AussieVoyager

8 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

Thanks, for the response and the helpful info. 

Oh, that is very disappointing. I love the free sauna on QE and QV. 

Does anyone have intel on the sauna situation on the new Cunard Queen Anne?

On 1/21/2024 at 11:57 AM, CruiseMsclDad said:

Hi nice to be back! Unfortunately had a huge data breach and, a new email, so shoot me an email and we can reconnect. This applies also to any guy that wants to say hello.

cruisemsclfurdad@proton.me

Nice to see you again!

On 11/12/2023 at 8:36 AM, HLR said:

So tell me guys...if you end up on a ship with only co-ed sauna or steam....what do you end up doing? [Aside from not booking that ship...which is what I am going to get a dozen replies saying! LOL] If you are going specifically for the theraputic benefits than paying for the thermal spa might be worthwhile...

To be honest I’d be less likely to use it. I was on Queen Victoria 3 times in the last year or so, and that still has men-only facilities. The vast majority of men use it naked, as nature intended. 

3 minutes ago, Musicguy said:

They may be required but in my experience, some men do wear just a towel in the coed saunas! I did and it was not an issue. 

Yea, how would they know if you had anything on under the towel anyway?  But that’s why I love the single-sex saunas - no bathing suit or towel wrap, just total freedom 😂 

1 hour ago, billys5764 said:

Queen Victoria locker room, sauna, and showers. 
 

Almost identical to Queen Elizabeth 

1 hour ago, billys5764 said:

I’m on the Queen Victoria now. It’s the first day onboard and I went to the sauna already. It’s a good sized one in the men’s locker room and free. It was pretty quiet in there. 

Yes, in my experience the first day is quiet and it gets busier as more people find out that it exists - it’s not really publicised much!  I agree that afternoons are generally busier than mornings; I guess it depends on whether you prefer quiet and solitude,

or a bit more social interaction. 

On 9/4/2023 at 9:32 AM, Edhug55 said:

Yes I am as well, finishing in Melbourne. Should be a great time.

Any other sauna aficionados joining us on this cruise from Barcelona?

10 hours ago, bluemarble said:

 

There is one recent example of a completely changed itinerary before sailing I am aware of. Because of New Zealand's biosecurity regulations requiring a cleaning of QE's hull, QE's cruise to New Zealand this past February was changed to a cruise entirely within Australia instead. There was only a day or two advance notice of this itinerary change but it was made prior to sailing.

 

Here is the original itinerary.

14 Feb 2023 - Melbourne

17 Feb 2023 - Fiordland National Park

18 Feb 2023 - Dunedin

19 Feb 2023 - Christchurch (Lyttelton)

20 Feb 2023 - Wellington

22 Feb 2023 - Auckland

23 Feb 2023 - Bay of Islands

27 Feb 2023 - Melbourne

 

Here is the revised itinerary.

14 Feb 2023 - Melbourne
16 Feb 2023 - Eden
18 Feb 2023 - Brisbane
20 Feb 2023 - Port Douglas
21 Feb 2023 - Cairns
25 Feb 2023 - Sydney
27 Feb 2023 - Melbourne

Yes, I was on this sailing. I received the notice of change about 1pm on the day before embarkation. 

.

1 minute ago, waldorf said:

Probably, I just sat on it 🤣

Haha yes, that’s all I’d do too

2 minutes ago, waldorf said:

We were on it in February, very small sauna in the men’s changing room, I never saw anyone else in there.  Towels were far too big. 

Lol towels intended for a full body wrap?

1 minute ago, Bell Boy said:

It also means you 'might' have to stand in Line whilst a table is allocated or worst still, given a Pager and told to return back . I witness all    this on my last Q.V voyage ( a birds eye view over the balcony)  from the comfort of my dedicated table.

Not really my idea of premium dining.  

Oh, that sounds terrible. I’ve cruised twice since open dining was introduced and didn’t experience that myself, and I hope I never do!

Just now, Edhug55 said:

Yes I am as well, finishing in Melbourne. Should be a great time.

Brilliant. Email me if you like. 337pan.orama it’s a gmail account

It simply means you can turn up at any time the dining room is open - not a fixed time. It also means you don’t have a fixed table or waiter. 

3 minutes ago, Edhug55 said:

Are you on the QE Barcelona to Fremantle voyage?

I am!  You?

16 minutes ago, ShipWalker said:

I have rebuilt the Sauna database to the best of my feeble memory. I think I got all the cruise lines and ships back in. I also think I made it editable by anyone.

 

Please use only a desktop or laptop at this time if adding data. Too great of a chance of messing it up when using a cell phone. I should know. lol

 

I still have a lot of formatting still to do so don’t worry if it looks weird when adding data.  

 

If there are suggestions or corrections needed let me know.  Don't forget to report the date when adding data in column O.

 

Suggest that some of you might want to save copies of this over time in case it ever disappears again.

 

Cruise Steam/Sauna database

Brilliant job - on behalf of all ship-sauna fans, thank you!

3 hours ago, billys5764 said:

I'm on the Equinox right now (until in the morning) and the locker room is clean.  There are three showers and the sauna was well used the entire cruise. Today there was a line waiting on showers.

It’s good to hear the facilities are being well used. Thanks for the post!

11 hours ago, mojitos24 said:

I just got off the Carnival Venezia. Here's the men's locker room. Nice sauna and whirlpool. You have a another open shower at the left in the whirlpool section.

 

That’s a great looking sauna and locker room!!

6 hours ago, CruiseMsclDad said:

My son and I have always wanted to do a Northern cruise, he is  a Viking history nut (in a good way)
 

I’m sure it would be amazing to see the Northern Lights

4 hours ago, Weloveitaly said:

Another first-time Cunard cruiser here so I’ll jump in with a related question… is iced tea and/or lemonade available in the buffet or the main dining room? Juice? Or only water and hot tea/coffee? We will not have a beverage package. Thank you

Juice, iced tea and lemonade are definitely all available in the buffet. I have never asked in the main dining room but I’d guess so. I’ve never purchased the drinks package either, as there’s no way I’d drink enough for it make economic sense. 

9 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

The spa on Viking is not extensively used especially the sauna which is inside the change room beside the cold plunge pool.  There are also times that no one is there at all.  

 

 

It’s great to get some peace and quiet in the sauna at times 

On 6/22/2023 at 12:35 AM, CDNPolar said:

Here is a video....

 

Even though he says that bathing suits are required in the sauna - nobody is policing that.

 

 

Thanks for posting that - what a great video. I’ve never been on Viking but that makes it very inviting (glad they don’t enforce the bathing suit rule, but I haven’t actually seen that “rule” enforced on other lines either 😂)

8 hours ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

Not in North America you cannot. There is NO interface with the Cunard loyalty programme. And has not been for five years.  

Not in Australia either…

A couple of belated thoughts on open dining from me…

We have done 8 Cunard voyages - 6 before the introduction of open dining, and 2 after it was introduced. We chose open dining when it became an option, and on our next cruise coming up we have selected open dining again. 
 

I have to say I always did enjoy the fixed seating, as it was a great opportunity to get to know table mates (even though we usually have a table for 2, the tables are so close that you can chat to others). I do miss that - it’s new people around every night. I also miss having regular waiters that we can get to know, and who learn our preferences. With open seating it’s a new waiter every time. 
 

On the positive side, we do appreciate the flexibility to eat when we choose. We usually selected the late sitting, but sometimes if we’re tired or wanting to do something different in the evening we now have freedom to eat a little earlier without going to the buffet which isn’t my thing. For that reason we do now always select the open seating option. 
 

My personal feeling is that the quality of the food was not as good on my last two voyages. Not bad, in fact still good, but just not as good as it used to be, both in quality and variety. Others I’ve spoken to don’t think so - even my wife disagrees with me on that - so maybe my memory is failing me!  I wouldn’t think, if there has been a drop, that is directly attributable to the change in seating options.