D&N

Nothing wrong with it. Opened in a browser and brought up to full size, every word is clear. These forums automatically reduce the size of images as you post them.

Speaking as a couple who have managed to achieve arrival plane door to departure gate via passport control and security at both London Heathrow and London Stansted in under 20 minutes, it might just work. We are extremely mobile though and think nothing of sprinting through an airport with our backpacks. I think the backup hotel booking is very wise, plus of course flexible train tickets that permit you to transfer to later trains.

The perfect serves shouldn't qualify for the package because it only covers single measures. Having said that, the waiters can often find a way to get round that. But I was under the impression that the 10 minutes referred to alcoholic drinks. You should be able to order any 1oz measure of gin from P11 of the bar menu plus a 200ml Fever Tree tonic at same time. Since the tonic is a soft drink I don't think it's subject to a limit anyway. If you don't have a particular brand preference I imagine that simply ordering a gin and tonic will get you a drink within the package. Although the tonic in that case may come out of a tap. https://www.cunard.com/content/dam/cunard/my-voyage/pdfs/qu/qe_main_bar_menu_aug_2022a.pdf I should say that other than wine/prosecco we only ordered single measures of digestives or port. The only mixed drink was Aperol Spritz made with prosecco as it should be.

Bordeaux isn't well positioned on the rail network for a stopover. But the link @exlondoner has given is ideal. The site owner has even got his article updated to include a new service starting this Saturday. Paris-Lyon was the original TGV route and with it's onward links to Marseille and Spain is probably still the best served high speed line.

On June 12th last year "Fast Track disembarkation" was offered at 7:00 am and 7:15 am. We arranged for 7:15 am on evening of June 8th. That suited us, but by the time we phoned 22200 to arrange it I think we were told only 7:15 was available. You would obviously need to be off as early as possible so I would advise making the arrangement soon after boarding. I'm not sure if they actually check that you have made arrangements as nobody appeared to tick our names from a list as we left. We did pass a long queue waiting to get off at 7:00 am as we returned from breakfast, which suggests that on that day they didn't allow disembarkation before 7:00 am. By the time we got back down with our luggage at 7:15 am we walked straight off without a queue. The Paris transfer should be alright provided there are no strikes or engineering works affecting RER line D. It should take 15 to 20 mins including walking. The direct train, which has one intermediate stop is scheduled to take 9 mins and there are about 6 trains per hour on a Sunday. Best to check what events there might be in Paris that could affect the transfer. e.g. Paris Olympics next year. I agree with most other comments that catching the Eurostar you need at St Pancras is very risky. We too disembarked on a Sunday, were picked up at 8:09 and reached Heathrow at 9:17. We had booked a flight at 14:20 and were able to change it to 11:20. Next time we'll book the taxi for 7:15 and the 11:20 flight, but for us the worst case is we have a supplement to pay if we need to change the flight. And our trip is almost all on motorways with no risk of city traffic problems.

We don't really know much about how many calories cause weight gain or loss and probably wouldn't pay attention to them. We stick to mainly low fat foods and avoid things that are processed or contain additives. But the best way to avoid weight gain is not to eat too much. The other thing that has made a big difference to us is limiting the eating period in the day. Our GP always says not to eat in the evenings. We usually follow her advice on weekdays when we eat between 8am and 3pm. Even at weekends we aim for at least 12 hours fast between days. On a cruise every day needs to be a weekend. Liquids are another matter! 🍷

Had a look at the Heythrop Park website and lots of photos. Wine list is quite sparse. Menus look a bit British for our tastes. Entertainment probably wouldn't be to our taste either, I don't see much evidence of dancing being available. While I can appreciate a good band or singer I much prefer to be active during the evenings rather than sitting watching. The writer seems to be trying a bit too hard to compare the place to a cruise. I wonder if that might have anything to do with Warner's CEO having moved there from Cunard/Carnival?

@MrsPeel55 Not really a continent I've ever had an interest in. Perhaps it would have been nice to cruise round Cape Horn since I've sailed on The Firth of Clyde in a yacht that raced round it. But it comes back to the question of; is it worth the trip? For me it's not. I discovered a long time ago that the only place I really want to be is a small town pop circa 15,000 on the French Riviera. I just didn't realise until last year that I would get homesick for the place, never ever having felt that way about Scotland. It always felt depressing to go back to Scotland and the only attraction was our cats were there.

Other than The Rocky Mountaineer the rest of that would have been by air or transfers. I originally looked at train all the way to Toronto but it would have taken too long. We'd need 10 nights for QE, and at least 2 pre-cruise in Vancouver to make sure we recovered from jet lag before boarding. Then all the cross country stuff. We wouldn't leave our cats for that long even with live-in sitters and I know after last year that I get homesick for the Cote d'Azur. If The Cannery in Vancouver still existed we might have made a different decision. And we'll never get to Niagra either, but I'd rather view a tiny waterfall on a river in Provence as a couple than a huge one that I have to share with 20,000 others.

I think it was a promo video for the Gold Leaf service. We thought about doing 2 days Vancouver to Banff with an overnight in Kamloops. I vaguely recollect the price of that was more than 10 nights Britannia on Queen Elizabeth before it. I saw a steward filmed walking through the train offering wine to passengers from what looked like the sort of litre bottles that they serve from in economy on Delta. I just thought for that sort of money and having travelled such a long way I would expect something better. The whole trip was going to be complex anyway. Nice-Montreal-Vancouver-QE-Vancouver-Banff-Calgary-Toronto-Niagra-Toronto-Montreal-Nice. We always said it would be nice to go back to Alaska but I just can't be bothered with all that travel anymore, and I'd have been away from home far longer than I'd have liked. Much easier to take a flight to Heathrow with taxis at each end and have a fortnight on QM2. Besides I can see all that scenery on YouTube videos.

Sorry to intrude; If you would like to have four formal nights there is nothing to stop you. I would suggest it's best to include the two that Cunard specify, but why not just choose another two that suit you? We observed three last year because between booking and travelling one was dropped. Next time we sail we plan to observe seven of seven. There's nothing in the dress code to say you can't.

The one thing we miss here is dancing. A "Diner Dansant" at a restaurant typically involves a rough singing act and a couple of tables space in front of them or perhaps an outdoor dirt space in a car park. The odd time you encounter a real dance event it's a bit different from UK. If quickstep music is played many locals will dance a solo form of charleston. Waltz tends to be somewhere between old-time and Viennese speeds. I can't see us being tempted to fly to the UK for a 3 or 4 night break. Or to Southern Spain for 7 nights. I found the latter, no idea if that was the one @ballroom-cruisers was referencing. We originally thought last years B2B crossing was a one off and had another more complex trip involving the Rocky Mountaineer and QE Alaska planned for 2025. A glimpse of something in a YouTube video killed that trip for me. We enjoyed last year and look forward to reprising it in 2025, and then in subsequent years on basis of booking cabin we want on release date.

We don't want to go on holiday, because we are on holiday all the time. We took almost all our holidays here for about eighteen years because it was the only place we wanted to go on holiday. We have lived here for over seven years and can go to some of the most visited places in the world for day trips any time we want. Why would we want to go anywhere else? Queen Mary 2 presents us with a unique experience. I can wake at 3:30 am and feel the keel flexing as the ship ploughs through a force 9 gale. That flexing is reassuring when compared to feeling the bow crashing into every trough on a North Sea ferry crossing. But to the comparison with land. I've only searched for a few minutes, but I don't see any hotels or promoters offering us 14 consecutive nights of dancing to live music with full board in top quality restaurants and a choice of lounges where we can take elevenses, afternoon tea/coffee and drinks. And of course that's without considering all the other entertainment and activities that we probably don't have time to take an interest in. If anyone knows of such a land offering, please let us know about it. It might be useful if Cunard withdraw QM2 during our lifetime and don't replace her.

Several sites say you can use OMNY with card/phone payment on all buses including SBS. They don't give the precise detail of how to do it though. We only used it on bus M55 and Subway. Didn't use any SBS routes. If it is accepted and someone has a contactless card or Google Pay or whatever Apple call their system that might be easier if they don't already have a Metro Card.

If it was a Newfoundland, it and it's companions might not need a lifeboat.

Noted.

I respect that. If I was smitten with such a problem, I would be looking for a medical or psychiatric solution for me, or I would suffer. I would never consider living without at least one cat.

I've always been intrigued by that. These days 18 of "us" would comfortably fit within the weight limit if there was enough floor space for that many people. I imagine you would be more up close and personal with strangers than you might want to be. For a long time our average weight would not have permitted that number!

The hotel did charge a fee, which one hopes was intended to pay for enhanced cleaning. Personally my sympathies lie with cats that are allergic to humans. I don't think I've ever met anyone I actually liked who claimed to have such an allergy.

I'd prefer animals in cabins (especially cats) to folk who can't breathe in jackets! 🤣🤣 Carmel & Hazel spent a night in an Ibis Hotel at Rheims during their 1,239 mile drive to get here from Scotland. They allocated an accessible room with hard floors and we took a brush and dustpan along to clean up any cat litter that got scattered. They could perhaps supply oxygen for those that can't breathe in jackets.

@techteach In direct sun yes, but it felt surprisingly fresh yesterday. Even managed to pace Nora to a faster morning 10km than previous Sunday, which was slightly cooler. Wearing trousers rather than shorts or three quarter lengths didn't feel at all cumbersome, and it saved stickiness of sun block. We ate outdoors in a shaded street.

Went for a nice lunch yesterday to a village just inland from our town. We often get the bus there and ramble cross country by a variety of routes back to the coast. It was a small restaurant owned by a youngish chef who apparently prepares his dishes with a nod to Basque cuisine. We don't know anything about Basque cuisine but it was all beautifully presented and very tasty. I did plan to wear a tie but it didn't look right with the light grey linen trousers and it was too late to change. Well at least one of us looked good. And we got the bus back too. Those heels wouldn't have handled rambling well.

For someone that is sailing on Cunard because they have a choice of sailings on different lines from a particular port, then if they so desire they can sail with someone else. If you are sailing on Cunard because you want to sail on QM2, it doesn't really matter. There aren't two of them. Obviously it's best if everything goes entirely to plan but if not we just need to make the best of it. We're not the least bit interested in the port calls, we wouldn't get off unless immigration forced us to.

Think I Had it three times. First time I was very disappointed. It seemed dry due to a lack of Hollandaise. Next time when I questioned the lack of Hollandaise I was advised to ask for it as a jug on the side. That was fine. So if you like EB with lashings of Hollandaise ask for a jug on the side.

I would start by forgetting about Kings Court. We don't do fast food. Deck 11 has access to all lift shafts/staircases. Stick to staircases it helps get rid of those extra calories you ate, and imagine the lift broke down and you missed 15 mins of your time on QM2! Take staircase D at aft of ship to Queens Room and G32 and dance the night away. Is there any other reason for being on a ship? Commodore Club is ok, but when it's dark you don't have the view over the bow. We much prefer Chart Room, and even in daylight being on deck 3 you are much closer to those wonderful waves.