Victoria2

25 minutes ago, NE John said:

My only problem with the Vistas (only been on QE but applies to QV) is that several of the public rooms are areas off a corridor, specifically QR, Casino, and the midship/gin bar. QM2 has separate and distinct public areas and that makes a difference. The Garden Lounge on QE seems lifeless but hopefully the recent refit helped out with that issue. 

Plus on QM2, the cabins are nicer (maybe the Q1/2’s on other ships are better than QM2 so maybe I’ll find out one day!)

Bearing in mind I haven't actually seen  these, I don't think you can compare Q1/2s on QM2 with QV or QA and def. not with QE as they certainly seem to be in a class of their own, being duplexes for a start

but

I'd caveat that with saying the Q1 and 2 cabins on QA are really special and the Q1s on QV are equally magnificent.

QE's1s are spacious and lovely as are QE/QV 2s too but they are more 'homely' and crucially, don't have two bathrooms.

27 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Must admit QA is my least favourite Cunard ship by a long way.

 

I think that Cunard, by design or luck, have managed to have a small fleet of ships, which appeal to different tastes for many reasons, the basic hardware and decor seeming to be  prominent factors,  and yet still maintain an overall similarity.

Pretty good going really. 🙂

5 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

My concerns are not with the Terminal, they are with QA. 😀

 

Hopefully, she will be on her very best behaviour for you.😃

2 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Once you embark you will be able to go straight to your stateroom so leave hand luggage there then go for lunch.

Hopefully, yes but with an early check in...who knows.

The last time we had such a time, we boarded QE but were told to wait in the Lido until cabins were released. We didn't, we just went straight up to the lounge to wait.

22 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Tomorrow we hope to be off on QA for our second voyage on her, and I’m sure I shall have many intermittent comments. And, of course, others on the same trip will want to join in.

 

At present three questions raise themselves.

 

1. We have a very early check in time. I wonder how that will work.

 

2. We are at the Ocean Terminal. While I like the terminal, QA does not seem to have been there often. Will they be able to cope?

 

3. Will I have to take my hand luggage to lunch?

 

Our taxi is due at 10.30 tomorrow, and I am about to pack.

Looking forward to your reports. 👍

With a very early check in. it will be interested to read how it pans out. We like Ocean  best out of all terminals.

Enjoy!

2 hours ago, david,Mississauga said:

 

Having travelled two or more times in each of the four "classes" on the QM2 I can say that ship provides us with all of the above.  I won't say it is our favourite ship because we have become very fond of the QE - and we hope the QV next year.  

I was answering the 'unique' issue raised in #9.

I would expect all Cunard ships to have the attributes mentioned  by me in #10 and in fact, thinking about it, I would say Victoria is unique in her own way for being  'the friendly ship'.

I hope you enjoy her just as much as we do. Unfortunately we have to wait until '27 before we can enjoy our home at sea again.🙂

21 minutes ago, eroller said:

 

Luckily for you there are hundreds of other cruise ships to choose from with a more typical cookie cutter layout … such as the rest of the Cunard fleet. All production-line ships with sisters sailing for other brands. Nice ships but not unique. 

Cookie Cutter layout. Not heard that before and I'm sure it's not meant as a compliment. 😄

We don't want unique. We want excellent service, superb food, great fellow passengers, wonderful staff  and for us, fabulous cabins etc etc and so yes, we are lucky Cunard has three other ships on which we can spend many weeks a year enjoying the ambiance Cunard ships have for their many loyal passengers. 👍

59 minutes ago, Gwendy said:

Is it just me or does anyone else find the layout of QM2 confusing.   Having to walk through the spa to get to the back of the ship, walking through Carinthia and Verandah restaurant to enter Terrace Bar.  Are there shortcuts I haven’t found.  It is raining so outside decks not an option.

Thought this ship was going to be “special” but a bit disappointed so far.  Oh well 6 more days to make it special.

I don't think QM2 is special at all apart from being a one off. I don't like the layout which is one of the reasons QM2 is my least favourite Cunard ship.

12 minutes ago, Clewgarnet said:

When I was a teenager, maybe! But that was a long, LONG time ago.

Most definitely a long time ago. 🙂

7 minutes ago, Gogo Baby said:

Pretty much all the cocktails served at those Ocean Drive bars are doubles, possibly triples. Margaritas elsewhere in the US nowhere near as lethal.

My very first Margarita was in a San Diego Old Town bar, many decades ago. 

I promptly knocked it over, by mistake obvs.

The server rushed over and said [and we have NEVER forgotten this] 'let me re-build it for you'! A rebuild of a drink? Priceless.

and he he did, free of charge because 'I just luuuuurve your accent'!

I love the US.👍

As I'm a bit thick re what can be seen if I copy exactly, this is the major addition as far as I can see.

My Cunard
Manage your travel details, check in, book Shore Experiences, and add little luxuries to your voyage.

What I haven't copied is the vital bit underneath which is

Manage a booking

When you click on the above 'Manage...', all your future bookings come up and to go into one of them, just click on the red box 'Manage my booking' and the booking summery appears. No having to input booking refs any more. 

Quick and easy.

58 minutes ago, NE John said:

Going to college in upstate New York near the Canadian border, the beer from Quebec was classy and high alcohol content like Fin de Monde with a 9% alcohol level specifically. Classy and buzzed!

When in the US, a really quaffable and cheap wine for my friends and so, me, is 'Two Buck Chuck'!

Don't you just love Trader Joe's!👍

5 minutes ago, DaisyUK said:

Oh yes, I've just tried it. Brilliant, what a great new option.

I had a look too. Excellent change.👍

1 hour ago, doog442 said:

Just another dress code question please as the subject is live. We're on the Queen Anne in a couple of weeks from Southampton (first time Cunard) then QE next Feb from Miami. We're fully invested in the gala type evenings and always have been, no matter the cruise line.

 

My question is this ' jackets are optional but encouraged' for other evenings.  

 

I always wear smart trousers and a collard shirt so am asking for real world experience. On average how many men are wearing a jacket and is it a big deal if I don't. The reason I ask is that on another non cruise forum I was advised most men were wearing jackets on a recent QA cruise, yet I'm seeing other social media that contradicts this ie collared shirt/ trousers etc.

 

Any thoughts or is it simply down to personal preference (please understand I'm not trying to dumb down the dress code ).  

How long is a piece of string?

Jacket wearing can by 75% ish or it could be 35%ish and that's in QG. It depends entirely on the cruise and how the passengers feel about wearing a jacket. My husband always wears a jacket but that's his choice. If he wanted to leave jackets at home, apart from his DJ, that would also be a choice too. Jacket or jacketless is fine but make sure the shirt 'complies' if jacketless.

2 hours ago, exlondoner said:

Over here we had something called Hirondelle. Very clever name, but there its virtues ended.

See #176!  😄

53 minutes ago, Roz said:

I have a 51 yr. old son because of Boone's Farm. 😉

Can you sue? 🙂

7 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

We, as teens, just drank red wine, forget the cola [boys usually hit the Watney's Party Seven].

The stuff we used to buy in one litre bottles would make Pol Aker  seem like  a fine wine!😀

Then when I hit college, we used to brew our own wine which never made it to a bottle. That made the bottled stuff also seem like a reasonable wine but hey we had a great time syphoning it out of the demi john straight into half pint glasses, probably sneaked from a local pub! 😁

1 minute ago, Caipi said:

 

We drank unbelievable amounts of red wine with Cola when I was young. 🙂

We, as teens, just drank red wine, forget the cola [boys usually hit the Watney's Party Seven].

The stuff we used to buy in one litre bottles would make Pol Aker  seem like  a fine wine!😀

9 minutes ago, goldfish65 said:

 

 

...Someone calmly sipping champagne in a hot tub, not a big deal in my opinion. 

Absolutely, but not in a glass when glassware is prohibited!

We have fab polycarbonate 'glassware' here  for the terrace at home -Strahl- no glass allowed. If polycarbonate is good enough for very upmarket poolside drinks parties we went to in S.E.Asia, it's def. good enough for Victoria2 et al at home.

Cunard?

8 minutes ago, S1971 said:

 

I don't need luck, I don't to police it.

 

This is a Cunard policy and for them to police, if they don't it makes it pointless having it, just like some of the others they don't seem to enforce.

You certainly don't. Passengers are not there to police anything. The staff however, are there to monitor situations. 

Cunard policy in question is on their drinks package. That does not necessarily mean it's on an overall consumption.

We will agree to differ.

6 minutes ago, S1971 said:

 

Yes, it should be to individual cruise card, if one decides to buy a round of drinks then they'll need to take that into account before ordering.

 

Just to reiterate, I think the 15 drink limit is a sensible one but that has to be universal and not just those on the package, I don't see the logic in having a responsible drinking policy with the drinks package only for them to continue to sell individuals alcohol once they've exceeded it.

 

Similarly with PAYG, limit each cruise card to 15, it would then be a sensible policy, obviously not fool proof but better than what they have now.

 

 

Ha, good luck policing that one!!

Mutiny on the Bounty would have nothing on irate passengers having to monitor their generosity! 🙂

The only time Cunard staff should monitor alcohol consumption is when a passenger or a group of,  becomes 'out of order' through drink and I speak as one who thinks fifteen alcoholic drinks a day, a health hazard.

18 minutes ago, Planning to cruise said:

Yesterday I had a promotional email from Cunard.  I was surprised to see the photo is of a woman in a hot tub with the full glass of champagne.  I think it is probably on QA Grills terrace.  I was  not impressed.  I also do not think drinks, of any kind, should feature in hot tab use.    

Especially if it is on Annie, there is a very distinct notice by the hot tubs, no 'glassware'!

Cunard's left hand in total sync with its right? Hmmmmmm!😀

2 hours ago, david63 said:

But using that same logic then someone who is PAYG should only be allowed to buy 15 drinks.

9 minutes ago, S1971 said:

 

In my opinion yes.

Does that include buying a round of drinks?

22 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I never understand why people mind their balconies being overlooked, and many of the ones in the middle third of the ship are to some extent. What are they intending to do there?

My balcony, my private area, but that's just my take.

49 minutes ago, Cathycancruise said:

We've upgraded to a penthouse suite 7037. Managed to get it through our agent for £200 each. There were four still available to choose from. We are very pleased with that, If we had placed the minimum bid with Cunard it would have cost us £350 each with no guarantee of being successful and no choice of suite.

Seems like the upgrade bidding system is a bit of a con.

 

OK, you said there were four cabins left to choose from.

Do bear in mind, you are next to the bend and the balcony of 7035 juts out and has a partial view of 'your' balcony. 

You'll get an idea from this video how the jutting balcony has a view of the next door balcony. This is a larger 'jut out' but 7035 will still have a partial view of7037

couldn't edit the first video out but the second gives you the idea of the balcony and what it overlooks.