D&N

1 hour ago, david63 said:

That is OK if it is just one or two passengers but if everyone did it then it would be chaos, and a safety issue, and I suspect if too many tried it then you would be asked to step aside and wait until all other passengers had disembarked.

That's an odd response.

My problem while carrying baggage off would be the slow moving people in front of me.

But I'm quite polite so I just toddle along at their speed until I come to a point where it is wide enough to pass.

15 minutes ago, beaveh said:

I’m off on my first Cunard cruise in 2 days. I’ve completed all the Cunard online check in and have boarding passes for boarding the boat. My Cunard package also include flights from Gatwick. I have times and flight numbers, but no check in paperwork for the flight. You know, the stuff you usually use to complete your online check in 48hrs before. 
I spoke to Cunard yesterday and they said their wasn’t any, just turn up at the airport, go to the check in desk and give them my Cunard reference number..l and everything is done there. 
 

this just sounds odd to me. I think it’s a tomson flight chartered by Cunard… any one done anything similar? I’m getting twitchy!, 

 

Here's a recent thread on same subject. You might find answers there.

5 hours ago, tacticalbanjo said:

and get lost

I think we know where to find pastries or cakes to take elsewhere for afternoon coffees/teas. 😀 But with Sir Samuels not being Godiva anymore we shouldn't have any reason to go into the place at all, other than to visit Muster Station DE.

On 8/20/2024 at 4:06 PM, Caipi said:

Hi, 

if you have already sailed, how was it please? I've just booked 8014. 🙂

We had 8014 booked for 2020, but of course that never happened. I did look at photos of the view and some high definition exterior pictures of the ship and came to conclusion that 8013 and 8014 were the least obstructed of all in that category.

I've just searched and found this video of 8013 posted in November 2022. I wouldn't think there would be any change to either cabin since then.

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

is in a Nice suburb called Cagnes sur Mer

 

There is actually a wooded hiking trail between Eze Bord de Mer and Eze Village (Nietzche Trail), but this is better left to near-professional hikers :).  It takes about an hour (assuming you can find the wooded overgrown trail) and involves lots of uphill slopes (Eze Village is about 1200 feet above sea level).  We have never done this hike (have talked to others who have done it downhill from the village).

I doubt many folk from Cagnes-sur-Mer including their mayor and councillors would be too happy with that description! 😀

They are members of Nice Metropole, which is a grouping of local councils for admin of transport networks and any services better arranged over a larger area.

We did the descent in September 2007. It wasn't that difficult. The path didn't seem too well marked in places. We've always meant to go back and do the climb, but never got round to it. I tend to feel safer going up hills. Falling/tripping on the way up you are likely to fall on the spot unless you are walking beside a drop. Falling going down you might travel a fair distance. I'll try and remember to report back if we do it.

2 hours ago, dexddd said:

I didn't watch the video a couple posts back but were they playing 'Stayin' Alive' by chance?

🤣 But no, a singer called Bruno covering The Best by by Mike Chapman and Holly Knight and performed by Bonnie Tyler, Tina Turner and others.

And some of the dancers in that video might still be cruising in 60+ years time!

@BackseatCruiser

Here's a cute picture of Whisky 'at home' with his Mum in July 2009.

30 minutes ago, Leejnd4 said:

 

Our ship is actually doing an overnight in Villefrance over a weekend, so we could go on either day, but we figured we'd go on Saturday and then spend Sunday enjoying a quiet day walking around Villefrance and just enjoying the ship. So probably Saturday.

On a Saturday trains from Villefranche should be every half hour at 4 mins past and 34 mins past. Journey time to Cagnes-sur-Mer is 27 mins. Bus 655 is approx every 45 mins and journey time averages 22 mins. Since connection times vary the overall journey time could be between an hour and one hour twenty minutes. Return trip should take similar time.

In a car that would take about 45 mins if no traffic problems. Google suggests it could take another 20 mins if there were traffic issues.

The Sunday bus frequency is similar but departure times are different. The range of overall journey times should be similar.

You would need separate fares for train and bus. Train best bought in advance on app. Bus can be bought on board at €2.50 each. Groups of 4 and above get discounts. There is an app for bus as well. We've found it difficult to use two tickets on one app at same time so we both have apps. But we can buy an in app ticket for three or more and use that without any problems.

This is the current train timetable: https://ter-fiches-horaires.sncf.fr/publish/FH_04_Grasse_Cannes_Nice_Vintimille_du 30 mai 2024 au 14 décembre 2024_V20240703b.pdf

If using a car check what is going on in the Nice area on the day concerned. Things like the Ironman competition cause road closures that could disrupt the trip.

1 hour ago, BackseatCruiser said:

I wonder if this is the same cat from St-Paul-de-Vence?

 

That is Whisky.

When was it taken?

@mking8288

If you have time amongst all your preparations this video from an Ice White Ball on QE shows the wide range of outfits worn in the Queens Room. The guy that posted it is in all white.

The music/singing/dancing is quite good to watch and listen to as well. And shows what a wide range of things can be danced to a cover of The Best.

10 minutes ago, Leejnd4 said:

What a sweet looking boy! 

He was lovely. Most of the time he was happy to sit on visitors lap's as long as they treated him nicely. But those pics were from 2012 and he was mid teens then.

On the best way to get there; what day of the week is it? And if a weekday could the date be a public holiday?

Actually that could apply to Saturdays as well, as a holiday service might operate.

@FSW2024

Can I just ask who the people in your profile pictures are?

I didn't spot them before.

We used to visit St Paul de Vence quite frequently to visit a friend, an elderly Siamese cat called Whisky. He lived at Le Galerie de Soleil at the southern end within the walls of the village.  His parents made silver and platinum jewellery and were quite amused that we had no interest in their bits of metal and were only interested in one jewel in their shop.

However the shop closed a number of years ago and we haven't seen Whisky since. Based on his age last time we saw him, I imagine he is long dead.

We can walk (march) there and back, it's only about 15km (9.3miles) round trip and mainly downhill on the way home.

It can be reached by bus 655 from Cagnes-sur-Mer Gare SNCF.

https://storage.googleapis.com/is-wp-22-prod/uploads-prod/2024/06/ZOU06_ligne655_Cagnes_Vence_2024.pdf

But bearing in mind you need to rely on connections from the half hourly train from Villefranche to Cagnes-sur-Mer with the linked bus timetable above it's probably safer to do it on an organised excursion.

We quite like going there for the exercise, for the views, to see if there are any cats wandering about to converse with, and might have a bite to eat or something to drink now and again.

I'm afraid we're just not into art, culture and history. But there's plenty there for those that are.

3 hours ago, mking8288 said:

probably not going to have a white dinner tux for the gala, that's fine & we'll go to the Lido, no problem.

Why would you need a white tux?

Gala attire is tux (any colour) or dark lounge suit with tie. Ice White is a theme, which is optional.

41 minutes ago, FSW2024 said:

 

Obviously, as I’ve booked so far in advance, it’s easy to change my stateroom

thought I'd have a quick look at availability.

I don't see any on deck 12. There are 8 cabins showing on deck 13, 3 on starboard, remainder on port.

I'm afraid you haven't really booked that far in advance. Many of these cabins would have been booked when the sailings were released last October.

26 minutes ago, FSW2024 said:

horrible beds

Forgot that bit.

We found the beds very comfortable. Most comments I've read, and reviews on YouTube agree with that.

23 minutes ago, FSW2024 said:

Hello, I don’t know if anyone could help me with a query on QM2, Britannia Club Balcony rooms.

 

I’ve never been on a cruise before, and I’ve just booked a 4 day trip on QM2 for next May (2025) incl a day in Hamburg for myself and a friend. 

 

At this stage, I have no idea if I would be prone to sea sickness as, like explained, I’ve never cruised before.

 

We’ve been allocated Britannia Club Balcony Stateroom 12025 and when searching this number in relation to QM2, I found the below short review which has rather concerned me . .
 

‘Britannia Club Balcony.

Vibrations felt often in 12025 and 12027, occasionally very annoying. Great balcony, horrible beds’.

I’ve looked at the deck plan and I can see that the room also has a connecting door which I don’t really like as I’ve read there can be noise heard from neighbouring cabins.

 

Obviously, as I’ve booked so far in advance, it’s easy to change my stateroom but, to be honest, I’ve got no idea *what* to change it to, if you see what I mean?
 

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

Hello, Welcome to CC and the Cunard Boards!

That's an A2 grade cabin. If you can get it changed and want to remain in same grade I would suggest trying for; 12037, 12035, 12033, 12031 or 12029. None of those have connecting doors. We go for an A1 near staircase B. We had it before and liked it.

Can't say that we noticed any vibration there.

If the port side would be OK, you could look at; 12028, 12026, 12024, 12022 or 12020.

Theoretically the further aft you move from your current cabin, bearing in mind there are none aft of stairway B on deck 12, the more stable it will be. I doubt if we'd notice any difference.

Edit: There are also A2s on deck 13. None appear to be connecting. They are slightly more modern having been added in 2016.

10 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

check out whether it is real clotted cream on board

It varies. Sometimes it is and other times it's a very nice cream but not clotted.

Not sure if anyone has figured out a pattern of when they do have it.

30 minutes ago, Live a little said:

Good evening we are sailing on QM2 on August 30th 2024 having taken up the Cunard fare. I’d like to hear of passengers experiences in using the shuttle buses if any from: 

South Queensferry to Edinburgh 

Invergorden to Inverness

Greenock to Glasgow

Liverpool to the centre

 

Thanks you 

😎

 

Greenock to Glasgow.

I have no passenger experience but did live in the region for over 58 years. And made a ship visit to Royal Princess using these routes in 1999. The Scotrail Timetable for the route is here: https://www.scotrail.co.uk/media/31665/download?inline

Greenock West Station is just under a mile from the port and is walkable in about 20 mins if you are fit, but a taxi will not be that expensive and take less than 5 minutes.

Trains are every 30 mins from 08:32 and take around 35 minutes to Glasgow Central, which is right in the centre of Glasgow. Trains back are at 5 mins past and 35 mins past each hour and take about the same time. Get phone numbers from the taxi on way to Glasgow in case there isn't one at the station on way back. I would look up local taxi numbers in advance. Not the worldwide generic type but those of local operators. Try phoning them, if they don't sound Scottish it's unlikely that that they're local! The base numbers probably start 01475.

I don't know if using shuttle buses guarantee getting back for boarding time but they are probably slower than the train, and the M8 motorway at certain times of day can be a nightmare.

11 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Cunard’s house wines are very acceptable

Totally agree. We drink very similar wines most days from boxes. Being in boxes doesn't make them any less quality. The shops usually sell the same stuff in bottles. It's slightly cheaper in the box and easier to keep. You can pour a couple of glasses and not need to worry about keeping the remains of a bottle.

But we had the Grenache / Syrah / Mourvèdre blend in front of us and had just been served Chateaubriand. The wine wasn't doing anything for the beef and I wanted a decent Bordeaux.

We had very capable sommelier although we didn't really need him. His work for us was mainly finding wines by the glass from what seemed to be rapidly depleting stocks in June 2022. He even had his work cut out getting us bottled sparkling water

On our return Eastbound crossing he was very busy, apparently the clients in that direction were drinking far more than on our Westbound. I didn't like that the waiters were very reluctant to bring us the wine list when I decided the glasses we had in front of us weren't suitable for the food dishes, and the sommelier was serving others. I had previously examined the list and had a few wines I would choose from but hadn't noted their names. However I was able to get the info from my phone as I'd already photographed every page of the wine list. So when the sommelier got to us I had the name of the wine I wanted ready for him.

The August 2022 wine list had 150ml of Gusbourne 2015 at $12.30. A bottle was $58

The Main Bar Menu in May 2023 reduced the serving to 125ml but kept price the same, while the bottle increased to $59

The latest March 2024 lists are showing the 2021 vintage at $16, and a bottle st $76

When it fell within the package limit we were looking forward to tasting it. We've never tried an English wine. I can't find much in the way of online comparisons to suggest that the 2021 is way better than the 2015, although there are a few comments about Gusbourne moving upmarket. Apparently they released a top of the range sparkler at £195.

46 minutes ago, maggielou362 said:

Would that avoid the credit card surcharge on each transaction?

What credit card surcharge is that?

I would think the concern is high wattage items. I spotted a 3,500 watt hair dryer on Amazon. That's probably a bit risky! 800 watts is unlikely to be an issue. A European 10 amp circuit should cope with 2,000 watts easily if nothing else is being run on that circuit at the time. Afraid I don't know what the ships circuits will be but would be surprised if less than that.

I have very little hair and it drys itself in minutes. My wife has strong hard short hair and the supplied dryer was fine for her. 

32 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

But then you would miss lunch in the Grills, which usually finishes at 2.30.

We're not entitled to lunch in the Grills.

We'll just have a substantial brunch in hotel. Well, substantial for us, maybe a tiny snack for everyone else! Then coffee/hot chocolate and a pastry in afternoon, then it will be dinner time.

Less full meals per day particularly within a limited time period helps control our weight and maintain our general health.