Live from Queen Elizabeth - Sydney to Kobe

On board QE now travelling from Sydney to Kobe. Apologies for the delay in getting this underway but the first few days were a bit of a learning curve being my first time on QE. First report to follow ...

Day 5: At Sea, traversing the Great Barrier Reef

All going like clockwork here on QE after leaving Sydney,with only a ship-wide water problem the day after Sydney, but resolved in time for the compulsory pre-dinner shower.

Somewhat astonished to discover that almost 50% of the passengers on this sector are from Australia or NZ. Just shows how important this region is to Cunard these days. As I recall there are about 120 Americans,which I thought rather low - though most would be doing the full world cruise. I also thought that the number of Brits was low (can't remember the exact number, but around 200). Lots of Aussie accents with over 900 on board!

Miss Manners regrets: the need for the chef to warn in the menu of the "possibility of lead shot" in the pheasant dish last night. Surely every Cunarder is dragged into adulthood knowing this important piece of culinary information.

Fashion Police: last night was the first formal night with the theme "Australian Ball." Good to see many of our Aussie cousins entering into the spirit with Australian flag-inspired shirts and oversized bow ties,and other gold and green attire. Oi, Oi, Oi, as they say. For me, I looked sartorially elegant in my white dinner jacket, purchased over 20 years ago in Singapore for the 1995 QE2 world cruise. I was absolutely delighted that it had to be taken IN by 2 inches for this year's cruise. 12 laps round the deck every day will ensure that it won?t need to be taken OUT again!

Gripe of the day: No MSNBC on the TV (rights issues?). I guess our American friends need their non-Fox fix.

Image of the day: sunset tonight over the Great Barrier Reef. Beautiful!!!

Yes, when we disembarked at Sydney we were told that around 1,000 were embarking... mostly Australian. I guess that would alter the feel of the ship quite a lot from an purely English cruise ie, one leaving from Southampton. Your leg of the cruise sounds wonderful, enjoy.

Thanks for posting and have a wonderful time.

Day 6 Yorkey's Knob

Unfortunately, it has been a rather grey day with persistent rain here at the intriguingly named Yorkey's Knob. It turns out that Yorkey was a local fisherman and his "you-know-what" is in fact the promontory that overlooks the ocean. I only went for a walk through the town to the small shopping centre to replenish the wine supplies. The wine shop was well stocked and so is my cabin now!

Now that we are six days into the cruise I can talk about the food. Of course, this is a subjective matter but here is my take. I am in the Britannia Restaurant and have been pleasantly surprised by the choice, presentation and taste of the food. I have stuck mainly to meat and poultry dishes and have been impressed by the quality of the produce. I have so far had pork, lamb, venison and pheasant and all have been delicious. The venison in particular was very succulent and full of flavour.

Others on CC have mentioned small portions, but I find them just right. The entrees and desserts tend to be quite small, but the main courses are a sensible size - neither too small nor too large. At the end of the three-course meal I feel just full, and not bloated, which is a good thing with a dinner finishing after 10pm.

Generally, I am not a buffet person, but in an effort not to overeat during the day I have been grazing at the Lido. I would describe the food here as OK - nothing spectacularly special, but freshly prepared and generally tasty. The layout is good and the place never feels like a feeding frenzy at the zoo, though I do tend to avoid the peak times.

Afternoon tea (either in the Queen's Room or in the Lido) is of course a must and I try very hard to have only one scone!

I will try Verandah later in the cruise. I wanted to try the Select Dining alternative, Coriander, but they were offering that during the first three days when I was getting to know my tablemates in the MDR. Unfortunately,it won't return before Kobe. They run each option over three or four consecutive evenings before moving onto the next one - so if you are on a two week cruise a particular option is unlikely to return later in the cruise. The schedule is available in the Lido.

Miss Manners regrets: the gentleman who drank his tea with the teabag still in the cup. He was English - he should have known better.

Gripe of the day:the Australian weather. It has not been terribly kind to us.

Image of the day: QE anchored at Yorkey's Knob.

This is delightful to read. Having taken a couple of world cruises on the wonderful QE, we love hearing about the experiences of others. Enjoy every day and thank you for taking the time to write so often!

Enjoying reading this; although I am on QM2 soon, any Cunard trip report is wonderful to follow along. Hopefully will get to sail on QE in the not too distant future. Thanks for taking the time to post. I love the Miss Manners regrets - makes me smile :D

Day 6 Yorkey's Knob

Unfortunately, it has been a rather grey day with persistent rain here at the intriguingly named Yorkey's Knob. It turns out that Yorkey was a local fisherman and his "you-know-what" is in fact the promontory that overlooks the ocean. I only went for a walk through the town to the small shopping centre to replenish the wine supplies. The wine shop was well stocked and so is my cabin now!

 

Now that we are six days into the cruise I can talk about the food. Of course, this is a subjective matter but here is my take. I am in the Britannia Restaurant and have been pleasantly surprised by the choice, presentation and taste of the food. I have stuck mainly to meat and poultry dishes and have been impressed by the quality of the produce. I have so far had pork, lamb, venison and pheasant and all have been delicious. The venison in particular was very succulent and full of flavour.

 

Others on CC have mentioned small portions, but I find them just right. The entrees and desserts tend to be quite small, but the main courses are a sensible size - neither too small nor too large. At the end of the three-course meal I feel just full, and not bloated, which is a good thing with a dinner finishing after 10pm.

 

Generally, I am not a buffet person, but in an effort not to overeat during the day I have been grazing at the Lido. I would describe the food here as OK - nothing spectacularly special, but freshly prepared and generally tasty. The layout is good and the place never feels like a feeding frenzy at the zoo, though I do tend to avoid the peak times.

 

Afternoon tea (either in the Queen's Room or in the Lido) is of course a must and I try very hard to have only one scone!

 

I will try Verandah later in the cruise. I wanted to try the Select Dining alternative, Coriander, but they were offering that during the first three days when I was getting to know my tablemates in the MDR. Unfortunately,it won't return before Kobe. They run each option over three or four consecutive evenings before moving onto the next one - so if you are on a two week cruise a particular option is unlikely to return later in the cruise. The schedule is available in the Lido.

 

Miss Manners regrets: the gentleman who drank his tea with the teabag still in the cup. He was English - he should have known better.

 

Gripe of the day:the Australian weather. It has not been terribly kind to us.

 

Image of the day: QE anchored at Yorkey's Knob.

lol

great review keep them up. I love your take on it and the Miss Manners piece is fantastic.... have a great trip....Roscoe

Day 7 – At Sea – en route to Papua New Guinea

A beautiful day at sea with warm sunny weather, prefect for time by the pool. We are cruising at about 18 knots, quicker than previously, and the wind across the decks is more pronounced. Otherwise the sea conditions are calm so there is very little movement within the ship.

A word about cabins. I am in 6148 a standard BD balconycabin near the aft of the ship. I am next to one of the corner cabins which have a larger balcony. People who choose these cabins tend to be more likely to use their balcony and invite friends due to the extra space. This can mean more noise if you are next door. To be honest I have not been too bothered by this, but it is worth considering when choosing a cabin. This cabin is close to the Stairway C making getting around easy.

Advantages of this aft location :

1. Three floors up to Lido restaurant – great for popping up for a quick tea, coffee or snack.

2. Three floors up to the Lido pool deck and the Garden Lounge

3. Three or four floors down to the Britannia Restaurant

Disadvantages of this aft location:

1. Far from the Commodore Club!

2. Far from the Royal Court Theatre

3. Quite a long walk to the launderette

Miss Manners regrets: the use of the blue disposable gloves worn by the waiters in the Lido restaurant. What happened to silver service with white gloves?

Gripe of the day:None! It has been a beautiful sunny day and everyone has a smile on their face.

Image of the day: Back in Sydney – the two Queens in Sydney harbour. Not a great picture as it was rather wet!

Thanks for the feedback. Miss Manners is working overtime!!

We were just in room 6150 next door - we disembarked in Sydney. I can tell you that whoever was in your room sure made some noise on the deck with visitors one day. It was the day we were at Bay of Islands and we really wanted to sit outside and enjoy the view with a wine in hand - no chance that day! I agree that is was a good location though - we loved the ease of going up to the Lido and Lido bar (my husband frequented the stairway for another beer on more than one occasion. We never, ever use the elevators on ships so the three levels up and three down worked well for us.

To get to the theatre we'd go down to deck three and walk along that way - much more interesting than walking the long corridors.

Regarding the gloves I also thought the colour choice was unfortunate - such a pity they could not at least get white latex gloves.

The gloves are purple today!

The gloves are purple today!

Yes, purple when we were on board too :)

A warm welcome for QE on her maiden call at Alotau, Papua New Guinea ....

Actually our stay here was lovely. More to follow.

Day 8 – Alotau, Papua New Guinea

QE is making her maiden call at Alotau in the Milne Bay region of Papua New Guinea. She is also the largest cruise ship to have visited the town. We were met by traditionally dressed warriors who strutted their stuff and banged their drums. On shore Captain Hashmi met dignitaries from the area, including the Milne Bay Governor, and gifts were exchanged. They then all came on board for an inspection of the ship. Check the photos below.

Alotau is set in a pretty bay and the arrival was nice. As expected there is not much to the town, but I enjoyed checking out the local market with much fresh fish, vegetables, fruit, peanuts and the dreaded betel nuts. I briefly joined the congregation in a Christian church having been drawn in by the loud music and singing. This was definitely a “happy-clappy” denomination!

Having lived in Lae in Papua New Guinea in the 1980’s I knew what to expect, though I was a little disappointed to note that there seems to have been very little development over the course of thirty years and the area still seems very poor. However, the welcome was friendly and many of the children had dressed up in traditional costume for the day.

Maiden calls are always memorable and this one was no exception.

Miss Manners regrets: that "nambawan pikinini bilong misis kwin" (aka Prince Charles) was not here to mark the maiden call. Clearly “misis kwin” is a bit too old to travel these days, but she was here in spirit!

Fashion police: no question as to who won the prize today for best costume! The local people really did make an effort and it was appreciated. However, I did muse as to whether their outfits would pass as “formal”?

Gripe of the day: For their sake, I wish that the local people could have been better organized in terms of selling souvenirs as they produce some nice handicrafts here, including basket weaving and wood carvings. Cruise ship passengers have lots of $$$!

Images of the day:

Traditonal welcome on arrival of QE

Captain Hashmi shows the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II tothe local dignitaries, including the Milne Bay Governor

The gift received from the Governor marking the maiden call

Day 7 – At Sea – en route to Papua New Guinea

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miss Manners regrets: the use of the blue disposable gloves worn by the waiters in the Lido restaurant. What happened to silver service with white gloves?

 

Due to food hygiene regs. the gloves have to be disposable. As the Lido is a food prep area, the gloves have to be highly coloured so they can be seen if they fall into food.

Due to food hygiene regs. the gloves have to be disposable. As the Lido is a food prep area, the gloves have to be highly coloured so they can be seen if they fall into food.

That makes sense. Like blue bandaids.

Due to food hygiene regs. the gloves have to be disposable. As the Lido is a food prep area, the gloves have to be highly coloured so they can be seen if they fall into food.

Yes, I thought as much - oh well, best be safe. Hygiene on a ship has to be excessive - too many ships get outbreaks of novo virus etc.

Days 9/10 – At Sea enroute to Okinawa

With five consecutive sea days there is much time to explore the facilities available of QE. Unfortunately, my plans to spend a good amount of time on the pool deck have been thwarted by the weather. It has rained on and off for the last couple of days. However, as we are now zipping along at over20 knots and the seas are rougher due to the weather conditions, I am finally able to enjoy some movement in the ship – not quite rock and roll yet, but good to finally feel that I am on a vessel at sea!

I have therefore taken some time to check out the artwork and memorabilia around the ship – and there is a lot to see. While this ship isnot specifically named after our current Queen, she does feature prominently around the public rooms and I have created the following collage of some of these items.

Miss Manners applauds: everyone for keeping up appearances by adhering to the dress codes, but does have to reprimand a small number who have been spotted in shorts and T-shirts in the public rooms well after 6pm on last night’s formal evening.

Gripe of the day: I lost my mobile phone somewhere. Hopefully by tomorrow it will be returned to the Purser’s Desk.

Image of the day: Departure from Alotau

Thanks for the update, I hope your phone turns up.

I'm really enjoying your posts, thanks for taking us along!

We are doing the WC next year from Ft. Lauderdale to Soton, but the only Cunard ship we have sailed has been the QM2, so we are eager to hear about the QE.

Keep having an excellent time!

Ricki

,,, While this ship isnot specifically named after our current Queen, she does feature prominently around the public rooms and I have created the following collage of some of these items.

...

At the naming ceremony in 2010, Managing Director Peter Shanks indicated that the ship was indeed being named for our Queen. I have seen the video of the entire ceremony but I do not have it, so I can't quote his exact words. The excerpts that I found on Youtube are of no help. There is a priceless view of Her Majesty's expression when Mr. Shanks said there was only one person here who was present at the naming of all three "Elizabeths."

That is approximately at 5:20:

 

Just found your posts .. brilliant.

We are joining the ship in Singapore ... look after her for us.

Day 11 – At Sea enroute to Okinawa

Today was World Ladies Day and this was marked with a 5k sponsored walk around Deck 3 with the Captain leading the pack. Fancy dress was in order (thinking pink!) but with no pink items in my wardrobe I went for “deconstructed pink” which involved a red T-shirt and a white singlet. Creative, if nothing else! A total of US$495 was raised for the World Voyage Charities.

This evening I went to the Verandah Restaurant. Many people ask if this is worth it, and for me the answer was yes. The ambiance, food and service were superb and made for a special evening. Having said this I would probably only do this once on a cruise, and probably only if there was a special occasion (birthday, anniversary etc). For the record, I had the pea ravioli with quail eggs, Bouillabaisse and the soufflé. The ravioli was extremely delicious; the Bouillabaisse very flavorsome though rather oddly topped with pureed potatoes with basil cream (rather than the traditional garlic Rouille); and the soufflé divine, though I did have one equally as good in the Britannia. The courses were broken up with an amuse bouche, a sorbet and ended with very delicious petit fours, including may favourite – chocolate truffles.

Miss Manners regrets:that for her the music on the open decks is a little too loud, and particularly when the live band is playing.

Gripe of the day:None – the mobile phone was found so I am happy.

Image of the day:the Verandah Restaurant

,,, While this ship isnot specifically named after our current Queen, she does feature prominently around the public rooms and I have created the following collage of some of these items.

...

At the naming ceremony in 2010, Managing Director Peter Shanks indicated that the ship was indeed being named for our Queen. I have seen the video of the entire ceremony but I do not have it, so I can't quote his exact words. The excerpts that I found on Youtube are of no help. There is a priceless view of Her Majesty's expression when Mr. Shanks said there was only one person here who was present at the naming of all three "Elizabeths."

That is approximately at 5:20:

 

 

I have done some research and checked with people on board and the consensus is that the ship is not specifically named after the Queen. I suppose you would have to ask her!!