Canuker

OP: Jim has given you some sound advice. I see Poway CA is near San Diego , at about 500' asl. This has a bearing, since it's about what you're used to - i.e. warm (dry?) weather. I recall being in San Diego when the temp was in the 50s and folk were saying it was "freezing"! As Jim says, light layering is the way to go. As to wind, you may be pleasantly surprised. Eastbound TAs sail along with the prevailing south-westerly winds and it can seem almost calm on board. If you want to enjoy the weather out on deck, do it sooner rather than later in the cruise. Be prepared for bumpy seas as you pass by the Bay of Biscay, off western France. Beyond that, a good quality umbrella is invaluable while on land! Think unpredictable but no, not storms - at least not at that end of your cruise...

OP: 1. The coronation is Saturday May 06. So central London will be a zoo of road closures, diversions and crowds. There will also be rehearsals on the streets days before. The best way to get around will be on the tube but that too may be subject to crowd control around the Westminster area. 2. Monday May 08, the day your cruise leaves Southampton, is a public holiday in the UK, so expect the roads to be clogged (especially if the wx is fine) and limited public transportation (akin to a Sunday service). Plan and allow lots of time to get where you're going. We are going to London for the coronation and are staying out of Town near a rail station, about 30 minutes journey time to Town. There's a much better selection of accommodation out of town and prices are much much lower that weekend. Were I in your shoes, I would head down to Southampton on the Sunday (May 07) and stay overnight at a hotel near the cruise terminal (several choices), within walking distance of the ship, as roads around the roads around the port area can also get jammed up with traffic on turn-around days.

No matter what the reason - cruise or any other travel - I will never leave my country of residence without a valid passport. Also, I take at least a photocopy of the key pages of my passport with me when I go ashore for the day. Some shore excursion businesses insist on a passport before they will take you. A passport is a very powerful document and affords the owner considerable privileges and rights while abroad. If anything should go wrong while ashore, a passport is a must.

OP: book a table for 6 or 8 people for supper in the main dining room, with seating at the same time each night. You'll soon make friends, who will be dying to know what you did all day! Should someone at your table not be to your liking, just ask the maitre d'hotel to move you to another table - do it sooner, rather than later- it's your vacation. After a couple of nights, invite your table-mates to join you in one of the bars before supper for drinks. Have fun.

Can anyone suggest a name / email address of someone to contact at Celebrity about making onboard enrichment presentations, please?

Any tutored beer tastings?

If you're going on a cruise in which scenery, including wildlife, is a big part (e.g. Alaska, Panama Canal, etc.) then a good pair of binoculars is almost a must. If you are at all interested in the night sky, the low ambient light pollution out at sea plus a pair of binoculars makes a huge difference to the amount and clarity of what is visible in the heavens.

At the risk of stating the obvious, all cruise ships are the same when you get out at a port. So any differences have to be while you're on board - let's say 16 hours. Of that, about half is spent asleep, leaving 8 hours. So eating, drinking and (weather permitting) outdoor enjoyment account for much of that time. Secondly, despite what is written on this subject, cruise ships are far more remarkable for their similarities than their differences. The big differences are not found on board - they are the ports of call that an itinerary visits. The Caribbean is very different to the Baltic, for example. Lastly, there is one big variable that neither you nor the cruise line has control over: fellow passengers. Luckily, cruise lines offer so many alternative things to do (including doing nothing!) that if you don't care for something, move on to the next thing. In a word, choice. Virtually limitless choices.

Answer to OP's question; always. Show up around 40 minutes before sailing time to an empty (of passengers) check-in shed and you may not need to tell them your name - they may well tell you! "Ah, Mr & Mrs. Jones. Yes, we've been expecting you ('tick'). Here's your on board key-card. Sign here. Bon voyage!". VIP treatment. A great start to the cruise.

We have used various style cabins in the past, including ones with a fully obstructed view - they are called insides.

We prefer the east-bound TAs over those westbound. The reason is that the weather conditions on deck are generally much better. Why? East-bound you are traveling with the prevailing SW winds. With the ship's speed and direction the wind is relatively light. Westbound you are against the prevailing wind so the perceived wind speed on board is that of the wind plus the speed of the ship. Very different. Some of the best sea days we have ever had have been on east-bounds from Florida; day after day of blue skies, calm seas and light breezes. Gorgeous. Make the most of them as once the ship sails north of Africa, the weather cools quite a bit. And if you are sailing across the Bay of Biscay (off western France) be prepared for some rolling seas. Oh, and if you like the sun and are thinking of a balcony, book one on the starboard (right) side of the eastbound ship. Lastly, and this goes for any cruise, if it seems too breezy outside, wander around a bit; there are always nooks and spaces out on deck that are protected from the elements, even on the highest decks.

Thanks, guys. Seems reasonable.

Just booked the Silhouette. I'm researching an old (2017) daily program online and it does not list lunch in the MDR. 1. Is this still the case? 2. What other options are there, if any, for table service at lunchtime, please?

Thanks, all, for your input.

We're booked on the Silhouette and would like to know the start times of the evening theatre shows, assuming there are two performances each night? The reason I ask is so we can choose a dining time that means we do not have to rush the meal or cut it short in order to get to the theatre (or other special event) on time. This has been a issue for us on other cruises in the past. I'm aware that Silhouette has "Any time" dining as an option. We would prefer a fixed time, though, in order to meet each evening with our fellow dinner guests; we have always found this to be a special part of the day, with people we have come to know and like each evening. Thanks.

While none is big in terms of sq ft., some have more washers and driers than others. Port days are your best bet to beat the crowds.

On our recent QE cruise the internet (and TV reception) was dreadful to non-existent for several days. We used free wifi at the ports of call - much better and more predictable. Plus you pay for blocks of time - 24 hours. So one email a day gets to be very pricey. They do not sell it based on usage.

A while back, the QM2 captain announced that instead of sticking to our planned course which would have skirted alongside the storm, we would be turning to go straight through the middle of it. This resulted in us pitching (bow to stern) rather than the worse option of rolling side to side. Well, it turned out to be a force 13, the worst the captain had experienced in the North Atlantic. The pitching was so severe that the waves broke right over the bridge and it was decided prudent to switch off the bridge cam! In typical understatement, announcements were made recommending that passengers not go outside on any of the decks. Well, if they had, they might have lasted about 15 seconds before being tossed into the lashing Atlantic. In contrast, the following evening the sea was like glass, with a beautiful gold sheen around sunset. After we reach NY, the ship was found to be damaged (not sure what) and was not allowed to sail again until the damage was repaired.

http://www.oceanssouthampton.com/ Used them myself. Good outfit. About a kilometre from the port.

Another option (way less £) would be the hourly train from Southampton Central station (5 minutes by taxi) than change at East Croydon to take you right to St. Pancras (allow about 2.5 hours for the journey time. Then, as you know, St. Pancras is right next to Kings Cross station. Pick the right trains and it'll cost you less than £20 per person.

No, TOB, it's not the glitch that needs work...

The Britannia club dining room on our recent QE cruise has as exciting as a mortuary. But then some folk buy in exactly for that reason: quet and (in terms of fellow guests) spacious. Me, I go for a ten-seat table, second shift, in the main dining room.

Pick a nice quiet regular inside, with cabins above & below you. It'll be among the least expensive aboard.

Walk the few yards from the ship to the East River ferry dock. Hope the ferry, for the price a subway ticket, to East 34th Street Pier, then take a 10 minute taxi to Times Square. Or if you're inclined enjoy the 30 minute walk up East 37th street, turning right on Broadway. Now you're a New Yorker!