with your e-reader comments. My Kindle2 contains the 46 archived books plus about 30 more of my "to be read" inventory. I'm having a blast reading so much without the heaviness of hard-copy books.

 

Thanks so much for the fine photos and your comments about QV. She is the same size as Constellation which was my one and only large ship. I take great interest in your comments about QM being built for global seas - that is quite important whether in the Bay of Biscay or Greenland's angry seas.

 

Ruby

[Kapricorn]

Are you enjoying Don Quixote, Donald?

 

It is an interesting novel of a madman and his adventures. The only problem with that 16th Century novel is frequently that some of the characters would talk, talk and talk without interruption for over a page or two, which we don't in actual life (except for lectures and sermons).

 

Donald.

Edited October 30, 2009 by Kapricorn

[MMDown Under]

It is an interesting novel of a madman and his adventures. The only problem with that 16th Century novel is frequently that some of the characters would talk, talk and talk without interruption for over a page or two, which we don't in actual life (except for lectures and sermons).

 

Donald.

 

Ha.

 

Haven't read the book, but absolutely loved the musical, so can imagine the book would be on the heavy side.

[Saga Ruby]

I have been quite interested in several comments on this thread about QM and QV.

 

With apologies to all you QE2 fans, I never heard the raves and hosannahs about her until this year when QE2 went out of service. Back in the day, comments from the ship-daft crowd about QE2 made me quite comfortable in sailing on other cruise lines and passing up the opportunity to sail on QE2. Several ongoing comments were made about torn carpets, worn cabin furniture, stiff and unbending staff, food that was only average were enough to send me to other cruise lines.

 

And yet the comments I hear about the new Cunard Queens are quite positive about service, staff attitudes, food, interior (and exterior) design. Are they truly an improvement over the older Queens or are they simply newer?

 

Is the general opinion that Cunard got it right with this new generation of their newer ships? More so than their "mid-century" of yesteryear ships?

 

Ruby

[Host Sharon]

I have been quite interested in several comments on this thread about QM and QV.

 

With apologies to all you QE2 fans, I never heard the raves and hosannahs about her until this year when QE2 went out of service. Back in the day, comments from the ship-daft crowd about QE2 made me quite comfortable in sailing on other cruise lines and passing up the opportunity to sail on QE2. Several ongoing comments were made about torn carpets, worn cabin furniture, stiff and unbending staff, food that was only average were enough to send me to other cruise lines.

 

And yet the comments I hear about the new Cunard Queens are quite positive about service, staff attitudes, food, interior (and exterior) design. Are they truly an improvement over the older Queens or are they simply newer?

 

Is the general opinion that Cunard got it right with this new generation of their newer ships? More so than their "mid-century" of yesteryear ships?

 

Ruby

 

I think it is the result of several things Ruby. In today's megaship world, the Cunarders do stand out IMO. First QM2 is built as a transAtlantic Liner and is a proper ship - long bow, deep hull etc. She is everything the QE2 was, but with all mod cons. There is no other ship sailing that I am aware off that is anything like her. She also has a very low passenger capacity in relation to her size so feels very spacious and airy. The buffets don't get crowded, there are few if any queus for anything. Queen Victoria is yet another Vista hull ship, but she is longer and heavier. I am still not sure of her in rough weather, and externally I still think QV looks horrible, but the decor inside both ships is traditional, restrained and elegant with lots of wood veneers and etched glass, beuatiful flower arrangements and traditional activities. Cunard are proud of their heritage and play on it a lot. There are proper ballrooms on both ships for example. I think it is these factors that make the Queens different and attract a lot of passengers who hanker after the lost world of traditional cruising. I read somewhere of a passenger who wore all her diamonds at the formal evenings, as there is nowhere else left that you can really wear such jewellery and not look silly.

Edited November 5, 2009 by ships cat

[MMDown Under]

Has anyone been on Balmoral?

 

If so, what did you think of her?

 

I just noticed she's doing a 107 day world cruise, with an interesting itinerary, in January, 2010.

[Druke I]

We were on Balmoral, twice, when she was still the Crown Odyssey, flagship of now defunct Royal Cruise Lines.

 

She was lovely - but I am not so sure that she would have the same ambience now. NCL took out the indoor pool (down in the bowels) and took out the cinema, adding cabins, etc.

 

She's about 22 years old now - and I should imagine her machinery might be getting tired. I doubt that NCL put much loving care into her, they sure didn't put much into poor Norway, nee France.

[Host Sharon]

We were on Balmoral, twice, when she was still the Crown Odyssey, flagship of now defunct Royal Cruise Lines.

 

She was lovely - but I am not so sure that she would have the same ambience now. NCL took out the indoor pool (down in the bowels) and took out the cinema, adding cabins, etc.

 

She's about 22 years old now - and I should imagine her machinery might be getting tired. I doubt that NCL put much loving care into her, they sure didn't put much into poor Norway, nee France.

 

NCL - surely Balmoral is Fred Olsen? I will be trying Boudicca - ex. Royal Viking Sky, now under the FO fleet in December so can let you know what I think of them then Marion. My friends spent 14 days on Balmoral up to the North Cape, Norway, last year and loved her. She is traditional and old fashioned, but very friendly and they like that in their ships.

Edited November 8, 2009 by ships cat

[MMDown Under]

NCL - surely Balmoral is Fred Olsen? I will be trying Boudicca - ex. Royal Viking Sky, now under the FO fleet in December so can let you know what I think of them then Marion. My friends spent 14 days on Balmoral up to the North Cape, Norway, last year and loved her. She is traditional and old fashioned, but very friendly and they like that in their ships.

 

Thanks for your comments.

 

I had read somewhere that Fred Olsen rescued her from NCL.

 

She is the largest of the Fred Olsen ships, so less popular with those who like really small intimate ships.

 

However, she sounds a good size to me, as I like medium size traditional ships, which some would call small now.

 

Look forward to hearing about your cruising experience on Boudicca in December.

[MMDown Under]

We were on Balmoral, twice, when she was still the Crown Odyssey, flagship of now defunct Royal Cruise Lines.

 

She was lovely - but I am not so sure that she would have the same ambience now. NCL took out the indoor pool (down in the bowels) and took out the cinema, adding cabins, etc.

 

She's about 22 years old now - and I should imagine her machinery might be getting tired. I doubt that NCL put much loving care into her, they sure didn't put much into poor Norway, nee France.

 

Thanks for your comments, Michael.

 

It is always difficult when you've known a ship prior to modernisation, as the changes aren't always for the better.

 

It must have been ahead of its time with an indoor pool, which would have been great in cold climates and poor weather.

 

I do love a separate cinema.

[Druke I]

Crown Odyssey went from Royal Cruise Line to NCL, where she sailed as Norwegian Crown, and subsequently went to Fred Olsen when NCL shed her.

 

FredOlsen put a lot of money into her - stretched her by 99ft, adding cabins, and she is now up to 40,000+ GRT. Lots of info re her remodelling on google. Just google mv balmoral.

 

MMDownUnder - actually, many of the older ships used to have indoor pools, down in the bowels.

 

Another favorite of ours, Kungsholm (original name), aka Sea Princess, aka Victoria, aka Mona Lisa also had a very nice indoor pool down in the bowels..

Edited November 8, 2009 by Druke I

[Host Sharon]

Thanks for that Michael and Marion. I didn't realise she had been under NCl at one time.

[franu]

During the time with NCL, the Crown Odyssey as it was then named sailed under the Orient Lines flag. This was before the stretching

Fran

[MMDown Under]

I googled mv Balmoral, as suggested by Michael.

 

Has had an interesting history.

 

Nice to hear from you Fran. Hope you are keeping well and looking forward to your alternate cruise next year.

[franu]

Thank you Marion for the kind thoughts. I am in a positive mode and will be returning home from Wiconsin tomorrow. The best medicine is always spending time with the grandchildren. Second best is cruising. I am certainly looking forward to being in the Med again. It is my favourite place in the world.

Fran

[MMDown Under]

Thank you Marion for the kind thoughts. I am in a positive mode and will be returning home from Wiconsin tomorrow. The best medicine is always spending time with the grandchildren. Second best is cruising. I am certainly looking forward to being in the Med again. It is my favourite place in the world.

Fran

 

Pleased you are in a positive mode, Fran, and to hear you've been enjoying time with your grandchildren.

 

Did you get a brochure on your cruise?

 

They don't like to send brochures to Australia, however, I'm not impressed with looking at brochures in detail on the internet.