WantedOnVoyage

Hands down, we prefer QUEEN VICTORIA to QUEEN ELIZABETH I am not a fan of the mishmash "period whatever" decor of either but QV is nicer... QE is just beige, tan and... well tan and beige. Everywhere. And the nastiest cheap plastic fake wood especially in the Britannia Restaurant. Even the aft sun decks on QE are beige as are the chairs and the towels. We find QV is a better maintained (paint especially in passenger areas), better run (I much prefer the officers and Captains she attracts) and a happier ship with a superb crew. They come and go but we have not found any not to be professional and congenial. QE not so... especially on deck. We much prefer the deck sports facilities on QV and as avid shuffleboard players, the courts are useful and kept clear... on QE they are useless. QE has an enormous forward sports deck that is dedicated to "sports" no one plays and is hot as a sauna. So for us, no contest. The old QUEEN VIC is the one for us.

Well.... consider that TITANIC, the ship in which 1,500 perished, had a sister ship... OLYMPIC that was, in contrast, one of the most popular and successful British liners of her era and in every way embodied the elegance and splendour of The Edwardian Liner. If the appeal of a TITANIC "replica" lies in relishing that, why is not a replica OLYMPIC being proposed instead? I think we all know the reasons. All 10-year-old boys really do flip through the pages to get to the "good part" when TITANIC goes down . It's just kind of sad when adults do the same thing.... and worse when someone want to spend vast sums of money profiting from it.

Thank you. If nothing else, this entire tedious tireseome nonsense is beyond inappropriate. I am not sure how or why a horrible tragedy... something that killed 1,500 people in horrible circumstances... has been effortlessly rendered into some goulish obsession for too many. The idea that it can also be translated into a "travel experience" is beyond the pale. I cannot imagine any professional officer or seaman would want anything to do with it, either.

So to sum up.... yes, a world of difference between a PINNACLE and a VISTA and maybe the latter is well named! QA's "Promenade" Deck has 1) no views out to sea, 2) little daylight, 3) narrow enough in places that you'd have a hard time passing another person, 4) no deck chairs and no room for them anyway and 5) you'll note far fewer of the public rooms on this deck even have windows or natural light except right aft in way of the dining room. For good reason as there is little light and no view except the side of a lifeboat. And here are the ships that immediately come to mind with full view, proper promenade decks (half of these are also beautiful teak-decked, too.. like QM2) Queen Mary 2 Zuiderdam Oosterdam Westerdam Arcadia Noordam Queen Victoria Costa Luminosa Queen Elizabeth Costa Deliziosa Nieuw Amsterdam Eurodam Zaandam Volendam Renaissance Bolette Borealis All of the former STATENDAM class have full promenades but I am too lazy to search out all their new names.

Well.... all of the VISTA-class ships operated by Holland America Line, Costa, P&O (ARCADIA) for starters, including of course, QE and QV. All of the older HAL pre VISTA ships. Fred. Olsen's former HAL sisters. Full walk around, full sea-view promenades with deck chairs. I think AURORA has a full promenade deck, too.

Actually most successful business know profits ultimately come from pleasing their customers. Especially core customers.

But that is not reflected in QUEEN ANNE's deployment now is it??? She is being placed on the traditional ex Southampton run, not on Fly Cruises, and with all those days at sea "to and from" especially the Med itineraries. And she's doing world cruises, too. You can squint until you are blue in the face, but her density of passengers vs. space clearly puts her at a disadvantage with QE and QV when you have all those people sharing that space on all those days at sea. By every accepted measurement of space per passenger, she is more crowded than her fleetmates. She was designed to maximise profits. You be the judge if that suits you. I am unhappy that those of us who don't buy into this, are forced on her as she is the only ex-Southampton ship. We have decided to stay loyal to "our" QV even if it means flying one-way.

We have changed tables a few times from what was allotted with no issues, certainly never have seen a "queue" in QG or PG for any reason or any time and trust Grill passengers not to be "irate" over anything. I would be not pleased, however, standing behind a "Do you know who I am?!" sort and making quite sure we were not seated within 50 yards of him or her wherever they wind up. A really good seating plan always has a "sent to Coventry" location for these sorts anyway.... More than even the food or table service, I value the Grill experience for its quality of ease, grace and professionalism. Qualities which ensure that something as simple as securing a conviable or convenient table is easily arranged. But no... you're not going to prebook a "four" with the expectation you are going to be seated there as a couple.

Good point.... and why I would love to see people try to actually experience a real Edwardian ocean liner. Which included... in British liners of the era... NO dancing indoors. Only on deck. No ball rooms, no dance floors. No ladies in the smoking room, either. No dinner dress on Sundays, etc. It's all nonsense, of course, but it would be fun to see contemporary cruise passengers experiencing a true Edwardian liner (even in First Class) which this fantasy is surely not going to be in any event.

I like all weather.... we had a proper Mistral in the Western Med on QE so it was still sunny but really blowy and throwing spray. Positively delightful. And why I insist on that proper promenade deck to savour it. I was delighted I was not alone, either. Fortunately we did not have a nervous nanny Captain to restrict access to the decks, either. Like most Mistrals it only occupied an afternoon but it remains a highight to be remembered. I insist on a ship that has that immediate access to the real sea, spray and salt that makes an ocean holiday unique. QE and QV are better in this regard than QM2 as their promenade deck is quite low. QA.... no way.

Nope. You won't. If the sports jacket is dark and the trousers, too, with a dress shirt and tie... no one is going to object or should, especially if you in Britannia Restaurant. In the Grills, it's more formal by habit than code.

One is intrigued by the name "Blue Star Line" which unless some money has changed hands, is still vaguely owned by the successors of a once proud and important British Line that one would hope is not associated with this tedious and tiresome endeavour.

To be followed by the RMS PIFFLE and the RMS TWADDLE no doubt.

Is there really such a thing as "too many sea days"??? I cannot even fathom the idea... Ports are just ports, days at sea are magic.

Thanks.... whenever I hear "for the environment" the gag reflex kicks in. My opinion of Oceania just dropped a couple of notches.

Sorry.... can you clarify what you mean by this??

You are indeed, kind sir. Although I like mine wet with an olive. But at tea??? The sun isn't over my yardarm at that hour. "where's the sun?" "well over the yard arm sir" "well pour the gin" The Battle of the River Plate (1956).

Fair point. However.... we always sailed Oceania in a Concierge grade balcony cabin. And yes... I still remember just checking a Cunard cruise as an alternative and was struck how competitive Princess Grill was with what Oceania were charging then. To use that awful term, it was a "no brainer" in terms of value for money. We returned to Cunard and haven't gone back to Oceania in... why it's been eight years now. I am not sure what the per diems work out to now. Cunard have raised their prices substanially in the Grills so I suspect the difference is much greater now. But yes... some aspects of Oceania remain sigh inducing, at least "back then" like the beautiful deck areas, comfy deck chairs etc and superb deck service... frankly better than even the Grills offer lately. We did one cruise in QE in Britannia Restaurant... I thought the food and service were exemplary for the price but the deck areas were atrocious... no service and a complete mess. We actually had to complain. Two good products overall.. for us, the special diet remains the non negotiable. Cunard manages that, in Grill or Britannia brilliantly.

I love those coffee making (or not) things in Grills cabins. And encouaged by the appearance of them being used just once and never again by some poor, expectant soul and getting the same result that makes most of us ignore them henceforth. Last year, they put instructions with it, too, and it was like the assembly diagram of flat pack furniture. I understand the appeal of "all inclusive" but appreciate that some may live to drink or live to "be connected" at sea, but other who don't, rather pay for that we want or need instead. Although Cunard does seem to make the nature of the "packages" as complicated as the Illy coffee machines and, in the case of the Grills drinks package, as useless. Oceania did have great coffee and as I recall, some charming Italian ladies as baristas with whom I could practice my college Italian on... according to my wife, at every given opportunity, too.

We loved the "old" Oceania... indeed, we did a cruise in Renaissance Cruises' R7 when she was brand new. And I think, gosh, six in REGATTA, one in MARINA and and a few in RIVIERA. Back in the days when they had an all European crew, too.... it was pretty special. They remembered you and we remembered them. We gave up on them when my wife developed Coeliac disease and had to have a gluten-free diet. Oceania, frankly, to our surprise, was just hopeless in catering to this. We also got tired of their famous "Country Club Casual" dress code decline to YMCA standards and yes, 4-5 "gentlemen" at dinner on average wearing... baseball caps. A sea of chinos and polo shirts made more dismal amidst the impressive interiors. Like a lawn boys convention at The Ritz. The far better itineraries of Oceania appeal but we find Cunard in the Grills superior on every level and they are simply outstanding with my wife's special diet. And my wife wants her bathtub too... Oceania actually ripped out their splendid marble bathrooms on RIVIERA and MARINA... who would do such a thing?

I think this is more impressive.... HMT QUEEN MARY and HMT QUEEN ELIZABETH in Bass Strait, 9 April 1941

Actually the most daunting and depressing aspect of these "well in advance" bookings is seeing on the confirmation the ages we'll both be when we finally sail.... yikes! Who are these old geezers?

I booked QUEEN VICTORIA for 2026 this first thing this morning... January from Southampton to the West Indies r/t and it was a 21-min hold on the 'phone which is pretty good going I guess. And got our regular cabin, too. But they sure aren't being generous with the on board credit: $400 pp for 35 days in PG!! And took my huge deposit with fervour... Carnival is rummaging in the sofa cushions for change nowadays. BTW, the agent said they were getting lots of grumbling re. the largely useless Grill drinks "package" which, if unchanged, by the time this cruise occurs, it will be a Grills coffee and soft drinks package..... A shout out to "Bluemarble" for alerting us to this itinerary... which we love... and no, we still haven't gotten a thing from Cunard about it!!

Well not a properly maintained ship.... I never saw paint just slopped over existing paint on QV. The surface is properly chipped, primed and repainted. They used to do that in CANBERRA alas... her railings etc. looked like some ancient grotto in the end, encrusted with layers of paint underwhich I am not sure what steel was left.

Sounds like it would be less puzzling had they stuck to the original name of the company: The British & North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. Ltd. Even colonials (like Cunard himself) could pronounce that "properly."