sfred

Ha!!!! And it all looks so beige. Seriously though, thanks @davyjones for posting. I love old photos like these.

Sunrise over Manila 16 March from QA.

Mrs sfred says the porridge is excellent. I'm not someone overly attracted to "wellness" so was initially sceptical. But the location on QA deck 10 overlooking the pool is very comfortable on a warm weather cruise like our current Sydney to Hong Kong segment. A morning coffee and croissant has been excellent.

And the Carinthia

A few more photos arrived from my friend on QE. The Commodore Club

Thanks @bluemarble. There are a few differences to the QA menu, although same overall theme.

Success!

On QA, there are several options for Wellness Cafe tea/coffee: 1. Waiters come by with pots of the same free tea and coffee as in Artisan Foodhall. Mugs are set up on the tables along with cutlery. 2. You can bring your own tea or coffee from the nearby Artisan Food hall beverage stations. 3. You can buy barista coffee from the adjacent bar, or kombucha tea or juices from the Wellness menu. Photo attached of the QA Wellness Cafe and menu board.

Sunrise 15 March on our final sea day before arriving at Manila tomorrow.

A friend boarded QE in Singapore this afternoon, fresh from her refit. She reports that Bailey is aboard. I don't know how many.

Grills deck and lounge

A friend boarded QE in Singapore today. So far she's sent me photos of the new Queens Room, the Grills deck, and Grills lounge. Queens Room first:

A bit of sunrise amidst rain clouds on 14 March, seaday 3 of 4 enroute to Manila.

Sometime today 13 March, QA crossed the equator going northward. We received a nice certificate from the captain. While Mrs sfred and I have "crossed the line" countless times by airplane, this is our first time by ship. The certificate will go "straight to the poolroom" upon our return home.

A friend in Singapore boarding QE confirms the boarding delay, and also that the deck 9 aft pool and bar is not yet finished and will be unavailable for the voyage. Important information about your voyage We are delighted to welcome you on board Queen Elizabeth for your upcoming voyage and look forward to creating an unforgettable experience for you. We want to make you aware of some final enhancements taking place on the Aft Pool area on Deck 9, also known as the Lido Pool. While we had planned to reopen this area before your sailing, unforeseen weather conditions have slightly delayed completion. As a result, the pool and bar in this area will be temporarily unavailable during your voyage. However, we are pleased to share that this refurbishment will introduce a beautifully upgraded pool area featuring enhanced canopies, furniture, and flooring. In the meantime, additional seating and facilities will be available around the Pavilion Pool on Deck 9 for your comfort. To ensure a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere, any remaining work will take place only during the day, starting no earlier than 9:00 AM. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming you on board soon for an special voyage. Warm regards, Cunard Line

Sunrise 13 March on our second QA seaday enroute to Manila.

Thanks for starting this great thread on Cruise Critic! 🌞 🌅

We've been lucky and not had much rain, although there's been many impressive cloud formations with lightning.

Sunrise 12 March on the first of four QA sea days between Darwin and Manila.

Day 2 in Darwin was a walk to the Charles Darwin National Park. There's a tiny view of QA in the photo from the park lookout location.

Sunrise 11 March on QA's second morning in Darwin.

Caution - Cunard is addictive, often from the very first exposure. Mrs sfred and I also don't gamble, are physically active, like any cuisine, and are not heavy drinkers although we're quite fond of a beer, an occasional G&T (for anti-malaria purposes of course 🙂) or a glass of wine with dinner. Yet we love every minute of QM2 QE QV or QA. Hope you will too! You might want to read along with the thread about QA's current world cruise to get a feel for what the ship is like.

QA is in Darwin today 10 March for the first day of an overnight stay. Mrs sfred and I walked to the botanical gardens and had a very pleasant stroll around.

And 15min later, a little closer to the city.

Dawn over Darwin, 10 March 2025.