BigMac1953

Found it! (By accident)

Can't see it either

Unless you have been offered a deal from your TA, it's a daily charge per person. Some people ask for it to be removed, but that's unfair on the back room staff as you don't ever see them to tip them.

So where is the Steakhouse? Isn't that the Verandah?

Book early. It's a Diamond member's perk, so can be fully booked some days.

There is a charge for materials at the watercolour class. However, if you bring your own, including pad, it's free. It lasts 2 hours, so you get about one and a half hours to make a mess. One of mine from last November:

You'll certainly find that due to the ship's design, you'll be able to sit out at the stern and be sheltered.

You have to remember, it is the Atlantic Ocean! Having crossed 10 times, and doing the round trip again in August this year, we've had lumpy and foggy days in summer, and flat calm sunny days in winter. On Gala nights, 95% of men will be in Black Tie. On other nights, the majority will be in jackets with most wearing a tie. Cunard crossings are the most formal at sea.

....unless....

Q1's and Q2's turn right on entering. Regular and well known travellers tend to get looked after best.

We'll be on board from 24 November in 8090; Madeira and Canaries (as usual).

Peking Duck is a minimum of 3 days notice. We always order it on board, whichever ship we are on.

Just checked. Thankfully, it wasn't my imagination. Today's OPENING HOURS QUEENS AND PRINCESS GRILL RESTAURANTS Breakfast............................8,00om to 9.30om, Dinner.,.....,,.................................... .6.30om to 9.00om Sorry, it won't paste properly

Is it my imagination, or was QG/PG 6:30 - 9:00pm at one time for dinner? Probably my imagination.

From Cunard's web site: "Your Britannia Club Balcony stateroom features a desk, a seating area and king-size bed, plus a spacious balcony with table and chairs for you to relax in the ocean air. Enjoy elevated features such as priority embarkation and disembarkation"

You will be allotted a time. However, when it comes to actually boarding, it's QG, PG, Club, Diamond then Platinum.

A wee story that might be relevant: Some years ago, when our two children were at (private) schools, where the fees were extortionate, we sacrificed big holidays to pay the fees. My parents insisted that we go on holiday with them on several occasions. To Orlando. To Lago Maggiore. And for the third time my father decided we should all return to the Italian lakes. As, once again, he was proposing that we all went to a rather up market hotel at his expense, I declined the generous offer. We were returning from watching a football match. My father was quite indignant. He told me in no uncertain terms, that it was his money and that he could spend it how he pleased and that anyway, he did not know how many holidays he had left and that was what he wanted to do. I arrived home and explained this to my wife and asked her how do you answer that? So, we went back to Italy for two weeks and had a marvelous time. A couple of years later, our two left school and wanted to go on holiday by themselves. For the first time, we had the oppertinity of going on holiday by ourselves. The QE2 had been on my bucket list, so I booked it. My wife was horrified. She told me that she didn't have any clothes to wear. She did. We went. Out TA advised us to book a P1. We really enjoyed it and subsequently booked a QG trip for the following year. Our worst mistake. It's been QG ever since. My bank manager is convinced we're buying the ship. Scroll forward to autumn 2008. I asked my mother what she would like for Christmas. Jokingly. she replied that she would like something expensive. I had a plan. A few weeks later, I asked again and this time she asked if I could paint a watercolour. I agreed. I got out my paints and found an interesting picture on the internet of the Queen Victoria with the QE2 in the background. I sketched it then painted it. It was then framed. My parents were due at our house early on Christmas morning. Around 8:00am in fact. At lunchtime on Christmas eve, out daughter phoned from Edinburgh, where she attended the university. She was about to return home. She told us that her German penpal, Linda was in Edinburgh working, along with her friend Alice and that they did not have enough money to get back to Nurenburg, so could they please come and have Christmas with us. Okay, we said. But there's just one problem. Oh? Linda is a vegetarian. My wife had to dash to the shops, buy two more presents and a basket full of vegetables. Christmas morning, we were all up and ready well before 8:00am. We did the prezzy thing when my parents arrived. I primed the kids that if there was mention of a DVD they must all demand to see it immediately. The last present was ours to my parents and my mother opened it. It was my framed watercolour. I had attached the DVD to the back and if played, it would show how near my painting was to the real thing. The kids all shouted that we should play the DVD My mother took out the DVD, but it was wrapped in a sheet of paper. She asked what it was and I told her to read it. Certain bits were yellow highlighted. "It states booking" form she said. "Read on" I told her. "But that's our names" she said. "You're going on a two week cruise around the Mediteranean" From under the sofa, I produced the Cunard brochure and showed my parents all the different categories. She thought they all looked great. I explained that they were not going in any of these (so far). "You're going Queens Grill with us". We did. It was a great holiday. It was my Dad's last.

If, as you say, it's just a daily fix, then nobody will bat an eyelid if you pour a glass and take it with you.

Probably only 10-15% stick rigidly to the theme, and mostly, they are the ballroom dancers.

Can't you just pack a couple of dozen tins of your favourites? and if stopping at ports top up as required.

This is apparently "Gala" wear. A tartan jacket and half tied tie, according to their latest advert:

...just like UK ones.

Anyone involved in Sales and Marketing knows ony too well, that it costs much less to keep your existing customers loyal, than it does to obtain new customers. If, on "Gala" nights, the restaurants were fairly empty, and the "Smash and Grab" was full, then that might strengthen the case for relaxing the dress code. But that's not the case at all. I don't want to be lugging around a dinner suit and dresses for fewer and fewer nights. We're now down to 3 per fortnight (2 per week on a crossing). Is that really what people want? Does anyone know? The Bean Counters must have worked out that they save somewhere by having more casual nights. If you have a USP that works, why try to fix it?

Rome This is a great tour company: https://www.discoveryguidedtours.com/about-us/ We've used them several times and passed them on to a few friends who also enjoyed their services. Speak to the owner Gilberto Stanzione, who will make a bespoke tour just for you with as many or a few stops as you wish. He speaks perfect English. having lived in London and NYC. Collection is from the ship. Cars or vans. Twice we've teamed up with others who we met on this site, and taken the 8 seater Merc van. On one occasion, there was a strike and traffic was gridlocked. The poor folks on the official tours sat for hours seeing nothing, meanwhile we belted around the back streets and got to see everything we wanted. Gilberto even arranged for Coliseum tickets to be purchased and we collected them at a pre-arranged point, so no queues. Stewart

...but you've said that a few times before.