Canuker

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!

Yep, a tux suit, formal white shirt (with cuff links) and black bow tie (learn to tie a proper one) and black socks & polished shoes are all you need for any & every formal night. Oh, suspenders (UK: braces) are better than a belt. Without adding much extra weight to the suitcase, you might consider a selection of ties to match the theme and maybe a red handkerchief for the red & gold night, for example. Keep it straight forward, guys, with simple accessories: the ladies'll love ya. I always find it a pain getting all the garb on for the first formal night; a glass of wine helps, though. But after that, it's a breeze (keep it all on one hanger).

Not so on Cunard's Queen Elizabeth recently on the NAm Pacific coast. Those not in formal wear were a minority. Tip for the ladies: if you want to stand out on the "Red & Gold" formal night, do not wear a bright post office red dress...

I endorse the suggestion of heading to Portsmouth. Take the train to Portsmouth Harbour station and you are right in the thick of much of the extensive maritime heritage there. Frankly, Southampton, as a tourist destination is a bit weak, compared with other easy-access locations such as Winchester, Portsmouth and (for the beaches) Bournemouth. Salisbury for the Cathedral (don't bother with Stonehenge unless you're really keen on it; the only thing to be said is it is that it is pre-historic). How's this for a circular day out tour: Take the frequent train to Poole. Stroll through the old town down to the quay. Take the scenic ferry to Swanage. If the wx is good, lunch on the beach, else a local fish & chip meal in a nice pub. Then take the Swanage Steam railway to Corfe Castle (a steep but fascinating Norman ruin). Refresh at The Fox tavern.Then the bus to Wareham, where you take the frequent train back to Southampton. Now that's lots to do and see.

A notice posted on the QE for its last Alaska cruise of the 2022 season (departure July 11) mentioned a 70% complement of passengers, which it intimated was a in line with an equivalent staff reduction. Interesting that 70% would have been pre-planned, not the result of weak demand, as the cruise was announced as all but "sold out" prior to departure. FYI.

As long as you are on board the ship at least 30 minutes prior to its departure time, you will be fine. In fact, the later you check in, the fewer the people in front of you to make you wait in line. We've shown up around 45 minutes before departure to find the check-in hall empty except for a few bored staff. "We've been expecting you!", said the check-in clerk. We were on board within about 5 minutes of arriving. A good rule of thumb to make best use of your time on land is: Get off the ship as soon as you are allowed to in the mornings* Get on the ship as late as you can in the afternoons (including check-in). Don't be concerned about the last shuttle bus or the last tender back to the ship being full. They are quite the opposite by that time! * After a 6:30 am arrival in Southampton, we took the train and were on the ground in London before 9:00 am, for a great shore day up in Town.

He who hesitates...

After 29 days aboard, we too disembarked in FLL. There is still a fair bit of 'flying-by-the-seat-of-the-pants' by Cunard at least on this vessel. The typical howlers in the daily program were more prevalent. Roger McGuinn of the Byrds was a 3-session celebrity guest but we knew nothing about this until it was mentioned in the 'daily' of his first session. I'd be shouting this from the rooftops if I was Cunard! He was brilliant. They are clearly both short-staffed and many of the customer services staff are learning on the job. We had occasions when the waiter either didn't know what we were talking about of brought the wrong thing. Lots of little things like this but too many to be acceptable. Internet and satellite TV reception was terrible. Their continued excuse about being unable to make satellite contact became a running joke. Best gaff was when the cruise director Michael Harvey announced on his morning show that the clocks had gone back one hour at 2:00 am. They had in fact gone forward one hour. Lots of examples of management just not paying sufficient attention - except in the dining room, where the dark suits were always in evidence and things ran extremely well. Food top-notch. Although we witnessed no less than three different start times for the evening meal. Our cabin steward was excellent - he clearly knew his job. Entertainment: the house production shows ranged from very good to superb. The guest artists ranged from very good down to what were you thinking? I suspect it might be a case of you get what you pay for ("you" being Cunard). House musicians were good to exceptional. Over all we had a great cruise at a very good booking price. We were not impacted by on board Covid; my estimation was that around 2% of the ship's complement were in isolation at any one time.

With tongue in cheek, what are some of the things that should not be taken on a cruise? Here's one or two to get the list started: 1. Bathroom weigh scales 2. Food! 3. Your GP.

1. Is Cunard's complimentary internet time per person or per cabin, please? 2. Does intranet time (e.g. making reservations for a meal while on board) count as internet time? Thanks, Canuker.

The National Express bus terminal is about a 5 minute cab ride from the ship. It operates direct service to Heathrow for around £25 (US$30) or less, per adult. Buses leave at 7:00, 9:00, 11:00 etc. through the day. https://www.nationalexpress.com

OP: no mention of reason for car rental. Driving on that tiny, crowded island can be a challenge, to both your well being and your watch. I learned to drive in Britain but I would never rent a car there now. The UK has an incredible rail network; frequent services to all parts of the country from Southampton Central station, 5 minutes cab ride from the dock. Try www.nationalrail.co.uk to find a train to your destination. Pre-booking often gets you a better ticket price. To be fair, rail travel to/from Heathrow is tricky from/to Southampton. A direct bus service is better for that route (bus terminal near the rail station).

Agreed, HH. If afternoon tea ends at, say 4:30 pm, go a little after 4:00 pm and folk will have already left, so seating is swift, as is the tea service by then. Relax, take your time; you're on vacation!

OP: strictly my own opinion, based on experience: 1. In one word: Elegant. 2. In a few more words: Elegance and understatement at competitive mainstream cruise line prices. 3. Nothing like the other UK mainstream cruise line, P&O. It would be like comparing a stay at Claridge's with one at Butlins. It's OK if you like Butlins. 4. Extras like port area experts (e.g. wildlife) and speakers on a variety of themes. 5. What I dislike like about Cunard is my experience of their land side operations, eptimomized by a chronically bad website and an unimaginative marketing department. Newcomers to Cunard: do not judge the excellent onboard navigation and service based on your experience of Cunard's website; it's paradoxically like night and day. If you want land side answers, their telephone customer service people are generally on the ball, however. Best, Canuker