Victoria2

To quote The Times History Correspondent and deputy diary Editor, ''no Queen has ever had the title Queen Consort in their style'' and ''a Monarch cannot bind the hands of their successor'', so good for King Charles. It's a very subtle difference but it was inevitable Queen Camilla, the Queen Consort, would be officially styled ''Queen Camilla'' and on occasions, just ''The Queen''. Sits well with me. She's earned it.

They do but they are of the lengthy, walking variety and a pain to carry around. Much more convenient to go with a telescopic/folding version as you indicated.

There are [or were] a couple of desk tops in the library. The actual 'computer room' fell by the wayside years ago when tablets/iPads/ Notebooks became so prevalent. Personally, if the Chromebook is very portable and a necessity, I'd take it. Pack of cards? Could be in the cupboard in the card room but again, for the tiny space it takes up, I'd take a pack then you can guarantee all 52 cards will be there. I don't recall a Gideon bible either and yes there will be at least one in the library, but if it's in the reference section, it can't be loaned out. Happy cruising and I think we'd love to know how your first cruise 'went'.

I don't think any of us will know for absolute certain, but the deck plan certainly shows a side balcony and not wraparound. Deck plans are usually fairly accurate. edit In the current brochure I have, there is a caveat on the stateroom pictures which says the pictures and diagrams are examples and individual staterooms may vary. That's true, The photo of the Grand Suite is of a deck seven QV Q1 and bears no resemblance to a QE Q1, Same for the Master Suite which is a picture of the proposed Q2 on QA. Nothing like the Q2s on QE and QV.

If anyone fills a DJ out to perfection, It's Mr D Craig -think James Bond meets Queen Elizabeth skit for 2012 Olympics in London. Unfortunately, there aren't that many Mr D Craig clones around on Cunard, hence my 'it's not a film set'. 🙂

This is a cruise line, not a film set. May/ June and July, the restaurant was a sea of black tie and correspondingly dressed companions. I couldn't care less if stripes,silk lapels, patent shoes, cummerbunds, winged collars and hand tied bow ties are in evidence or not. I am just delighted to be in the company of folk who want to enjoy a formal night on a Cunard ship and who try and follow the advised dress code as best they can. Indeed, follow any advised dress codes. Full Stop. So for those who pine for evening dress as in the Gilded Age, bear in mind, without all the passengers, ninety percent of whom follow any advisories, there would be no Cunard ship to cruise on.

Or casual shorts, as opposed to trekking types. Socks and shoes with holiday shorts often looks a no no ...however stinky feet might get.🙂

I order the chilli beef [in QG] as an off menu dish at least once during a trip but I make sure it's prepared 'as Bamboo' or I might get a QG galley version which isn't quite the same.

Of course not but there is no way anyone should pay good money for a smelly cabin and if a replacement isn't offered, then one should demand one or get the Captain to come down and experience the smell for him/herself and demand action.

This has already been asked but no reply so I ask too. Did you ask or better still, demand to be moved to another cabin?

Me too [unless the chap is in danger of expiring due to heat overload, and yes, for the naysayers, the temperature can get hot and beads of sweat is SO not nice] except I read a piece which said dancers' jackets aren't always comfortable so a waistcoat in those circs. can be useful on the dance floor.

Nail in the coffin. Football [soccer] link. That's enough to assure me 100% a waistcoat is not required.

Depends how discreet you are. I guess practise could make perfect...if undiscovered. If discovered, you could claim broken specs or a diagnosed but hidden eyesight issue which demanded full use of the binocular lenses and the fact they were aimed at chaps' legs, was a muscular problem which meant your gaze was lowered on occasions.

I will lend you a pair of mini binoculars if we ever meet so you can discreetly give male legs the once over! edit and if you don't get thrown off the ship, you can spill the beans!😃

I was going to post a photo of Mr Bond a la Daniel Craig but forgot in my eagerness to post. He wears a dinner jacket, magnificently!

Having attended countless black tie events over the past many decades, whilst the purists might advocate cummerbund or even a waistcoat and look down on those who, with the changes in fashion over the decades, eschew such accessories, it is not necessary or a requirement to wear such additional details although I will admit, a cummerbund can be rather useful for the more portly gentleman. A satin stripe traditionally matches the lapel of the dinner jacket. My husband has the stripes, but not the satin lapel. What would the Fashion Police make of that! For heavens sake, let's be pleased when most chaps wear a dinner suit, be it a charity shop buy, M&S or a Saville Row Made to Measure. To be that picky as to accessories and stripes is enough to make me see stars with said stripes. 🥴

My parents knew a couple who booked QG suites and an opposite inside...he snored!

Yes. A dark suit will be perfectly acceptable. The majority of chaps will be gussied up in black tie but he will most certainly not be alone non black tie.

Depends on how long the cruise is. I 'recycle' evening wear, even on a two weeker if I feel one outfit warrants a second appearance especially as I have favourites which don't get worn shoreside..

In QG. the table layout is fluid and based purely on passenger requirements. For instance there might be three large tables, or one or two if the need is there, I have no reason to doubt PG would be different.

May well be allotted different disembarkation times and as such, bags in the baggage hall just might, not have been unloaded in time. As luggage ties are colour/numbered, it wouldn't hurt to ask for extra 'Diamond' colour coded tags so all bags have the same ties and will therefore be offloaded at the same time and will be in the same area of the baggage hall.

We spent four weeks last year on Victoria on two separate occasions, 6&7 aft and had no vestige of a smell at all, cabin or corridor.

Last year on Victoria.

I'm trying to find live camera action of QV leaving but I'll answer this instead. Funnily enough, I was thinking sitting on the steps would make a far better photo than 'the' pose where couples seem to be clinging on to one another for dear life. Glad you got some photos. We also have some family cruise ones from way back. Relaxed but in our finery, is how I'd describe them and most definitely not posed as such.🙂

Good for you. I see the same 'Cunard couple' pose being taken over and over again, usually on the main atrium stairway on QV and it really does look so DARNED posed so I'm sure your photo was a breath of fresh air. 🙂