groryjm

One thing I find odd is that the Q1s, the top suites, are at the back over the props at one of the worst points on bard for movement yet the Q2s are at the optimum point of the ship, Mid ship .

Today has been interesting..... We woke at just after 8 and by the time we had breakfasted and moved the "many!" suitcases to the car it was just after 10 so we set of on our drive to berth 46/7. we arrived at about 11.40 which we reckoned perfect for a boarding time of 12am. With X and ABP we would drive into the car park the port staff would take our bag and we would walk the 15 or 20 yards to the terminal building with our carryon’s to check in. For this Cunard cruise the port parking is provided by CPS and we drove to a covered holding bay where we checked the car in and handed in our keys. The difference here was we then had to walk all our luggage the 15 or 20 yards tom the porters to deposit or cruise cases before heading to check in with our carryon’s. It is only a small difference but the port looks after X better than Cunard it seems. The difference here though is that X leaves and returns to the from the same terminal, whereas Cunard, it seems , has different berths for embarks and disembarks. Our car will, magically, move to the Mayflower terminal for our return. Check in was smooth and quick and we were through by 11.55 but then it all stopped. On speaking to the port staff (a lovely gentleman we met a few months ago will boarding an X ship) explained that the captain had said no one was to board before 1pm. This was I suspect due to post covid cleaning protocols but why give an arrival time of 12 when no one is allowed on until 1pm! At about 1.05 we arrived in our suit and …… I was impressed. Room tour video to follow. … forgive me it is late and I will continue tomorrow

@Happy Cruiser 6143 our aim is to get across to States in 4 years or so to try a self planned world cruise on various lines. Our main problem is that my Gastrognome can't fly more than about four hours without problems. So our plan is to TA with cunard and mix it up with various lines aiming to get back via suez. This is stage one in testing water for that trip

We currently love retreat on Silly and our safe space is an RS. Hoping Queens Grill will feel comfortable. We'll let you know how it compares

Hi @Redking, one of the downsides of taking two weeks out to go on a cruise is that the open bottles of vermouths and fortified wines won't last too long even in the fridge. So I endeavour to empty all the bottles before a trip. Hard work I know. Tonights tipple helped me finish off the Punt E Mess and a grape fruit from the citrus bowl. Similar to your Naked and Famous but ups the mistiqe a little . A Smoke and Mirrors....

I will confess to having a bit of a passion for cocktails 😎🍸 One of the things I like about Cunard, from what I have read, is the adult attitude to allowing one to bring bottles for ones in suite bar. My bar at is fairly extensive by the way.... 200+ spirits liqueurs and vermouths!

@Host Hattie you're right it is in fact The Norwegian Sea which is a marginal sea in the North of the Atlantic Ocean,

I will confess that with three gala nights I have packed a different dinner jacket for each.... 😎 Oh and a different waistcoat for each night 🧐 This is one of the things we are really looking forward to. We love to dress for dinner and have not enjoyed the relaxing of formal attire on other lines

I was sorry to hear you going to be joining us. We actually turned down the opportunity to upgrade as we prefer the mid ships location rather than the aft. Just incase the North Atlantic gets a bit rock n rolly 😉

I have, on occasion, documented my cruise adventures on these boards but have decided not to this time as others have already started a “Live from…. ” on the Cunard boards. I do however intend to recount my experiences as our first time onboard a Cunard ship and our first time in Queens’s grill but from the stand point of a regular Celebrity cruiser. My Gastrognome and I cruise on Celebrity two or three times a year and have done so for a number of years, usually in upper suites. This is a bucket list cruise for me and as Celebrity doesn’t yet sail as far north in the Fjords as Tromso we choose Cunard. It is also to celebrate my 60th so we have ”pushed the boat out” and booked a Q2 which equates, I believe, to an RS. As the cruise is on a Cunard ship the Queen Victoria I won’t post it here but on the Cunard boards. So here is a link for those Celebrity cruisers who may find a comparison of interest

I have, on occasion, documented my cruise adventures on these boards or more correctly the Celebrity boards but have decided not to this time as others have already started a “Live from…. ”. I do however intend to recount my experiences as a first time Cunarder and our first time in Queens’s grill. My Gastrognome and I cruise on Celebrity two or three times a year and have done so for a number of years, usually in upper suites and in what Celebrity now calls the Retreat. This is a bucket list cruise for me and to celebrate my 60th so we have ”pushed the boat out” and booked a Q2 which in size terms seems on paper similar to a Royal suite on Celebrity. Prices seem at first glance for the number of days seem to be similar The suite on Celebrity I plan to compare it to is a Royal suite which lists as lists as 750ft2 inc Balcony compared to the Q2 that lists as 1100ft2. The Q2 has only one jetted tub whereas the RS has a second on the balcony and the Q2 only has one loo but otherwise they both, on paper, seem comparable. First, may I say, please don’t take any of my comments here as adverse criticism. I realise that both lines have a slightly different place in the market and any comparison is entirely subjective. I just hope some of my observations might help others thinking of dipping a toe in the other pond. My initial experience pre cruise has been slightly lacking. Let me clarify. On Celebrity (X) in an upper suite I would expect a phone call, from shoreside, about three weeks before sailing to arrange the bar set up in the room, both lines offer two bottles of spirits in suite, and to arrange any special requests or alternative dining reservations. I gather we will have to wait until we meet our butler to pass on these requests. The other thing I have missed is the lack of an app available other than when on board. On the X app a few days before sailing I would expect to see the menus starting to populate and times for shows and activities which again while not strictly necessary is just something we found helpful. On the price front while the cruise price is similar there seems to be a lot missing with Cunard. I am used to Wi-Fi, drinks and gratuities being included as with most of the higher end luxury lines. I have had to pay an extra £480 for Wi-Fi, £1370 for drinks and an expected $340 for gratuities which I of course accept, and will pay willingly but this is an extra in relation to Celebrity and compared to more high end luxury lines where such things are included. You may have noticed from the nomenclature with which I describe my dear wife that food is something of great import to us. This is one place we are hopping Queen’s Grill will excel. We have a 12 o’clock boarding slot for Tomorrow and I look forward to seeing how CPS compare to ABP for parking Packing is now complete and the ironing board away. This brings me to another disparity between the lines. With upper suites on X one has unlimited laundry and pressing so but with Cunard regardless of cabin I gather it is an extra. Don’t get me wrong I am not complaining just highlighting the differences I perceive between the lines The Cats to pussy prison time to order a pizza before I try very hard to finish off all the open vermouth bottles in the fridge before we head off for two weeks. A small bit of Noilly Prat and a dribble of Punt E Mess to go! Dry martini and a Negroni me thinks….. Hope to be on boarding in a little under in 19 hours 🍸🍹🍷🍺🥂🧉🥃🍾😎

At home - a Last Word - Equal parts Tanqueray Ten gin, Green Chartreuse, Maraschino liqueur and Lime juice At the Savoy Grill - a Bijou - Equal parts Beefeater gin, Lillet Rouge and Green Chartreuse On a Celebrity Cruise - a Paper Plane - Equal parts Woodford reserve bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino Quintessentia and lemon juice On a Cunard Cruise ......... I will have to wait to tell you next week when we board Queen Victoria for the first time 😎

@Host Hattie I'm loving your live from review 😎 We are boarding QV next week and are new to Cunard, though not cruising. I've seen mention on these boards of the "My Voyage" app. Am I right in asumming that the lists you have been posting of the daily activities are screen prints from this app? Other lines apps can be used for messaging . Can Cunards? The reason I ask is my Gastrognome and I are in the habit of using Whats app to comunicate with each other when out and about around the ship which necesitates each having the wifi packages. Usually with messages like "Darling can you bring me a GnT on your way back to the room". Can the "My Voyage" app. do something similar to this with out having to purchace wifi

@upwardukas your Med sailing was out of a UK port the menus would have to include the 20% gratuity and thus the menu prices would be the same as any other sailing out of Southampton. I'm not sure about the VAT but the menu difference now is 20% where as a couple of years ago it was nearer 18%. The menu prices sailing out the US to the UK have one price and after the TA for UK sailings the menu prices are changed each year to complie with UK consumer laws. The package limits also change .

On sailings out of Southampton all prices shown on bar tariffs and menus must display the price to be paid. VAT is only added for sailings without a foreign stop. UK sailing.... US sailing.... Note the lack of comment about a 20% gratuity being added on the UK menue

Surely Pol Aker and honey is excelent for a sore throat😉

We cruise regularly with Celebrity and when in an upper suite (comparable to Q1 and Q2), even in the UK , we recive a phone call upto four weeks before from the shoreside team. This is to check for any dinning reservations, spa bookings, confirm spirits for bar setup, requests for mini fridge and any special requirements. In Celebrity's other suites (comparable to Q3 to Q6) some times one would get a phone call but more usually just an email. Our first Cunard experience is in 10 days time on QV in a Q2 and we have had no comunication prior to our cruise other than the usual I expect all passengers have by email. It is nice to hear that Cunard are catching up.

Thankyou for this "live from...". Sunsets at sea are the best Hope to on board QV for the first time in two weeks 🙂

To be honest as far as Norway is conceren you DO NOT NEED any cash. cards are king even for a pack of gum... or in fact fishermans friendes!

All the speciallities are included and to be honest on our last cruise in an RS we didn't eat in Luminae more than once. You can't book in advance other than trough the shore side concierge but in real terms it dosen't matter as when in an upper suite you can almost just turn up and they will make space. We usually sort the firstst night and any Murano meals with the shore side then just go to the Maitre de hotel , who's ussally athe Murano desk on the first night and book the rest. We've only ever once had a booking refused and that was for Murano on a chic night which we just had to be flexeible on and eat at 8.30 rather than 7.30. They do keep slots aside for top suites/VIPs

v227 - no testing required.....😎😮🙃🥴 I was quite confidenent that this would be safer than being at home and eating in the local pub... now I'm not sure🥂🙄😧

Does anyone know if there is currently one on Victoria? We're on in four weeks and would move to see and sign one. If however there is not currently one in the library I'll bring a suitable book to leave on board. What does the one on QM2 look like?

We're in the Carpathia suite in October.🥂🍸🍹🍷🧉😎

@Victoria2 Thankyou for your excelent "Live From..." I'm now ,even more , looking forward to boarding in 41 days

and on BA mine said 32kgs but I understand Cunards now say 23kgs